SSF Section Facebook Group

Feeling isolated? Join the section’s members-only Facebook group to network with friends and colleagues around the state.

One of the most difficult things about working remotely is trying to stay connected. Let the Solo & Small Firm Section’s Facebook group be a resource for you. Find co-counsel, refer a case or ask for recommendations. It’s free. Our Wednesday Wisdom series is live on Facebook each month and the library of past videos is available 24/7 through the Facebook group for free, on-demand CLE. Join today to network with your colleagues from the section. JOIN NOW

Employee Handbooks in the Legal Industry

Wednesday Wisdom FREE CLE: Employee Handbooks in the Legal Industry

NEW DATE April 1:  Zoom Webinar, 12-1 p.m. Free CLE. Join the Solo & Small Firm Section for “Do Law Firms Need Those? Creating an Employee Handbook in the Legal Industry.” Presented by Colby Ellis and Chris Johnson of Johnson Jackson PLLC. 

As lawyers, we tend to think that we know the rules and can make decisions about our employees when they arise. And what is there to worry about? These are our employees—they love us! Notifying employees of the rules and available benefits ahead of time and making consistent decisions based on those rules is paramount to avoiding potential liability and allegations of unfair treatment. This webcast will identify must-have policies and potential landmines that various statutory schemes create. 1.0 CLE. Course number 3843. Registration will be approved when Solo & Small Firm Section membership is confirmed. The Wednesday Wisdom free CLE series is a benefit of your membership in the Solo & Small Firm Section. REGISTER NOW

From Johnson Jackson PLLC: On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This Act has two major components that affect employers: (1) the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) and (2) the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA). While both can require an employer to provide paid leave to employees, there are important differences between them. Those differences are summarized in this Quick Guide to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

COVID-19 Resources

Florida Bar COVID-19 Resources and News

The Florida Bar COVID-19 web page is regularly updated with coronavirus information and resources for the Florida legal community.

The Florida Bar is working diligently to implement work and schedule changes to keep its staff safe and ensure essential functions are carried out on behalf of Bar members. Tallahassee headquarters and branch offices closed Thursday, March 19. Certain Bar staff will be working remotely and essential functions will be continuing.

Deadlines for Florida Bar members scheduled to report three-year-cycle CLE for February, March, April and May have been extended to Aug. 31, 2020. Orders for CDs, DVDs and printed seminar course books will not be filled or shipped during the time The Florida Bar is closed.

  • Online and downloadable CLE programming is available 24/7 from The Florida Bar at tfb.inreachce.com.
  • Use this link to access programming for solos and small firms.
  • Free CLE is available 24/7 in the Solo & Small Firm Section’s members-only Facebook group.

Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co. has created a free COVID-19 risk management checklist and cybersecurity risk advisory for Florida Lawyers.

Run a Law Firm Remotely

Five Tips For Running A Law Firm Remotely

With many lawyers working remotely right now due to court and law firm closures over the coronavirus crisis, here are five tips on how to run your law practice from your laptop (or home desktop). These tips will help you work smarter, not harder, while working from home.

  • Use tools that streamline collaboration.
  • Use cloud computing software.
  • Learn to work without an executive assistant or paralegal and outsource various business functions like call-answering, accounting and marketing.
  • Build and maintain an online presence.
  • Maximize mobility.

The Florida Bar’s weekly tech tip spells out the details on how to implement these five tips for working remotely. Remember that running a laptop law firm is a journey. With continuous learning and practice, you can have long-term success.  LEARN HOW

REMINDER: The Florida Bar’s member benefits program offers numerous practice management tools at discounted pricing, many with free trials, demos or initial services.

Stress Relief Tips

Wellness: Simple, Science-Backed Tips to Ease Your Anxiety Today

Life is stressful. Right now, it’s especially stressful. This article offers several simple, science-backed tips to ease anxiety. Inhaling the scent of oranges and lemons, listening to music and eating the right foods to fend off anxiety and depression are just a few ways you can focus on what you CAN control and lower your anxiety level today.

Upcoming CLE for Solos & Small Firms

April 1, 12-1 PM Wednesday Wisdom Free CLE. “Do Law Firms Need Those? Creating an Employee Handbook in the Legal Industry” is a live Zoom webinar on creating a workable employee handbook that will identify the must-have policies along with the potential landmines that various statutory schemes create. Presented by Chris Johnson and Colby Ellis of Johnson Jackson PLLC. Registration will be approved when Solo & Small Firm Section membership is confirmed. 1.0 CLE. Course number 3843. REGISTER

April 21, 12-1 PM. “Merging Law Firms and Promoting Associates to Partners: How to Handle the Legal Structure of Law Firm Ownership” is a live audio webcast on business concerns related to law firm expansion. Presented by Laurie Lee of The Legal Department for Service Professionals, P.A. in Jacksonville. Course number 3413. 1.0 CLE credit. REGISTER

April 22, 12-1 PM. Wednesday Wisdom FREE CLE. “Florida’s Newly Enacted Remote Online Notarization (RON)” is a live Zoom webinar on what solo and small firm attorneys need to know about how this new law (effective January 1, 2020) can impact their practices. Presented by Michelle Garcia Gilbert of Gilbert Garcia Group P.A. 1.0 CLE. Course number 3844. Registration will be approved when Solo & Small Firm Section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

SSF Group Photo

Members-Only Facebook Group

Join the section’s members-only Facebook group! Find co-counsel, refer a case and ask for recommendations. It’s free. Our Wednesday Wisdom series is live on Facebook each month and the library of past videos is available 24/7 (through the Facebook group) for on-demand CLE. Join today to network with your colleagues from the section.