Biography

Sylvia Walbolt handles civil appeals in both federal and state courts, in all areas of the law, including torts, products liability, business disputes, construction law, securities laws, class actions, constitutional, insurance, antitrust, eminent domain and employment law.

Ms. Walbolt, a former president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, presented the oral argument in an appeal resulting in the reversal of a $1.1 billion judgment, and co-authored the brief in another appeal resulting in the reversal of a $1.58 billion judgment. She frequently presents oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit, and has appeared in the Georgia, Tennessee, and New Mexico Supreme Courts. She has appeared as counsel in numerous published opinions, and has appeared often on behalf of amici curiae.

In addition to working with trial counsel before and during trial to assure the record is preserved for appeal, she argues case dispositive legal issues to the trial court, such as motions for summary judgment or directed verdict. She also works with trial counsel on post-trial motions and arguing them to the trial court.

Board certified in Appellate Law by The Florida Bar, Ms. Walbolt is a former chair of its Appellate Practice Committee. She chaired the Florida Supreme Court's Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (civil), and is a past President of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. She is an elected life member of the American Law Institute.

Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Ms. Walbolt was named the Chambers Women in Law Litigation Lawyer for 2013. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for more than 26 years, and in Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Business Lawyers (Appellate Litigation) for many years.

Ms. Walbolt is especially active in pro bono matters and has received honors for such work at both the state and national level. She was the 2016 recipient of the John Paul Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award from the American Bar Association's Death Penalty Representation Project. She is the firm's National Appellate Practice and Trial Support Group Co-leader. She has written and spoken prolifically on appellate advocacy and trial preservation issues.

Biography from Carlton Fields, https://perma.cc/X64Y-TNXD.