The Florida Bar News - January 1, 2010

Gonzalez, Hawkins vie for Bar presidency

By Gary Blankenship
Senior Editor

Two veteran members of the Bar Board of Governors have qualified to run for president-elect in the March Bar elections.

Eleventh Circuit board member Ervin Gonzalez of Coral Gables and 15th Circuit board member Scott Hawkins of West Palm Beach filed qualifying papers by the December 15 deadline. It is the first contested race for president-elect in 11 years.

“I feel an obligation to offer my services to help lead the Bar, and I feel if we don’t all take turns carrying the heavy load, then we fail,” Gonzalez said of his decision to run. “You have no right to complain unless you are willing to do something about it.”

“My record has demonstrated an ability to reach a broad spectrum of people with different backgrounds,” Hawkins said. “I truly get satisfaction from my Bar work. . . . It’s a way to serve while serving the profession.”

Both are past presidents of their local bar associations — Hawkins of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and Gonzalez of the Dade County Bar Association — and both have extensive experience in legal, community, and civic work.

The winner of the election will be sworn in as president-elect at the Bar’s June Annual Convention, when current President-elect Mayanne Downs of Orlando becomes president. The winner will take office as president in June 2011.

Hawkins said his work with past Bar presidents including Ray Ferrero, Jr., and Marshall Criser influenced his decision to seek the Bar’s top spot, adding he sees it as a way of paying back the opportunities he’s been given.

“I’ve been very motivated by the noble impact they’ve had on Bar service,” Hawkins said. “It has led me to conclude that seeking the responsibility of president-elect is worth the personal sacrifices that go with all that.”

Gonzalez cites family background as influencing his desire to be Bar president.

“My parents came from Cuba. My father always told me the country was lost because there was no respect for the law,” Gonzalez said. “In this country, he said that would never happen. He always told me if a tyrant tried to take over, people would recognize that. So I had respect for the law from a very young age.

“I am fortunate to be a lawyer, and the practice has been good to me and my clients,” Gonzalez said. “I want the opportunity to give back.”

Bar Challenges
Gonzalez said improving the image of the profession and the legal system, getting adequate funding for the courts, and helping new lawyers would be his top priorities if elected.

“We need to promote the good that lawyers are doing every day. Lawyers are doing a lot of good things for their communities and we need to get that word out,” Gonzalez said. “We need to promote professionalism, so lawyers enjoy practicing with each other.

“It’s a combined effort that will improve the image of lawyers and bring back dignity to our profession.”

As for court funding, Gonzalez said government is based on a balance among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Cutting court funding undermines the entire system and faith in not only the judiciary, but in all branches of government.

“We need to have sufficient resources . . . so we have access to the courts so every man, woman, and child can say they have been treated fairly,” Gonzalez said.

New and young lawyers are facing a special challenge as they try to start their careers in a weak economy, Gonzalez said, and he wants the Bar to help them, professionally, ethically, and managerially so they avoid both professional and disciplinary problems. That includes mentoring and law firm management education. Gonzalez said he would promote Bar produced “webinars” as a cost-effective way of instructing and helping new lawyers.

“I would like The Florida Bar to take a leadership role in mentoring and teaching lawyers,” Gonzalez said. “I plan on working with local voluntary bars, and the law deans, and the multitude of lawyers who are willing to devote their time as mentors. It’s inexpensive to provide webinars, videos, to help and train, not just on basic law, but basic bookkeeping, basic office management, basic ethics, and basic professionalism.”

Hawkins said he wants to encourage lawyers to take a more active role in their professional lives, reach out to government lawyers, and better inform the membership about the role of the Bar’s lawyer regulation responsibilities.

“I think the Bar’s grievance process is very effective, but I don’t think the average lawyer appreciates all the work involved,” Hawkins said. “I want to take a hard look at improving the grievance process. I hear a lot of questions on why isn’t the Bar doing more.”

An effective grievance process — and one that is understood by lawyers — is essential if the legal profession is to remain under the control of the Supreme Court, Hawkins said.

While researching Bar membership data, Hawkins said he was surprised to find that about half or more of Florida’s lawyers are either directly or indirectly related to government service — including those directly employed by federal, state, or local agencies, those in legal aid, public defender and state attorney offices, law clerks, firms hired by public entities, and others.

“It’s a huge part of our Bar membership,” Hawkins said. “I wouldn’t say their voices aren’t heard, but they’re not as involved in the policy process and they should be.”

Hawkins said it is important to get as many lawyers as possible involved in the work of the Bar.

“I’m interested in how we can elevate the importance of lawyers taking more responsibility and more accountability in the day-to-day operations with their law firms; lawyers taking a more proactive role in saying, ‘Is this the way we should handle this issue?’”

That applies to big and little matters, Hawkins said, including such things as funding for the court system and Bar operations.

“If you care about self-regulation, we need to see how we can better self-regulate,” Hawkins said.

Experience
Both candidates bring wide-ranging qualifications to their campaigns.

Hawkins, a board certified business litigation lawyer, noted he headed an effort that revitalized the Palm Beach County Bar Association in the early 1990s, including making bar elections more open and encouraging greater diversity in association leadership. Hawkins said he did the same again in the late 1990s when he headed the National Alumni Association for the University of Florida.

“To move an organization like The Florida Bar, you have to motivate a large cadre of leadership, all of whom are competent,” said Hawkins, who is vice chair of the board of directors at Jones, Foster, Johnston & Stubbs. “I have a record of building consensus, and I have been willing to take positions that are controversial.”

Hawkins also serves on the University of Florida Foundation Board of Directors and is a UF College of Law trustee.

Gonzalez notes he has held numerous leadership positions on a variety of legal and civic-related organizations and said he will bring that experience and his skills as a trial lawyer to the Bar.

“I’ve held leadership positions almost my entire life, going back to captain of my baseball team,” Gonzalez said. “I think the Bar needs a strong advocate, and a lot of the job will include lobbying the Legislature on what is important for us. We need someone who can speak before groups and make important points.”

Gonzalez is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law and is a past president of both the Dade County Bar and the Miami Justice Association, formerly the Dade County Trial Lawyers Association. He has been active in the Florida Justice Association and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, among several legal and civic endeavors.

Gonzalez is on the board of directors for St. Thomas University and is an adjunct professor in litigation skills at the University of Miami. Gonzalez is board certified in both business litigation and civil trial. He practices personal injury, medical malpractice, business litigation, and general civil litigation, among other areas, at Colson Hicks Eidson in Coral Gables.

Since joining the Board of Governors in 2001, Gonzalez has served on the Executive, Legislation, Disciplinary Review, and Communications committees and has chaired the Program Evaluation Committee, among several assignments.

Hawkins received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida, getting his J.D. in 1983. He was president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and in 1995 was named The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division’s Most Productive Lawyer.

His civic and legal work includes service as president of Children’s Place and Connor’s Nursery, which help sick or abused children, and sitting on the Board of Trustees of Palm Beach Atlantic University. He chairs the Palm Beach County Bar’s Professionalism Council.

Since joining the Board of Governors in 2004, Hawkins has served on the Disciplinary Procedure and Budget committees, and he was a charter member of the Special Committee on Judicial Independence, now the Standing Committee on Judicial Independence.

Both candidates have established Web sites. Gonzalez’ is at www.electervingonzalez.com and Hawkins’ can be accessed by a link at www.jones-foster.com.

Voluntary Campaign Restrictions
The election will be the first conducted under guidelines for presidential candidates adopted several years ago in Bar Standing Board Policies. The policies and procedures were established for the purpose of keeping the process of campaigning for nomination and election to the office of president-elect open to as many members as practicable without excessive campaign activity or unduly interfering with the exercise of free speech. The candidates are encouraged to voluntarily comply with certain campaign limitations in order to receive specific incentives made available to those who agree to such compliance. The policies limit the number of unsolicited mass communication the participating candidates may send; limits campaign advertising to only specific issues of the News; and prohibits the use of telephone bank solicitations unless the candidate, or volunteers in support of the candidate, initiate such calls.

Candidates who agree to restrict their campaign activities qualify for assistance from the Bar, including free access to Bar membership data, at-cost advertising in specific issues of the News, and the printing and distribution of campaign materials at the Midyear Meeting free of charge.

Hawkins has agreed to abide by the voluntary campaign limitations, while Gonzalez has chosen to forego the assistance and campaign limitations.

Once again, Bar members will have the option of voting by paper ballot or online via the Bar’s election administrator. Complete instructions for voting either way will be included with the ballots, which will be mailed around March 1 and must be returned to the election administrator no later than midnight March 22.