Attorney Don Blackwell

July 19 CLE: Compassionate Professionalism and Wellness—Because Mere Civility Is No Longer Enough

Earn hard-to-get mental illness awareness credits during this July 19, 12–1 PM live GoToWebinar presented by Don Blackwell of Bowman and Brooks LLP and moderated by Cristina Alonso. Course number 6118 is approved for 1 General; 1 Mental Illness Awareness CLE credit. Section members register for only $50.

Don Blackwell, who has written and spoken extensively on issues relating to mental health and professionalism, will share an account of the personal challenges that often overlay our already highly stressful and demanding professional lives as attorneys—challenges that not only can affect our own professionalism, but be profoundly impacted by the professionalism or lack of professionalism of others.

Don will highlight the alarming statistics relating to attorney mental health and discuss common triggers and signs of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. He will suggest everyday practices that attorneys can utilize to be more mindful of their and their colleagues’ (friends and foes) mental and emotional well-being and, in the process, enhance everyone’s level of professionalism. He will conclude by educating attendees on the myriad of resources that exist through The Florida Bar to assist those in need of mental health counseling, support, and professional guidance.  REGISTER

Tom Boyle of TrustBooks

July 27 FREE CLE:  Trust Accounting for Solo and Small Firms—How TrustBooks Can Help Streamline the Process

July 27, 12–1 PM free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom CLE open to all members of The Florida Bar. Presented by Tom Boyle, CPA and Co-founder TrustBooks, Raleigh. Course number 6119 is approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. Moderator: Renee E. Thompson, Upchurch, Watson, White & Max Mediation Group, Ocala.

Join us to learn about the trust accounting needs of solo and small firms. Tom Boyle will explain how TrustBooks trust accounting software, a Florida Bar member benefit, can help streamline the record-keeping process to help attorneys better maintain compliance. REGISTER

Pay your Florida Bar dues online.

Time to Pay Bar Dues and Rejoin the Section!

Log in to your Florida Bar member portal to pay your annual dues before August 15. While you’re at it, please rejoin the SSF Section, THE place for leadership and growth. Solo & Small Firm Section annual dues are only $45, and you get a huge return on your investment:
FREE CLE. We offer at least 10 free CLE hours each year—that’s a $500 value.

Great free publications and opportunities to write. The biweekly QuickLINK and triannual LINK provide excellent content on topics of interest to small firms and we’re always interested in gaining more contributing authors.

Social media and a members-only Facebook group. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and join our LinkedIn and members-only Facebook groups. We regularly post Bar news, CLE information and practice tips—a great way to stay up to date on what’s going on in the legal community.

Discounts on outstanding CLE programming. If you sign up for each seminar we offer and use your section-member discount, your cost savings will be more than $500.

Leadership and networking opportunities through committee service. The value of networking is priceless.

How to maximize your day off

Get Out! Take an Actual Day Off to Curb Lawyer Stress

Lawyers in solo and small firms also face the extra stress of knowing there is no big safety net if we drop the ball at work. Typically, we are responsible for our own systems, including calendaring. Financial burdens fall on our shoulders, and mistakes can be costly. That is why it is so critical to give ourselves time and space to cope before the stress becomes too much.

Here are some tips from a lawyer on how to make your day off truly reinvigorating.

Calendar Page

More Great CLE (Some Free for All Bar Members)

Check out the section’s calendar page to learn more about the programming we have scheduled for this fall. Here’s a sample:

  • July 19: Compassionate Professionalism and Wellness: Because Mere Civility Is No Longer Enough (Don Blackwell) REGISTER
  • July 27: FREE CLE—Trust Accounting for Solo and Small Firms: How TrustBooks Can Help Streamline the Process (Tom Boyle) REGISTER
  • August 10: FREE CLE—Professionalism Tips From the Bench (Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin and Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Leandra G. Johnson) REGISTER
  • August 16: Lessons from “50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Boost wellness. Build resilience. Yes, you can!” (Nora Riva Bergman and Chelsy A. Castro)

Thank you to our 2021-22 section sponsors.