< PreviousJUDICIAL PROFILE AALM: How did you transition from attorney to judge? What advice do you have for attorneys considering the switch? Cynamon: After graduating from Barnard College with a bachelor’s degree and University of Miami School of Law with a Juris Doctor and an LL.M. in tax- ation, I was an assistant general counsel for the 11th Judicial Cir- cuit, researching the law to help judges render rulings and deci- sions that followed the law. Rather than advocating for one side, I ap- proached each case neutrally, with the goal of finding and following the law. As a judge, I use this same approach. My advice to attorneys who are considering transitioning to the bench is: remember the dif- ference between advocating and being committed to properly fol- lowing and applying the law. AALM: Describe your courtroom style. Cynamon: I strive to be prepared for each hearing, relying on attorneys to submit written materials that I read in advance. I often ask attorneys ques- tions during their presentations. To be fair to both sides, I hear only mat- ters noticed for hearing. Everyone has the chance to be heard and to make their record. I strive to rule quickly. AALM: What’s your advice for at- torneys trying cases before you? Cynamon: Be punctual, prepared and courteous to opposing counsel. Obtain hearings and rulings on all pretrial motions. Confer with oppos- ing counsel before trial on jury in- structions, statement of the case and deposition designations, so that you can utilize the jurors’ time efficiently. AALM: What do you love about your job? Cynamon: I have served in the civil, family and juvenile divi- sions. I have loved serving in each and look forward to continuing to serve. No matter whether it is a decision on who wins a civil case, which parent has more time with a child, or whether a juvenile ends up in a commitment program, I never forget that I am there to serve the public and that my deci- sions directly impact the lives of people who live and work in our community. AALM: What’s the biggest differ- ence between practicing law and be- ing a judge? Cynamon: Lawyers advocate for their client’s legal position. Judges must approach each case neutrally and be committed to properly fol- lowing and applying the law. Lawyers want their client to be treated fairly. Judges are committed to ensuring that both sides have a fair hearing, a chance to make their arguments and to make their record. AALM: What future changes are you looking forward to? Cynamon: I am looking forward to working in the new Miami-Dade County Courthouse when it opens! AALM: Who is your legal hero and how do you try to emulate them in your day-to-day life? Cynamon: My hero is a family court judge who served in Manhat- tan in the 1970s. I don’t remember her name, but I remember her ef- fect on my life. When we met, I was nine years old, my parents were go- ing through a vitriolic divorce and I was brought to court. After listening to the lawyers argue, the judge took time to speak to the person whose life would be most impacted by her deci- sion: me. I emulate her every day by considering the impact my decisions will have on the parties before me. AALM: Tell us something about yourself. Cynamon: I spent my teens in fos- ter care. Receiving a full scholarship to Barnard College changed my life, enabling me to overcome early chal- lenges and have a fulfilling and suc- cessful life and career! An Interview with Judge Abby Cynamon Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Judge Abby Cynamon, a Circuit Court Judge in the Civil Division of the 11th Judicial Circuit. She has spent more than a decade on the bench. illk ahn@ixne tcom. comThe Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (MD- FAWL) is a volunteer bar association founded in 1980. Since then, MDFAWL has been at the fore- front of change – lobbying for the Equal Rights Amendment; fielding female candidates for The Florida Bar Board of Governors; The Florida Supreme Court Gender Bias Com- mission, ultimately leading to many changes throughout the state’s court system; implementing the “GOOD” Guys program; lobbying for the en- actment of Florida’s Sexual cyberha- rassment statute to protect victims of nonconsensual pornography; put- ting nursing suites in local state and federal courthouses; and advocating for the implementation of a parental leave rule. In 2018, MDFAWL launched the MDFAWL Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is, in part, to provide scholarships to law students who demonstrate fi- nancial need, academic merit, and a commitment to the advancement of women in the law. In 1951, Mattie Belle Davis (the only female Floridian who passed The Florida Bar Exam in 1936), pre- sided over a breakfast meeting held by a group of Florida women lawyers in Miami Beach. At this meeting, the Florida Association for Women Law- yers was officially formed – the local chapters wouldn’t be created until 29 years later. Mattie Belle Davis joined the bench in 1959, and although she retired in 1980, she continued to serve as a retired judge until 1996. Judge Davis’s commitment to women lawyers was unwaver- ing and in fact she served as the organization’s historian until her passing in 2004. Today, MDFAWL’s highest honor is its Mattie Belle Davis Award, presented annually to an MDFAWL member who exempli- fies the ideals of professional achieve- ment, perseverance, and dedication that were demonstrated by the late Judge Davis. On March 1, 1980, State FAWL formed local chapters and with the encouragement of Linda C. Singer, then State FAWL president, the wom- en lawyers of Dade County formed a chapter (now MDFAWL). At that time, all the business clubs in down- town Miami were “male only” and there were few women judges or law firm partners. Charlene Carres served as the first MDFAWL president and the chapter’s founding members in- cluded Diane Van Ness, Debra Weiss Goodstone, Sandy Karlan, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Gill Freeman, Al- lison Weinger, May Cain, Ellen Lees- field, Edith Osman, Elizabeth Baker, Cindy Lederman, and Allison Hock- man, among others. One of the first actions taken by MDFAWL was to arrange a meeting with then Governor Bob Graham to speak about the appointment of women to the judiciary and other leadership positions. 39 years later, MDFAWL leadership is still working to help ensure that qualified women judges and diverse judges are appoint- ed, elected, and elevated to the bench. Although MDFAWL was originally a women-only organization, in Janu- ary 1981, MDFAWL began welcom- ing male members. The first male to join MDFAWL was Ted Klein, a bril- liant defense lawyer, federal prosecu- tor, and beginning in October 2003, United States Magistrate Judge. In 2008, MDFAWL began giving out an annual award in his honor to a male MDFAWL member who has demon- strated initiative and dedication to women’s issues. Thirty-nine years after its found- ing, MDFAWL remains dedicated to actively promoting the advance- ment of women in the legal profes- sion, expanding the leadership role of its members in the community at large, and promoting women’s rights. The organization is also committed to promoting diversity and inclusion and providing equal opportunities for participation and support to people of any gender, race, religion, ethnic- ity, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic background. Elisa D’Amico is the current presi- dent of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Law- yers. A Brief History of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers BY ELISA D’AMICOTop 10 - Forbes Best Banks Western Alliance Bank specializes in banking for law firms and settlement administrators. We bring you years of expertise in supporting all phases of the settlement process from escrow through distribution with a single point of contact. 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