John H. Pelzer is Board Certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist in Appellate Law, a select credential earned by experience, examination, enhanced continuing education, and peer review by judges and lawyers in the field. He handles appeals on all substantive law subject matters.
Appellate practice involves the skills of mastering a static record, capitalizing on or avoiding the weaknesses of judicial decisions, identifying the issues most likely to serve the client’s purposes, researching and analogizing pertinent precedent, applying standards of review, and then expressing the result in a cogently written brief that makes the desired result appear obvious from the outset. This can also involve oral advocacy in an unscripted and unpredictable format, wherein each position, point or argument is tested and explored by three or more intelligent and well-prepared judges. During and before trial, appellate practice requires proper preservation of the record so that the case is not lost before it is begun. These skills are very different from the skills of a trial lawyer, just as a jury of laypersons is completely different from a panel of judges.
Mr. Pelzer has mastered these skills over the course of more than thirty (30) years devoted to appellate practice. As a young attorney, Mr. Pelzer participated as lead counsel or assisting counsel in both jury and non-jury trials, and the litigation leading up to them, thus gaining valuable insight into the experience of being a trial lawyer, and how it can affect the appellate process.
Over his years as an appellate practitioner, Mr. Pelzer has successfully handled cases in virtually all substantive areas of the law in every Florida appellate court and most federal appellate courts. As a member of a large, diverse, full-service law firm throughout his career, Mr. Pelzer has handled cases for the highest-level practitioners in all their fields and has the ability to draw on that expertise whenever necessary. For example, Mr. Pelzer has experience handling appeals in administrative law, real estate, bankruptcy, banking, constitutional law, construction, contracts, family law, insurance, land use, patent, personal injury, and probate.
Mr. Pelzer has been professionally involved with The Florida Bar in areas affecting appellate practice, having served on the Appellate Court Rules Committee and the Appellate Practice Certification Committee, including two stints as Chair, and its parent, the Board of Legal Specialization and Education, including two years as Chair.
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First, Second, Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Federal and District of Columbia Circuits
- U.S. Supreme Court
Bar Admissions
- Florida
Education
- J.D., Tulane University School of Law, cum laude, 1983
- B.A., Stetson University, cum laude, 1980
Professional and Community Involvement
- The Florida Bar, Member
- Appellate Rules Committee, Member
- Appellate Practice Certification Committee,Vice Chair
- Former Chairman
- Board of Legal Specialization & Education, Member
- Chair, 2013-2015
Recognitions
- Best Lawyers®, “The Best Lawyers in America,” Appellate Practice, 2024-2025
- U.S. News & World Report, “The Best Lawyers in America,” Appellate, 2008-2023
- Benchmark Litigation, Florida “Litigation Star,” 2019-2024
- Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, “Top Lawyers” 2021 & 2022
- Martindale-Hubbell, Rated AV Preeminent®
- U.S. News & World Report, The Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year,” Appellate, 2022
- Super Lawyers magazine, Florida “Super Lawyers,” Appellate, 2006-2017, 2019-2020
- Top Lawyers, South Florida Legal Guide, 2014-2015
- Super Lawyers magazine, Super Lawyers Business Edition, Appellate, 2014, 2018
- The American Lawyer magazine, “Top Rated Lawyers,” 2012
In the News
- Quoted, “Appellate Court Revives Claims That Pop-up Window Blocked Gym Contract’s Language,” Daily Business Review, December 19, 2019
- Featured, “Insurer Wins Reversal of Seven-Figure Judgement in Surety Bond Case,” The Real Deal, December 10, 2017
- Featured, “Fort Lauderdale Attorneys Save Developer from $7.3 Million Judgment,” Daily Business Review, December 8, 2017
- Featured, “Greenspoon Marder Beats Back $12M Claim Client Duped Investors,” Daily Business Review, June 28, 2017
News
- Oct 3, 2024 Greenspoon Marder Earns Rankings in 2025 Edition of Benchmark Litigation US
- Aug 15, 2024 56 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 Edition
- Feb 13, 2024 Greenspoon Marder Partner John “Jack” Pelzer Secures Client Victory in $8 Million Hurricane Irma Damage Dispute Ruling
- Oct 19, 2023 Greenspoon Marder Recognized by Benchmark Litigation USA for 2024
- Aug 17, 2023 49 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 Edition
- Nov 16, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Recognized by Benchmark Litigation for 2023
- Oct 17, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Successfully Appeals and Secures Dismissal of Action on Behalf of Modway, Inc.
- Oct 1, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized as “Top Lawyers” by Fort Lauderdale Illustrated for 2022
- Aug 18, 2022 48 Attorneys At Greenspoon Marder Listed In The Best Lawyers In America® 2023
- Oct 7, 2021 Greenspoon Marder Recognized By Benchmark Litigation For 2022
- Aug 19, 2021 Greenspoon Marder Partner John H. Pelzer Selected As A “Lawyer Of The Year” By Best Lawyers© For 2022
- Oct 27, 2020 Greenspoon Marder Recognized By Benchmark Litigation For 2021
- Jan 15, 2020 Greenspoon Marder Recognized By Benchmark Litigation USA 2020
- Apr 22, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Secures Florida Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Decisions Against Nonpartisan County Constitutional Officer Elections
- Dec 13, 2017 Florida Judge Upholds Orange County Trial Court’s Judgement Against Nonpartisan County Constitutional Officer Elections
- Dec 6, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Secures Reversal of $7.3 Million Judgement Against Client Lexon
- Nov 14, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Receive 2018 AV Preeminent Rating By Martindale-Hubbell
- Nov 3, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Receive 2017 AV Preeminent Rating By Martindale-Hubbell
- May 4, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Shareholder John H. Pelzer Appointed To The Florida Bar’s Appellate Practice Certification Committee
- Jun 23, 2016 Super Lawyers Recognizes 38 Attorneys at Greenspoon Marder
- Aug 6, 2015 Greenspoon Marder Law’s Victor Kline and Jack Pelzer Win Appeal in the Appellate Court
- Apr 15, 2014 Greenspoon Marder’s John Pelzer Reappointed Chair of the Board of Legal Specialization and Education of The Florida Bar
- Jan 16, 2014 Twenty One Attorneys Ranked as “Top Lawyers” and Greenspoon Marder Listed as a “Top Law Firm” in the 2014 South Florida Legal Guide
- Jan 10, 2014 John H. Pelzer appointed chair of the 2013-2014 Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education
- Oct 7, 2013 People in the news
- Oct 7, 2013 Greenspoon Marder’s John H. Pelzer is appointed the chairman of the board of legal specialization and education of The Florida Bar
- Sep 27, 2013 Greenspoon Marder Shareholder Appointed as Chair of the Board of Legal Specialization and Education of the Florida Bar
