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.
June 10, 2025
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The Florida Bar
JOIN CHIEF JUSTICE MUÑIZ FOR THE COUNSEL TO COUNSEL GRADUATION DURING THE ANNUAL FLORIDA BAR CONVENTION
The Florida Bar | Article | June 10, 2025
Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz of the Florida Supreme Court and Past President Gary Lesser of The Florida Bar (2022-23) will be the special guests at the Counsel to Counsel Mentoring Program graduation reception during the Annual Florida Bar Convention. Hosted by The Florida Bar Mentoring New Lawyers Committee, the reception will be held Thursday, June 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Boca Raton in Grand Ballroom. Click here to register now. Counsel to Counsel is a first-of-its-kind mentoring program designed to pair new lawyers with those who are more established in their careers. The technology-based program, administered through the MentorcliQ app, expertly matches lawyers based on their profiles. Potential mentees are all lawyers licensed with The Florida Bar for five or fewer years. Mentors are lawyers with five or more years of experience.
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Legal Discipline
ATTORNEY WHO WAS SUBJECT OF HERALD INVESTIGATION ASKS TO HAVE LAW LICENSE REVOKED
Miami Herald | Article | June 09, 2025
Brad Schandler, an attorney from Hollywood, Florida, has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to relinquish his law license for five years amid a Florida Bar investigation. The inquiry stems from a complaint by bidder Hernando Posse, who alleged Schandler manipulated a 2021 foreclosure auction in Pompano Beach. Posse claimed he was outbid by Schandler’s sister under a fake name, who then failed to pay, allowing Schandler’s client to buy the property for a nominal fee. Schandler called it a “legal foreclosure sale method.” The Bar reopened its investigation after the Miami Herald’s “Rigged” report revealed nearly 30 similar cases in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Schandler’s tactics included shifting auctions to in-person formats with few bidders and securing unlimited bidding credits for clients. The Bar has until mid-July to respond to his request. Sen. Ileana Garcia filed legislation in November to close related legal loopholes, but the bill failed to reach the Senate floor.
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Civil Justice
CIRCUIT JUDGE SIDES WITH USF IN CAMPUS SHUTDOWN LAWSUIT
News Service of Florida | Article | June 09, 2025
Last week, Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Darren Farfante ruled in favor of the University of South Florida (USF) in a 2021 class-action lawsuit over student fee refunds for services unavailable during the 2020 COVID-19 campus shutdown. The suit, led by plaintiff ValerieMarie Moore, focused on fees for services like transportation and athletics. Farfante granted sovereign immunity to the USF Board of Trustees, stating no USF policies promised specific in-person services or fee refunds during temporary cancellations. Plaintiff attorneys argued on March 27 that sovereign immunity should not apply due to an express contract between students and USF. The case follows similar disputes involving other Florida universities. The 2nd District Court of Appeal had allowed the USF case to proceed, while the 1st District Court of Appeal dismissed a similar University of Florida suit, now under Florida Supreme Court review after June 2024 oral arguments. The lawsuits do not seek tuition refunds.
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Civil Justice
JACK NICKLAUS WINS ROUND OF LITIGATION IN FLORIDA APPEALS COURT
Daily Business Review | Article | June 09, 2025
Jack Nicklaus will proceed with his Florida defamation lawsuit against Howard Milstein and Nicklaus Companies LLC after Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled the 2007 LLC agreement’s forum clause doesn’t bar the claims. The suit arose from statements implying Nicklaus considered joining LIV Golf and suggested mental unfitness. The dispute stems from Nicklaus’s 2021 meeting with Golf Saudi, which he says he declined out of loyalty to the PGA Tour. Palm Beach Circuit Judge Reid P. Scott denied motions to dismiss, finding potential malicious intent to harm Nicklaus’s reputation. The appellate court, with Judge Spencer D. Levine, affirmed that the defamation claim isn’t related to the LLC agreement. Nicklaus filed suit in April 2023; motions to dismiss were denied through May 2025. A New York court ruled in Nicklaus’s favor in March 2025. The Florida jury trial is set for September 8, 2025. A New York hearing on fees is scheduled for June 20, 2025.
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Civil Justice
FLORIDA SENATE DISTRICT 16 REDISTRICTING TRIAL KICKS OFF IN FEDERAL COURT IN TAMPA
News From the States | Article | June 09, 2025
A federal lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering of Florida Senate District 16 began Monday [June 9] in a Tampa federal courtroom. Filed by the ACLU of Florida and NYU’s Civil Rights Clinic on behalf of five Tampa and St. Petersburg residents, the 2022 redistricting plan is accused of packing Black voters into District 16 and diluting their influence in District 18. Defendants include Senate President Ben Albritton and Secretary of State Cord Byrd. District 16, represented by Darryl Rouson, spans parts of St. Petersburg and Hillsborough County, including the University of South Florida campus. Lead attorney Nicholas Warren testified about submitting maps to protect Black voters, despite GOP accusations of partisanship. Plaintiffs and witnesses testified District 16 poorly represents their communities, citing geographic and community divides. The case is before a three-judge panel: Andrew L. Basher, Charlene Edwards Honeywell, and Thomas P. Barber. Former Sen. Randolph Bracy, subpoenaed, did not testify.
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Criminal Justice
OSCEOLA SHERIFF’S TOP DIRECTOR FIRED, DENIES KNOWING OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING SCHEME
Orlando Sentinel | Article | June 09, 2025
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office fired executive director Nirva Rodriguez days after Sheriff Marcos Lopez’s arrest on state racketeering charges. Rodriguez, who served as Lopez’s top advisor and co-hosted Spanish-language shows with him, said her firing is unrelated to Lopez’s case and denied involvement in the investigation. Ruben De Jesus, a “civilian employee” and former campaign worker for Lopez, was also dismissed. Interim Sheriff Christopher Blackmon, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is overseeing the personnel changes. Lopez was arrested Thursday [June 5] and remains jailed on a $1 million bond, pleading not guilty to charges alleging he ran an illegal gambling operation in Osceola and Lake counties, making up to $700,000 since 2019. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier noted further charges and defendants may follow. The case involves a sealed 255-page affidavit and is being prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.