‘A Supreme Evening’ to feature fireside chat between Justice Couriel and Alberto Gonzales

‘A Supreme Evening’ to feature fireside chat between Justice Couriel and Alberto Gonzales

Annual Florida Supreme Court Historical Society Dinner set for January 18 in Tallahassee

Justice John D. Couriel will moderate a fireside chat with former U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales as part of “A Supreme Evening 2024” on January 18 in Tallahassee.

Florida’s legal community is invited to attend the annual dinner, presented by the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. Sponsorships and dinner reservations are available at on the Historical Society’s website.

Gonzales and Couriel each graduated from Harvard Law School before going on to serve as state supreme court justices, and each of their careers led them to roles within the U.S. Department of Justice.

Gonzales was the nation’s first Hispanic attorney general and served under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007. He previously served as Texas secretary of state and was later appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by then-Gov. Bush in 1999. He went on to serve as White House counsel to President Bush before being sworn in as the 80th U.S. attorney general. He is currently the dean and Doyle Rogers distinguished professor of law at Belmont University College of Law in Nashville.

Couriel, the son of Cuban immigrants, was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020. Before he became Florida’s 90th justice, Couriel worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He then joined Kobre & Kim, where he specialized in cross-border disputes and investigations relating to financial products and services.

A Supreme Evening 2024 will also feature a “State of the Court” presentation by Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz, along with a special welcome to Justice Meredith L. Sasso, who joined the court in May 2023.

The event is the primary fundraiser for the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society, which educates the public about the work of the courts in protecting personal rights and freedoms, along with preserving and honoring the history of the Florida Supreme Court.

As in previous years, “A Supreme Evening” will be held at the Florida State University Dunlap Champions Club at Doak Campbell Stadium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a reception; the dinner and program begin at 7 p.m.

Individual dinner reservations are $105 before January 10, $125 after January 10, and $145 at the door if still available. A discounted rate of $75 is available for members of the judiciary (current and retired) and full-time law school faculty members and students. For sponsorship information, go online or call 850-385-3098.