May 31, 9 AM–12:30 PM, in-person CLE presentation for Solo & Small Firm Section Hawaii CLE trip registrants. Hilton Waikoloa Village, 69-425 Waikōloa Beach Drive, Waikoloa Village, HI. Course number 5976 is approved for 4.0 General CLE credits, 1.0 of which may be applied toward Ethics, and 1.5 Technology credits. Section members register for $185; non-section members $230. This course will offer segments on technology, tackling your first solo forward triangular merger, and ethical considerations in fee-sharing agreements.
9:00-9:05 AM: Introduction by Moderator Jacina Parson, Chair, Solo & Small Firm Section, Senior Assistant County Attorney, Pinellas County Attorney’s Office, Clearwater
9:05-10:10 AM: “Let’s Talk Tech” by Janette M. Smith, Assistant County Attorney for Broward County, Fort Lauderdale
10:15-11:20 AM: “Say Aloha to M & A: Tackling Your First Solo Forward Triangular Merger,” by Diriki T. Geuka, Esq., Corporate Associate, Townsend & Lockett, LLC, Atlanta.
11:25 AM-12:30 PM: “Ethical Considerations in Fee Sharing Agreements: Navigating Serious Ethical Pitfalls; and, Recent Developments In Attorneys’ Fees Litigation” by Kristy M. Johnson, Chief Legal Counsel, Department of Health, Broward County and Jason R. Alderman, Managing Partner, The Alderman Law Firm, Miami Shores
Jacina Parson, a Central Florida native born and raised in the heart of Orlando, currently serves as Senior Assistant County Attorney for the Pinellas County Attorney’s Office. Prior to joining the County Attorney’s Office, she served as the Director of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism with The Florida Bar. Before joining The Florida Bar, she held positions with the Ninth Judicial Circuit Public Defender and Legal Services of North Florida. At Legal Services, she represented victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and the elderly in the area of Family Law. She has practiced before the Northern District Federal Bankruptcy Court and Florida Circuit Courts. She served as legal advocate for the Refuge House and as an advocate for the Grandparents as Parents (GAP) Program with Leon County Elder Care Services. She currently serves as Chair of the Executive Council of the Solo and Small Firm Section with The Florida Bar and the Board of Directors of the Jean Honor Foundation of Hope.
Additionally, she is a graduate of Leadership Tallahassee and The Florida Bar Foundation Leadership Academy. She served on the Student Education and Admission to the Bar Committee for five years. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, reading, spending time with family and friends and completing marathon races. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Florida and earned her Juris Doctor from Stetson College of Law.
Janette M. Smith, Esq. began her technology career when she was 16 years old by volunteering to build computers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She then spent a decade working for Nova Southeastern University (NSU) where she held various technology positions. While working at NSU, she received her Master’s in Business Administration in 1999 and her Juris Doctorate in 2006. For her contribution to improving technology at the NSU Shepard Broad law school, Janette received a full scholarship. After graduating from law school in 2006, Janette resigned from her position at NSU and opened her solo law practice. In 2007, she took a chance to follow in her father’s footsteps and accepted a position in local government. For the past 15 years, Janette has been serving in local government while maintaining her solo law practice. She currently works as an Assistant County Attorney for Broward County with her primary focus reviewing and negotiating IT contracts. Janette is a member of the Solo & Small Firm section, and this year, she is the Chair of the City, County, and Local Government law section of the Florida Bar. For fun, Janette loves to travel and adores her two dogs (Nyla and Broddy).
Diriki T. Geuka is an Associate in Townsend & Lockett, LLC’s transactional practice group, serving 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 and community volunteer, and currently serves as a member of Morris Brown’s President’s Advisory Board and as Parliamentarian for the Emerging 100 of Atlanta.
Kristy M. Johnson focuses her practice in the areas of complex business dispute litigation and employment matters. Ms. Johnson was a Shareholder with an AmLaw 200 law firm, having worked there for more than eleven years. She recently served as Associate General Counsel for one of America’s premier real estate development and property management companies. Ms. Johnson served as President of Miami-Dade FAWL in 2010-2011, after having been actively involved with Miami-Dade FAWL for six years. In 2011, Ms. Johnson was selected as a Glass Ceiling Award recipient by the Florida Diversity Council. Ms. Johnson regularly speaks on diversity issues and particularly issues impacting women in the legal profession. Ms. Johnson graduated from the University of Florida (B.S., 1994), and the University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 1999, with honors).
Jason R. Alderman focuses his practice on national and international litigation with a particular emphasis on complex banking, real property, contract, corporate, creditors’ rights, fiduciary, and valuation litigation. Mr. Alderman is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida; the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Alderman has been repeatedly named as a SuperLawyer; a Legal Elite lawyer by Florida Trend Magazine; and, a Top Lawyer by South Florida Legal Guide. He graduated from Florida State University (B.S., 1999) and the University of Miami School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1999), where he was a member of the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review.
Ms. Johnson and Mr. Alderman received the 2018 Daily Business Review Award for Most Effective Lawyer in Employment. They are married, and live in Miami Shores, Florida, with their two daughters.
Nora Riva Bergman is the creator of the 50 Lessons for Lawyers book series designed to support lawyers throughout every stage of their careers. A licensed attorney since 1992, Nora has been a Certified Atticus Practice Advisor since 2006. She has coached lawyers across the country and brings a deep understanding of the practice and business of law to her work with lawyers, law firms, and bar associations. Before her work as an author and business coach, she practiced as an employment law attorney and certified mediator and has served as an adjunct professor at both Stetson University College of Law and the University of South Florida.
Chelsy A. Castro is CEO and Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC), a firm specializing in lawyer well-being. An attorney-turned-psychotherapist and performance coach, Chelsy counsels individuals and the organizations they work for on how to achieve their goals in healthy and productive ways. Chelsy’s publications and trainings focus on science-based skills and strategies for improving performance and increasing well-being in high-pressure professions.
