Download Magazine - Levin College of Law - University of Florida

KRISTEN HINES
Judge Susan Harrell Black (JD 67)
11th Circuit Court Of Appeals
She broke much ground and opened many doors.
When George H.W. Bush appointed Susan Harrell Black to
the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1992, Black became the first
Florida woman to sit on the 11th circuit.
When Jimmy Carter appointed her to the federal bench in
1979, Black became the first woman to sit on a federal district
court in Florida. In 1990, she was the first woman in the 11th
Circuit to become chief judge of a district court.
Black was one of two women in her UF Law graduating class
of 100—and one of five women enrolled at UF Law at that time.
“It was the norm for women to get through college early
and get married shortly after they graduated,” Black said. “I was
so anxious to get through law school, I even went through the
summer. At 23, I actually felt old to be in school.”
Though her heart was set on doing trial work, Black started
her career practicing commercial law in the late ʼ60s.
“At that time, the belief was that women wouldnʼt be good
litigators,” Black said. “So it was difficult to join a litigation
practice.”
After practicing commercial law for a few years, Black
managed to find work with a newly elected state attorney, Ed
Austin. That was 1969, and Black was the first woman to become
an assistant state attorney in Floridaʼs 4th judicial circuit.
“Trial work didnʼt seem strange to me,” Black said. “Iʼd
debated all through college. I was used to arguing in front of
people.”
The 1970s had a few more firsts in store for Black. She
became the first woman county judge in Duval County. In 1975,
she became the first woman circuit judge in Florida.
Though it was outside the norm in the ʼ60s for women to
become lawyers, Blackʼs father, William H. Harrell, a lawyer
and later a judge, was supportive of her desire to go to law
school. His views were traditional and reflected the times, but
he also believed in education. His son, William H. Harrell Jr.
(JD 74), also went to UF Law.
“During World War II my father was a B17 pilot. His plane
was shot down and he was captured by the Germans,” Black
said. “If he hadnʼt made it home, my mother would have had
to raise me alone. I think that experience enabled my father to
see the benefits of a womanʼs self-sufficiency.”
Black still remembers some of her UF law professors. “I
didnʼt like Tax, but Jack Freeland was a great teacher and made
it interesting,” Black said. “And I had Constitutional Law with
Fletcher Baldwin. He was so enthusiastic and made the subject
fascinating.”
Beyond the education she received, Black sees her law school
experience as crucial to her professional accomplishments.
“Almost every job I got was because a UF lawyer helped
me get it,” she said. “I met a lot of people, fine people, in law
school.”
After more than three decades, Black still enjoys being a
judge.
“A friend of mine calls being a federal judge the best job in
law land, and I agree,” said Black. “Itʼs everything great about
being a lawyer. Itʼs intellectually challenging and fun. Also, I
get to be a generalist. As a judge, I see many lawyers who are
great specialists, and they teach me about their fields.”
Black has been married for 40 years. Her daughter, age 20,
is not presently interested in a legal career, but that door will
be open to her—as it is to so many women—partly because of
the paths taken by Judge Susan Harrell Black.
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