Known as a trailblazer within the Florida legal community, Senior Judge Susan Black of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit was surrounded Thursday by family, colleagues and friends to celebrate her career with the unveiling of her portrait at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse.
Many of her fellow judges were in attendance for the event that featured speakers who said Black’s professionalism, courteousness and mentorship led to her success.
“She’s an outstanding leader in the history of women in the law,” Chief U.S. District Judge Anne Conway told the near-capacity crowd.
Black’s daughter, Leigh Elizabeth, and husband, Louis, unveiled Black’s portrait.
Black compared such ceremonies to a U.S. Navy change-of-command ceremony in terms of the tradition that signifies the ideals and acknowledgment of the system’s history.
According to a biography from the Federal Judicial Center, Black earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in 1964, a law degree from the University of Florida in 1967 and her LL.M., a postgraduate master of laws degree, from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1984.
After serving as a high school teacher from 1967-68 in Jacksonville, she served as an attorney with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1968-69.
She served as an assistant state attorney from 1969-72 and as a City assistant general counsel from 1972-73 before joining the Circuit Court bench in the Fourth Judicial Circuit from 1975-79.
President Jimmy Carter nominated Black in 1979 to a new seat on the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Florida.
Black served as chief judge from 1990-92 and then was nominated by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
She assumed senior status in February 2011.
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