James Fox Miller

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and partner Jim Miller.

Jim focused primarily on family law and was involved in numerous complex commercial litigation cases in various states. He had vast experience and expertise in the negotiation and preparation of complex prenuptial agreements–particularly involving high-net-worth individuals when one party was a citizen of a country other than the United States.

In practicing matrimonial law for 50 years, Jim was involved in numerous major commercial and contested estate litigations, and lectured extensively on civil trial preparation and strategies. He served as an expert witness on numerous aspects of family law and was named as one of Lawdragon's 500 Leading Lawyers In America. He was AV rated, a member of The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and a Charter member of the College of Family Law Trial Lawyers. Jim was one of a handful of family law lawyers who have been listed in all 27 editions of the Best Lawyers in America.

He served a term as President of The Florida Bar. A frequent writer and teacher of family law both in Florida and around the United States, Jim taught the Florida Bridge The Gap program in family law to more than 5,000 young Florida lawyers. He frequently participated in programs for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Continuing Legal Education in family law matters throughout the United States. Jim also was active in community activities, having served on his county's United Way Board of Directors, as President of Temple El, and as President of the Jewish Family Service of Broward County. 

• Jim is Board Certified in marital and family law by The Florida Bar, has chaired the Florida Bar Family Law Section Legislative Committee and served as Board of Governor liaison to the Family Law Section and the Family Law Certification Committee
  
• For several years he participated in writing and grading the Family Law Certification Exam and remains active in The Florida Bar, having chaired the Discovery Committee for the Family Law Rules of Procedure
• He served for six years as a member of ABA House of Delegates and continues to be active lecturing throughout the United States on various family law subjects
• Jim chaired the National Academy's Committee on Attorney's Fees for three years, and, after his appointment by Florida’s Chief Justice, served a three-year term on Florida's Judicial Council. He also served as a member of the Federal Courts Oversight Commission for the Southern District of Florida
• Jim was president of his local bar association, served eight years on Grievance Committees and five years on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar. While a member of the Board of Governors, he was Chair of The Florida Bar's budget committee and served on the Disciplinary Review Committee. He has also served as Special Bar Counsel for The Florida Bar in several very large and high-profile grievance matters
• Serving as the President of The Florida Bar from 1990-1991, Jim was one of the few family law specialists at the time to ever serve as a State Bar President

The Curse of the Legal Profession, The Florida Bar Journal, President's Page

Person With The Butter, The Florida Bar Journal, President's Page, September 1990

You've Done Nothing But Complain Since You Walked In Here, The Florida Bar Journal, Volume LXIV, No. 7, July/August 1990, at 10

Bifurcation of Dissolution of Marriage Actions, The Florida Bar Journal, November 1961, at 755

Ten Attorneys' Fees Commandments

The Metaphysics of Settlement; How I Settle My Cases (or Get Them Ready For Trial), 2006 AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce, February 2006, Las Vegas, Nevada

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Arbitration Training Institute; Cleveland, Ohio; January 27-28, 2006; "Advantages and Disadvantages of Matrimonial Arbitration"; "Lawyer-Client Conference; Arbitrator Selection"; "Arbitration Preparation for the Litigator"; "Arbitration Fees and Costs"

Kentucky Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Arbitration Institute Workshop, Louisville, Kentucky, August 20-21, 2004; "Advantages and Disadvantages of Matrimonial Arbitration"; "Arbitration Agreements and Court Orders for Arbitration"; "Preparing for Arbitration as a Litigator; You and Your Client"; "Arbitration Fees and Costs"

Attorneys' Fees, South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention, Hilton Head Island, August 1, 2002;

Alternatives to Hourly Billing, The North Carolina Bar Association Family Law Section Annual Meeting, Williamsburg, Virginia, May 5-6, 2000

The Metaphysics of Divorce in the 21st Century, The Florida Bar Family Law Section and The Florida Supreme Court, Family Court Steering Committee Family Law Superstars and Symposium on the 21st Century Family; Tampa, Florida, November 16, 2000

Pre-Nuptial Agreements, An Advanced Seminar on Family Law, Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fourth Annual Symposium, Ellicott City, Maryland, October 11, 1999

Ethical Problems for the Family Law Practitioner, Nevada State Bar Association

Negotiating Marital Settlement Agreements and Preparing for Trial, Nevada State Bar Association

The Metaphysics of Divorce, Pennsylvania Bar Association

What Every Jury Trial Lawyer Should Know About Non-Jury Trials, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers

Principles to Follow as a Divorce Lawyer, Missouri Bar Association

Executive Compensation, National Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Chicago, Illinois

Attorneys' Fees, International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Chicago, Illinois