[RPPTL-constructionlaw] Sad News

[RPPTL constructionlaw]

Sad news indeed.  Quite a loss.

 

Larry Leiby

 

From: constructionlaw-bounces at lists.flabarrpptl.org
<constructionlaw-bounces at lists.flabarrpptl.org> On Behalf Of RPPTL
constructionlaw
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 10:02 AM
To: RPPTL constructionlaw <constructionlaw at lists.flabarrpptl.org>
Subject: [RPPTL-constructionlaw] Sad News

 

Good morning, folks -

 

I have the sad duty to report that Fred Dudley, one of the real legends of
Florida's construction bar, passed away on July 13 at age 81. I got word
last night from Fred's law partner, Shawn Heath. 

 

Fred was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1968 after graduating from Stetson
University College of Law and served in the Florida House of Representatives
from 1982 to 1986. He then served in the Florida Senate from 1986 to 2000,
where he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Education, and as Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations
Committee. He was also instrumental in the creation of Florida Gulf Coast
University in the early 1990s. After his time in the legislature, he
continued practicing in Tallahassee with several firms eventually forming
his own firm, practicing both in construction and regulatory and licensing
law.

 

Fred's impact on our practice was particularly profound. In 1989, Fred was
the sponsor and principal drafter of a major re-write of what we now know as
the Construction Lien Law and for the remainder of his time in the Senate he
sponsored nearly every significant change to the lien law. There probably is
not a single person who had more influence on the present lien law than
Fred. He was also involved in the creation of Board Certification in
Construction Law and served several terms on the Certification Committee
including as its chair. And it is no surprise that he was one of the early
recipients of the Construction Law Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

I had the good fortune of serving on the Certification Committee with Fred
after he encouraged me to apply and will never forget in one of our first
meetings (if not the first) hearing Fred say over the phone, "well, I think
Bruce Partington should write an essay for the next exam." Some years
earlier he had "voluntold" me to do a one-hour section CLE on practical
considerations in construction contract drafting. But that was kind of how
Fred did it, gently pulling folks into greater involvement by perceiving
what he thought they could do and might be fairly good at. Fred was
unfailingly kind and respectful with a quick wit and great sense of humor.
Yet he also possessed a fierce intellect that could see quickly the
practical implications of an argument or a statutory revision. He was a
friend to so many. He will be deeply missed. I am, though, thankful that our
own Young Lawyers Subcommittee has recently submitted for publication in the
Florida Bar Journal a history of the lien law which features interviews with
Fred and another true legend, Larry Leiby, and look forward to seeing it
published.

 

Farewell, my friend. I wish you fair winds and following seas until we meet
again. You've lived well and generously and earned your rest. We're all
better for knowing you. 

 

Bruce D. Partington  |  Partner 
D: 448.239.6465  |  M: 850.982.3875 
 <mailto:bpartington at joneswalker.com> bpartington at joneswalker.com
 <https://https/www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-partington-169b328/> 



Jones Walker LLP
13 Palafox Place, Ste 200
Pensacola, FL 32502
 <http://www.joneswalker.com/> joneswalker.com

Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar 
 

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