Lisa S. Walsh
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Infobox judge
| name = Lisa S. Walsh
| office = Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Miami-Dade County, Florida (originally appointed and later elected)
| term_start = 2011
| office2 = Judge, Miami-Dade County Court (originally appointed and later elected)
| termstart2 = 2008
| termend2 = 2011
| education = Northwestern University (B.S. 1988), University of Miami School of Law (J.D. 1992)
| appointer2 = Governor Charlie Christ
| appointer = Governor Rick Scott
| preceded = Robert Pineiro
}}
Lisa Sharon Walsh is an American judge, serving on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County, Florida since 2011. She has been Administrative Judge of that court's Appellate Division, a judge of its International Commercial Arbitration Court since 2017, and a business court judge in its Complex Business Litigation Division since 2023. She has received numerous awards as a judge, has held significant leadership positions, and has provided judicial education programming to other judges. In 2024, Walsh was the highest rated judge (among 49) in the Miami-Dade Bar's Judicial Poll.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-07-25 |title=Who's the Best South Florida Judge? Lawyers Speak Out |url=https://www.miamidadebar.org/whos-the-best-south-florida-judge-lawyers-speak-out/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Miami-Dade Bar |language=en-US}}
Judicial service
In Florida, a County Court civil division is a court of limited jurisdiction where the claims are under $50,000. A Florida county's Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction that hears civil actions worth more than $50,000.{{Cite web |title=Civil |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/About-the-Court/Court-Divisions/Civil |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.jud11.flcourts.org}}
In 2008, Governor Charlie Christ appointed Walsh as a judge of the Miami-Dade County Court's civil division, a position to which she was later elected. In 2011, Governor Rick Scott appointed Walsh to Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County, to fill a vacancy left by the death of Judge Robert Pineiro. In subsequent election cycles, Walsh either won election to the circuit court or was unopposed at the time of the general election.{{Cite web |last=Pagliery |first=Jose |date=April 12, 2011 |title=Lisa Walsh elevated to circuit court |url=https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/almID/1202489635634/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Daily Business Review |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Judge Lisa S. Walsh – Judge Me |url=http://www.judgeme.info/eleventh-judicial-circuit-of-florida/judge-lisa-walsh/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Municipal elections in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2018) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Municipal_elections_in_Miami-Dade_County,_Florida_(2018) |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NAWJ ANNOUNCES 2018 JUSTICE VAINO SPENCER LEADERSHIP AWARD HONOREES: HON. BERNADETTE D'SOUZA, HON. MARCELL A. HOLLAND, HON. LISA S. WALSH {{!}} National Association of Women Judges |url=https://www.nawj.org/blog/newsroom/news/nawj-announces-2018-justice-vaino-spencer-leadership-award-honorees-hon-bernadette-dsouza-hon-marcell-a-holland-hon-lisa-s-walsh |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=www.nawj.org}} In originally appointing Walsh, Scott "hailed her 'common-sense approach' to every issue and dispute, in which she 'applied the rule of law in a consistent, fair and intelligent manner.'”{{Cite web |title=Annual Judicial Reception Honorees |url=https://jewishmiami.org/news/extra/Judicial_Reception_2019_bios/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Greater Miami Jewish Federation |language=en}}
Walsh has served in the circuit court's criminal, civil, and dependency divisions.{{Cite web |title=Judge Lisa Walsh, National Association of Women Judges |url=https://www.nawj.org/uploads/files/bios/judgelisawalshbio.pdf}} In 2017, the International Commercial Arbitration Court (ICA) was created within the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court's civil division. Walsh was appointed as one of the first two judges to sit in the ICA, where she continues serving as a judge (as of July 2024), having been "specially trained in the laws and procedures that are unique to international arbitration."{{Cite web |title=International Commercial Arbitration, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/About-the-Court/Court-Divisions/Civil/International-Commercial-Arbitration |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.jud11.flcourts.org}} In early 2023, Walsh was assigned to the Eleventh Circuit's Complex Business Litigation Division, a specialized business court program created in 2006, with a jurisdiction limited to complex cases of a business and commercial nature.{{Cite web |title=This Judge Is Set to Join Miami-Dade’s Complex Business Litigation Division |url=https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/02/10/this-judge-is-set-to-join-miami-dades-complex-business-litigation-division/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Daily Business Review |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Complex Business Litigation |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/About-the-Court/Ourt-Courts/Civil-Court/Complex-Business-Litigation |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.jud11.flcourts.org}}
Walsh has also served as Administrative Judge of the Miami-Dade Circuit Court's Appellate Division, and has been appointed by designation to sit as an appellate judge on Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal.{{Cite web |title=Judge Lisa Walsh, Esq. |url=https://www.celesq.com/presenter/judge-lisa-walsh |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.celesq.com}} The circuit court's appellate division handles appeals from decisions of the county court, various quasi-judicial boards, and administrative agencies.{{Cite web |title=Appellate, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/About-the-Court/Court-Divisions/Appellate |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=www.jud11.flcourts.org}} Florida's District Courts of Appeal hear appeals from decisions in the circuit courts.{{Cite web |title=District Courts of Appeal, Florida Courts |url=https://www.flcourts.gov/Florida-Courts/District-Courts-of-Appeal#:~:text=The%20district%20courts%20of%20appeal%20can%20hear%20appeals,the%20duties%20of%20the%20executive%20branch%20of%20government.}}
Since 2009, she has been involved as part of the faculty and administration of Florida's Advanced Judicial College, the Florida Judicial College, and the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges.{{Cite web |title=Florida Court Education Council, Dean and Associate Dean Positions |url=https://www.flcourts.gov/content/download/2424472/file/2024%20Deanship%20Position%20Descriptions%20Final.pdf}}{{Cite web |title=Supreme Court outlines Florida Judicial College’s new education requirements |url=https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/supreme-court-outlines-florida-judicial-colleges-new-education-requirements/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=The Florida Bar |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Maintaining a Professional Judiciary & Workforce |url=https://www.flcourts.gov/Publications-Statistics/Publications/Short-History/Maintaining-a-Professional-Judiciary-Workforce |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Florida Courts |language=en-US}}
She was president of the National Association of Women Judges for the 2015 to 2016 term.{{Cite web |title=Judge Walsh Sworn In as President of National Association for Women Judges |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/General-Information/Press-Releases/PgrID/2069/PageID/15/ArtMID/602/ArticleID/4267 |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Carlos |date=July 2, 2015 |title=Judicial Profile: Lisa Walsh Takes on National Leadership Role |url=https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/almID/1202731195024/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Daily Business Review |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Florida Conference of Circuit Judges – A resource to Florida's Judicial System |url=https://flcircuitconference.com/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=flcircuitconference.com}}
Legal practice prior to being a judge
Walsh worked in the Office of the Public Defender of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida from 1992 to 2004, and in private legal practice from 2004 to 2008.{{Cite web |title=Judge Lisa S. Walsh - Professional Background & Legal Expertise {{!}} Trellis.Law |url=https://trellis.law/judge/lisa.s.walsh |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=trellis.law}} She served as a special master for the City of Miami Beach.
Education
Walsh received her Bachelor of Science in speech degree from Northwestern University in 1988, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992.
Awards and honors
• In 2024, Walsh was rated the most exceptional judge in the Miami-Dade Bar's Judicial Poll.
• In 2020, Walsh received the National Association of Women Judges' Norma Wikler Award for Excellence in Service.{{Cite web |title=Past NAWJ Annual Award Winners {{!}} National Association of Women Judges |url=https://www.nawj.org/awards/pastnawj-annual-award-winners |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=www.nawj.org}}
• In 2019, she received the Community Service Award from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
• In 2019, she received the Outstanding Woman in Government & Law award from the Miami-Dade Commission for Women.
• In 2018, she received the Florida Bar Young Lawyer's Division Outstanding Jurist Award.{{Cite web |title=YLD honors Judge Walsh |url=https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/yld-honors-judge-walsh/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=The Florida Bar |language=en-US}}
• In 2018, she received the Miami Dade Trial Lawyers Association{{Cite web |title=Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers Association - Home |url=https://mdtla.org/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=mdtla.org}} Judge Steven Levine Award, given for fairness, integrity, and professionalism.{{Cite web |title=Annual Judicial Reception Honorees |url=https://jewishmiami.org/news/extra/Judicial_Reception_2018_bios/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Greater Miami Jewish Federation |language=en}}
• In 2018, she received the Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award from the National Association of Women Judges.
• In 2017, she received the Dade County Bar Association President's Award as Outstanding Community Leader.
• In 2017, she received the Devorah Judge Award from the Miami Jewish Legal Society.
• In 2015, she received the Mattie Belle Davis Award from the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers. "This award is presented annually to an MDFAWL member and jurist who exemplifies the ideals of professional achievement, perseverance, and dedication that were demonstrated by the late Judge Davis."{{Cite web |title=Awards {{!}} MDFAWL - Florida Association for Women Lawyers |url=https://www.mdfawl.org/awards |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Mdfawl |language=en}}
• In 2015, she received the Alumni Leadership Award from the University of Miami Law School.
• In 2010, she received the Miami-Dade Bar Association's Judge Alan Schwartz{{Cite web |title=Judge Alan R. Schwartz |url=https://3dca.flcourts.gov/Judges/All-Judges/Judge-Alan-R.-Schwartz |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Third District Court of Appeal |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Honorable Alan R. Schwartz passed away |url=https://3dca.flcourts.gov/Marshal-s-Office/Special-Events/The-Honorable-Alan-R.-Schwartz-passed-away |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Third District Court of Appeal |language=en-US}} Judicial Excellence Award.
Positions and memberships
• In 2015 to 2016, Walsh served as president of the National Association of Women Judges.
• In 2007, Walsh served as president of Miami-Dade Florida Association for Women Lawyers.{{Cite web |last=MDFAWL |date=2020-04-20 |title=Interview of Judge Lisa S. Walsh |url=https://www.mdfawl.org/post/interview-with-judge-lisa-s-walsh |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Mdfawl |language=en}}
• She is an International Director of the National Association of Women Judges.{{Cite web |title=Hon. Lisa Walsh Appointed ABA International Law Section Liaison {{!}} National Association of Women Judges |url=https://nawj.org/blog/newsroom/news/hon-lisa-walsh-appointed-aba-international-law-section-liaison |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=nawj.org}}
• In June 2019, she co-chaired a National Association of Women Judges Global Judicial Leadership Conference at Columbia University in New York.{{Cite web |date=June 2019 |title=Judge Myriam Lehr and Judge Lisa Walsh Co-Chair Global Judicial Leadership Conference at Columbia University |url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/News-11/PgrID/2098/PageID/61/ArtMID/2099/ArticleID/3728 |website=Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida News@11}}
• She has been a member of the board of directors for Legal Services of Greater Miami.
• She has been a member of the Florida Bar Criminal Executive Council and the Appellate Rules Committee.
• She has been a mentor for Educate Tomorrow and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.