Biography
Gill S. Freeman (Retired Judge 11th Judicial Circuit) has nearly 40 years of experience as a litigator, judge and neutral in commercial and construction cases. She is highly skilled in managing cases with complex factual and legal issues. She is known for her thorough preparation and commitment to the resolution of disputes.
Experience and Qualifications
Judge Freeman’s construction experience as a lawyer, judge and mediator includes disputes involving shopping centers, schools and condominium projects. Her experience includes issues relating to contract interpretation, cost overruns, subcontractor disputes and liability, mistake, design defects, construction defects and delays, changes, breach of contract, defective specifications, mechanics’ liens, surety bonds, insurance coverage issues. She presided over numerous construction matters as the first Complex Business Court Judge in Miami Dade County, Florida from 2007-2012 when the collapse of the real estate market generated significant litigation.
Representative Matters
- Presided over hundreds of subcontractor cases involving the construction of residential condominium towers in the Miami area.
- Presided over construction defect litigation involving moisture intrusion and mold infestation of an assisted living facility.
- Presided over defective, construction of commercial buildings, and residential condominiums
- Presided over numerous claims involving sureties on payment and performance bonds
- Litigated commercial construction loan matters.
- Presided over coverage issues between and among insurance carriers
- Court appointed mediator developer and condominium association conflict litigation.
- Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
- Recognized as AV Preeminent in Martindale-Hubbell Ratings, 2019
- Recipient of the Jurist of the Year Award from the Young Lawyers’ Section of the Florida Bar
- Recipient of the Women’s History Coalition "Woman of Impact" Award
- Recognition from the Cuban American Bar Association for dedication and service to the Complex Litigation Division of the Court
- Recipient of The Jewish Federation of Greater Miami Community Service Award
- Recipient of Sabadell Bank’s Community Service Award in conjunction with the Dade County Bar Association
- Recipient of the State FAWL’s Rosemary Barkett Award
- Recipient of the Dade FAWL’s Mattie Belle Davis Award
- Dade County’s “In the Company of Women Award”
- Member, The Florida Bar Association Business Law Section Executive Committee, State and Federal Court Judicial Liaison Committee, 2016
- Florida Supreme Court Commission on Fairness, 1997-present
- Circuit Court Education Committee, 2008-present
- Instructor, Florida Bar Trial Advocacy Seminar, Business Law Section Trial Advocacy Seminar, FAWL Trial Advocacy Seminar
- Former Dean of Advanced Judicial Studies for the State of Florida
- Former Chair and member of the Florida Supreme Court Standing Committee on Diversity and Fairness
- Former Vice-Chair of the Florida Supreme Court Gender Bias Commission and Chair of the Gender Bias Study Implementation Commission
- Panelist at the United States State Department on issues of international access to justice, 2008
- Former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Miami Dade County Law Library, 2006-2016
- Former Chair of the Board of Directors to Spectrum Programs for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
- Past president of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers (FAWL)
- Circuit Court Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1997-2016
- Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, 1981-1997
- Walton, Lantaff, Schroeder & Carson, 1977-1981
- Dade County Public School System, 1970-1976
- J.D., cum laude, University of Miami, 1977
- M.Ed, University of Miami, 1973
- B.S. Ed., cum laude, Temple University, 1970
Counsel Comments
- “Her extensive experience, persistence, fairness and hard work have built her a solid reputation for resolving even the most complex issues.”
-Partner, Florida Firm - “Judge Freeman’s overall impact to citizens of Miami-Dade County is immeasurable.”
-Partner, Miami Firm - “[Judge Freeman] did an excellent job. She challenged clients and allowed the parties to look at alternative means for the resolution of the case.”
-Named Partner, Miami Law Firm - “Judge Freeman's knowledge of Florida Construction Law was invaluable.”
-Associate, Miami Construction Firm
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Practice Areas
- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Construction
- Construction Defect
- Engineering and Construction
- Estates/Probate/Trusts
- Family Law
- Professional Liability
- Real Property
- Surety
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