Here are the platform statements for the 2010 candidates for The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. Ballots for the election will be mailed on March 1, and must be returned no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 22. Bar members will have the choice of voting by the mailed paper ballot or voting online by following instructions with the mailed ballot. The winners will be sworn in during the Bar’s Annual Convention in June.

Eighth Circuit, Seat 1

Joseph M. Percopo
I am Joseph Percopo and I am running for the Eighth Circuit, Seat 1, for The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. This position requires time and dedication, both of which I can offer the Eighth Circuit along with my unique and beneficial experience.

Due to my already extensive involvement with the Young Lawyers Division, I would be an excellent choice for this seat. While in law school I worked on a YLD Law School Committee Taskforce. On this taskforce I collaborated with other law students from across the state spending countless hours and working to overcome obstacles in an effort to create a law student division. These efforts ultimately lead to the creation of The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division. While on the taskforce, I worked on many documents that went before the YLD Board of Governors and was involved in many discussions with various members of the board, all of which were part of the process of obtaining approval for the Law Student Division. This experience provided me with an understanding of the YLD and the process required to gain approval for projects.

After the Law Student Division was created, I was selected to be its first president. As president, I was further exposed to the YLD Board of Governors and worked directly with the YLD board, YLD committee chairs, and YLD presidents and president-elects. I also participated in the Affiliate Outreach Conferences and The Florida Bar Annual Meetings, and in doing so was fortunate enough to attend several YLD Board of Governors meetings. This experience allowed me to interact even more and on a deeper level with the YLD Board of Governors, gaining more knowledge and a better grasp of what is required of the members of the board.

I believe my experience, commitment, and understanding of the Young Lawyers Division make me an excellent choice for this position, and it would be a great honor to represent the Eighth Circuit.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jacob A. Rush
The Eighth Judicial Circuit enjoys a positive community of lawyers and court employees who strive to work together in the pursuit of justice.

I have been a law enforcement officer, criminal lawyer, civil lawyer, and counsel in federal court here. As I find my way through the career of a lawyer, I draw upon the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar and the camaraderie I've felt at our functions. I look forward to representing my circuit with the interests of my fellow Young Lawyers. I've recruited, volunteered, donated, and benefited from our section of The Florida Bar with an ear to the struggles of other young lawyers, which often mirror my own concerns with unfamiliar areas in the practice of law.

I am prepared to attend every Board of Governors function and have the full support of my law firm in accommodating that demand.

Thank you for your vote.

12th Circuit, Seat 2
Maggie D. Mooney-Portale
Six years ago, I moved to Sarasota and began working at the Bradenton office of Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A. At that time, I immediately joined both the Sarasota and Manatee bar associations. My membership in both bar associations has been a learning experience as well as a source of professional camaraderie, charitable activities, and personal friendships. I would like to expand on my experience by serving on The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.

In 2006, I helped formally organize the first Manatee County Young Lawyers Division (YLD) as a recognized division of the Manatee County Bar Association and affiliate of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. Since that time, I have served as president of the Manatee YLD and as a board member of the Manatee County Bar Association. Since its formation, the Manatee YLD has grown in membership and programming. I am proud of the Manatee YLD’s activities including: the funding and designing of a Children’s Waiting Room located within the Manatee County Judicial Center; the coordination of an affordable foreclosure CLE so all lawyers within the circuit could learn how to provide pro bono services in this practice area; and the organization of social and networking events between the Sarasota and Manatee YLD members, judges, and other practitioners. I have been active in both bar associations and have participated in Law Day mock trial activities and Lawyers for Literacy at Sarasota County and Manatee County elementary schools, respectively. I have written articles for the Manatee Bar’s Inter Alia and assisted in organizing several YLD sponsored fundraisers to benefit local non-profits including the Manatee Food Bank, Adopt a Family, Manatee County Children’s Services, Legal Aid of Manasota, and Habitat for Humanity.

I have served on the Board of Directors for Legal Aid of Manasota for over four years and am currently the board president. I am also a member of the 12th Circuit Pro Bono Committee and FAWL. It has been my personal goal to encourage all lawyers within our circuit to become involved in community non-profit work and provide pro bono legal services. This is especially important for young lawyers, so we can integrate charitable work and pro bono service in our practices throughout our careers.

If elected, I commit to representing and championing our circuit’s accomplishments and concerns to The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors. I will provide information and resources from the Board of Governors meetings to you – the young lawyers in our circuit. I will also encourage our YLDs to establish voluntary mentoring programs between young lawyers and more experienced lawyers in our circuit to encourage meaningful dialogues on ethics, professionalism, and local practices that cannot be learned from rule books.

I am proud of the accomplishments of the Sarasota and Manatee YLDs and would consider it a privilege to represent the young lawyers within the 12th Circuit. I would be honored to receive your vote.

Lindsey A. Schneider

As a young lawyer and member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, there are several issues I feel are relevant to young lawyers, especially in today’s economy. If I am elected to serve on the YLD Board of Governors, I intend to bring these issues to the forefront, in the hope of creating programs or services that assist young lawyers in facing these challenges.

As a result of the economic downturn, several law firms have experienced a steady decline in business and client development. As young lawyers, it is already difficult to generate business. I would like to develop a program or series of seminars that not only provides young lawyers with rainmaking tips and ideas, but also advises as to how to handle the decrease in business during this economy. I believe it would be beneficial to young lawyers to learn marketing tools that can be used to generate business. This is especially pertinent to those young lawyers who are solo practitioners or members of small law firms. Increasing social events also allows young lawyers to meet with each other and develop a networking and referral system among ourselves. Not only is the economic state critical to young lawyers’ practices, but it has also created a heightened awareness of the financial circumstances we face in our personal lives.

Many young lawyers have a significant amount of student loan debt. I believe it is important, now more than ever, to implement programs or services that educate lawyers about financial advocacy and provide a framework for managing the difficult financial transition between being a student and becoming a self-sustaining young professional. Retirement planning and investing are two issues that, although they may seem fairly inapplicable at the time, are critical to the financial future of young lawyers, and it is important that we are educated regarding these issues.

As a member of the Sarasota Young Lawyers’ Division, I intend to reach out to both Venice/South County and the Manatee Young Lawyer’s Division to develop a closer relationship and continue to host joint events, both professional and social. I would like to see the three groups put forth a collaborative effort to increase involvement and the programs we have in the 12th Judicial Circuit.

14th Circuit, Seat 1

Kevin D. Obos
I am running for the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, Seat 1, for the 14th Judicial Circuit. I have lived in the Panama City area since 1989 and I have been practicing law in Bay County since 2002.

I am currently a partner at the law firm of Harrison, Sale, McCloy, Duncan & Jackson, where I practice as the city attorney for the City of Springfield in addition to my focus in construction law, condominium law, and general commercial business and real estate law. I have represented clients throughout the 14th Circuit in my career where my experiences have taught me the importance of practicing law with a focus on professionalism and integrity.

Community involvement is important to me, and that includes involvement in the legal community. I am a member of the Bay County Bar Association as well as the St. Andrews Bay American Inn of Court. I am also a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Bay program. If elected to the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors I would stress the importance of involvement in both the general and the legal community to my fellow young lawyers and work to make opportunities for involvement available to all the young lawyers of the 14th Circuit.

I would appreciate your consideration and your vote and would consider it an honor to serve as your representative on the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.

Albert J. Sauline III
Dear Friends:

Since June 2008, I have had the honor and privilege of serving as your Board of Governors representative to the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar. By working together during this time period, we have successfully started our circuit’s first ever Young Lawyers Division affiliate, as well as brought back more than $2,300 from The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division to our local communities.

These funds have assisted us in such major events as our popular “Holidays in January 2009” toy drive for underprivileged children, as well as our popular “Afternoon in the Courthouse 2008” CLE event. Likewise, we have held numerous social events, bringing young lawyers together as one to create new bonds and network opportunities, whether it be our annual Christmas/holiday parties, summer beach party, winter clothing drive during the extreme cold weather experienced throughout Northwest Florida in early January 2010, or even our co-sponsorship with the Bay County Bar Association in hosting the October 2008 after-work happy hour/social gathering at the Granite Café, with proceeds going to “Paws & Claws,” a local animal shelter.

The best part is we are continuing to move forward, with growing membership in our local young lawyers affiliate and tremendous enthusiasm for our upcoming major events. These major events include our second annual “Holidays in January/February” toy drive, as well as our second annual “Afternoon in the Courthouse” CLE event, tentatively scheduled for March.

This March you will have an opportunity to keep the momentum going as we move forward in advancing the interests of Young Lawyers Division members throughout this entire circuit. By working together as one, as we have done in the past, we will continue to create more opportunities for young lawyers throughout this entire circuit, while providing our circuit with a strong voice at the statewide level.

For continued strong, effective leadership, with proven results, I ask for your vote.

Out-of-State, Seat 1

Howard A. Cohen
There are a number of reasons I seek to represent out-of-state members on The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. Having been born and raised in St. Petersburg, a graduate of Florida State University, and with most of my family living in Florida, the state has always had a special place in my heart. Although my career and wife brought me to Wilmington, Delaware, I am a candidate for the Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, Seat 1, for the Out-of-State Judicial Circuit because I believe it is important for The Florida Bar to serve the needs of its out-of-state members.

As a member of the Board of Governors, my goal is to develop new opportunities for out-of-state members to network with one another and to establish a mentoring program. As young lawyers, we are all striving to build relationships with other lawyers and business as well as to balance work/life issues. With thousands of out-of-state members in The Florida Bar, there is already an established network that could be utilized even more. In an effort to tap into this network, I would like to see more out-of-state networking events for members and also envision periodic brown bag telephonic meetings among the out of state members. I would also, in conjunction with the Out of State Division of The Florida Bar, promote and further develop a directory, organized by practice area, containing the contact information for all out-of-state members. In addition, I would also continue to encourage and promote mentoring programs for young lawyers both in state and out of state.

If given the opportunity to serve you, I promise to work hard, listen to your concerns, and advance our common interests. As a fellow young lawyer who is licensed in Florida, but lives out of the state, I ask for your vote.

Howard A. Cohen
DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP
Telephone: 302-467-4213
howard.cohen@dbr.com


Seth W. Goettelman
The out-of-state circuit has enjoyed a tradition of excellent representation on the Board of Governors and I look forward to picking up where my predecessors left off. Nonresident lawyers are faced with challenges requiring leadership by communication, collaboration, and aggressive, dedicated advocacy. I possess the experience, work ethic and broad based support to fulfill these high standards.

Florida has been my second home for years. Upon graduating from law school in 2005, my wife and I returned to Jacksonville where I practiced with a small firm until moving to Wisconsin in 2008. In that time, I developed strong relationships within the Jacksonville bar, lawyers throughout Florida, and nationwide. As a current associate of a large firm, I have been privileged to maintain an active Florida practice in business and estate planning matters from my offices in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.

As a member of the state bars of Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, I have devoted hundreds of hours to the benefit of my fellow colleagues in service to our profession. I am fortunate to serve on the Board of Directors of the General Practice Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin and be part of a committee examining the needs of small firm and solo practitioners. I am a strong proponent of vision, change, and modernization while preserving the legacy of those who came before us.

My broad experience, dedication, and enthusiasm will be valuable to the out-of-state members as the board makes important decisions that affect all Florida lawyers. In the coming months, The Florida Bar will confront attorney Web site advertising and social networking restrictions, multijurisdictional practices rules, propose amendments regulating The Florida Bar, and oversee implementation of a statewide e-filing system. Each of these issues poses unique implications for nonresident lawyers. As a member of the bars of fours states including Florida and as a member of the board of a section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, I have an advantage. I have first-hand experience and unique insight as to how other states are addressing these same issues. I look forward to bringing that insight to Out-of-State Circuit, Seat 1.

I commit to:

• Communicate. Regularly communicate with nonresident attorneys regarding the issues facing the Florida Bar and the decisions and resolutions made addressing them. I encourage you both during this campaign and after the election to contact me with your questions, comments, and concerns.

• Enhance Bar Programs, Benefits, and Accessibility. Enhance Florida Bar programs, benefits and accessibility to them.

• Guard Against the Unauthorized Practice of Law. The public has come under siege from scammers and profiteers looking to make a quick buck off a misinformed public. The Florida Bar is uniquely positioned to defend the public from these practices and, as a body, must bring to light and put to an end these deceptive practices.

• Restore and Preserve the Esteem of our Profession. The favorable public perception of attorneys has greatly diminished over the years. The Florida Bar must vigilantly work to restore esteem to the profession through judicial fairness and impartiality and engaging the public’s awareness through education.

I ask for your support to serve as an advocate the for nonresident Florida lawyers. Please vote for Seth W. Goettelman, Out-of-State Circuit, Seat 1, when you receive your ballots. Please contact me to further discuss any issue at (608)-661-3983 or sgoettel@vonbriesen.com.