Speakers Bureau Blog: Speaking Out

The Florida Bar is grateful to you for speaking to groups about their basic legal rights and responsibilities and the roles of lawyers in American society. The Florida Bar offices are in Phase 2 of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic with a portion of the staff working remotely from their homes, and others on staggered…

Judge Renatha Francis and John Couriel were appointed May 26 by Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the newest justices of the Florida Supreme Court. Surrounded by their spouses and children, donning face masks when they were not speaking at the podium, and keeping proper social distance, Francis and Couriel both said at a news conference…

Don’t bore them, engage them! Perhaps you have had the displeasure of attending presentations where the speakers bored you. You look around the room and everyone is looking at their smartphone. I hope this hasn’t happened to you, but it demonstrates the importance of connecting with your audience. See more information on this speaking tip…

Citing the COVID-19 pandemic and recent civil unrest, new Florida Bar President Dori Foster-Morales said she will forego a theme for her presidency and focus instead on rebuilding. “Our Florida Bar will be more proactive than ever, listening to you — our members — and doing what we can to meet your needs and the…

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing a “foundational” shift in the delivery of legal services that could dramatically expand access to justice, said Jack Newton, founder and CEO of the legal software giant, Clio. Appearing in a live “fireside chat” webinar with outgoing Bar President John Stewart in the Bar’s first virtual convention, Newton said he wasn’t forgetting…

A minute-long public service announcement video by a Supreme Court workgroup emphasizes social distancing measures in courthouses across the state, continuous cleaning and disinfecting of courthouses, and the need to wear masks when doing business at the courthouses. The video is being distributed to the 20 judicial circuits’ public information officers and clerks’ offices around…

Much has changed for The Florida Bar since it began operating in 1950 but one thing remains immutable. Steve Zack, Bar president for 1989-90 and who went on to become president of the ABA, recalled advice he got from Chesterfield Smith, another former Bar and ABA president. “He had a very simple statement: Do good,”…

Beware of “Deep Fake” videos, buy plenty of cyber insurance and never forget that protecting client data is an ethical responsibility. Those are just a few warnings issued by leading cybersecurity experts during the 2020 Masters Ethics Seminar sponsored by the Professional Ethics Committee at the Virtual Annual Florida Bar Convention. See the full Florida…

It only takes one hurricane to change your life, your home, and your community. Just ask anyone in the Florida Panhandle who survived Hurricane Michael in 2018 or those living in the Florida peninsula or the Keys who went through Irma in 2017. The 2020 Hurricane Season began June 1 and runs through November. The time…

“The professionalism panels are a great way to help attorneys who have lost track of professionalism,” said Ita Neymotin, incoming chair of the Standing Committee on Professionalism and chair of the 20th Circuit professionalism panel. “It’s easier and quicker to help attorneys get back on professionalism if it’s an issue from being discourteous to being…

David Behrend, M.ED., director of Career Planning Services for Lawyers in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and Judith Rushlow, executive director of Florida Lawyers Assistance, will offer a free career counseling program for lawyers via computer or telephone from the privacy of your home or office. The next session is on Wednesday, July 8, at 12 p.m. See…