Former judge joins law firm as shareholder

TAMPA — Chris Altenbernd, former judge in Florida's Second District Court of Appeal, has joined Tampa law firm Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its national appellate practice and trial support group.

Altenbernd will also practice in Carlton Fields' national trial practice and white-collar crime and government investigations groups, according to a statement.

Altenbernd served on the Second District for 27 years and authored almost 1,400 opinions for the court, the statement adds. He also served a term as president of the Conference of District Court of Appeal Judges and as chair of the Florida Supreme Court's Committee on Standard Jury Instructions for Civil Cases.

With nearly 400 attorneys and consultants, Carlton Fields has the most attorneys certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice, the statement says. The firm has lawyers in more than 30 states.