Live Zoom webinar by Nicole Black, MyCase. Moderator:  Brandon Sapp. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50, with 90-day, on-demand access. Course number 8247 is approved for 1 CLE; 1 Technology credit. REGISTER

This webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of AI and ChatGPT in the legal field by renowned legal tech author Nicole Black. You’ll learn about the technology’s evolution, 10 practical applications, including document summaries and drafting assistance. You’ll also gain insights into additional AI use cases within the legal field, while examining potential challenges like ethical concerns, algorithmic bias, accuracy issues, and the relative infancy of this rapidly evolving technology. This presentation will equip you with the knowledge to harness AI’s power and implement it into your legal practice.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney, author, journalist, and Senior Director, SME and External Education, at MyCase, legal practice management software. She is the nationally-recognized author of “Cloud Computing for Lawyers” (2012) and co-author of “Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier” (2010), both published by the American Bar Association. She also was the co-author of “Criminal Law in New York,” a Thomson Reuters treatise. She writes regular columns for Above the Law, ABA Journal, and The Daily Record, has authored hundreds of articles for other publications, and regularly speaks at conferences regarding the intersection of law and emerging technologies. She is an ABA Legal Rebel and is listed on the Fastcase 50 and ABA LTRC Women in Legal Tech.

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by John Maceluch, Jr., Panama City; Chrissy Davis, Tallahassee; and Zack Zuroweste, Clearwater. Moderator: Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, 3rd Judicial Circuit. Course number 8248 is approved for 1 CLE credit. Members may self-report credit through their Florida Bar member portals.

Christine Davis is a Florida Bar board-certified appellate specialist who handles civil appeals and extraordinary writ proceedings in state and federal courts in all areas of civil law. She also regularly prepares amicus briefs in high-profile, precedential cases for industry groups and associations.

In addition to her traditional appellate work, Christine’s practice includes extensive participation at the trial court level. In this role, she has participated in lengthy, high-profile trials throughout the state during which she strategizes with trial counsel; ensures the record is properly preserved for appeal; prepares and argues legal motions; and handles post-trial issues, such as post-trial briefing and argument and securing stays through supersedeas bonds. Christine began her legal career in 2002 at the Florida Supreme Court through a clerkship with Justice Charles T. Wells. She then spent 17 years at a large, national law firm specializing in appellate practice before opening her own firm—Davis Appeals, PLLC—as a solo appellate practitioner.

Zack Zuroweste is Shareholder and Managing Partner at Persante Zuroweste, P.A., in Clearwater. He practices probate and trust litigation, business litigation, and securities litigation and arbitration.

Mr. Zuroweste graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 2006 with a joint degree in Law and Master in Business Administration. He is a Graduate of the Trial Lawyers College, Senior Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America, and Member of the Trial Law Institute.

Mr. Zuroweste maintains an AV Rating from Martindale Hubbell, and is named in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, Florida Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America.

Mr. Zuroweste has been very active in voluntary bar associations and other professional organizations across Florida, including The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, Clearwater Bar Association, Barney Masterson American Inn of Court, Pinellas County Trial Lawyers Association, and The Florida Bar’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section. He served as the 2017-2018 President of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors and is the Immediate Past President of the Clearwater Bar Association.

Make plans to join your Solo & Small Firm Section friends and colleagues at the TradeWinds Island Grand Beach Resort for meetings, networking and fun! The agenda and details will be available soon.

Live Zoom webinar by Luca L. Hickman, Dinsmore, Tampa, and moderated by Amanda Barton, Fort Lauderdale. Course number 8270 is approved for 1 CLE, all of which may be applied toward Ethics, and 1 Intellectual Property Law certification credit. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50. All registrants have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

Description:  Clients may seek your advice about a side hustle or concept they are entertaining without fully understanding the life cycle of the proposed endeavor.  Board Certified IP lawyer and registered patent agent, Luca L. Hickman, will provide the framework for new firms or companies starting out or seeking to expand their practice or business.  He also will discuss potential ethical issues that may impact who you can represent.

Luca L. Hickman is a registered patent attorney with experience in litigation. Clients often call upon him to prepare patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret cease and desist letters and to handle all phases of IP litigation. Luca has also expanded his practice into the emerging digital IP world, working with clients to successfully recover misappropriated domain names, social media accounts, and other digital assets. Luca also works with clients to assert and defend UDRP proceedings and various e-commerce infringement matters on Amazon, eBay, and other online retail platforms. He also works with clients to protect software-related inventions and to prepare end-user
license agreements, software as a service agreements, and other related materials.After earning honors degrees in electrical engineering from institutions in both the U.S. and Germany, Luca graduated valedictorian from his law school and began his career in intellectual property law. He has experience in a wide variety of intellectual property law matters, ranging from prosecuting patent and trademark applications and conducting patent and trademark clearance searches to negotiating licensing agreements and managing global trademark portfolios for multinational companies. Luca also has extensive copyright experience, including assisting in clearance searches, preparing and filing copyright applications, drafting work-for-hire and assignment documents, and overseeing copyright compliance and production agreements for film and television projects.Luca is board-certified in intellectual property law by The Florida Bar and is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Court Mediator. He is also an active lecturer in the field of intellectual property law, having presented through the Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Solo & Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar, the National Coffee Association, Florida Gulf Coast University, various local bar associations, and other organizations.

Services:
• Intellectual Property
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Privacy, Data Protection & Internet Technologies

Tech Up:  Transform Your Law Practice—and Your Life, the annual Solo and Small Firm Conference, is tailored to the technology needs of solos and small firm practitioners with an emphasis on incorporating A.I. and software into your practice. Our diverse roster of presenters will cover topics that allow you to work smarter, more productively, and more effectively so that you can live a healthier, happier life.

Special thanks to Co-chairs/Moderators: Camara Williams, Orlando, and Stephanie Cagnet Myron, Wellington. Course number 8219 is approved for 5 CLE, 3 of which may be applied toward Ethics; 1 Mental Health & Wellness; and 4 Technology. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $250. All registrants have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

Agenda and Presenters

8:00 AM – 8:10 AM:  WELCOME
Camara Williams and Stephanie Cagnet Myron, Program Chairs

8:10 AM – 9:00 AM:  UNPLUG BEFORE YOU PLUG IN: 10 STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU LIVE A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT LIFE
Nora Riva Bergman, Real Life Practice, Tarpon Springs. Technology and the advent of AI have given lawyers the tools to live the lives we choose and work when and where we want to. But to make the most of what technology and AI can offer, we’ve got to first take care of ourselves. In this interactive presentation, author, attorney, and business coach Nora Riva Bergman will share 10 strategies from her book 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Boost Wellness. Build Resilience. Yes, you can! If you’re feeling burned out, stressed out, or just want to be happier and healthier, this presentation will give you tools to make positive changes in your life. You’ll not only learn these strategies, but you’ll also get tips on how to start living them right now. Get ready to shift your thinking and begin experimenting with research-based strategies to increase your personal and professional happiness.

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM:  HOW AI WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER ATTORNEY
Mark Doble, Toronto, CEO of Alexi. AI can take the most stressful, tedious elements of being a lawyer, and provide you with a head start in everything you do. From the moment you open a file to the moment you settle or receive a verdict, AI can remove stress, automate frustrating and tedious tasks, and increase your bandwidth to provide better service to your clients. Mark Doble, CEO of Alexi (an AI company for litigators) will walk you through some tips and tricks on how to properly think about, and leverage AI.

9:50 AM – 10:40 AM:  AI  IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW
Tom Martin, Vancouver, Founder & CEO of LawDroid, a Generative AI Legal Technology company. AI is taking the world by storm, but how can it best be applied to the practice of law? In this session, Tom Martin will explain how generative AI works, discuss the ethical issues it raises, demonstrate a real use case, and explore the practical ways you can use AI today to get more done with less to grow a more profitable law practice.

10:40 AM – 10:55 AM:  Break

10:55 AM – 11:45 AM:  GENERATIVE AI FOR LAWYERS: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO USE IT IN YOUR PRACTICE
Carolyn Elefant, Washington, D.C. Generative AI has infiltrated the legal profession faster than any legal tech change in recent memory. And while generative AI carries enormous promise, the speed of adoption has overwhelmed many lawyers. After providing the basics of generative AI technology, practice management specialist, Carolyn Elefant, will provide real-world examples of how generative AI can power substantive research, client relations and marketing and best practices for choosing the appropriate generative AI tools and incorporating them ethically and responsibly into your law practice.

11:45 AM – 12:35 P.M.:  THE FLORIDA BAR AND NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
E. Duffy Myrtetus, Richmond, VA and Gordon Glover, Ocala, Co-Chairs of Florida Board of Governors Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence Tools & Resources. The Co-chairs of the Florida Board of Governors Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence Tools & Resources, Gordon Glover and E. Duffy Myrtetus will recap the Committee’s work while providing an update on The Florida Bar and Committee efforts in the areas of Lawyer Regulation, ethics and the Courts as impacted by AI.  Additionally, they will share information on notable trends in AI affecting lawyers, ethics and on general developments in courts around the country involving the use of Artificial Intelligence.

Free Wednesday Wisdom live Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Ron Frechette, CEO, GoldSky Security, and Bob Cohen, MidAtlantic Practice Director, GoldSky Security. Moderator: Margaret S. Hewitt, Esq., Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company. Host/moderator: Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, 3rd Judicial Circuit. Course number 8272 is approved for 1 CLE; 1 Technology. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

DESCRIPTION:  The rapid pace of A.I. integration into internal operations and the development of A.I.-based products and services has surpassed expectations in today’s digital world. Security leaders have voiced apprehension that amidst the enthusiasm for A.I.’s potential, essential security and assurance factors are being disregarded. In this one-hour session, we will delve into the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the legal industry and explore the potential threats it poses to law firms. From A.I.-generated deepfakes that challenge client confidentiality to the implications of A.I. bias and fairness in legal decision-making, we will address the risks head-on. Our expert speakers will highlight real-world examples of AI-driven attacks and data breaches, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by law firms in the current digital age. Moreover, we will share practical strategies and best practices to secure A.I. systems and data, ensuring your firm is well-prepared to safeguard against emerging A.I. threats. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and explore cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions tailored to protect your law firm from AI-related vulnerabilities.

Ron Frechette, CEO & Managing Partner, GoldSky Security. Ron Frechette serves as CEO (Chief Evangelist Officer) and Managing Partner for GoldSky Security. Frechette is a seasoned entrepreneur who has over 30 years of experience building service-based businesses from concept to cashflow across various industries. Ron was introduced to the information security industry in 2009 when he was contracted by a former colleague to build a healthcare security and compliance practice for Coalfire Systems. Under his leadership, he set up offices across the region while recruiting, hiring, and managing a team of Regional Sales Managers selling IT Governance, Risk and Compliance services throughout the Southeastern US and Caribbean. In 2015. After five years and fulfilling his obligation to Coalfire, Ron saw the need and had a passion to help small and midsize businesses (SMBs) build formal cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance programs.  He founded GoldSky Security in 2016 with the core purpose of educating, transforming and protecting SMBs from the onslaught of cyber-attacks we see in today’s Digital Age.  Ron is a proud US Coast Guard veteran and served as an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years.  He enjoys giving back to his community through various charitable organizations.

Bob Cohen – CBCP, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, ISO 22301 Lead Auditor & Implementer Mid-Atlantic Practice Director for GoldSky Security. “Commander” Bob Cohen brings over 2o years of experience in all aspects of information assurance, and all security disciplines. Some of Bob’s expertise includes ISO 27001 consulting support, ISO Internal Audits, Security Risk Assessments, Recovery Strategies Analysis, Recovery Plan development as well as recovery and cyber incident response training for public and private sector clients. Additionally, he assisted cloud service providers in obtaining their federal government certification under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and conducted gap assessments under ISO and federal government frameworks.  Bob is a proud Navy veteran who served as a Naval Intelligence Officer.

Margaret S. “Peggy” Hewitt. Peggy Hewitt is the Resources and Services Manager for the Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, providing risk management and continuing legal education materials to FLMIC members and the Florida Bar.  Before coming to FLMIC, Ms. Hewitt was a 20+ year partner of Jones, Hurley & Hand, P.A., a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar, and was designated an “AV” Peer Review Rated Lawyer.  Prior to JH&H, Ms. Hewitt was in-house litigation counsel for the Walt Disney Company, Assistant General Counsel for the Sheriff of Orange County, and an Assistant State Attorney for the 9^thJudicial Circuit.  Ms. Hewitt has an extensive library of articles and advisories for legal and risk management publications; her Florida Bar CLE manuals and presentations include “Trying a Difficult Liability Case in Florida.”  She has been an accredited CEU presenter for the Florida Department of Finance since 2002 and has presented legal topics at the ABA Annual Conference and numerous NRRDA National Conferences.

Live Zoom InReach Webinar by Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Suwannee County Judge. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50 and have 90-day, on-demand access. Course number 8339 is approved for 1 CLE, 1 Technology. REGISTER

DESCRIPTION:  Learn pro tips that let you skip constant Google searches or trial-and-error tutorials to know how to fully integrate Microsoft Word into your law practice. Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin will teach you exactly what you need to make your practice more efficient as she walks you through, step-by-step, how to set up and use Word effectively. Practice with your PC or laptop while you listen.  Learn Word features that can make formatting and other nightmares go away—while mastering shortcuts that will take your efficiency in Word to new levels.

Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin serves as the Suwannee County Judge. Prior to taking the bench as a judge, Jennifer presided over more than 20,000 hearings and trials as the Child Support Hearing Officer and General Magistrate.

Jennifer obtained her J.D. from the University of Florida, where she graduated Cum Laude. Jennifer received her B.S. from the University of South Florida, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Jennifer’s extensive service within The Florida Bar includes: Past Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Section; Executive Council member of the Solo and Small Firm Section (past secretary, treasurer); Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Technology Conference 2015, 2016, 2017; Family Law Section of The Florida Bar – Magistrate and Hearing Officer Committee Chair 2014-15, 2015-16; Third Judicial Circuit Young Lawyer’s Division Board of Governor’s Representative 2009-2015; Vision 2016; Statewide Advertising Grievance Committee; and The Florida Bar Ad Hoc Committee to Study SCOPE Program.

Jennifer served her local bar as the President of the Third Judicial Bar Association, as the Vice Chair of the Third Circuit Grievance Committee and as the President and founder of the Young Lawyer’s Section.

Jennifer holds the maximum rating, AV Preeminent® by the Martindale-Hubbell® Law Directory. Jennifer’s pride and joy is her six-year-old daughter, Kendall.

Details coming soon.

Live Zoom webinar presented by Mindi Wells, Wells Law, Columbus, OH, and moderated by Bill Curphey. Course number 8340 is approved for 1 CLE. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $50 and all registrants have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER

DESCRIPTION: Many law firms, especially solo and smaller firms, do not have a succession plan in place for continued operation or wind-down of their law firms. Lack of planning for what happens next—whether the change is from the loss of the solo attorney, loss of a partner, sale by founding attorneys, retirement or other unanticipated events—can throw a firm, its clients, employees, and business colleagues into a nosedive.  Join us for this workshop on the fundamentals of succession planning for law firms of all sizes.

In this session, you will learn:

• Why you need to start planning for your exit now—even if it is years away.
• What to consider in your succession plan.
• How to get started now.
• Who you need to get involved.
• Whether you need an Inventory Attorney.

Mindi Wells is Founder and Managing Attorney of Wells Law, a boutique firm offering legal counsel, investigations and training to businesses.  An attorney for over two decades, Mindi comes from a family of small business owners and spent much of her career on the business side of organizations. Her commitment to assisting growing businesses in proactively addressing workplace legal issues led her to develop a unique concierge legal service package that includes “house calls” to the C-suite.  Mindi’s clients appreciate her practical approach in simplifying legal complexities developed from years as a business professional herself.  Her no-nonsense style and humorous stories come from over 20 years’ experience in human resources, financial and organizational leadership, operations management and higher education. Mindi splits her time between Columbus, Ohio and Sarasota, Florida and serves clients throughout both states.