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 16, 2025
-
The Florida Bar
HAVE YOU PAID YOUR ANNUAL FLORIDA BAR FEES?
The Florida Bar | Article | June 16, 2025
As The Florida Bar prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, its annual fee season is underway with the traditional early option of paying online by signing into the Member Portal at member.floridabar.org and clicking the “Pay My Fees” button. This may be paid via credit card or e-check. It is the quickest and easiest way to pay your annual fees, elect voluntary section memberships, and stay in compliance with Bar rules for trust accounting and pro bono reporting. Fees remain at $265 for active members and $175 for inactive members. The Supreme Court added a subdivision (g) to Rule 1-3.6 (Delinquent Members) to make clear that a Florida lawyer who fails to file their annual trust account certificate required in Chapter 5 will be deemed delinquent and ineligible to practice law. When paying fees online, members will not be able to complete the fee process without completing the trust account certificate.
-
The Florida Bar
PATHWAYS TO JUDGESHIP WEBINAR IS JUNE 18
Jacksonville Daily Record | Article | June 16, 2025
The Federal Court Practice Committee of The Florida Bar will present a one-hour webinar, “Pathways to Magistrate and Bankruptcy Judgeships,” at noon June 18. The panel of judges comprises U.S. Magistrate Judge Natalie Hirt Adams, U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon and U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart. They will discuss their professional backgrounds and provide guidance on certain practice areas such as government investigations, bankruptcy and commercial litigation. The presentation will include a discussion of relevant ethical and professionalism challenges in those practice areas and how the panelists suggest handling them. Participation is approved by The Florida Bar for 1 hour of CLE, including 0.5 ethics and 0.5 professionalism credits.
-
Criminal Justice Legal Discipline
FORMER ATTORNEY FOUND GUILTY OF THROWING PARADE BEADS AT CHILD’S FACE. WHAT HAPPENS NOW
Pensacola News Journal | Article | June 13, 2025
Former attorney Kelly McGraw was found guilty of misdemeanor battery after her trial on June 12 for intentionally throwing parade beads at the face of a child who was blowing a whistle given to her by law enforcement to celebrate the Grand Fiesta Parade, last year. Although McGraw denied the accusations, the victim and witnesses testified McGraw deliberately hurled a “heavy” set of “big” parade beads at the child for continuing to blow the whistle after berating her to stop. McGraw was disbarred in 2018 after the Florida Supreme Court found she failed to comply with a reinstatement order following her 2011 suspension over substance abuse issues. She had been suspended in 2011, then conditionally reinstated in 2016 and placed on three-year probation for substance abuse issues. Part of that probation agreement mandated McGraw to abstain from alcohol. McGraw tested positive for alcohol consumption several times in the first year.
-
Judicial Discipline
BROWARD JUDGE DENIES VIOLATING JUDICIAL CONDUCT CODE OVER DEEPFAKE AI CALL
Sun Sentinel | Article | June 13, 2025
Broward County Judge Lauren Peffer in a new court filing Friday [June 13] formally denied the ethics charges filed against her, stemming from her promotion of a scandalous book and a deepfake AI recording during her campaign last year. In the routine filing with Florida’s Supreme Court, Peffer denied the Judicial Qualifications Commission’s charges filed last month that she violated judicial ethics rules that govern “inappropriate political activity.” Peffer, a first-time judicial candidate, won her seat in August and began her term in January. During her campaign, which centered on trustworthiness and ethics in the judiciary, Peffer referenced a book written by a former courthouse employee that Peffer said “highlighted an image crisis within Florida’s judiciary,” according to the JQC’s notice of formal charges. Asked about evidence of the book creating public mistrust, Peffer sent a link to a likely AI-generated recording of a phone call about the book between Chief Judge Lisa Munyon, Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz and Justice Renatha Francis, according to the notice of charges.
-
Criminal Justice
DESANTIS SIGNS DEATH WARRANT FOR EIGHTH EXECUTION OF THE YEAR
News Service of Florida | Article | June 13, 2025
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday [June 13] signed a death warrant for a man convicted of murdering two people in 1993 in Duval County, setting the stage for a potentially record-tying eighth execution this year. DeSantis signed the death warrant for Michael Bernard Bell with the execution scheduled July 15 at Florida State Prison, according to information posted on the state Supreme Court website. If the state puts Bell to death by lethal injection and carries out a scheduled June 24 execution of Thomas Gudinas, it would match the most executions in a year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976 after a U.S. Supreme Court decision had halted it. Florida also executed eight inmates in 1984 and 2014, a Florida Department of Corrections list shows. Bell was sentenced to death in the December 1993 shooting deaths of Jimmy West and Tamecka Smith outside a Jacksonville bar, according to court documents.
-
Legal Profession
CUBAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION HOSTS SECOND SESSION OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
Miami Community News | Article | June 13, 2025
The Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) recently held its second L.E.A.D. program session at the Miami offices of Bilzin Sumberg. The Leadership, Education, And, Development (L.E.A.D.) program is designed to provide CABA fellows with the knowledge, skills and tools to be effective leaders within CABA, The Florida Bar and their communities. The multiday sessions were designed to assist the diverse group of lawyers in becoming better leaders within the legal profession. “We are honored to facilitate this interactive session where an exchange of knowledge and perspectives can foster thoughtful dialogue on a variety of important topics,” said CABA president, Amanda Fernandez. “It is our sincere hope that the insights shared will equip our fellows to assume leadership roles and advance excellence within the profession.” The curriculum included presentations on the communication of brand and services, CABA’s origins and legacy and the path to partnership.
-
Legal Profession
COUGHLIN SWORN IN AS 2025-26 JBA PRESIDENT
Jacksonville Daily Record | Article | June 16, 2025
The Jacksonville Bar Association concluded the 2024-25 Bar year June 5 with a membership meeting, presentation of annual awards and the swearing-in of a new president and board of governors. Outgoing President Christian George presented the Committee Chair of the Year Award to Elder Law Committee Co-chairs Sarah Sullivan and LaTonya Lipscomb Smith. Sullivan is vice president of advocacy and family support at the Arc Jacksonville. Smith is heirs property project manager at Three Rivers Legal Services and a member of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section. George presented the Professionalism Award to Pamela Klavon, an attorney with 25 years of trial experience who is now a full-time mediator. President-elect Asghar Syed received the President’s Award. “He is someone who goes above and beyond for the JBA,” George said. Brian Coughlin, a director at The Bedell Law Firm, was sworn in as the JBA’s 2025-26 president. He takes office July 1.
-
Obituary
F. DENNIS ALVAREZ, FORMER HILLSBOROUGH CHIEF JUDGE, DIES AT 79
Tampa Bay Times | Article | June 13, 2025
Frank Dennis Alvarez, who as Hillsborough County’s longtime chief judge championed reforms that became staples of the local criminal justice system and helped the careers of many prominent lawyers, died Thursday [June 12] at home in Tampa. Alvarez led the judiciary as the county’s population blossomed and its court system became more complex. Colleagues credited his ambition for the successes he had in the dozen years that followed. He helped create the first adult and juvenile drug courts, which aim to address the roots of substance abuse and allow defendants to avoid criminal convictions for low-level drug crimes if they complete a treatment program. Drug court’s success in Tampa drew national attention and set the mold for future problem-solving courts, like veterans treatment and mental health court. Alvarez also established a special division to address domestic violence matters and a “rocket docket” to clear a backlog of juvenile cases.