WESTON, FL, October 12, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Judge Paul Siegel with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Judge Siegel celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field and in his community. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
From 1991 to 2010, Judge Siegel served on the Dade County Circuit Court in Miami, Florida. Prior to holding that position, he was a partner at Sinclair, Louis, Siegel, Heath, Nussbaum & Zavertnik P.A. in Miami, FL from 1972 to 1991 and was a litigator in many different areas of the law. His first professional role was as a member of the general counsel's office at the Atomic Energy Commission in Washington, D.C. where he worked from 1962 to 1965 on nuclear reactor licensing cases.
Shortly after he returned to Miami in 1965 to begin private law practice, the local electric utility filed an application to construct and operate two nuclear reactors 25 miles South of Miami. He was concerned about safety of the project due in part to its proximity to Cuba and the communist government a little more than 100 miles South of the reactor site. Believing that he was one of the very few Miamian's familiar with the potential hazards of the reactors, he decided to intervene in the licensing proceeding. He participated on behalf of the public in all of the licensing hearings. He succeeded in persuading the utility to add several safety and security systems to the proposed reactors, including a large, elevated pressurized water tank that could cool the reactor core without relying on electric pumps; for additional security a lock was added to the containment vessel door. When construction was complete, during a pressure test, a huge pressure relief valve simply fell off the containment vessel to the ground. Not satisfied with safety and security, he appealed grant of the construction permits to the U.S. Circuit of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The court ruled in favor of the AEC and FPL in two lengthy decisions published as Paul Siegel, Petitioner v. Atomic Energy Commission and United States of America, Respondents, Florida Power and Light Intervemor, 400 F.2d 778 (D.C. Cir. 1968).
Judge Siegel's academic pursuits began at the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in physics, magna cum laude, in 1958. He continued his studies at the same academic institution, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws (and Juris Doctor) in 1962, cum laude. He was admitted to practice law in Florida in 1963, Washington, D.C. in 1964, the Supreme Court of the United States in 1967, United States Court of Appeals (5th Circuit – 1967 and 11th Circuit – 1982) and is a Florida Bar board certified trial lawyer.
When Judge Siegel began college, he was in search of a career in nuclear physics. During graduate school at the University of Chicago, he realized he was not in the best field for his talents. He was accepted and awarded an academic scholarship at the University of Miami School of Law. While there he served as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor of the University of Miami Law Review. After law school he served as chairman of the board of directors at the Alliance Francaise of Dade County from 1983 to 1987, and as president from 1990 to 1992. He was also the president of the Pro-Mozart Society of Greater Miami from 1984 to 1992. These two organizations are representative of his passion for languages and classical music. When he served in the Family Division of the Circuit Court and interpreters were in short supply due to budgetary constraints, Judge Siegel was able to process uncontested divorce cases in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Haitian Creole.
Another passion has been travelling. In 1969 and 1970, he took a sabbatical from law practice and visited Western Europe and Israel for 14 months, spending only his savings of $5,000. He still remembers the small Latin Quarter hotel in Paris which charged $2 a night for a room and breakfast. He returned with $30 in his pocket and rejoined his law firm. During the first four months of 2018, he and his wife cruised around the world in the Southern Hemisphere from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale, including visits to Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Phuket, Thailand, and many other cities in the Orient and Africa. Memorable highlights include a performance of Carmen in the beautiful Sydney Opera House and hearing the remarks of Archbishop Desmond Tutu onboard the cruise ship in Capetown, South Africa. This completed an interesting set of life experiences, having already heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the time he lived in Washington, D.C. As an established professional, Judge Siegel authored the 500 page "Florida Trial Objections" book, still used by some lawyers as a reference at trial.
He is proud of his small family, consisting of his Belgian-born wife Janique, step-son Erick Pardi and grandchildren Angelica and Matteo. Judge Siegel is very appreciative of the recognition just awarded by Marquis, as well as in the many Marquis Who's Who publications which have featured him for many years. He especially recognizes and thanks his alma mater for the education provided at no cost to him earlier in his life. Below he gives a hug of thanks to Sebastian the Ibis, the UM mascot. Judge Siegel has previously been featured in Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in the South and Southwest and Who's Who in the World.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Judge Paul Siegel has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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