Voluntary Bar News

Member Services

Voluntary Bar Center

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.

July 2008, Issue 39
WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE BARS...

Voluntary Bar Leaders from across the state recently gathered in Wesley Chapel at the Saddlebrook Resort for the 2008 Voluntary Bar Leaders Conference. The annual workshop gives participants an opportunity to discuss voluntary bar association programs, share what works in their communities, and gather helpful tips to improve existing programs. It included topics such as finances, taxes, 990s, 990Ts; seminars and CLEs; member communications; judicial campaign practices commissions; tips from experienced and successful local and specialty bar past presidents; and leadership beyond the local bar presidency. Nora Bergman, Atticus Practice Advisor, provided the keynote address and provides tips on skills needed to be a great bar leader.

CBA offers free CLE to members -- The Clearwater Bar Association will host a free CLE for its members. The seminar, "Creating an Effective and Professional Online Presence," will be held on Aug. 14 from 1:30-3:45 p.m. following the CBA Membership Luncheon at Harborview Center. For more information, contact the CBA at (727) 461-4869.

FDLA Annual Meeting set -- The Florida Defense Lawyers Association will host its Annual Meeting at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island in the Gulf of Mexico, Aug. 7-10. For a brochure with details, go to the FDLA Web site at www.fdla.org or call (813) 885-9888.

HBACF will host election debates -- The Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida, in partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, La Prensa newspaper, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, WONQ Radio, Barry University School of Law and the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida will host a series of Central Florida election debates to promote voter education. The HBACF hopes to promote voter education and to allow the public to hear and see their candidates offer and defend their positions. The first series of primary election debates will be held on Aug. 12 and 13 from 6-9 p.m. at Barry University School of Law and the second series of general election debates will be held on Oct. 6 and 7 from 6-9 p.m. at UCF's downtown Orlando campus.

CGBA honors Davis -- The Coral Gables Bar Association awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award to Edward B. Davis, the retired chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Judge Davis was also presented with a guayabera by a group of his former law clerks and CGBA President Leach presented Davis with a congratulatory letter from former President Jimmy Carter, who appointed Davis to the federal bench in 1979.

DCBA Judicial Poll Results -- The Dade County Bar Association conducted its 2008 Judicial Poll. The poll rates all of the current Florida Supreme Court justices and Third District Court of Appeals judges who are seeking retention, circuit and county judges in the 11th Judicial Circuit who have drawn opposition and candidates for judicial office seeking election. The poll also includes general magistrates and senior judges. For more information, contact Matthew Ridgley at (305) 371-2220.

SCBA Scholarship -- The Sarasota County Bar Association has awarded first year law students Terrica Jennings (Stetson University College of Law) and Jesse Butler (University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law) its 2008 Diversity Scholarship. At the end of their 10-week employment period, they will receive a $5,000 scholarship from the SCBA's Diversity Scholarship Fund, which is designed to provide qualified students with financial assistance and on-the-job experience as summer employees at governmental/judicial agencies in Sarasota County.

CBA participates in Clerk's Self Help Center -- The Clearwater Bar Association has partnered with the Pinellas County Clerk, Sixth Judicial Circuit and the Community Law Program to bring the Clerk's Self Help Center to the St. Petersburg Courthouse and the Clearwater Courthouse. The Center is supported by the fees collected from forms and forms assistance provided by attorneys. For more information, call (727) 464-5150 or visit www.pinellasclerk.org/selfhelp.htm. Attorneys wishing to help staff the Center should call the CBA at (727) 461-4869.

Minority Mentoring Picnic set -- Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 and join lawyers, judges, minority law school students, guests and family member for the Fifth Minority Mentoring Picnic in Hialeah. Held at Amelia Earhart Park, the picnic's purpose is to match minority law students with mentors. For more information, go to www.kttlaw.com/mmp. If you have specific questions, e-mail John Kozyak at jk@kttlaw.com or call him at (305) 377-0654.

Candidates forum set for Asians -- The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida has invited local, state and federal candidates for political and judicial office to meet members of Miami-Dade County's Asian Pacific American community at a Meet the Candidates forum at 7 p.m. on Aug. 13 at the Rusty Pelican Restaurant in Key Biscayne. The event is free and all South Florida Asian Pacific Americans are invited to attend. For information about this event, contact William Simonitsch at (305) 539-3336 or by e-mail at apaba_sfla@yahoo.com.

Florida State University College of Law Offers Speakers -- Florida State University College of Law is offering an outreach program to bar associations and other professional groups.The law school offers professors as speakers at meetings, conventions and other events. For information about additional faculty members and recent faculty presentations, you can visit www.law.fsu.edu/faculty/publications/presentations.pdf or if you would like a Florida State Law professor to speak at an upcoming event, contact Kelly A. O'Keefe at kokeefe@bergersongerman.com or (850) 521-6724.

DCBA - Citizens Advisory Council -- The Dade County Bar Association Board of Directors approved the implementation of a Citizens Advisory Council. This 15-person council will provide a vehicle for two-way communication between Miami-Dade County's major citizen constituencies and the DCBA, to inform and educate the public about significant legal-justice issues and to gain the public understanding and support. For more information visit www.dadecountybar.org/citizensforum.htm.

FAWL and Chapters to be recognized by NCWBA -- The National Conference of Women's Bar Associations will host its annual Women's Bar Leadership Summit and Reception and will honor the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Broward County Women Lawyers Association with the Public Service Award; and the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers and the Tallahassee Women Lawyers with the first annual Outstanding Member Program Award.

THE FLORIDA BAR

2008 General Meeting of Committees and Sections -- The 2008 General Meeting will be held Sept. 10-13 at the Tampa Airport Marriott. See the meeting schedule for a list of all events.

FREE Polish Your Practice CLE Seminar Available for Local Bars -- “Polish Your Practice: Integrating Technology, Quality of Life, Professionalism and Board Certification,” is now available for presentation at voluntary bar association meetings. The seminar, which is approved for a maximum of 2.0 CLE credits (2.0 general credits including 2.0 devoted to professionalism), explores quality of life principles that can enhance your life, legal career and professionalism; reviews Florida professionalism codes and creeds, and addresses potential professionalism conflicts raised by new trends in legal practice such as Internet practices and blogs. Presenters also discuss the merits of and professionalism aspects of board certification. The seminar originally was presented at the 2006 annual convention as a joint project of the BLSE and the 10th Circuit Judges Professionalism Committee. For more information, please contact Lisa Garcia at 850/561-5769 or lgarcia@flabar.org.

Attorneys assist Floridians facing foreclosure -- The Florida Bar in conjunction with other legal groups has launched a toll-free hot line (866-607-2187) staffed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers who fear they won't be able to make their mortgage payments or who have already missed payments, but are not yet in foreclosure, are urged to call. The goal is to pair callers with attorneys offering their services pro bono and then negotiate with lenders.

10 legal board certification areas to apply for -- Florida Bar members interested in board certification must submit applications by Aug. 31 for 10 of Florida's 22 legal specialization areas. Applications are available at The Florida Bar Web site at www.floridabar.org/certification, and are due Aug. 31 for the following specialties: Admiralty and Maritime Law, Appellate Practice, Aviation Law, Civil Trial, Elder Law, Immigration and Nationality, International Law, Labor and Employment Law, marital and Family Law and Tax Law.

THE ABA

ABA 2008 Annual Meeting -- The ABA invites you to attend the 2008 Annual Meeting, Aug. 7-12, in New York City. The ABA is developing more than 200 CLE programs that will help you improve your professional skills and expertise. There will be abundant opportunities to network with members of the legal profession from around the world. The meeting will also feature the world's largest legal EXPO, providing an array of goods and services pertaining to the practice of law. Your participation in the 2008 Annual Meeting is important to the development of our profession and the growth of our association. For more up-to-date information about the meeting, visit www.abanet.org/annual/2008.

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Maria Simmons Johnson
Voluntary Bar Liaison
The Florida Bar
850/561-5648
850/561-5733(fax)

[Revised: 08-28-2009 ]