Why We Opened Our Doors for "Fry for the Future"
Our Fort Lauderdale office doesn't usually double as an event space — but for one evening, it did, and it was worth every folding chair we had to borrow. More than 60 attorneys, community members, supporters, and friends packed into our conference space for "Fry for the Future," a campaign reception in support of David Fry, candidate for Broward County Circuit Judge, Group 52. It turned into one of the more energetic, standing-room-only evenings we've hosted, and it raised strong fundraising support for Fry's campaign along the way.
We didn't host this evening because judicial races are easy to get excited about. Most people don't think much about them at all — they're nonpartisan, they rarely get the airtime a governor's race does, and ballots list them with little context. We hosted it because we think that's exactly the wrong way. Few elected positions touch people's lives as directly, or as quietly, as a judgeship does.
Why Local Judicial Races Matter
Founder and CEO Adam Rossen has long believed lawyers carry a responsibility to pay attention to judicial races — not just to vote in them, but to help their communities understand what's actually at stake.
"Fair judges matter," Rossen said. "They matter to our clients, they matter to the community, and they matter to the integrity of the justice system. Judicial elections do not always get the attention they deserve, but they should."
For a firm that represents people through some of the hardest moments of their lives, that's not an abstract idea. The character of the judiciary shapes outcomes for our clients, their families, victims, witnesses, and everyone else who ends up in a courtroom for reasons they didn't choose. <!-- IMAGE: secondary --> <!-- file: david-fry-speaking-rossen-law-firm-reception.jpg --> <!-- alt: "David Fry, candidate for Broward County Circuit Judge Group 52, speaking to guests at Rossen Law Firm" -->
An Introduction from Someone Who Knows Him
David Fry was introduced by Abigail Langweiler, Managing Attorney at Rossen Law Firm, who has worked alongside him in the Broward legal community and spoke about why she believes he belongs on the bench.
"Judges make decisions every day that change the course of people's lives," Langweiler told the room. "David brings courtroom experience, compassion, and a deep respect for the justice system. That combination matters."
David Fry's Path Back to Public Service
Fry, currently an Assistant Public Defender in Broward County, spoke candidly about why this race is personal. His career has taken him through several sides of the law — former prosecutor, civil trial attorney, teacher, and now public defender — and he told the crowd that returning to public defense reminded him why he wanted to be in a courtroom in the first place.
"I like working with people. I like being in court, and that's really why I like being a public defender here in Broward," Fry said.
He shared a moment from earlier in his career, during the pandemic, when remote work had pulled him out of the courtroom and into an insurance defense job. Sitting in a downtown Fort Lauderdale office reviewing records with a view of the ocean, he found himself asking a question that stuck with him: What am I doing?
That question eventually led him back to the Broward Public Defender's Office.
"You don't know what you have until you don't have it anymore and you miss it," Fry said. "To step back into that world of just working with people, seeing people at their worst, seeing the anxiety that families have when they don't know what's going to happen to their loved ones — that work matters."
He spoke about the responsibility to find humanity in everyone who comes before the court — victims and defendants alike — and to apply the law fairly and equally to every case, regardless of what's at stake.
Fry also reminded the room that judicial races are nonpartisan and easy to overlook on a ballot, and he encouraged everyone in attendance to talk to friends, family, and neighbors about why these races deserve attention.
"A judge can sign an order in the state of Florida that says you have to die," Fry said. "A judge can take your kids away. A judge can decide how your money is divided in a family issue or a divorce, or civil matters of high value. It is a massive power, and it's something that a judge needs to be grounded and humbled in."
He closed the evening simply, thanking the room for showing up.
"I am happy to be bringing my background and all these experiences to the bench," he said.
A Firm Commitment to the Community We Serve
Hosting judicial campaign events like this one is part of a broader commitment at Rossen Law Firm — one that goes beyond representing individual clients to engaging with the systems and people that shape justice in our community. We believe that commitment matters just as much outside the courtroom as inside it.
David Fry is running for Broward County Circuit Judge, Group 52, in the election scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Voters can find official election information through the Broward County Supervisor of Elections.
About David Fry
David Fry is a candidate for Broward County Circuit Judge, Group 52. An experienced trial attorney and public servant, he has served as both an Assistant State Attorney and Assistant Public Defender, and has tried more than 70 jury trials across criminal and civil practice — including serious felony cases, DUI and traffic prosecutions, and complex civil litigation. Before becoming an attorney, Fry was a teacher and earned a Master's Degree in Education; he continues to teach today as a mock trial coach and adjunct professor.
About Rossen Law Firm
Rossen Law Firm is a South Florida criminal defense firm dedicated to defending good people when bad things happen. The firm represents clients throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties in matters including DUI, domestic violence, drug offenses, federal crimes, sex crimes, and serious felony cases, with a commitment to protecting clients' futures through skilled advocacy, empathy, preparation, and respect for the justice system.
