My Services:
Norman S. Gerstein
Norman Gerstein is a successful Mediator, Arbitrator, Special Master and Umpire in Insurance disputes.
He was a highly respected and admired judge throughout his judicial career,
and for 39 years Norm Gerstein dedicated his life to the interests of
justice and to the needs of the South Florida community. On January
31, 2010 he retired from the Circuit Court after twenty nine years of service.
He presided over numerous celebrated and high profile trials.
He has been recognized as a life long advocate for the rights of children and
persons with disabilities.
After graduating from the University Of Miami School Of Law in
1973, he served with the Dade County Public Defender’s Office from
1973 to 1981. Norm represented and advocated on behalf of over
one thousand developmentally and mentally ill children and adults
committed to State Institutions. Many of these institutions were
considered very inhumane, overcrowded and understaffed. For his
efforts on behalf of persons with disabilities, he was appointed to the
State Wide task for implementation of the Bill Of Rights for Retarded
Persons, and received numerous awards, which included the Friend
of the Retarded Award from the Association for Retarded Citizens
and the Humanitarian award from the Sunland Center for Retarded
Persons.
In 1981, he was appointed to the County Court by Governor Bob
Graham at the age of 31. Following a successful career as a County
Judge, Norm was appointed to the Circuit Court in 1986. He has
served over 29 years on the court and has literally been assigned to
every division of the court. He has consistently earned extremely high
ratings in the Dade County Bar Association’s annual Judicial Bar poll
every year since 1981.
Norm’s service on the court has only been a part of his service to
our community. Norm Gerstein has worked with many community
organizations, and has served on numerous boards, including The
Children’s Trust, Children’s Home Society, and the Melissa Institute
for Violence Prevention, the Florida Bar’s Committee on the legal
needs of Children, The Supreme Court’s Committee on Court Related
Needs of Children, The Elderly and Persons with Disabilities, and
Hands on Miami. He is the founder and President of Summer Fun for
Kids, a private not for profit organization which has provided
community activities, summer placements and field trips for nearly a
thousand at risk children.
Norm Gerstein has been awarded numerous community and
humanitarian awards throughout his career including the Greater Miami
Jewish Federation’s Community Service Award and their lifetime
Achievement Award, the Guardian Angel Award from the NFL YET
center at Gwen Cherry Park, the Justice Harry Lee Anstead
professionalism award, The Judge Wilkie Ferguson Advocacy Award,
The Heart Award from the Boys and Girls Club of Miami and the
Community Service Award from both the City of Miami and the City of
South Miami.
Norman S. Gerstein P.A.