Thomasina F. Moore

Thomasina F. Moore is a Partner in the Tallahassee office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where she is a member of the Appellate Practice Group.

Thomasina is board certified in Appellate Practice and Juvenile Law by The Florida Bar. Thomasina represents private sector and government clients and focuses her diverse practice on government, labor and employment, commercial, constitutional, and appellate litigation. She has experience in complex appeals involving interpretation of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions, as well as experience in a broad range of employment matters including allegations of workplace discrimination, violations of Florida’s public records act, violations of Florida’s public whistleblower act, and policy development.

Prior to joining Shutts, Thomasina helped develop the "Defending Best Interests" initiative while at the Florida Statewide Guardian Ad Litem Office, which saved taxpayers millions of dollars by recruiting pro bono appellate attorneys to write briefs in termination of parental rights cases. The program was honored by Florida TaxWatch for efficiency in government. She also developed and presented a constitutional analysis on the scope of parental rights, which the Florida Department of Children and Families supported and the Supreme Court adopted, with the decision now positively impacting thousands of children throughout Florida each year. She was also appointed by the Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice to serve on a committee charged with developing a rule for ineffective assistance of counsel in cases regarding the termination of parental rights, authored a minority report and argued its merits before the Supreme Court, a majority of which was ultimately adopted by the Florida Supreme Court.

Credentials

Education

Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, J.D., summa cum laude, 1995
Nova Southeastern University, B.S., Legal Studies, 1991

Bar Admissions

Florida

Court Admissions

United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Professional and Civic

Florida Association for Women Lawyers

Executive Board
President
President-Elect, 2022-2023
Legislative Director, 2020-2022

The Florida Bar

Advisory Committee, 2024 Pro Bono Service Awards
Appellate Practice Section Executive Committee
Board-certified in Appellate Practice and Juvenile Law
Legislative Committee, Co-Chair, 2021-2023
Pro Bono Legal Services Committee

News & Insights

Reported Opinions

Boan v. Florida Department of Corrections, 2024 WL 3084388 (11th Cir. June 21, 2024)
D.H. v. Adept Community Services, 271 So. 3d 870 (Fla. 2018).
S.M. v. Florida Department of Children and Families, 202 So. 3d 769 (Fla. 2016)

Presentations

“Ethics for State Government Employees,” The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) Florida Chapter Training webinar (September 5, 2024)
“Practicing Before the Florida First District Court of Appeal 2022,” Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar (April 8, 2022)
“Stare Decisis: Old Principle, New Views,” Everything Old is new Again CLE Series presented by the Guardian ad Litem Program and the Pro Bono Committee of The Florida Bar’s APS (January 26, 2022)

News & Speaking Engagements

“Proceedings From Petition To Adjudicatory Hearing in Dependency Cases,” Florida Juvenile Law and Practice Vol. 16, 2022-2023
“Postdisposition In Dependency Cases,” Florida Juvenile Law and Practice Vol. 16, 2022-2023