[RPPTL-constructionlaw] Sad News

Tue Jul 14 14:20:41 PDT 2026

Bruce,

Thank you for sharing this sad news and for your kind words honoring Fred.  He was truly a giant in our profession, and his legacy will continue to shape Florida construction law for generations. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Best Regards,

Harry Malka, Esquire
Florida Bar Board Certified in Construction Law
Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
Qualified Court-Appointed Arbitrator
Chair/ Co-Chair - Construction Law Section, Broward County Bar Association (2014, 2020, 2022-2025)
Rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell
MALKA & KRAVITZ DISPUTE RESOLUTION GROUP
1300 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway
Suite 100
Sunrise, FL 33323
Telephone 954-514-0984
Facsimile  954-514-0985
www.mkpaADR.com<http://www.mkpaADR.com>
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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
bpartington at joneswalker.com<mailto:bpartington at joneswalker.com>
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Jones Walker LLP
13 Palafox Place, Ste 200
Pensacola, FL 32502
joneswalker.com<http://www.joneswalker.com/>

Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar

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