Hillary Cassel
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Hillary Cassel
| image = Hillary_Cassel.jpg
| district = 101st
| state_house = Florida
| term_start = November 8, 2022
| birth_name = Hillary Paige Brisson
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Boynton Beach, Florida, U.S.
| party = Democratic (before 2024)
Republican (2024–present)
| spouse = Michael A. Cassel
| children = 1
| education = Florida State University (BS)
Nova Southeastern University (JD)
| predecessor = Marie Woodson
}}
Hillary B. Cassel is an American attorney, politician serving as a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 101st district. She assumed office on November 8, 2022.
Education
Cassel earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and government from Florida State University in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from the Shepard Broad College of Law.{{Cite web |title=Hillary B. Cassel |url=https://www.cassel.law/hbc.html |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=Cassel & Cassel, P.A. - Property Damage Attorneys |language=en}} While in law school, Cassel served as an editor on the Nova Law Review, was Chief Advocate of the Moot Court Honor Society, was a member of the Order of the Barristers, and earned the "Best Advocate" award from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, among other distinctions.
Career
From 2006 to 2009, Cassel served as an assistant state attorney in the 17th Circuit State Attorney's Office. From 2010 to 2013, she was an associate at Berk, Merchant, & Sims. She then worked as a senior associate at an insurance defense firm from 2012 to 2014. It was at this time that she met her husband and law partner, Michael. She was then a partner at Geyer Fuxa Tyler from 2014 to 2017 before establishing Cassel & Cassel in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Geggis |first=Anne |date=2022-08-24 |title=Hillary Cassel wins three-way Democratic Primary to win nomination for HD 101 |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/550198-hillary-cassel-wins-three-way-democratic-primary-to-win-democratic-nomination-for-hd-101/ |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Hillary Cassel |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Hillary_Cassel |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}
Despite her freshman legislator status, Cassel was placed in the spotlight by the Democratic Caucus during the 2022 special session related to the Florida property insurance market due to her expertise in the subject matter.[https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/12-6-22-house-democrats-press-conference-on-property-insurance-special-session/ 12/6/22 House Democrats’ Press Conference on Property Insurance Special Session (Cassel begins at 3:30 and again at 10:40)] Cassel presented closing arguments in both the commerce committee[https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/12-13-22-house-commerce-committee/ 12/13/22 House Commerce Committee (Cassel's closing remarks begin at 2:52:04) ] as an ex officio member and floor debate during the house session[https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/12-14-22-house-session/ 12/14/22 House Session (Cassel's closing remarks begin at 3:10:22)] on behalf of the caucus. She further provided closing remarks during the post-session press conference along with House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell.[https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/12-14-22-press-availability-with-house-democratic-caucus-leaders/ 12/14/22 Press Availability with House Democratic Caucus Leaders (Cassel's remarks begin at 4:15)] Less than 24 hours after Cassel spoke to Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier's role in the insurance legislation passed during the special session, Mr. Altmaier resigned as Florida's Insurance Commissioner.Mower, Lawrence - [https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/12/15/floridas-insurance-commissioner-quits-amid-states-property-insurance-crisis/ "Florida’s insurance commissioner quits amid state’s property insurance crisis"] - Tampa Bay Times
On December 27, 2024, Cassel announced that she was leaving the Democratic Party in favor of the Republican Party, citing the former's "failure to unequivocally support Israel" in the Gaza war.{{Cite web |last=Nicol |first=Ryan |date=2024-12-27 |title=Hillary Cassel becomes second House Democrat to swap parties ahead of 2025 Session |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/713303-hillary-cassel-becomes-second-house-democrat-to-swap-parties-ahead-of-2025-session-2/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}}
References
{{Florida House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassel, Hillary}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
Category:Women state legislators in Florida
Category:Florida State University alumni
Category:Nova Southeastern University alumni
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature
Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives