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Jun
22
Thu
Florida Law Update 2023 @ The Boca Raton
Jun 22 @ 7:55 AM – 4:25 PM

Live video webcast with 90-day, on-demand access and live (in-person) at The Boca Raton (register through Annual Florida Bar Convention). Don’t miss it! This course will cover the latest updates for the following key practice areas:  Business Litigation; City, County, & Local Government; Criminal Appellate; Criminal Trial; Elder Law; Labor and Employment; Marital & Family Law; Wills, Trusts, & Estates. Course number 7395 is approved for 8 CLE; 1 certification credit in each practice area.

  • Live (in person) registration through the Annual Florida Bar Convention (Register for the $350 All Access Pass to attend Florida Law Update 2023 at The Boca Raton):  REGISTER
  • Live video webcast with 90-day, on-demand access (Solo & Small Firm Section members $295; non-members $340):  REGISTER


SCHEDULE & PRESENTERS

Smiling Woman7:55 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Program Chair

8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
Family Law Update
Magistrate Diane Kirigin, 15th Judicial Circuit, Delray Beach

Man in business suit8:50 AM – 9:40 AM
Employment Law Update
Nick Andrews, FordHarrison, Tampa

9:40 AM – 10:30 AM
Real Estate
Patrick Neale, Patrick Neale & Associates, Naples

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Break

Smiling woman10:45 AM – 11:35 AM
Elder Law
Collett Small, Slater & Small PLLC, Pembroke Pines

 

Woman11:35 AM – 12:20 PM
Estate Planning
Amy Fanzlaw, Osborne & Osborne, P.A., Boca Raton

12:20 PM – 01:45 PM
Lunch

Smiling man in business attire1:45 PM – 02:35 PM
Business Law
Clay Roesch, ShuffieldLowman, Orlando

 

 

Smiling man2:35 PM – 03:25 PM
Government Law
Chris Hand, Hand Law, Jacksonville

 

 

3:25 PM – 03:35 PM
Break

Smiling man in tie3:35 PM – 04:25 PM
Traffic
Rick Silverman, Rick Silverman, P.A. Tampa

Jul
18
Tue
Ethics News for Florida Lawyers @ InReach Webinar
Jul 18 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

12–1 PM InReach Zoom by Tim Chinaris, Belmont Law, Nashville, and moderated by Michelle Adams Gumula, Hoyt & Bryan, Oviedo. Course number 7674 is approved for 1 CLE, all of which may be applied toward Ethics. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Keeping abreast of Florida legal ethics requires monitoring rule changes, ethics opinions, case law, and disciplinary actions. In this webinar, Timothy P. Chinaris, law professor, legal ethics lawyer, and former Florida Bar Ethics Director, will help busy lawyers by highlighting ethical developments that may be important to them.  Learn what’s new in conflicts of interest, confidentiality, attorney’s fees, disciplinary sanctions, and more.  This session will also take a peek into the future, especially nonlawyer practice and artificial intelligence.

 

Smiling man in business suit

Tim Chinaris is a Professor of Law at Belmont University College of Law in Nashville, Tennessee, where he teaches courses in legal ethics, torts, insurance law, and other subjects.  Professor Chinaris was Ethics Director of the Florida Bar from 1989-1997, where he ran the popular “ethics hotline” service that answers more than 25,000 calls annually from bar members.

Professor Chinaris holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida State University and received his J.D. With Honors from the University of Texas School of Law.  He is admitted to practice law in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas.  Professor Chinaris has served on state bar ethics and UPL committees in four states, including chairing both the Florida Bar Professional Ethics Committee and the Committee on Professionalism.  He currently chairs the Tennessee Bar Association Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee.

Professor Chinaris consults with and represents lawyers and others on professional responsibility issues, including lawyer advertising and bar admission matters.  His legal ethics website is “sunEthics.com.”  He co-authored the authoritative treatise Florida Legal Malpractice and Attorney Ethics (ALM 2017) (with Warren Trazenfeld and Robert Jarvis). He has served as an expert witness in various legal ethics matters, including in the first case decided under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Jul
26
Wed
A.I. & Legal Research: How Solo and Small Firm Practitioners Use New Technology Tools to Benefit Their Practices (Free CLE for Section Members) @ Zoom Webinar
Jul 26 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Free Wednesday Wisdom CLE for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Mark Doble, CEO and founder of Alexsi, a software company that uses artificial intelligence (A.I.) to produce legal research memos on demand. Moderator:  Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin. Course number and Technology CLE credit pending approval. REGISTER

It is commonly noted that “AI is not here to replace lawyers, but lawyers who use AI will replace lawyers who don’t”. AI is being used by solo lawyers and small firms across the USA to help them compete with larger firms, without the need for significant overhead or an army of associates. It can increase their output, while minimizing their non-billable time spent on repetitive tasks like legal research. Mark Doble, will outline some of the benefits of leveraging AI in your practice.

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

Image of a smiling man outdoors

Mark Doble is the CEO and founder of Alexsei, a software company that uses AI to produce legal research memos on demand. Mark received his J.D. from Queen’s University in Canada, where he split his time between building software and completing the requisite law school readings. During his brief stint in a law firm, Mark became convinced that software would positively impact the legal profession in ways not yet seen due to the rapidly evolving nature of AI, so he quit his job to start Alexsei.

Aug
16
Wed
Attorneys as Medical Marijuana Patients: Considerations for Your Health & Wellness and Legal Practice @ InReach Zoom Webinar
Aug 16 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Live Zoom InReach webinar by Amanda Barton, Esq., of Mr. Cannabis Law and Dr. Michelle Weiner, Director of Integrative Pain Management at Spine and Wellness Centers of America. Moderator:  Stephanie Cagnet Myron. Course number 7869 is approved for 1 CLE; 1 Mental Health & Wellness credit. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50. All registrants will have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

Description:  Florida’s voters overwhelmingly approved the legalization of medical marijuana in 2016.  Yet, for attorneys, there is still a lot of uncertainty as to whether compliant use of medical marijuana could compromise their licensure or legal practice. Join Amanda Barton, Esq., a Partner in Mr. Cannabis Law, Dr. Michelle Weiner, a pain management physician and medical cannabis expert and a Florida Lawyers Assistance representative as they discuss the considerations of legally recommended medical marijuana use on a lawyer’s health & wellness and their practice of law.

Smiling woman in lab coat with arms crossedDr. Michelle Weiner is double board-certified in Interventional Pain Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is the Director of Integrative Pain Management at Spine and Wellness Centers of America. Dr. Weiner completed her residency and fellowship training at the University of Miami. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Weiner is a member of Florida’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee. Dr. Weiner’s unique approach to personalized integrative pain management allows her to treat the root cause of one’s pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, providing comprehensive and durable relief. She uses a biopsychosocial model including lifestyle and plant medicine to empower her patients to cultivate health and optimize quality of life. Dr. Weiner was trained in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy by the Ketamine Training Center and incorporates a multidisciplinary patient-centered approach. Her cannabis research focuses on using cannabis as a substitute for opioids in chronic pain patients and cannabis’s effect on seniors with chronic pain. Her research at the University of Miami compared psychedelic vs psycholytic doses of ketamine to treat chronic pain and depression. She is the Vice president of Mr. Psychedelic Law, a not-for-profit with the mission of responsible legal reform of psilocybin in Florida. Dr. Weiner is a clinical advisor for Iter investments, a psychedelic fund, and is passionate about exploring new paradigms.

Smiling woman in business attire with arms crossedAmanda Barton, Esq. is a partner in Mr. Cannabis Law. She is an active member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in all U.S. District Courts and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts within the State of Florida. Ms. Barton has over thirteen years of legal experience handling complex corporate matters, with a strong focus on corporate governance, corporate finance, and regulatory compliance. As someone who loves written language, she excels in drafting and negotiating a vast array of legal documents.  At Mr. Cannabis Law, Ms. Barton applies her extensive experience as a corporate attorney exclusively to the niche cannabis and psychedelic industries.

Prior to joining Mr. Cannabis Law, Ms. Barton had unique legal opportunities that have made her a well-versed, seasoned transactional business attorney.  Previously, she led the transactional department at a boutique Fort Lauderdale firm, where she assisted business clients with strategic business structuring, mergers and acquisitions, asset protection, business succession planning, and contract drafting. She served as senior in-house counsel for Knight Capital Funding, a fintech company, where she built a legal department that leveraged technology, data analysis, and innovative resolution and recovery strategies. Ms. Barton also served as in-house counsel to a private investment firm, where she handled all in-house transactions with a concentration in Debtor-in-Possession financing for Chapter 11 debtors, secured lending transactions, fund management, and various aspects of municipal bond financing.

Ms. Barton currently serves on the Executive Counsel of the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar.  She also volunteers her time to serve on the leadership board of CannabisLAB, a networking and education group for professionals who are in or are looking to get involved in the cannabis marketplace.

About Mr. Cannabis Law:

Mr. Cannabis Law is a full-service law firm focusing on the unique and highly regulated cannabis and psychedelic industries, from startups to established businesses. The firm stays abreast of current legal developments and helps clients understand and comply with regulations in the cannabis and psychedelic industries. It advises and consults in myriad areas of the industries, including corporate formation and asset management, licensing and registration, regulatory compliance, financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, intellectual property, supply chain management, and employment matters. The firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more information about Mr. Cannabis Law, visit mrcannabislaw.com, call 786-526-1155, or email info@mrcannabislaw.com.

 

Aug
23
Wed
When ‘Powering Through’ Is No Longer An Option (Free CLE for Section Members) @ Zoom Webinar
Aug 23 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

UPDATE: Due to a schedule conflict, Rebecca J. Bandy is unable to serve as a presenter.

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Don Blackwell, Lake Mary, and moderated by Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin. Course number 7911 is approved for 1 CLE and 1 Mental Health & Wellness credit.

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

A candid and intimate look at some of the mental health challenges confronting our profession, including reflections on a ground-breaking panel discussion highlighting the lived experiences of several highly-accomplished legal professionals, aimed at inspiring attendees of the webinar to be more attentive and responsive to the mental health and wellness of their colleagues and loved ones.

Smiling man

Don Blackwell is a trial lawyer at Bowman and Brooke, LLP, in Lake Mary. Read his full bio here.

 

 

 

 

Sep
19
Tue
DUI Tips: What to Know Before You are Pulled Over @ InReach Webinar
Sep 19 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Live InReach Webinar by Justin Petredis, Petredis Law, Tampa, and moderated by Paige Greenlee, Greenlee Law, Tampa. Course number 7914 is approved for 1 CLE credit and 1 certification credit each in Criminal Appellate and Criminal Trial. All registrants will have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

DESCRIPTION: Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer Justin Petredis will discuss the legal aspects of a DUI including your rights when you are pulled over as well as what is required of you. He will also explain the typical police investigative tactics and several new State Attorney DUI diversion programs.

Smiling man in business suitJustin Petredis was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Miami (OH) for undergrad and Tulane for law school. Justin moved to Tampa, his wife’s hometown, after graduation and worked as an Assistant State Attorney in the 6th Circuit (Dade City branch) from 2004 until 2012.  In 2012 he opened his own practice where he practices almost exclusively in Criminal law. Justin became Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law in 2013. He handles all types of criminal cases, although approximately half of his practice involves handling 1st-degree homicide cases as conflict counsel for the State of Florida, through the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel.  As an Asst. State Attorney and private defense attorney, Justin has handled nearly 100 jury trials, including 8 first-degree homicide cases, of which he prevailed in 4. He has been chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Criminal Section for 7+ years, current chair of a Florida Bar Grievance Committee and was recently appointed to the Florida Bar Criminal Procedure Rules Committee.

Sep
27
Wed
How to Minimize the Impact of a Bankruptcy on Your State Court Judgment (Free CLE for Section Members) @ Zoom Webinar
Sep 27 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Megan Murray, Underwood Murray, P.A., Tampa, and moderated by Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin. Course number and CLE credit pending approval. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

This seminar will provide an introduction to bankruptcy nondischargeability and why it matters in state court. Megan Murray will discuss the framework surrounding nondischargeability and relevant bankruptcy laws, how to identify nondischargeable debts early in a case, how to manage the risks of a judgment debtor filing bankruptcy, and eliminating a judgment through the bankruptcy process. Judgment creditors who do not consider dischargeability in state court risk losing their judgment in bankruptcy if the debt is of a kind that may be subject to nondischargeability. Careful advance consideration is key.

Smiling woman wearing glassesMegan Murray, a founding shareholder of Underwood Murray, has over twenty years of reorganization and workout experience advising individuals, business owners, debtors, trustees, creditors’ committees, secured and unsecured creditors, and asset purchasers and sellers.  She has experience both on the legal side and on the business side in a global financial institution.  She counsels individuals and businesses and owners in a wide variety of disputes and industries including but not limited to real estate, hospitality, pharmaceutical, medical services, construction, insurance, transportation, logistics, aviation, and financial services.

In addition to her broad range of representations in core bankruptcy matters, Ms. Murray counsels her clients in making critical business decisions, while prosecuting and defending complex business disputes.  She has been involved in director and officer liability litigation, bondholder disputes, shareholder and partnership disputes, court-appointed receiverships, assignment proceedings, recovery of large and small business assets, and lien priority disputes related to a variety of collateral including real property, equipment, aircraft and logistics-related assets.

Oct
17
Tue
Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls & Disciplinary Actions @ InReach Webinar
Oct 17 @ 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

**New Time:  10:30-11:30 AM** Live InReach webinar by Sia Baker-Barnes, Searcy Denney, West Palm Beach, and moderated by Rebekah S. Taylor, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Liaison to the Solo & Small Firm Section, Snedaker Law, Lake Mary. Course number is approved for 1 CLE, all of which may be applied toward Ethics. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50, with 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

Join Florida Bar Board of Governors member and Florida Bar Board-Certified Civil Trial Lawyer Sia Baker-Barnes as she shares examples of ethical pitfalls that have trapped the unwary. Also highlighted will be ways for lawyers to avoid the disciplinary system.

Smiling womanRosalyn “Sia” Baker-Barnes is a Shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., and the Chairperson of the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Ms. Baker-Barnes is Board-Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar, and is recognized by US News & World Report as one of the “Best Lawyers in America,” by Lawdragon as one of America’s “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers,” by Florida Super Lawyers magazine as a top lawyer in the state, by Florida Trend magazine as a “Legal Elite,” and by the Daily Business Review as one of South Florida’s Inaugural “Top 20 Women in Law.”

In her over 20-year career, she has successfully pursued justice for victims in personal injury, medical negligence and product liability cases and frequently lectures throughout the United States on catastrophic injury cases. She has achieved numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, including a landmark $20 million compensatory and punitive damages verdict against tobacco giant RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company that was affirmed by the Florida Supreme Court and reached the United States Supreme Court. Read her bio here.

Oct
25
Wed
OSHA Enforcement Relating to Heat Related Illnesses & Injuries in the Workplace (Free CLE for All Florida Bar Members) @ Zoom Webinar
Oct 25 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Free Wednesday Wisdom live Zoom webinar by Michael Prendergast of FordHarrison, and moderated by Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, 3rd Judicial Circuit. Course number 8083; 1 General CLE. Open to all members of The Florida Bar. REGISTER

While the Occupational Safety & Health Administration has not yet issued regulations specifically addressing heat-related injuries and illnesses, OSHA has published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing an OSHA standard specifically related to these hazards. In the meantime, OSHA continues to address these issues through inspections, citations and enforcement proceedings under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s “General Duty” clause. This course addresses the current and anticipated impact of these general industry enforcement procedures and regulations on agricultural employers and their workers in the Sunshine State.

Smiling man in business attireMike Prendergast is a partner in the Jacksonville, Florida office of FordHarrison LLP. Mike and his firm represent and counsel employers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and other matters related to employment law. Mike’s practice includes advising employers concerning their obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Mike also represents clients during OSHA inspections and in response to citations and enforcement proceedings brought by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Oct
27
Fri
Annual Ethics & Professionalism Update: Scary Tales of Unprofessional & Unethical Conduct @ InReach Webinar
Oct 27 @ 8:00 AM – 12:35 PM

Live InReach webinar. Course number 7844 is approved for 5 CLE, 2 of which may be applied toward Ethics; 2 Professionalism, and 1 Technology. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $250. View the presenter bios here. REGISTER

Annual Ethics & Professionalism Update:  Scary Tales of Unprofessional & Unethical Conduct
October 27, 2023
8:00 AM–12:35 PM

8:00 AM–8:10 AM
Welcome
Michelle Garcia Gilbert and Bill Curphey, Co-Program Chairs

Smiling woman8:10 AM–9:00 AM
Tricked or Treated: White Collar Ethics Issues for the Unwary Lawyer
Professor Ellen Podgor, St. Petersburg
Man in business attire, blue tie9:00 AM–9:50 AM
Villainy or Virtue: Unmask Your Client’s Story to Avoid Unethical Surprises
Andrew J. Oppenheim, Tampa
9:50 AM–10:05 AM
Break
Smiling man in business attire10:05 AM–10:55 AM
Toil or Trouble: Ensure that Technology Works Ethically for You – Not Against You
Marck Joseph, Miami
Smiling woman at desk, business attire10:55 AM–11:45 AM
Hocus or Pocus: How to Prevent and Defend Professionalism and Ethics Complaints
Gwen Daniel, Tampa
Smiling man in business attire11:45 AM–12:35 PM
Friend or Fiend: Building & Maintaining your Reputation Ethically & with Professionalism
Ret. Judge Greg Holder, Tampa
Smiling man in business attireRet. Judge Emmett (Lamar) Battles, Tampa