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Ex-Broward County Chief Judge Returns to Private Practice at Conrad & Scherer

Chief Judge Jack Tuter, retired judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit—the second largest in the state of Florida—is rejoining Conrad & Scherer as a senior partner after a 20-year-gap.

Tuter, who has over 40 years of legal experience, was appointed to the Broward County bench in 2005 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush. He was then elected in 2008 and reelected twice. Having been a part of the firm about two decades ago, his decades of legal expertise and judicial leadership makes Tuter a “coming home deal,” according to William R. Scherer Jr., co-founder and managing partner of Conrad & Scherer.

“It was worth every bit of effort for Jack to come back,” Scherer said.

Tuter said returning to private practice presents an opportunity to guide lawyers, aid with trial work and handle court cases, especially given how difficult the legal industry has become today. He hopes to provide insight to his colleagues given his experience.

“I’m excited about going back to private practice. I am very much appreciative of the voters and judges who gave me the opportunity to be chief judge here for eight years and 20 years as a circuit court judge,” Tuter said. “I’ve had my time in the sunshine in public life, and now it’s time to move on to the next chapter of my life.”

Conrad & Scherer recently secured a record-setting $832 million jury verdict, the largest in Broward County history, against Wells Fargo on behalf of the Seminole Tribe Minors’ Trust. The litigation law firm handles a variety of cases such as complex commercial litigation, bank fraud, Ponzi scheme litigation, construction litigation, government relations, land use and more.

As chief judge, Tuter was responsible for overseeing the administration of the courts within the Seventeenth Circuit, setting policies and priorities, supervising judges and court personnel, and reporting directly to the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

“Jack was a really good trial lawyer before he became a judge, and I said, ‘Jack, why in the world are you wanting to do that,’ and he said, ‘I think I owe it…’ I don’t get it,” Scherer said. “And then look what he’s accomplished over 20 years. I’m just really proud to be his friend.”