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When it comes to federal appeals, Dorothy is a nationally recognized author who literally wrote the book: Successful Federal Appeals in All Circuit Courts: A Practical Guide for Busy Lawyers. Dorothy appreciates the value of hard work, perseverance and tenacity. She grew up on a farm, learned to drive a tractor, and worked on a forestry logging crew for room and board as an undergraduate in the mountains of North Carolina. Dorothy has a Master of Science, summa cum laude, in forest genetics from New York SUNY/ESF, where she also worked as a Research Fellow, and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in law from University of Miami, where she served as the Inter-American Law Review Executive Editor after serving as a Research Assistant for work on Constitutional and Latin American law. Dorothy also interned at the Third District Court of Appeal, State of Florida.

Her diverse professional experience--as a published research scientist in Latin America, as a university law professor, as a board certified appellate specialist, and as a former "biglaw" partner--has positioned her as a recognized leader in the appellate community.

Dorothy is a former elected-Chair of the 1700-member Florida Appellate Practice Section, former Vice Chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee, and former heads of two "big firm" appellate departments. As the firm's founder and board certified appellate specialist, Dorothy uses that experience to supervise intimately and works exhaustively with a team of appellate attorneys and appellate paralegals to efficiently and expertly advance your appeal to leave no stone unturned. With hundreds of appeals, her firm is highly experienced and respected by appellate judges and her colleagues. Dorothy is an exceptional appellate advocate and writer, recognized with numerous awards for expertise, the uncanny ability to turn complex legalese into understandable prose, and win even the most complex cases.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 1200 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1950
    Miami, FL 33131
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Education
  • University of Miami School of Law, Law, graduated 1994
  • State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, M.S. Forest Genetics
  • Warren Wilson College, B.A. Forest Management/Minor Economics
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, Florida Bar
Affiliations
  • Appellate Court Rules Committee - Former Vice Chair
  • Florida Bar Appellate Certification Committee - Committee Member, Former
  • Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section - Former Chair
  • Rosemary Barkett Appellate American Inn of Court - Past President
  • Third District Court of Appeal Historical Society - Past President
Court Admissions
  • US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • US Supreme Court
  • US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Appellate Practice
Awards:
  • Florida Bar Board Certified in Appellate Law, Certified and consistently Recertified since 2003

    Florida Bar 2009 Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Board Certification

    AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®

    Florida Super Lawyer (top 5 percent of Florida lawyers), Super Lawyer Magazine, annually since 2006

    Ranked Top 100 Lawyers, South Florida, in Super Lawyer Magazine 2010

    Ranked Top 50 Women Lawyers in Super Lawyer Magazine 2009, 2010

    Legal Elite (top 1.9 percent of all Florida Lawyers), Trend Magazine

    Top Appellate Lawyer, South Florida Legal Guide

    National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Top One Percent, since 2016

    Best Attorneys of America, Rue Ratings, since 2015

    Best Law Firms of America, Rue Ratings, since 2015

    ALM Recognition of Easley in Top Women Leaders in the Law, featured in Fortune Magazine, 2014 and again in 2015

    ALM Recognition of EAP Among South Florida's Top Lawyers, Legal Leaders in Appellate, Business/Commercial Law

Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Civil Rights Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Criminal Defense: General Practice
  • Litigation - Health Care

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Publications

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