About Us

After 5 years in that field, Norma returned to the University of Florida and earned her law degree. While at UF, she was elected President of the John Marshal Bar Association, competed as a member of the Trial Team for 2 years, interned with an attorney who specialized in malpractice cases, clerked for 8th Judicial Circuit Judge Benjamin Tench, was admitted to Florida Blue Key, and was a student member of the Chester Bedell Inn of Court in Jacksonville.

When Norma was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1988, she was working as an associate at Margol, Fryefield, and Pennington, handling product liability and medical malpractice cases, carrying that experience into Harris, Guidi, Rosner, and Dunlap. In 1993, Norma left private practice to become a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office until joining the Public Defender’s Office in 2005. She became Division Chief for both the Putnam and St. Johns Offices of Public Defender, continuing in that role until her retirement at the end of 2020. That retirement lasted 2 months. Norma joined Gennusa Law, gaining exposure to family law, but criminal justice is where her passion lies.

Along life’s way, Norma has been a rancher, learned to fly, became a Major in the Civil Air Patrol, was a fencer (sabre was her favorite), competed in USPSA pistol competitions, and has a daughter working in the criminal defense field. Growing up on the Space Coast and through her father’s work and position in the space program, Norma has been fortunate to meet, interact, and work with astronauts and celebrities as part of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and Buzz Aldrin’s ShareSpace Foundation.