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. 19, 2009
--Legal Profession--
FAMOUS LAWYER WILLIE GARY TELLS STUDENTS TO WORK HARD-- The Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com, Nov. 19, 2009. [Also: WELL-KNOWN ATTORNEY INSPIRES STUDENTS-- WJXT Jacksonville, http://www.news4jax.com, Nov. 19, 2009].
From The Florida Times-Union: Willie Gary, a trial lawyer who has won some of the largest jury awards and settlements in U.S. history, shared his story with nearly 1,000 students Wednesday [Nov. 18] at Andrew Jackson High School. Gary told the students that if he can become successful after being born in a cotton field to sharecropping parents with little education, then they, too, can be successful. Jackson's marching band warmed up the students with several songs and a video of Gary's achievements followed.
--Lawyer Ethics/Legal Discipline--
EMBATTLED ATTORNEY FACES DISBARMENT-- Daily Business Review, http://www.dailybusinessreview.com, Nov. 19, 2009. [Also: ROTHSTEIN LEAVES FLORIDA BAR IN MIDST OF PONZI SCANDAL-- Law360.com, Nov. 18, 2009; HOSPITAL REJECTS ROTHSTEIN DONATION-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Nov. 19, 2009; OTHER FIRMS SCOOP UP ROTHSTEIN'S COLLEAGUES-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Nov. 19, 2009].
From the Daily Business Review: Besieged Fort Lauderdale attorney and political rainmaker Scott Rothstein, the ousted chairman of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, has decided to surrender his law license, submitting a request of permanent disbarment on consent to The Florida Bar. The Bar confirmed Wednesday [Nov. 19] it accepted Rothstein's request, but it must be approved by the Florida Supreme Court. "While the case is very complex, it became evident that Bar rules may have been violated," Bar president Jesse H. Diner said in a statement Wednesday. The Bar is monitoring the federal investigation of Rothstein and has been in contact with the court-appointed receiver for the law firm, he said. "This is a terribly unfortunate and tragic situation," Diner said. "The Florida Bar will continue to investigate any violations of its rules by other attorneys who may have been involved in this case."
--Judiciary--
COLLIER CLERK OF COURTS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD ACCEPT COURT RULING, PUBLIC OPINION-- Naples Daily News, editorial, http://www.naplesnews.com, Nov. 19, 2009.
The editorial states: "We hope that public servants of good will can put down the feud and move on with their work in the public interest. A Florida regional appeals court has upheld the prerogative of the independently elected office of the Collier County Clerk of Courts to audit county government expenditures as the clerk sees fit — without the say-so of county commissioners, and even if the money is to be tracked after it is spent. It is time — no, way past time — for the commissioners to let go of the argument that the clerk's office ought to do its homework in advance, before checks are cut, or butt out."
--Civil Justice Issues--
LAWSUIT: FLORIDA FAILING KIDS-- Tallahassee Democrat, http://www.tallahassee.com, Nov. 19, 2009. [Also: FLORIDA FACING SECOND EDUCATION FUNDING LAWSUIT-- Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com, Nov. 19, 2009].
From the Tallahassee Democrat: The Florida Constitution clearly states the importance of education in this state, but superintendents, child advocates and parents are up in arms because they are angry that the state is not upholding its part of deal. A lawsuit was filed Wednesday at the Leon County Circuit Court by several parents, students and organizations, mainly from the Jacksonville area. Their lawyers include former Democratic House Speaker Jon Mills, moderate Republican E. Thom Rumberger and members of the Southern Legal Counsel, a Gainesville public-interest law firm. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a similar suit Nov. 5 in West Palm Beach. The suit maintains that Florida is not doing its job to provide quality education to students in public schools.
--Other--
ELECTIONS EXPERT, ATTORNEY DAVID CARDWELL DIES-- The Ledger, http://www.theledger.com, Nov. 19, 2009. [Also: CAPE CORAL CRA ATTORNEY DIES-- The News-Press, http://www.news-press.com, Nov. 19, 2009].
From The Ledger: David Cardwell, a nationally known elections expert, Florida baseball spring training executive and former Lakeland city attorney died Wednesday [Nov. 18]. Cardwell died at an Orlando hospital from complications involving respiratory illness and swine flu. He was city attorney for Lakeland in the late 1970s. He also was a lawyer with Holland and Knight, during which time he became a noted expert on Florida election law. During the weeks in 2000 when the outcome of the presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was in doubt, Cardwell appeared almost daily on CNN, where he was a consultant on election law.
FLORIDA HISTORIAN KYLE VAN LANDINGHAM DIES FROM SWINE FLU-- Treasure Coast Newspapers, http://www.tcpalm.com, Nov. 19, 2009.
Prominent Florida historian and former Okeechobee County Attorney Kyle Van Landingham died Tuesday [Nov. 17] from the swine flu virus, also known as the H1N1 virus, in Colorado. A sixth-generation Floridian and native of Fort Pierce, Van Landingham was the author of four books on regional history. He earned a law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He served as Okeechobee County attorney for about 10 years, ending in 1987, and moved to Colorado three years later.
JUDICIAL CENTER BRINGS WORK TO OKALOOSA COUNTY-- Northwest Florida Daily News, http://www.nwfdailynews.com, Nov. 19, 2009.
The new judicial center set to open August 2011 in Fort Walton Beach is expected to provide Okaloosa County's judiciary and the public with better security and additional space. For some county departments, the size of the building - 85,000 square feet - will require more employees. In August, county commissioners asked for staffing projections from the clerk of courts, sheriff, court administrator, corrections director, facility maintenance director and information systems director. In all, 14 additional employees are needed at an estimated cost of $670,728, Assistant County Administrator Donna Miller told commissioners this week.
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[Revised:
07-01-2005
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