News and Events
Daily News Summary
An electronic digest of media coverage of interest to members of The Florida Bar compiled each workday by the Public Information and Bar Services Department. Electronic links are only active in today's edition. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
Nov. 17, 2009
--Legal Profession--
MEDIATING IN CYBERSPACE-- Daytona Beach News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com, Nov. 17, 2009.
Since Sandra "Sandy" Upchurch joined the mediation counselors at Upchurch Watson White & Max in January, traffic on the company's Web site has shot up more than 55 percent. The Ormond Beach attorney, wife and mother said the launch of her "Web 2.0" efforts probably can't take all the credit for the increase, since the economy may have picked up some during that time. However, she is sure the "increased blogging activity" she has brought to the firm "draws people to our Web site and gets more clicking around on our site, and people are learning more about us and our firm and where our offices are located." Upchurch said her blog on the firm's Web page has definitely helped shoot her firm into "international blogging circles."
THREE PROMOTED AT PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE-- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, Nov. 16, 2009.
Fourth Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk is promoting three attorneys this month. Assistant Public Defenders Michael Bateh, Harris Waldo and Stephanie Schaap will all have new responsibilities but will maintain their core function of providing professional and competent representation to the clients.
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE RECOGNIZES JACKSONVILLE ATTORNEYS-- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, Nov. 16, 2009.
Two Jacksonville attorneys will be honored at the first Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Jurisprudence Award Luncheon Dec. 3 in Jacksonville. Attorneys Evan Yegelwel of Terrell Hogan and Hugh Cotney were chosen by the ADL to receive the award for "their outstanding leadership and contributions to the legal profession and to the community at large," said ADL Director of Development for the Florida Region Vicki Katz. The Jurisprudence Award was established to recognize individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the legal profession and to the community at large, while exemplifying the principles upon which the Anti-Defamation League was founded.
KOEPPEL FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY FOLLOWING COURT DECISION-- Palm Beach Daily News, http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com, Nov. 17, 2009.
West Palm Beach attorney Joel Koeppel has filed Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy on the heels of being on the losing end of a $600,000 breach of contract judgment against him by his two former law partners. Koeppel also owes former partners Stuart Gottlieb and Larry Mesches an additional $250,000 in interest, plus attorneys' fees and court costs. Boca Raton bankruptcy attorney Robert Furr, who represents Koeppel, says filing bankruptcy in the face of incurring a large judgment and debt is not unusual. The contentious litigation went on for 2½ years.
--Judiciary--
UNLIKE OTHER JUSTICES, SOTOMAYOR BECOMES A CELEBRITY OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM-- Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com, Nov. 17, 2009.
Apparently, no one told Sonia Sotomayor that Supreme Court justices are supposed to be circumspect, emerging from their marble palace mainly to dispense legal wisdom to law schools, judges' conferences and lawyers' meetings. Since becoming the first Hispanic justice, Sotomayor has mamboed with movie stars, exchanged smooches with musicians at the White House and thrown out the first pitch for her beloved New York Yankees. A famous jazz composer even wrote a song about her: "Wise Latina Woman." In short, Sotomayor has become a celebrity — all without having made a single major decision at the nation's highest court.
--Civil Justice Issues--
STATE POLLUTION STANDARDS DEAL OK'D BY JUDGE-- The Bradenton Herald, http://www.bradenton.com, Nov. 17, 2009.
The Bradenton Herald article is by the Associated Press. The federal government will attempt to set Florida's water pollution standards — the first time it'll try that for any state — under an agreement approved Monday [Nov. 16]. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle rejected objections from state and local government agencies as well as agriculture and business interests. They had argued the agreement would result in hastily drawn, unscientific rules and that complying with them would be too costly as taxpayers and businesses cope with the recession. In approving the consent decree between five environmental groups and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Hinkle noted that it allows for delays in the rule-making process to make sure regulations are proper. He said other objections are premature and must wait until after the proposed regulations have been drafted.
--Criminal Justice Issues--
'80S REAL ESTATE SCAMMER FROM JACKSONVILLE FACES NEW PRISON TERM-- The Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com, Nov. 17, 2009.
Ellis E. Neder Jr., convicted of engineering a $40 million Northeast Florida real estate fraud in the 1980s, is facing a third prison term after pleading guilty last week to lying about his income to his probation officer. By one calculation, Neder, 67, could face up to seven more years in prison after his plea last week as his trial was about to start. He pleaded guilty to one count of an eight-count indictment; prosecutors dropped the remaining counts. U.S. District Judge Henry Adams scheduled sentencing for Feb. 18. Neder, a former attorney and developer, spent 10 years in prison after that conviction and still owes $25 million in restitution. He spent another nine months locked up in 2007 for violating probation by engaging in land deals with known felons. He was disbarred by The Florida Bar.
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[Revised:
07-01-2005
]