Name: Craig D. Feiser
Age: 44
Family: Wife, Karen; daughter Sarah, 11; and son Leo, 8.
Pets: Standard dachshund, Mandy, and three mostly outdoor cats: Izzy (named after one of my idols, Tom Izzo), and the twins, Minnie and Molly.
Education: Michigan State University, B.A. in journalism, 1992; University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 1998) and University of Florida (M.A., 1998).
Admitted to the Bar: 1999
Employed by: City of Jacksonville, Office of General Counsel
Field of practice: General litigation, with interest and focus on appeals and constitutional issues.
Professional organizations: The Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section; Jacksonville Bar Association (2000 to present, with several stints on Law Week Committee); Jacksonville Bar Association Appellate Practice Committee, vice chair/incoming chair (2014-15); Chester Bedell Inn of Court (2011-13); 1st District Court of Appeal Appellate Inn of Court (2009-present, master/government); and Jacksonville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (2010-present).
Community involvement: Vice president of MSU Alumni Club/Jacksonville Spartans; longtime adjunct professor at Florida Coastal and Florida State University law schools; CLE course instructor on appellate practice for JALA (2011); Boy Scouts of America, Troop 50 (Jacksonville); and adjunct professor, University of North Florida (2000).
How did you become involved?
I was fortunate enough to catch the “teaching bug” in 2000 while working at the Holland & Knight law firm here in Jacksonville, when I was a young associate, and developed a passion for teaching classes related to constitutional issues. I feel teaching, whether it be a law class or a CLE or simply serving on a panel discussion, has been my way of not only giving back to other up-and-coming attorneys and sharing my experiences with them, but it has also kept me fresh and on my toes by always learning something new from my students or participants.
How can someone else become involved?
Find what interests you and dedicate yourself to it. When you love what you do, it’s as easy as that. I have been fortunate enough to discover and be able to practice in the areas of law that most interest me, especially appellate practice, and translate those to my experiences outside of my office.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
Volunteering for educational opportunities has kept me both humble and hungry; I know I always have much to learn, and getting out in the community keeps me excited to learn something new every day.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
“Another Side of Bob Dylan” by Victor Maymudes, Dylan’s longtime tour manager. I am an admitted “Dylanologist,” and this book was a fantastic and intimate look into Bob as a person.