Florida Association for Women Lawyers Honors Colson Hicks Eidson Partner Julie Braman Kane with Prestigious Mattie Belle Davis Award

July 14, 2016 / 12:24 pm

Kane Recognized for Achievements, Perseverance and Dedication to the Legal Profession

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (July 13, 2016) – Attorney Julie Braman Kane, a partner with Coral Gables-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, was recently honored by Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers’ (FAWL) with its prestigious Mattie Belle Davis Award, presented annually to a Miami-Dade FAWL member who exemplifies the ideals of professional achievement, perseverance and dedication that were demonstrated by the late Judge Davis.
A founding member and past president of FAWL, Mattie Belle Davis was the only woman in Florida to pass the Florida Bar exam in 1936. “Julie is deserving of the Mattie Belle Davis Award as one the leading trial lawyers in our community who has done so much for FAWL and women attorneys by way of leadership, friendship, mentoring and paving the way for our collective success,” said Deborah Baker-Egozi, past-president of FAWL who presented the award at the organization’s 36th annual installation and awards dinner in June.

Kane is passionate about mentoring the younger generation and the advancement of women lawyers and has been actively involved with Miami-Dade FAWL for more than 12 years, including serving as president in 2009.

An advocate of civil justice, Kane currently serves as president-elect of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the world’s largest trial bar and leading defender of civil justice. On July 24, she will be installed as president of the Washington, D.C.–based organization at its 2016 Convention in Los Angeles, CA.

In addition to her service with the AAJ, 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 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 as well as in commercial, class and mass actions. Throughout her 23-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. Throughout her career, Kane has earned multiple accolades for her legal skills, her leadership and her dedication to community members, consumers and the trial bar.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

The Law Firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm with nearly 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.

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Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that Stephanie Casey, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Julie Braman Kane, and Curtis Miner have been named in the 2026 edition of Florida Super Lawyers. 

Super Lawyers uses a rigorous screening process including independent research, peer nominations, and evaluations to rate lawyers. Only 5 percent of lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers. 

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson represented the Miami-Dade County School Board in reaching a comprehensive settlement with South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), resolving litigation concerning the governance, management, and future operation of WLRN.

The agreement formally resolves all litigation between the parties and establishes a framework for the continued growth and stability of public media in South Florida.

Among its key provisions, the settlement allows SFPMG to acquire West Palm Beach radio station WFLM – The Flame and transfer it to the School Board, expanding WLRN’s reach into Palm Beach County. The agreement also extends SFPMG’s management of WLRN and WFLM (upon acquisition) for an additional seven years and includes governance and leadership reforms designed to support the organizations’ long-term success.

The matter was handled by Roberto Martinez, Sabrina S. Saieh, and Zachary A. Lipshultz on behalf of the Miami-Dade County School Board.

The resolution reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that WLRN continues to provide trusted journalism, educational programming, and public service to communities throughout South Florida.

Media coverage includes:

Miami Herald – WLRN, school board settle legal battle. What it means for the station’s future

WLRN – Miami-Dade School Board settles lengthy legal dispute with South Florida Public Media Group

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson has once again earned a Band 1 ranking in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide for Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs in Florida – one of only four law firms in the state to receive this highest ranking. We are especially honored that five of our attorneys were individually recognized for their leadership, legal excellence, and commitment to client service.

Congratulations to Stephanie A. Casey, Julie Braman Kane, and Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson for being recognized in Florida Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs, and to Roberto Martínez and Curtis Miner, who were each recognized in both Florida Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs and Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations.

The rankings reflect the firm’s exceptional track record of securing multimillion-dollar judgments and settlements for clients in matters involving commercial litigation, medical malpractice, products liability, class actions, multidistrict litigation, and aviation and automobile accidents.

We’re grateful to our clients and peers for their continued trust and recognition.


About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8–1 in favor of Havana Docks Corporation, reviving $440 million in judgments against major cruise lines under the Helms-Burton Act for trafficking in confiscated Cuban port facilities.

Colson Hicks Eidson served as lead trial counsel. The case was led by Roberto Martínez alongside Stephanie A. Casey, Zachary A. Lipshultz, Aziza F. Elayan, Thomas Kroeger, and Sabrina S. Saieh, reflecting the firm’s long-standing leadership in Cuba-related international property litigation.

Bob’s work in this area spans decades, beginning with Cuban American Bar Association v. Warren Christopher, a class action on behalf of more than 40,000 Cuban refugees detained at Guantanamo Naval Base, which earned the Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award from the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

That work extended into the Brothers to the Rescue litigation, where Bob represented the families of the four victims killed when Cuban fighter jets shot down two unarmed civilian aircraft—cases that helped shape the broader legal and political context for the Helms-Burton Act, including a landmark civil judgment against the Cuban government and recovery through frozen Cuban assets.

Bob and the firm also represented the family of Thomas Willard “Pete” Ray, a member of the Alabama Air National Guard, who was killed by Cuban militiamen on April 19, 1961, after surviving the crash of his B-26 bomber on a beach near Cuba’s Bay of Pigs, and the family of Robert Otis Fuller, an ex-U.S. Marine, who was killed by firing squad in October 1960 after he was tortured by having his blood drained from his body.

The firm’s legal work in these three civil cases resulted in judgments against the Cuban government in each case and the recovery of substantial assets for the families.

Today, that history is again in the national spotlight amid renewed attention to the 1996 shootdown and recent federal developments, including a Department of Justice indictment, involving the same acts of murder.

Against that backdrop, the Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces the continuing force of long-standing Cuba-related claims involving confiscated property and accountability.

Colson Hicks Eidson continues to lead in complex international property disputes, securing landmark results that underscore a consistent principle: true justice has no expiration date.

Media coverage includes:

The New York Times – Supreme Court Permits Lawsuit Over U.S. Assets Seized by Cuba in 1960

Miami Herald – U.S. indicts Raúl Castro for Cuba’s 1996 shoot-down of two civilian planes from Miami

Law360 – Justices Adopt Broad Reading Of Cuba Expropriation Law

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

We are proud to announce that nine of our partners have once again been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers guide. Congratulations to Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, Dean C. Colson, Curtis Miner, Julie Braman Kane, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Susan Carlson, Roberto Martínez, Stephanie Casey, and Thomas Kroeger.

Lawdragon recognizes outstanding trial lawyers who stand with clients through life’s toughest challenges—ensuring access to medical care, fighting for rightful compensation, and championing justice that leaves a lasting impact. 

This guide is based on a record number of submissions, combined with journalistic research and vetting by the nation’s leading plaintiff consumer lawyers.

Click here to read the full guide.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is pleased to announce that Zachary Lipshultz has become a partner with the firm.

Dean Colson, managing partner of the firm, commented: “Zach is a valued member of the firm and a respected figure in the South Florida legal community. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and products liability matters, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes across a wide range of industries. He is known for his strategic judgment, rigorous advocacy, and ability to manage cases involving significant financial exposure and novel legal issues.”

During his six years at Colson Hicks Eidson, Zach has worked with Bob Martinez, Curtis Miner, and other firm partners to secure four nine-figure judgments against Fortune 500 companies, obtain dismissals with prejudice on behalf of multiple Fortune 500 defendants, and successfully represent clients before arbitral, state, and federal forums, at trial and on appeal.

According to Senior Partner Bob Martinez: “Zach has been the indispensable force behind our victories in several high-stakes matters over the past seven years, combining unique legal talent with exceptional dedication and service to our clients.”

“Having spent multiple weeks shoulder-to-shoulder with Zach in trial, I am eager to have him as a teammate on any type of trial we need to suit up for,” added partner Curtis Miner.

Zach joined the firm following a federal judicial clerkship with the Honorable Robert N. Scola, Jr., former United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. Zach is a 2016 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law. He completed his undergraduate studies at Oberlin College in 2011 and earned a master’s degree in marine affairs and policy from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2012.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.