Robert B. Cole Lecture Series hosts centennial fireside chat with Florida Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

The 2026 lecture, to be held on February 12, will explore the evolving legal landscape of Florida.
Robert B. Cole Lecture Series hosts centennial fireside chat with Florida Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

Florida Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

The Florida judiciary has long been a source of innovation and debate, drawing significant attention from faculty, students, and practicing attorneys across the state. Today, the legal landscape is shifting due to emerging jurisdictional challenges and the court's evolving role in a rapidly growing population. Against this dynamic backdrop, the Robert B. Cole Lecture Series returns to the University of Miami School of Law on Thursday, February 12, 2026, promising a front-row seat to the pivotal conversations shaping the future of Florida.

Keynote Speaker

Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz of the Florida Supreme Court will headline this year's Centennial event in a featured fireside chat. Appointed to the state’s highest court by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019, Muñiz became the 89th Justice since Florida was granted statehood in 1845. His colleagues later elected him to serve as Florida’s 57th Chief Justice, a role he began on July 1, 2022. Prior to his appointment to the Court, Muñiz served as the general counsel of the United States Department of Education on the staff of Secretary Betsy DeVos, and his extensive career includes high-level roles such as Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Robert B. Cole Lecture Series

The Cole Lecture Series continues to provide a valuable platform for members of the legal community seeking insights into the most pressing judicial issues of our time. The series honors the legacy of the late Robert B. Cole, who served for years as the principal legal advisor for the University of Miami and was a dedicated member of the School of Law’s Visiting Committee.

The lecture series has a storied history of hosting the nation's most respected legal minds. Previous speakers have included U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justices Warren E. Burger and William Rehnquist, as well as Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, John Paul Stevens, William J. Brennan, Jr., Harry A. Blackmun, Antonin Scalia, Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen G. Breyer, and Anthony M. Kennedy. Most recently, the series featured Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

The event will take place at the University of Miami School of Law in the Law Library’s Gail D. Serota J.D. '79 Reading Room, located at 1311 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146. The lecture begins at 6:00 p.m., with a reception to follow. While the event is free to the public, registration is required.

 


Top