The purpose of this summary provided by the Communications Department of The Florida Bar is to present media coverage that may be of interest to members. Opinions expressed in the articles are attributable solely to the authors. The Florida Bar does not adopt or endorse any opinions expressed below. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
March 15, 2018
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The Florida Bar
PERILS OF LEGAL STRESS TOPIC OF TOWN HALL
Gainesville Sun | Article | March 14, 2018
Anxiety, substance abuse, depression and suicide are among the issues The Florida Bar aims to tackle at a Town Hall discussion Friday [March 16] in Gainesville. The meeting will include multiple speakers, including Florida Bar President Michael Higer. Lawyers face specific stresses in their profession that put them at a higher risk for mental health issues. Higer said that the Bar has been effective at addressing mental health issues when they come to light, usually after an incident or disciplinary action. A newly formed committee will focus on education, destigmatization and making resources available.
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Constitution Revision Commission
MAJOR HARDING: KEEP OUR FLORIDA CONSTITUTION CLEAN
Florida Politics | Column | March 14, 2018
Major Harding, former chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, writes: “The 2018 [Constitution Revision Commission] recently held a public hearing where I had the opportunity to speak to the members on behalf of Keep Our Constitution Clean, a group of concerned businesses and Floridians who are urging the Commission to exercise restraint and reject proposals that detract from the Florida Constitution’s purpose. A state’s constitution should govern with broad, general concepts, avoiding specifics and micromanagement as to not ruin its special status as a fundamental document. . . . [Some] issues are best addressed through ordinary legislation and not enshrined in our state constitution.”
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Legislature
EDITORIAL: SENTENCING PROPOSAL REPRESENTS PROGRESS
Sarasota Herald-Tribune | Editorial | March 14, 2018
“The Florida Legislature has passed a multifaceted criminal justice bill that can be described in the vernacular as a two-fer. . . . It’s a mash-up that blends an effort in the House of Representatives to reform criminal justice databases and a movement in the Senate to provide alternatives to arrest and incarceration for relatively minor, nonviolent offenses. The good news is that both initiatives are warranted and represent progress.”
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Judiciary
REPORT DESCRIBES 18 REFORMS THAT ADDRESS WORKPLACE MISCONDUCT IN FEDERAL COURTS
ABA Journal | Article | March 15, 2018
The Federal Judiciary Workplace Conduct Working Group described 18 reforms addressing workplace conduct in an interim report released Tuesday [March 13]. Federal judges will be trained in preventing sexual harassment while federal court employees will receive instruction on their workplace rights, according to the report. The group was created at the behest of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. after the Washington Post published sexual misconduct allegations against a now-retired federal judge. Roberts had said the working group would evaluate the judiciary’s standards of conduct and its procedures for investigating inappropriate behavior.
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Legal Profession
LAW FIRMS’ OFFICES IN SOUTH FLORIDA IN FOR AN OVERHAUL, STUDY SAYS
Daily Business Review | Article | March 14, 2018
Law firms across South Florida are examining the real estate aspect of their businesses. From office size and the number of support staff members needed to the office design and location, law firms are taking a closer look at their square footage, according to new research by CBRE Inc. Some firms here already have moved to redesign their offices, but the trend is expected to become more sweeping in the next five years, said Christos Costandinides, senior research analyst for CBRE. Among the major changes either already taking hold or expected to happen are smaller footprints and support staff ratios.