News about the legal profession in Florida.
April 23rd, 2021
TALLAHASSEE - One seat on The Florida Bar Board of Governors has been decided in a runoff election. Winning a two-year term on the board is Michael J. Gelfand, Fifteenth Circuit, Seat 4. Gelfand outpolled Manual Farach, 946-802. He will take office June 11, 2021. Ballots were sent to eligible attorneys in the contested circuit....
March 23rd, 2021
TALLAHASSEE - Longtime Florida Bar leader and West Palm Beach attorney Gary S. Lesser has been elected as President-elect Designate of The Florida Bar. Lesser will be sworn in as president-elect at the Annual Florida Bar Convention on June 11, when current President-elect Michael Tanner, of Jacksonville, becomes president. Lesser will serve as president for...
February 25th, 2021
ABA House of Delegates: Two lawyers to serve two-year terms commencing August 2021, at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting. Applicants must also be ABA members. Florida Legal Services, Inc. Board of Directors: One lawyer to serve a three-year term commencing July 1, 2021. This 15-member board provides judicial advocacy through co-counseling with local...
February 2nd, 2021
To involve more Floridians in the state’s legal and justice systems, The Florida Bar’s Citizens Advisory Committee has compiled information, links, and contacts of more than a dozen ways nonlawyer volunteers may apply for appointments. These resources are posted at floridabar.org/volunteer. While they cannot practice law, there are more than a dozen ways that Floridians...
January 29th, 2021
The Florida Bar is seeking applicants for: Statewide Nominating Commission for Judges of Compensation Claims: Two lawyers from the territorial jurisdictions of the Second and Fourth state appellate districts to serve four-year terms commencing July 2, 2021. All applicants must be members of The Florida Bar who are engaged in the practice of law. No attorney...
January 12th, 2021
Attorney Anthony C. Musto (photo) of Hallandale Beach, who has been dedicated to providing pro bono legal services for his entire 45-year career, is the recipient of the 2021 Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, the highest statewide pro bono award. The award will be presented by Chief Justice Charles T. Canady in a Jan....
January 12th, 2021
The Hon. Barbara Twine Thomas (photo), judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit Criminal Division serving Hillsborough county, is the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Judicial Service Award. The award, which honors outstanding and sustained service to the public especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services, will be presented by Chief Justice...
January 12th, 2021
Fay Olga Pappas (photo) is the recipient of the 2021 Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Pro Bono Service Award. The award recognizes public service or legal aid performed by a lawyer who is 35 or younger or who has not practiced for more than five years. The award will be presented in a Jan. 28...
January 12th, 2021
The Hon. Virginia M. Hernandez Covington (photo), a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa is the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award. The award, which honors outstanding and sustained service to the public especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services,...
January 12th, 2021
Novey+Gonzalez, LLC., will receive the 2021 Law Firm Commendation at the annual Pro Bono Awards virtual ceremony on Jan. 28 hosted by the Supreme Court of Florida. The commendation honors significant contributions in the delivery of legal services to individuals or groups on a pro bono basis. The commendation will be presented by Chief Justice...
