The Florida Bar and the government Lawyer Section are proud to announce the selection fo Ms. Julie Waldman as the winner of the 2018 Claude Pepper Outstanding Government Lawyer Award.

Ms. Julie Waldman has spent a career serving the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, helping the most vulnerable citizens among us: children, the elderly and the developmentally disabled. During her career as a lawyer for the agency, including several years as the Deputy General Counsel, she demonstrated a mastery of the law, in nearly every type of litigation forum. She has handled criminal and civil cases, and guardianship and mental health matters. She has tried cases in every type of administrative forum, from employment matters to licensing to discrimination and whistleblower cases. She has appeared in the trial court for every circuit in this state, and has handled more than 50 cases before Florida's District Courts of Appeal. Her experience and exposure to such a wide range of matters has bestowed a unique wisdom that she is eager to share with others. Today, she continues to serve the agency, and the community, as a Deputy Center Administrator for a development disabilities center in Gainesville, Florida.
Ms. Waldman's commitment to public service extends beyond her legal career. She gives back to her community through volunteer work and mentoring; inspiring others to be their best through the Rotary Club of Gainesville, the Justice Teaching Initiative, and the Alachua County Teen Court Program. Ms. Waldman also serves as an officer on the Board of Directors of the Reichert House, an after school program designed for young men who are in need of assistance in making the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Throughout all of her work, Ms. Waldman has been known for an exemplary degree of compassion and empathy, treating each case and each individual with fairness, consideration, and due diligence. She appreciates the humanity behind the cases. Legal issues aren't always just legal. People want to feel they've been treated fairly, even when they don't agree with the outcome. Ms. Waldman possesses a unique ability to combine an intrinsic understanding of the law with a distinctive awareness of the challenges facing the mentally challenged population. Overall, Ms. Waldman exhibits the highest ideals we expect from a member of the Bar - commitment, diligence, and integrity - and always working toward the greater good.
The 2018 Claude Pepper Outstanding Government Lawyer Award will be presented to Ms. Waldman by The Florida Bar's President on June 15, 2018, at the Florida Bar's Annual Convention in Orlando.
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