Kane Becomes the First Woman to Receive the Prestigious Award
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (July 12, 2018) – Attorney Julie Braman Kane, a partner with Coral Gables-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, was recently honored by the Florida Justice Association (FJA) with its prestigious B.J. Masterson Award for Professionalism. The award, named after attorney and former FJA President B.J. Masterson, is awarded annually to an attorney who epitomizes ethical professionalism throughout their career.
Kane was honored at FJA’s annual convention at The Breakers in Palm Beach becoming the first woman to ever receive the award. Each year, the FJA recognizes those who have dedicated their lives to their profession and the FJA’s mission to preserve and protect Florida’s civil justice system through the “Founders’ Awards,” designed to commemorating the legacy of the Founders of FJA.
“I am incredibly thankful to the Florida Justice Association and outgoing President Dale Swope for honoring me with the B.J. Masterson Award,” said Kane, who serves on FJA’s board of directors. “It is an honor to be the first woman to ever receive this award and I am grateful to my fellow women trial lawyer warriors for their support and all that they do to protect the civil justice system.”
A champion of civil justice, Kane is the past president of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the world’s largest trial bar and leading defender of civil justice. Her commitment to protecting the right to trial by jury is evident in her more than 20 years of service to the AAJ, where she has served on the executive committee, the board of governors and chaired its National Finance Council, Products Liability Section, Women’s Caucus and Diversity Task Force. Additionally, Kane serves on the board of directors for the Florida Justice Association. She previously served as a commissioner on the Florida Elections Commission and as president of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She has also served as a trustee on the Justice PAC Board and as co-chair of the National College of Advocates.
An AV-rated trial lawyer, Kane concentrates her practice on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death litigation, medical malpractice and product liability, as well as in commercial, class and mass actions. Throughout her 24-year career, she has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for victims of negligence, including a $38 million verdict in a medical malpractice case. She currently serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for multi-district litigation surrounding the 21st Century Oncology Customer Data Security Breach Litigation.
She has earned multiple accolades for her legal skills, her leadership and her dedication to community members, consumers and the trial bar. Recently, Kane was honored by the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section with its Pursuit of Justice Award for outstanding merit and excellence in ensuring access to Justice. Kane was also honored by the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers’ (FAWL) with its prestigious Mattie Belle Davis Award for professional achievement, perseverance and dedication demonstrated by the late Judge Davis. She is also a past recipient of several AAJ awards, including the Pursuit of Justice Award, the Distinguished Service Award, the Howard Twiggs Commitment to Justice Award, the Marie Lambert Award for Leadership, the Joe Tonahill service award, and multiple Weideman Wysocki awards.
ABOUT COLSON HICKS EIDSON
The Law Firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm with 50 years of experience handling local, national and international litigation, and arbitration. Members of the firm have been involved in some of the country’s most high-profile and landmark cases resulting in impactful and precedential rulings. A mid-size firm with a diverse staff comprised of more than 50 percent women and minorities, Colson Hicks Eidson prides itself on a track record of developing future leaders within the legal profession and its civic and community involvement. Members of the firm have held notable positions serving on the boards of prominent institutions, such as the State University System of Florida and the Florida State Board of Education, and holding high-ranking offices, including President of the 60,000-member American Association for Justice; President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; President of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; President of the Dade County Bar Association; President of the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers; United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Chairman of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission.
