Newman Named Citizens General Counsel

©2023 The News Service of Florida

      Brian Newman, chief judge of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, was approved Wednesday to become general counsel of the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Newman has served as an administrative law judge since 2019 and became acting chief judge in 2022. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet in January approved his appointment as chief judge. The Citizens Board of Governors on Wednesday approved his selection as the insurer’s general counsel. “I am very excited to have him join the team,” Citizens President and CEO Tim Cerio said. In March, Citizens tapped former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston to become general counsel. But Polston left the insurer this summer to become a partner at the Shutts & Bowen law firm.