Gov. Rick Scott appointed Howard Maltz, chief deputy general counsel for the City, to the 7th Judicial Circuit bench Friday.
He fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Wendy Berger to the 5th District Court of Appeal.
"I am confident that Howard will be an excellent addition to the 7th Circuit bench," Scott said in a news release. "He is committed to enforcing the rule of law fairly and will serve the people well."
The 7th Circuit serves Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Maltz has served as chief deputy general counsel for the City from 2002-12 and as an assistant general counsel from 1997-2002.
From 1986-88 and 1989-97, Maltz served as an assistant state attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit and from 1988-89 he was with the Harris Guidi Rosner Dunlap Rudolph firm.
In addition to his office management responsibilities, Maltz's practice areas included personal injury, wrongful death and federal civil litigation rights, according to his City biography.
He also has served as deputy general counsel in charge of the General Litigation Department, Tort Litigation department and assistant general counsel in the Personal Injury and Labor and Employment sections, according to the City information.
Maltz also served as acting chief of Rick Management for the City for a brief time during Mayor Alvin Brown's departmental reorganization in 2011.
Maltz received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and his juris doctor from the University of Miami.