After more than a decade on the bench, Judge Patricia L. Strowbridge will retire this month.
Judge Strowbridge began her journey at Michigan State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities pre-law. During her time as an undergraduate, Judge Strowbridge was uncertain about her career path until one day she was walking across campus when another student handed her a paper and asked her to solve several logic games. She was immediately intrigued and shortly after attended a presentation he was giving about the Law School Admission Test.
In that moment, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in law. After applying to several of the nation’s top law schools at the time, she accepted an offer from Georgetown University where she earned her Juris Doctor.
Following law school, Judge Strowbridge began her legal career working at several different law firms, where she discovered a passion for family law. In 1989, she founded the Adoption, Surrogacy, and Family Law Firm, where she spent 26 years helping families navigate adoption, surrogacy, and other family law matters. During her time practicing as a private attorney, she founded A Chosen Child, Inc. and served as its executive director and legal services director for fourteen years.
In 2015, Judge Strowbridge joined the Ninth Circuit and was appointed to the bench by former Governor Rick Scott, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Robert M. Evans. Throughout her time on the bench, Judge Strowbridge has served in a variety of divisions across Orange and Osceola Counties, including Domestic Relations, Unified Family Court, Criminal, and Civil. She has also served as an Associate Administrative Judge in both Orange and Osceola Counties.
Beyond the courtroom, Judge Strowbridge has been an active member of the Orange County Bar Association, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Adoption Council and has been an active member of the Rotary Club and the Rotary Youth Exchange.
Judge Strowbridge has led a distinguished career in both private practice and on the bench, dedicating her time to serving families and the Central Florida community. We thank you, Judge Strowbridge, for your dedication, service, and commitment to justice. We wish you all the best in your next chapter of retirement.
Please join us in celebrating Judge Strowbridge and her retirement tomorrow, June 25, at 4 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the Orange County Courthouse in the Jury Assembly Room.