Jeffrey D. Fisher, a founding partner at Rottenstreich Farley Bronstein Fisher Potter Hodas LLP, was a member of the editorial board of the University of Miami Law Review. After graduation, he served as a law clerk to United States District Court Judge Eugene Spellman and then as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, both in the Southern District of Florida. As an AUSA, Fisher cut his teeth prosecuting drug mules, arms dealers, and bank robbers. After leaving the federal government, he had a successful commercial litigation practice, but starting in 1990, he shifted his focus to complex family law litigation matters. He has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 divorce attorneys by Worth magazine. Fisher’s entry into family law was accidental—sparked by a desperate call from a woman who knew friends of Fisher. He agreed to handle his first divorce case after learning her husband owned a 10% stake in the New York Yankees and 100% of the company that sold Fenway Franks at Red Sox games. Fisher is known as a legal “pit bull” who brought his training as a federal prosecutor to his family law practice, yet his softer side is exemplified by a camera roll filled with photos of his prize-winning orchids. Fisher received a distinguished alumni award from the law school in 2015.
What aspects of the curriculum or faculty had the most significant impact on your legal education and career trajectory?
My classes in Civil Procedure (Professor Bruce Winick) and Criminal Procedure (Professor Irwin Stotzky) taught me how cases move through the civil and criminal systems. They taught me how to use procedures tactically and made me understand and appreciate the consequences of each procedural decision. The Rules of Procedure are like the rules in a chess game…if you master them, you have a huge advantage in every case.
How did your education at the University of Miami School of Law prepare you for your career?
The University of Miami Law School taught me how to think strategically, how to debate my opponent, and how to effectively argue a case long before I ever stood in a courtroom. I learned about the burden of proof, how to anticipate and overcome objections, how to make good strategic decisions, and the importance of preparation. Preparing for class is like preparing for a trial. There is an old saying in trial work…it is 90% preparation, and 10% inspiration, and the University of Miami taught me the 90% part. In addition, my work on the law review taught me the importance of writing well and how to be concise. Much of the practice of law relies on the ability to write well.
What opportunities or connections did you gain at the law school, and how did they influence your career?
The biggest opportunity the law school gave me was to work as a judicial intern in my third year for Chief Judge C. Clyde Atkins at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Judge Atkins was a brilliant jurist who mentored me on being a good research clerk, and he was instrumental in recommending me to Judge Eugene Spellman as a clerk upon graduation. Internship programs through the University of Miami Law School are invaluable.
