Confirmed: Avalos Takes Job At Tripp Scott
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Former County Judge Catalina Avalos has left the bench and will be working at the Tripp Scott law firm in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Edward Pozzuoli, the director of the firm, confirmed rumors sweeping through the courthouse.
Pozzuoli said Avalos would be handling employment law and helping with complex commercial litigation.
Pozzuoli
Avalos left office after being defeated in the August 26 primary by Ian Richards.
The Columbian-born Avalos was appointed judge by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2005.
Avalos
Before becoming judge, she was an assistant state attorney, prosecuting murder and sex battery cases. She eventually was deputy chief of the county court division, helping to supervise and train new attorneys.
Although Avalos lost the August election, she was endorsed by The Miami Herald. The newspaper praised “her character.
The paper went on to gush over Avalos, stating she “proved her mettle as an undergraduate student when she worked two jobs and graduated with honors; and later when in law school, by juggling the challenge of handling a marriage, a job, outside activities and a baby.
“She said the experiences, ‘demonstrated my ability to set priorities and manage my time efficiently and productively.’
No wonder Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler and Tripp Scott, two of Broward’s most prestigious firms, were fighting over her.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Catalina is extremely smart and very nice as well…..Trip Scott got a great lawyer.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Avalos was a great judge and will make a great lawyer for Tripp Scott.
She knows the law from both sides of the bench. I am so happy she came out on top.
January 5th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Everyone who knows Catalina loves her. Judge Avalos is one of those rare people in public life who in addition being good at her work is also a good and regular human being. Sadly that’s a rare combination in elected office but not for her. She will do very well at Tripp Scott. She will do well anywhere she goes. Her loss just goes to show that judges should be appointed, not elected. With all due respect to popular democracy, people are too uninformed about what judges need to do their jobs well to elect judges. And judge candidates are too constrained by law to run proper campaigns that allow the people get to know them and their views. Realizing that no method for selecting judges is perfect, I think that the best choice is to have a lottery that picks retired judges at random whenever there is a judge vacancy. At that point, the judges interview candidates and select the three best qualified for Governor appointment, mindful of the need to have diversity, not just philosophical but also cultural diversity on the bench — and even more mindful that talent and ability comes first. You’d get a better judiciary that way, and more diversity as well. Again, no method is perfect. But the one I’m describing is much better.
FROM BUDDY: Your idea on selecting judges is fascinating and deserves serious debate.
January 5th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Ian Richards was the better choice in this race. Judge Avalos lost touch with the little people.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Big Loss For Broward, I totally agree with you.
January 6th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Catalina will be happier at Tripp Scott. It is more her type of firm. I wish her the best.