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FREE CLE: Professionalism Before the Court—From Practice to Procedure to Everyday Courtesies

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Jacina Parson

Jacina Parson

August 4 Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar open to all members of The Florida Bar. Course number 5404. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Professionalism CLE credit. REGISTER

Moderator: 2021-22 Solo & Small Firm Section Chair Jacina Parson, Senior Assistant County Attorney, Pinellas County Attorney’s Office; former director of The Florida Bar Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism

Panelists:
General Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Third Judicial Circuit, Live Oak
County Judge Daryl Manning, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, Tampa
Circuit Judge Barbara Leach, Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, Orlando

 

 

Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin

Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin is the General Magistrate for the Third Judicial Circuit in North Central Florida and presides over probate, guardianship, domestic relations and foreclosure matters. She is a former chair of The Florida Bar Solo & Small Firm Section. Jennifer’s past Bar experience includes service as President of the Third Judicial Circuit Bar Association and on various committees of The Florida Bar Family Law Section. As the Third Judicial Circuit Young Lawyer’s Board of Governor’s Representative, she oversaw the development and launch of the YLD’s  “Mentoring With the Masters” video program. Jennifer also is the author of “Deadly Escape,” a crime thriller novel that has been used as a course textbook for Stetson Law School’s Criminal Procedure class.

 

 

 

Judge Daryl Manning

Daryl Manning

Daryl Manning, originally from Queens, NY, has been a Hillsborough County Judge in Tampa, Florida since 2015. He presides over a drug court division and a unified family court division. He was a practicing and supervising attorney in the Tampa Office of the Florida Attorney General for sixteen years, where he appeared in state and federal trial and appellate courts.

Judge Manning obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Army Judge Advocate Legal Center and School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from St. John’s University School of Law in Queens, N.Y. and his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, S.C.

Judge Manning was a Judge Advocate (JAG) in the United States Army and served several tours in support of the Global War on Terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2015 after 30 years on active duty and in the reserves. Among his numerous positions, he served as a prosecutor, a criminal defense attorney and led a counter terrorism team consisting of law enforcement, SWAT and Intelligence agencies. Prior to becoming a JAG, Judge Manning was an Artillery Officer and fought in Operation Desert Storm. Before attending college, he was an enlisted soldier working as a mechanic. He was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for his meritorious service.

Judge Manning was a member of both the National Conference of Bar Examiners and the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, where he served as chair from 2013 – 2015. He was a member of a Florida Bar Grievance Committee in Hillsborough and is a certified Guardian ad Litem. Judge Manning has been a mentor in the Big Brother Big Sister program for many years to a now teenager and serves on several boards in Tampa. As an adjunct law professor, he teaches Criminal Procedure, Alternate Dispute Resolution and Military Law.

 

Judge Barbara Leach

Barbara Leach

Circuit Judge Barbara Leach serves in the Orange County Domestic Violence division.

Education

  • Juris Doctor: Florida State University
  • Bachelor of Arts: Rollins College

Professional Activities

  • Member, The Florida Bar 2007-Present
    • Grievance Committee 2015-2017
    • Ninth Circuit Professionalism Panel 2015-2018
    • Leadership Academy Committee 2014-2018
    • Annual Planning Convention Committee 2014-2018
  • The Florida Bar Solo & Small Firm Sections
    • Executive Council 2015-2018
    • Chair, Solo & Small Firm Technology Conference 2017
  • Member, Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers 2008-present
    • President 2013-2014
  • Member, Orange County Bar Association 2007-present
    • Coordinator, New Lawyer Training Program 2018-2019
    • Chair, Technology Committee 2017-2018
    • Co-Chair, Technology Committee 2018-2020
    • Planning Committee, Bench Bar Conference 2018 & 2020
  • American Bar Association, TECHSHOW Planning Board 2016-2017
  • Member, Central Florida Family Law Inns of Court 2016-present

How to Ethically Build a Virtual Law Firm Business Model

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Live GoToWebinar presented by Kristin Tyler of LAWCLERK™. Course number 5104. Approved for 1.0 General CLE credit, all of which may be applied toward Ethics. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Want to grow your firm? Historically, you could charge more or hire. But what if there was a third way? Technology facilitates access to high-quality legal expertise at a surprisingly reasonable cost. Using freelance and contract legal help, you can do more work, grow your firm, and help more clients. But, as is the case with everything for a lawyer, it’s important to be mindful of the business and, of course, the ethical implications of working with freelance attorneys.

This session is about getting out of your head long enough to stop thinking and start embracing what technology and new billing models have to offer before you show up as a T-Rex in the years ahead.

This course offers an informative, frank, and even fun discussion about how to apply the freelance legal ecosystem to up-level your legal practice.  It will explore the business and ethical groundwork to help growth-driven attorneys understand how they can use freelance legal help to achieve their law firm business goals.

Kristin Tyler, LAWCLERKKristin Tyler is Co-Founder of LAWCLERK, where attorneys go to hire freelance lawyers.  She is also a trusts and estates lawyer, busy mom and firm believer that the practice of law can be rewarding despite its daily demands.

Succession Planning 101 for Florida Law Firms: Where Do I Start?

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September 21 Live GoToWebinar presented by Mindi Wells of Wells Law in Columbus, Ohio, and moderated by Paige Greenlee of Greenlee Law in Tampa. Course number 5109. Approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Many law firms, more especially solo and smaller firms, do not have a succession plan in place for the continued operation or wind-down of their law firms. Lack of planning for what happens next—whether the change is from the 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

Mindi Wells

Mindi Wells is the 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.

LAWCLERK Free Introductory Webinar for Section Members

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Join LAWCLERK Co-Founder Kristin Tyler on March 11 at noon for a free, introductory webinar on LAWCLERK. Want to start outsourcing? Not sure how to get started? Get answers hereit’s easier than you may think. Plus, Kristin will give an overview of LAWCLERK’s new partnership with the section.

Solo & Small Firm Section members now can earn rebates when they hire freelance attorneys through LAWCLERK—and the section will receive a share of the revenue for each member who signs up and uses an account. Sign up as a freelancer or create a hiring attorney account to connect with talented attorney freelancers from the section. The exclusive rebate and referral code is FLSSF-MEMBER. Get details.

LAWCLERK is where attorneys go to hire freelance lawyers. The company has built a nationwide network of over 3,400 freelance lawyers—called Lawclerks—who can help busy attorneys with research, any sort of written document, discovery, or other project-based written work. Don’t miss the March 11 webinar to learn how you can get started. REGISTER

LAWCLERK Partnership

"Managing Up" CLE

Free CLE—Managing Up: A Primer on Interfacing With Young Attorneys

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Free CLE for all members of The Florida Bar. Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar. Course number 4671. Approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. REGISTER

Managing Up: A Primer on Interfacing with Young Attorneys” is a research-based discussion for legal leaders seeking to enhance and engage young attorneys.  Hear from new practitioners in a variety of industries and legal educators on cultivating, retaining, and maximizing the potential of the young attorneys in your workforce.  After several major shifts in the law practice landscape in light of COVID-19, join this insightful panel discussion as the Solo & Small Firm Section re-examines traditional best practices on how to on-board and enhance new attorneys, and hear candid advice on how to innovate your law model.

Moderator:  Diriki Geuka, Associate, Townsend & Lockett, LLC (Atlanta)

Panelists:
1) Professor Alicia Jackson, Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, will discuss her research on how law entities can better engage new attorneys.
2) Brijesh Patel, Seminole County Attorney’s Office, Sanford, former in-house attorney, transactional attorney, government practice.
3) Zoila Lahera, Associate, Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, Tampa, second-year litigation and appellate attorney, private practice.
4) Ian Dankelman, Associate, Freeborn & Peters LLP, Tampa, former federal judicial law clerk.

Diriki T. Geuka, Moderator

Diriki T. Geuka, Moderator

Diriki Geuka is an Associate in Townsend & Lockett, LLC’s transactional practice group, where he works on a team focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital agreements.  Diriki was previously a Pinellas Assistant County Attorney where he represented County agencies and elected and appointed officials. Diriki began his career as a federal staff attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, where he served for a year and was an intern for the Honorable Julie S. Sneed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida while in law school. Diriki was president of Stetson University College of Law’s Student Bar Association before graduating in 2017 with the Dean Richard Dillon Excellence in Real Property and Marc L. Levine Awards.  Diriki is a frequent mentor, community volunteer, and currently serves as a member of Morris Brown’s President’s Advisory Board.

 

 

 

Professor Alicia R. Jackson, Panelist

Professor Alicia R. Jackson, Panelist

Professor Alicia Jackson is a member of the law faculty and the Director of Academic Success and Bar Preparation Services at Stetson University College of Law. Before joining Stetson, she was the Associate Dean for Student Learning and Assessment at her previous institution. Professor Jackson’s presentations, publications, and scholarship interests include racial equity and bias in education, cultural competency, generational learning, and educational psychology. Professor Jackson also served on the research team that published, in 2020, Building a Better Bar: The Twelve Building Blocks of Minimum Competence, sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System.  She also co-authored Contemporary Teaching Strategies: Effectively Engaging Millennials Across the Curriculum.

 

 

 

 

Brijesh Patel, Panelist

Brijesh Patel, Panelist

Brijesh Patel is a Seminole Assistant County Attorney and graduated from Florida A&M University College of Law in 2012. He is a transactional attorney in city, county, and local government law providing counsel to multiple departments in Seminole County. He has prior experience in the private sector in the legal departments of Universal Orlando and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and in the public sector with the Office of Regional Conflict Counsel and the Pinellas County Attorney’s Office. Mr. Patel also currently serves as Chair of the Student Education/Admissions to the Bar Committee of the Florida Bar and is actively involved in the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Social Media Committee of the city, county, and local government section of the Florida Bar.

 

 

 

Zoila Lahera, Panelist

Zoila Lahera, Panelist

Zoila Lahera is a third-year associate in MacFarlane Ferguson & McMullen’s litigation group, where she represents clients in a variety of complex civil, professional, insurance, and business matters in state and federal courts.  Additionally, Zoila’s litigation practice emphasizes issues of fraud and malfeasance, in which Zoila provides representation to clients in whistleblower actions from detection, through fact-gathering, drafting complaints, litigation and appeals, all of which allow her to work cooperatively with governmental agencies to protect whistleblowers.  Zoila graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 2018, cum laude, in the top 15% of her class.  Born in Cuba, Zoila and her family were granted political asylum in the United States, for opposing the Castro regime, in 1996, and she speaks fluent English and Spanish.

 

 

 

Ian J. Dankelman, Panelist

Ian J. Dankelman, Panelist

Ian Dankelman is an Associate in the Litigation Practice Group at Freeborn & Peters, LLP.  Ian focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation. Ian graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2014.  Before joining Freeborn, Ian counseled large commercial clients at a nationwide law firm that specialized in first-party property cases.  For nearly two years, Ian served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Elizabeth Kovachevich in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He began his legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, where he tried over a dozen jury trials to verdict.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free CLE for Section Members: Residential Landlord/Tenant Basics & COVID-19 Governmental Protections: How Have Evictions Changed?

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Feb. 24 live Zoom Webinar, 12-1 p.m. Wednesday Wisdom free CLE for Solo & Small Firm Section members.* Presented by Kevin Rabin, Senior Staff Attorney, Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. in Gainesville. REGISTER

This webinar will provide training on the basics of Florida’s residential landlord/tenant laws, including the different types of residential rental housing, the steps of the eviction process, and some of the common issues that occur in residential housing disputes and eviction cases. The webinar also focuses on how steps taken by state and federal entities have affected the Florida eviction process, including recent developments with the CDC eviction moratorium and its recent extension. This presentation is intended to be welcoming to practitioners unfamiliar with the essentials of residential landlord/tenant law but also may be valuable to anyone who specializes in the area. Course number and 1.0 General CLE credit pending. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

Kevin Rabin, Senior Staff Attorney

Kevin Rabin is a staff attorney with Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. in Gainesville, FL. Mr. Rabin has worked for both Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc., serving the communities of North Florida for 7 years. He has focused exclusively on rental housing (both private and subsidized), fair housing, and consumer law since 2016. He has litigated hundreds of eviction, debt collection, foreclosure, and consumer protection suits to completion, and is currently serving as the co-chair of the Florida Housing Umbrella Group. He has participated in multiple amicus curiae briefs filed in federal and state appellate courts related to housing programs and fair housing rights, including Fox v. Gaines before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. He has presented to landlords, tenants, public housing authorities, non-profits, and public officials regarding a wide variety of housing-related topics, including preservation of existing low-income rental housing and tenants’ rights. He graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law cum laude in 2013.

Florida Law Update 2021

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June 10, 7:55 AM – 4:25 PM. Statutory updates in eight key areas of Florida law:  Business; Employment; Bankruptcy; Elder; Estate Planning; Criminal; Family and Construction. Approved for 8.0 General CLE credits and the following board certification credits:  1.0 Juvenile Law; 2.0 Business Litigation; 1.0 Civil Trial; 1 Construction Law; 1.0 Criminal Appellate; 1.0 Criminal Trial; 1.0 Elder Law; 1.0 Labor and Employment; 1.0 Wills,Trusts, & Estates; 0.5 Workers Compensation. Course number 4380. REGISTER

7:55 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Peggy Hoyt, Program Chair

8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
Business Law Update
Clay Roesch, Orlando

8:50 AM – 9:40 AM
Employment Law Update
Kevin Johnson, Tampa

9:40 AM – 10:30 AM
Bankruptcy
Kristina Feher, St. Petersburg

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM – 11:35 AM
Elder Law
Peggy Hoyt, Oviedo
Alex Douglas, Orlando

11:35 AM – 12:20 PM
Estate Planning
Peggy Hoyt, Oviedo
Alex Douglas, Orlando

12:20 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch

1:45 PM – 2:35 PM
Criminal Law
Brice Aikens, Orlando

2:35 PM – 3:25 PM
Personal Injury Law Update
James Gordon, Oviedo

3:25 PM – 3:35 PM
Break

3:35 PM – 4:25 PM
Construction Law
Patrick Neale, Naples

Court Reporting: Technology and Ethics

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May 19, 12 – 1 PM, free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar by Christine Phipps, Registered Professional Reporter, President of Phipps Reporting, Inc. of West Palm Beach. Free CLE for Solo & Small Firm Section members only. Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

The court reporting profession, like the legal profession, has ethical issues and considerations to manage. This is especially relevant with the increase in use of technology, virtual depositions and hearings, and online notarization and swearing-in for the record. This CLE additionally will cover issues including gifting, confidentially, professionalism, methodologies and ethical challenges and how court reporters and office staff can maintain a professional and ethical setting. Course number 4441. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Ethics; 1.0 Technology CLE credit. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

Christine Phipps, Phipps Reporting

Christine Phipps is a Registered Professional Reporter, President of Phipps Reporting, Inc., and current President of the National Court Reporters Association.  She received her degree in court reporting from Broward State College.  She started out as an official court reporter for the first two years of her career and then spent the next 15 years working all over the world as a freelance court reporter. After building relationships all over the country, Christine opened her own court reporting and litigation support agency, Phipps Reporting.  In addition to reporting, Christine is also an Eclipse Trainer and has served as Chair of NCRA’s Technology and Freelance Committees and served on many other committees. Christine was awarded the 2014 Most Enterprising Woman of the Year, Gamechanger of the Year, and Small Business Woman-Owned Person of the Year.  Christine’s company, Phipps Reporting, made the Inc. 5000 list every year since 2014, making her the first Honorary member of the Inc. 5000 in our industry.  She currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and has three children; Brandon, Jarrod and Skylar and her grandson, Forrest.

In addition to reporting, Christine is also an Eclipse Trainer and has served as Chair of NCRA’s Technology Freelance Committee, as well as other Committees within the NCRA.

Virtual Business Development – Developing Relationships, On and Offline

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May 11, 12 – 1 PM Live GotoWebinar presented by Frank Ramos, Managing Partner, Clarke Silverglate, P.A. of Miami. In “Virtual Business Development – Developing Relationships, On and Offline,” Frank will discuss how attorneys can maximize online platforms for business development and use relationships created online into in person professional relationships. Moderator:  Scott Merl. Course number 4502. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Technology CLE credit. REGISTER

Frank Ramos

Frank is the Managing Partner of Clarke Silverglate, where he practices in the areas of commercial litigation, drug and medical device, products liability and catastrophic personal injury.  He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Best Lawyers in America for his defense work in product liability matters.  Frank has been with Clarke Silverglate for virtually his entire career.  He has tried to verdict personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, and inverse condemnation cases.  As a certified mediator, Frank has resolved numerous matters through alternative dispute resolution.

Frank is an ambassador for the Firm’s mission of leadership and service.  He has been President of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association and the 11th Judicial Historical Society and has served on the boards of the Defense Research Institute, Florida International University’s Alumni Association, Florida International University’s Honors College, Parent to Parent of Miami, Miami-Dade Defense Bar Association, Legal Services of Greater Miami, and Florida Christian School.  He serves as a mentor to countless young lawyers and law students through his publications, social media posts, presentations, webinars, and his “coffee chats.”  Frank has written 15 books for lawyers, edited five books for lawyers,  and has written over 400 articles for lawyers and business professionals.

Franks’s dedication to young lawyers is exemplified through his development of a Deposition Boot Camp and Art of Marketing Program for the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, an invitation-only defense organization that handpicked Frank for membership just eight years into his practice.  Frank’s daily practice pointers and business tips on LinkedIn has almost 35,000 followers.

In his spare time, Frank enjoys writing, reading science fiction, and listening to his two sons, David and Michael, perform classical and jazz music.

 

 

Using EQ to Improve Your Life and Practice

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April 28, 12 – 1 PM Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar (free for Solo & Small Firm Section members)* presented by Rebecca Bandy, Director, The Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism at The Florida Bar. This interactive experience will explore mental health, wellness, and substance abuse issues facing legal professionals, particularly focused on solo and small firms; it will look at ways to minimize distractions and improve self-care; it will define emotional intelligence and its benefits; and it will give examples of mindfulness-based emotional intelligence practices that can be used personally and professionally to improve quality of life.” 1.0 General; 1.0 Professionalism; 1.0 Mental Illness CLE credit and course number pending. REGISTER

Rebecca Bandy

Rebecca J. Bandy serves as the Director of The Florida Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism. She joined the Center as Assistant Director in March 2017.

Prior to joining The Florida Bar, Ms. Bandy was an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Thomas L. Powell, PA in Tallahassee, where she litigated in the areas of family and criminal law. She most recently taught college-level courses at Lawton Chiles High School, where she helped establish the school’s award-winning mock trial team along with The Honorable Mark Walker, The Honorable David Frank, and attorney David Grimes.

Ms. Bandy previously served as the Director of Alumni Relations at the Florida State University College of Business and as the Assistant Director of Alumni and Development at the Florida State University College of Law.

She earned her Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law. A native of the tiny town of Hilliard in Nassau County, Florida, she earned her Bachelor’s in Communications with Honors from Jacksonville University and her teaching credentials at Georgia Southern University.

Since becoming director, Ms. Bandy has attended the National Legal Mentoring Symposium in Columbia, South Carolina; the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute at Georgetown University; the National Mindfulness Summit in Washington, DC; and has received a Mental Health First Aid certificate. She currently serves on the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Professionalism. She regularly speaks to legal professionals, law school students, and Florida Bar staff on general professionalism, mindfulness-based emotional intelligence, the impacts of loneliness, mentoring, networking, gratitude, resilience, interpersonal communications skills, active listening, implicit bias, and team building.

Ms. Bandy is active in her church, is a community volunteer at an area elementary school, and she has supported causes including the March of Dimes, Epilepsy Association of the Big Bend, the Holocaust Education Resource Council (HERC), The Kearney Center, and Honor Flight Tallahassee.