This electronic digest of voluntary bar news is dedicated to the interaction of local, special interest and substantive bar associations. It will serve as a forum to share information and highlight the many activities of the voluntary bar associations of The Florida Bar and will be published at least once a month or as needed. You can view past and current issues by going to the bar's website, www.FLABAR.org. Submit articles, pictures or general comments to Maria Simmons Johnson, the Bar-to-Bar E-news editor and your voluntary bar liaison, mjohnson@flabar.org or 651 E. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300. Photos sent by e-mail should come in jpg and gif format.
September/October 2009, Issue 46
WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE BARS. . .
Diversity Luncheon with Chief Justice Quince -- The Palm Beach County Bar Association, with the support of the local bar associations, will host an open forum Diversity Summit to discuss new programs to increase diversity in the local community. Emphasis will be placed on new diversity initiatives and opportunities for firms to attract and retain diverse legal talent. Some of the panelists include Florida Supreme Court Justices Peggy Quince (Chief); Barbara Pariente; Jorge Labarga and Harry Lee Anstead (Ret.). Law firm and business representatives who have an influential role in their organizations recruiting and hiring processes are strongly encouraged to attend and actively participate. The Summit will be held on Sept. 24, from 11:45 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Marriott West Palm Beach. The cost to attend is $45. For more information, please contact Lynne Poirier at lpoirier@palmbeachbar.org or (561) 687-2800.
PBCBA takes home ABA Award -- The Palm Beach County Bar Association was one of five bar associations from around the country honored by the National Association of Bar Executives, an affiliate organization of the American Bar Association, for its commitment to public service. The PBCBA took home a 2009 LexisNexis Community and Educational Outreach Award during the ABA’s annual meeting in Chicago for its “And Justice For All” project, which placed educational displays and exhibits in the courtroom of the county’s 1916 courthouse.
Keep us in the KNOW: Send us your news -- Does your bar association have a newsletter, e-bulletin or announcements? If so, send us your publication by updating your mailing list to include Voluntary Bar Liaison, Maria Johnson, 651 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300 or send your news of interest to mjohnson@flabar.org.
Minority Mentoring Picnic to be held Nov. 14 -- The 6th Annual Minority Mentoring Picnic will take place on Nov. 14 from 12 - 4 p.m. at the Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah. The picnic has attracted more than 1,500 lawyers, judges, minority law students, guests and family members. Join other voluntary bars from throughout Florida as they participate. For more information, to RSVP and to see photos from past picnics, go to www.kttlaw.com/picnic. If you have specific questions, e-mail John Kozyak at jk@kttlaw.com.
CABA's Mentoring Program Kickoff Reception -- The Cuban American Bar Association (CABA), its president and its board of directors, along with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP, will host the Third Annual Mentor Program Kickoff Reception at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP on Sept. 24 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The mentor program seeks experienced lawyers willing to share their insight and knowledge with young lawyers and law students from the University of Miami School of Law, Florida International University College of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law and Nova Southeastern University. CABA matches mentors with mentees based upon interests and the mentor's area of practice. For more information, contact Javier Lopez at (305) 577-7031 or e-mail jalopez@ssd.com.
Miami-Dade FAWL to host cocktail reception and book signing -- The Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Women's Chamber of Commerce will host a cocktail reception and book signing with Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The event will be held on Oct. 6 from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Viceroy, Club 50 in Miami. The cost to attend is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Space is limited and RSVP is required. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.WomensChamberOfCommerce.org.
If you are interested in knowing about upcoming events from Bar-to-Bar, check out the Voluntary Bar Events Calendar for an overview of meetings, CLE seminars, etc. To submit events, please send to Maria S. Johnson at mjohnson@flabar.org.
BCBA Bench Bar set -- The Broward County Bar Association will hold its 2009 Bench-Bar Convention Oct. 16 at the Broward County Convention Center. The Bench-Bar Convention is intended to give judges and lawyers an opportunity to discuss 21st century technology problems facing the legal system and to explore solutions. Florida Bar President Jesse Diner and Florida Bar Foundation President Adele Stone will be featured luncheon speakers. The cost of the event is $220 for Broward County Bar members and $245 for nonmembers, which includes all the CLE opportunities, breakfast, lunch, and a reception. There is also a $25 discount for those registering before Sept. 30. The event is free for judges and those who can show membership in another county-wide bar association can get in at the Broward County Bar members’ rate. For more information, visit www.browardbar.org.
CCBA to host reception for judiciary -- On Oct. 1 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Naples Bay Resort, the Collier County Bar Association will host a reception to honor the judges, magistrates and administrative personnel that make Collier County a great place to practice law. For more information, visit www.colliercountybar.org.
FAWL THINKS PINK -- On Oct. 8, The Florida Association for Women Lawyers will be hosting "FAWL Thinks Pink" Breast Cancer Awareness event. From 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., wear something pink, shop for accessories at their unique boutique and join FAWL members for lunch at Bogart's Restaurant. For more information, contact Leorah Greenman, Esq. at (954) 474-8000 or lgreenman@fwblaw.net.
Save the Date!! Save the Date!! The 2010 Voluntary Bar Leaders Conference will be held in Fort Lauderdale July 16-17, 2010. Visit the Voluntary Bar Center in the next few months for more details.
11th JCHS and CABA to present Symposium -- As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the 11th Judicial Circuit Historical Society and the Cuban American Bar Association will host, "Equality Under Justice II Symposium." Local South Florida judges and lawyers will discuss how their backgrounds have enhanced and affected their legal careers. The symposium will be held on Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida in downtown Miami. To attend, RSVP by Sept. 24 to 11JCHS@hmsf.org or (305) 375-1657.
FAWL Chapter Development grants available -- The Florida Association for Women Lawyers makes one-time grants of up to $500 available for the purpose of building membership in new chapters, rebuilding chapters that have experienced loss in membership levels and recruitment efforts that target groups of potential members that are underrepresented in the chapter. Find out more!
FBF seeks new Fellows -- The Florida Bar Foundation is seeking volunteers to help solicit new Florida Bar Foundation fellows during its upcoming fellows campaign in South Florida. Fellows are life members of The Florida Bar Foundation — core supporters who pledge $1,000 (payable over five years, or 10 years for nonprofit, government, and young lawyers) to The Florida Bar Foundation Endowment Trust, which helps ensure the future of legal aid. The Florida Bar Foundation’s Miami-Dade Fellows Campaign Steering Committee includes Chair Miles McGrane III, Frank Angones, Georgie Angones, George Knox, Chris Marlin, Edith Osman, Herman Russomanno, Neal Sonnett, and Damian Thomas. The Foundation is the only statewide organization that provides funding for Legal Aid and promotes improvements in addressing the civil legal needs of the poor. It provides more than a quarter of all funding for legal aid organizations in Florida. For more information about the Fellows Program, contact Michael Cooper at (407) 843-0045 or mcooper@flabarfndn.org.
Update your bar association's profile -- The Florida Bar maintains a record of voluntary bars in Florida, primarily for notification purposes and member requests. Please take a moment to visit the Voluntary Bar Center to review the officer information we have for your bar association or you can make your changes on-line - it's fast, easier and more convenient.
HAWL receives $4,500 grant -- The Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers received a $4,500 grant from the Florida Voluntary Bar Assistance Community Service Grant Program to put on a CLE seminar in connection with the University of South Florida's Kinship Care Program. Kinship Care provides assistance and advice to the many relative caregivers in Florida, caring for children because the parents are incarcerated, substance abusers, etc. The Kinship Care program helps relative caregivers deal with the many obstacles they face in things like getting the appropriate documentation to be able to enroll the children in school or get medical care for them, sometimes in getting legal custody or adopting the child, etc. For more information on HAWL's Chapter Program, contact Katherine Yanes at kyanes@kmf-law.com.
CBA continues to support education -- The Clearwater Bar Foundation is raising funds to continue its 20+ years of support of Enterprise Village Law Office at Pinellas Education Foundation's Stavros Institute. The Clearwater Bar Foundation has also set a goal to increase its contributions to the community by expanding its presence into the Institute's Finance Park. Touching the lives of all 5th and 8th graders in Pinellas County, who annually visit the Institute, will enhance the public's understanding of the law and the legal system. Members and friends of the Clearwater Bar Foundation who donate $100 or more in support of this effort will receive a stylish lapel pin featuring the Foundation's logo. For more information, visit www.clwbar.org.
For more information about voluntary bars, visit the Voluntary Bar Center at www.floridabar.org/voluntarybars.
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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
ABA Midyear Meeting -- The American Bar Association's Midyear Meeting will be held in Orlando, Feb. 3-9, 2010. For more information and to register, visit www.abanet.org/calendar/midyear.
Law Day 2010 -- The theme for 2010 Law Day is, "Law in the 21st Century: Emerging Challenges and Enduring Traditions." Be sure to visit www.lawday.org in the coming months for more details on the theme, as well as downloadable artwork, lesson plans, resources, the Dialogue, and more.
National celebration of pro bono -- For the first time ever, there will be a nationwide celebration aimed at spotlighting the need for pro bono legal assistance and the dedicated service of those who are already providing it. Currently, there are 14 state bars and 25 local bars geared up for the National Celebration of Pro Bono, Oct. 25-31, sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. It's not too late to get involved! Bar associations wishing to get involved should go to www.pro-bono.net/celebrateprobono/toolkit/.
DBS Web site is revamped -- The ABA Division for Bar Services introduces its new features and new look on the Division's own recently revamped Web site. There are many new features that will help make the lives of bar leaders, whether staff or volunteer, easier, better and more professional. Check it out at www.abanet.org/barserv!
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THE FLORIDA BAR
Housing crisis help -- The Florida Bar's Consumer Protection Law Committee has information to help consumers trying to avoid foreclosure and the attorneys who are helping them on its Weathering the Housing Crisis Web pages. If you know of upcoming foreclosure prevention workshops or clinics in your city, please send the information to Zannah Lyle, the committee's staff liaison, at slyle@flabar.org Or call her at (850) 561-5669.
Board Vacancy -- Nominating petitions for a vacancy on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar due to the resignation of Seventeenth Circuit board member Allison Bethel will be accepted until 5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30. Details and the application are available here.
The Florida Bar Speakers Bureau is ready to educate the public about family law -- The Florida Bar Speakers Bureau is an assembly of more than 4,000 attorneys dedicated to educating the public about legal issues. At no cost, experienced attorneys can inform schools, libraries, businesses, community groups and organizations across the state about Family Law. Other available topics include: Marital Law, Divorce, Alimony, Child Support, Welfare and Custody Issues and Adoption. If a group would like to have a speaker for an upcoming meeting or event, a request form can be found on The Florida Bar Web site, www.floridabar.org. Select Public Information on the left side of the page, then click on Speakers Bureau and, finally, on the on-line speaker request form. For more information, please contact Mirieth Valenciano by phone at (850) 561-5773 or via email at mvalencianomarin@flabar.org.
TFB YLD Mentoring Matters -- Do you have local mentoring program? The Young lawyers Division Board of Governors Transition to Practice Committee (T2P) wants to know about it. The YLD is currently compiling a list of all existing mentoring programs so the board may provide a comprehensive list of all mentoring programs in the state to its members. Additionally, the YLD is asking that you send any literature, Web sites, or other resources you may have about your mentoring program so the YLD may help its local affiliates establish their own mentoring programs. Send information about local mentoring programs to: Jennifer R. Kuyrkendall, YLD Board of Governors, c/o Siegmeister & Zasada, P.A., 379 West Duval Street, Lake City 32055 or, e-mail correspondence to: jennifer@lakecitylawoffice.com.
LOMAS offer practice management tips -- Whether it's management of trust accounts, upgrading technology, improving client service or a host of other critical issues, lawyers are often unprepared to handle the business side of practicing law. The Law Office Management Assistance Service (LOMAS), with an experienced staff of practice management advisers, provides counsel, assistance and support to members of The Florida Bar through a variety of services.
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IN OTHER LEGAL NEWS . . .
Stetson wins moot court competition -- Stetson University College of Law began the academic year by winning first and second place in the E. Earle Zehmer Workers’ Compensation Moot Court Competition in Orlando in August. Two teams of Stetson students advanced to compete against each other in the final round, beating a dozen teams from other law schools around the country. This is the second consecutive year that Stetson has won the competition, sponsored by the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida Bar.
FBBE's files new policy on social networking -- In July, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners filed its recommendations on a social networking policy with the Florida Supreme Court. The world of blogging has felt a jolt over the Bar News story that the Florida Board of Bar Examiners may want to take a peek at what some applicants post on Facebook or MySpace social networking sites during character and fitness investigations. The September 1 story outlining the FBBE’s new policy, covering certain applicants who admit to past indiscretions or need rehabilitation, also caught the eye of a New York Times reporter who called the News seeking more information. And the story made its way to the top of the most-read list on the News’ portion of the Bar’s Web site in record time. For more on this story, check out the September 15 Florida Bar News.
Maria Simmons Johnson
Voluntary Bar Liaison
The Florida Bar
850/561-5648
850/561-5733(fax)
[Revised: 11-23-2009]
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