[2] After graduation, he worked as a judicial research aide at the Florida Industrial Relations Commission from 1977 to 1978.

[2] In 1978, he began working as an assistant public defender in the Second Judicial Circuit, a position he held until 1981.

[3] In August 2000, the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeal sought applicants to replace Judges James Joanos and Arthur Lawrence, whose terms expired in January 2001.

[4] Following Lawrence's retirement two months later, Lewis was sworn in to the seat,[5] becoming the second African-American judge to serve on the court.

[3] In 2002, following Justice Leander Shaw's retirement from the Supreme Court of Florida, Lewis applied to fill the vacancy.