Courts and Civility – Understanding the Rule of Law and Judicial Independence (Presented by The Federal Bar Association Judiciary Division, FBA Civics, Community Service & Outreach Committee jointly with the American Inns of Court)

Hon. Beth Bloom, District Judge | Southern District of Florida

Judge Beth Bloom has served as a United States District Judge in the Southern District of Florida since 2014, following her appointment by President Barack Obama and unanimous Senate confirmation. She previously served 20 years on the Florida state bench, including as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami-Dade County.

Judge Bloom is active in the Federal Bar Association and Federal Judges Association, and chairs the Southern District’s Local Rules Committee. She co-created two national programs now adopted across the country: the Judicial Intern Academy (JIA), which expands opportunities for diverse law students, and the Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions (CD3) Program, designed to teach civility and civil discourse to students.

A frequent lecturer, Judge Bloom has served on the faculty of the Florida Judicial College, National Judicial College, and the University of Miami School of Law. She has received numerous honors, including the Florida Supreme Court’s 2024 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Pro Bono Award, the ABA Presidential Recognition Award, and the Miami Beach Bar Association’s 2023 Legal Legend Award.

Hon. Robin L. Rosenberg, District Judge | Southern District of Florida

Hon. Robin L. Rosenberg was appointed in 2014 as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. She chairs the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules, serves on the Board of Editors for the Manual for Complex Litigation, and is a board member of the American Law Institute. She co-created the national Civil Discourse and Decisions Program, and chairs the Eleventh Circuit Civics Education Committee. Within her district, she leads the Technology Committee and serves on several others.

Judge Rosenberg has received numerous awards, including the Florida Supreme Court’s 2024 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award, the Miami Jewish Legal Society’s 2024 Devorah Judge Award, and the Federal Bar Association’s 2019 Kenneth L. Ryskamp Award. She also chairs the Editorial Board of Judicature, published by Duke Law’s Bolch Judicial Institute, and is the author of several scholarly works.

Before her federal appointment, Judge Rosenberg served as a Florida Circuit Court judge, practiced employment and litigation law, was General Counsel of Slim•Fast Foods during its $2.1 billion merger with Unilever, and worked as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Duke University (JD, MA).

I. The Rule of Law | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

II. The Important Role of Civility in the Courts | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

III. Updates on Why Civility on the Courts is Important | 2:20pm – 2:30pm

IV. Current Programs to Address these Topics | 2:30pm – 2:40pm

V. Uniqueness of Courts & Civility | 2:40pm – 2:50pm

VI. Resources and how to be Involved | 2:50pm – 3:00pm