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Empowered Advocacy: Advancing Litigation Excellence Symposium wins 2024 Best Program Award

News in Photos

The two-day trial advocacy symposium was tailored for both civil and criminal litigators, and provided a comprehensive platform for legal professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge

Sherea Randle, Shatoria Means, Roger Johnson, and Lotoya Brown

Sherea Randle, president of the T.J. Reddick Bar Association, from the left; Shatoria Means, CLE chair for the T.J. Reddick Bar Association; Roger Johnson, president of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association; and Lotoya Brown, president of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association at the Annual Florida Bar Convention.

The T.J. Reddick Bar Association, the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association, and the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association received the 2024 Best Program Award for their “Empowered Advocacy: Advancing Litigation Excellence Symposium.”

The honor, bestowed by the Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, was presented at the Henry Latimer Diversity & Inclusion Luncheon at the recent Annual Florida Bar Convention in Orlando.

Legal professionals from across Florida converged at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law in March for the two-day trial advocacy symposium tailored for both civil and criminal litigators, providing a comprehensive platform for legal professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge.

The symposium featured over 50 speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops aimed at addressing contemporary challenges and advancing excellence in litigation among Black attorneys.

One of the symposium’s themes was the strategic importance of board certification in navigating the competitive legal landscape.

Empowered Advocacy also included sessions catered to judges and law students. The judicial sessions provided judges with insight on ways judges can elevate the overall experience for legal practitioners and parties involved while positively influencing perceptions of fairness.

“The sessions focused on the intricacies of navigating challenges that arise when others do not uphold their professional responsibilities and the challenge of maintaining temperament in a demanding legal environment while protecting the bench and preserving the record,” said Sherea L. Randle, president of the T.J. Reddick Bar Association.

The sessions for law students included information about what to expect from their post-graduation journey, which included topics such as bar prep, Florida Bar requirements within the first three years (CLE and pro bono reporting requirements), and the support provided to new attorneys from voluntary bar associations. Students also had an opportunity to develop a unique understanding of professionalism and courtroom etiquette directly from South Florida judges.

Randle said the judges provided the students with insight on establishing their professional reputation, mental health, early burnout, and the importance of voluntary bar involvement.

 

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