Kane is the Seventh Woman to Lead the National Trial Bar in 70 Years and Continues the Law Firm’s Tradition of Leadership and Service to the Civil Justice System
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (August 3, 2016) – Colson Hicks Eidson partner Julie Braman Kane has been elected president of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the world’s largest trial bar and leading defender of civil justice. Kane, who previously served as president-elect, was sworn in as president at the organization’s annual convention in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, July 24. She is the 71st president, and seventh woman, to lead the association.
Kane’s appointment continues her Coral Gables-based law firm’s tradition of leadership with the American Association for Justice and service to the civil justice system. Colson Hicks Eidson co-founder, Bill Colson, served as president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America from 1964-1965 and partner, Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, served as president from 2006-2007.
“My beliefs about safety, justice, and fairness align with everything the American Association for Justice stands for and I am deeply honored and committed to serving as president this year,” said Kane. “I am equally honored to continue my law firm’s tradition of leading this incredible organization. As long as there are corporations that put profits over people, we need the American Association for Justice and its members to protect people’s rights and hold corporations accountable.”
Founded in 1946 and based in Washington, D.C., the AAJ (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), works to promote a fair and effective justice system and to provide support to attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests. For 70 years, AAJ has been the collective voice of the trial bar and its clients on Capitol Hill and in courthouses across the nation.
A champion of civil justice, Kane’s commitment to protecting the right to trial by jury and ensuring an effective civil justice system for all is evident in her more than 20 years of service. She has served the AAJ as its president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and parliamentarian, as a member of its Executive and Budget Committees, and as chair of its National Finance Council, Products Liability Section, Women’s Caucus and Diversity Task Force.
“Julie is an exceptional trial attorney and a relentless advocate for her clients and the civil justice system. The American Association for Justice is committed to preserving people’s Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial and Julie will be an important part of our fight. We are excited to have her leading AAJ and our members for the coming year,” said Linda Lipsen, CEO of the American Association for Justice.
In 2012, with voter suppression legislation on the rise across America, Kane initiated and chaired the Association’s Voter Protection Action Committee, AAJ’s election protection program that provides lawyers in all fifty states to protect the voting rights of American citizens whose access to the polls is otherwise limited. As chair, Kane was instrumental in placing AAJ members across the country to ensure that U.S. citizens’ voting rights were assured and their ballots were counted. Due to its success and Kane’s continued leadership, the Voter Protection Action Committee is still running strong, partnering with other national organizations to ensure that all legitimate votes are cast and counted.
During Kane’s presidency, AAJ is mounting a nationwide service project to match lawyers with high schools and middle schools across the nation to fight distracted driving among teens. The organization, EndDD, is committed to providing teens with tools to avoid distracted driving and to save lives. Kane’s initiative is to provide scientifically prepared presentations designed to help prevent countless deaths and injuries.
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 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 as well as in commercial, class and mass actions. Throughout her 23-year career, she has represented hundreds of clients in a variety of personal injury and product liability cases and has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for victims of negligence, including a $38 million verdict in a medical malpractice case.
She has earned multiple accolades for her legal skills, her leadership and her dedication to community members, consumers and the trial bar. Most recently, Kane was honored by 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 the AAJ’s 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 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.
About the American Association for Justice
As the world’s largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others—even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. For more information, visit www.justice.org.