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Cyber Stalking, Revenge Porn & Victim’s Rights: What All Lawyers Need to Know

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Live GoToWebinar presented by Stephanie Cagnet Myron of Cagnet Myron Law in Wellington, Florida, and moderated by Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin.

This CLE will provide lawyers with detailed information regarding Florida laws protecting victims of Stalking and Sexual Cyberharassment. We will also discuss important factors to consider when representing victims of trauma. Attendees will also be provided with information regarding the use of technology to harass victims and what evidence is helpful to support a case. Course number 5713 is approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Technology CLE credit. REGISTER

Stephanie Cagnet Myron

Stephanie Cagnet Myron is a victim’s rights lawyer with her firm Cagnet Myron Law, where she represents victims of stalking, cyberstalking, revenge porn and sexual violence throughout Florida.

She has served for several years as an elected representative from Palm Beach County on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. She served several times as a Florida Delegate for the ABA-YLD, where she helped draft and spoke in support of the Parental Leave Rule, which passed without opposition. She currently serves on the executive board of the Florida Bar Solo and Small Firm Section. She served on the board for FAWL-Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and has even served as the FAWL representative to NAWL – the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Ethical Trust Accounting—Would You Fear A Bar Audit? Keys to Establish, Manage & Maintain a Compliant Trust Account

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Live GoToWebinar presented by Debra J. Davis, CPA, Esq. and moderated by Bill Curphey. Course number 5705 is approved by The Florida Bar for 1.0 General CLE credit, all of which may be applied toward Ethics. REGISTER

Debra Davis, a CPA and former Florida Bar Auditor and Lawyer Regulation Department Assistant Staff Counsel before joining Smith, Tozian, Daniel & Davis, P.A., will discuss the ethics of lawyer trust accounts and provide practical tips to establish, manage and maintain a compliant trust account to avoid fearing a Bar Audit.

Debra J. Davis, CPA, Esq.Debra J. Davis (“Debbie”), a Florida attorney and Certified Public Accountant, graduated from the University of Tampa with honors and then studied at the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney, Australia.  After working years in public accounting and as accounting manager for a large OEM company, Debbie earned her law degree with honors from the University of Florida College of Law.  From 1996 to 2005, Debbie worked in the Tampa Office of The Florida Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Department, first as Branch Auditor conducting compliance examinations of attorney trust accounts, then as Bar Counsel on several high-profile cases.  Debbie has taught Ethics School and Practicing with Professionalism programs for The Florida Bar and lectured on a variety of ethics topics, including trust accounts and advertising, at local bar associations and law schools.  Debbie is a member of the American Bar Association, Center for Professional Responsibility, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers.  In 2005, Debbie became associated with the law firm now known as Smith, Tozian, Daniel and Davis, P.A. where she practices with her partners in the areas of legal ethics, Bar defense and Bar admissions.

Contact Information

109 N. Brush Street, Suite 200
Tampa, Florida 33602
813-273-0063
813-221-8832 (fax)
DDavis@smithtozian.com

2021 Annual Ethics Update

2021 Annual Ethics Update: Back to the Future – Re-imagining the Practice of Law

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Live GoToWebinar. Registrants have 90-day, on-demand access. 1 Technology; 5 General CLE credits, 3 of which may be applied toward Ethics and 2 of which may be applied toward Professionalism. Section members register for only $185. REGISTER

The pandemic has forced us to re-imagine the practice of law: Our computers and phones have become our virtual offices and how we interact with clients, other attorneys and the judiciary has all changed.

• How do these changes impact our obligations as officers of the court to continue to practice in an ethical and professional manner?
• How do we protect the confidential data of our clients now stored in the cloud, on our computers and on our phones?
• What happens if you experience a client complaint during these changing times?

We will explore these and many other important ethical questions and concerns in our Annual Ethics Update 2021.
– 8:10 AM
Welcome
Peggy Hoyt, Oviedo, Program Chair

8:10 
– 9:50 AM
Professionalism in a Remote World
Scott Westheimer, Sarasota

9:50 AM 
– 10:00 AM
Break

10 
– 11:40 AM
Perspectives from the Bench—New-view and Re-view—The Ethics of Practicing Law Remotely
Judge Barbara Leach, Orlando
Judge Diana Tennis, Orlando


11:40 AM 
– 12:30 PM
Cyber Security and Insuring the Risks: Do you have an ethical obligation to protect your client’s data?
Daniel Whitehouse, Orlando
Casey Fernandez, Orlando

Free CLE for Section Members: How Lawyers Can Find Happiness Against the Odds

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August 25, 12 – 1 PM, free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members.* Presented by Karen Lapekas, Principal, Lapekas Law. Course number 5386. Approved for1.0 General; 1.0 Mental Health CLE credit. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

The practice of law can be stressful, especially when balancing life, family and the events of this past year. Join Karen Lapekas to hear about strategies for fighting depression and how using these techniques helps her to find happiness as a busy tax lawyer.

Karen Lapekas, Esq.Karen J. Lapekas, Esq. is board-certified in tax law by the Florida Bar. She grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and attended Michigan Technological University (coursework: Civil Engineering), Western Michigan University (Bachelor’s: Psychology, Minor: Mathematics), and Thomas M. Cooley Law School (Juris Doctor: Litigation), before earning a Master’s in Tax Law (LLM) from the University of Florida

Levin College of Law.  As a former senior attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, she was the lead attorney on over 170 cases in U.S. Tax Court.  She also teaches Federal Tax Practice & Procedure at the University of Miami School of Law as an Adjunct Professor.

Microsoft Word: Pro Tips to Save You Time and Energy

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Live GoToWebinar presented by General Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin and moderated by Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy. Course number 5673 is approved for 1 General; 1 Technology CLE credit. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Learn pro tips that let you skip trial-and-error tutorials and find out how to fully integrate Microsoft Word into your law practice. Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin will teach you exactly what you need to make your practice more efficient and will walk you through, step-by-step, how to set up and use Microsoft Word effectively. Practice with your PC or laptop while you listen. Learn Word features that can make formatting nightmares go away—and master shortcuts that will take your efficiency in Word to new levels.

Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall GriffinJennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin has presided over more than 20,000 hearings and trials since 2010. First as the Third Judicial Circuit Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer and now as the General Magistrate. Jennifer currently presides over domestic relations, probate, guardianship and foreclosure cases.

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 has 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 four-year-old daughter, Kendall.

Malpractice & Ethical Perils for Law Firms to Avoid

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“Malpractice & Ethical Perils for Law Firms to Avoid,” will be presented by Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company’s Cathy M. Sargent, Esq., Executive Vice President & COO, and Margaret “Peggy” Hewitt, Esq., Resources and Services Manager, and moderated by Renée E. Thompson, Upchurch Watson White & Max. Live GoToWebinar. Course number 5406. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Ethics CLE credit. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Even the best lawyers can be sued for malpractice, and in our litigious environment, lawyers can face a number of risks from clients due to real or perceived errors.  No one single error accounts for the majority of claims against attorneys from a myriad of possibilities: substantive law error, administrative mistakes, client relations faux pas, and intentional wrongs are at the top.  Join Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company’s Executive Vice President & COO Cathy M. Sargent and Resources and Services Manager Peggy Hewitt to understand from where and why claims happen to help you take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood a claim will be successfully made against you.

Cathy M. Sargent, FLMICCathy M. Sargent is Executive Vice President & COO of Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, responsible for overseeing the Company’s day-to-day operations.

Prior to joining FLMIC, Ms. Sargent led for 34 years at Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company of California, serving as Vice President of Development and Outreach, Vice President of Underwriting & Marketing, and General Counsel for Claims. She was a founding member of the California Lawyers Association Lawyer Well-Being Committee, reflecting a personal passion for lawyer well-being and personal and professional happiness — a passion she brings to FLMIC in furtherance of our commitment to serving our member lawyers.

Additionally, Ms. Sargent served as a guest speaker at the international 2019 NABRICO conference. She is currently a nominee for the ABA Standing Committee on professional liability insurance.

Ms. Sargent is a graduate of the Loyola Law School, where she worked in the Domestic Violence Clinic and served as Certified Student District Attorney, a trial advocate, and as a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals extern. After graduating with a Juris Doctorate, she served as defense counsel in a California law firm handling legal malpractice claims and coverage disputes. Prior to entering law school, Ms. Sargent graduated Magna Cum Laude from Loyola Marymount, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and was recognized as part of the University Honors Program during each of her four years. While enrolled at Loyola Marymount, she served as Vice President of Tri Sigma and was a member of distinguished scholarship society Alpha Sigma Nu.

Peggy Hewitt, FLMICBefore coming to Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, Margaret “Peggy” Hewitt, Esq. was a 20-year partner of Jones, Hurley & Hand, P.A.  Before joining a law firm, Ms. Hewitt was in-house counsel for the Walt Disney Company; before Disney, she was Counsel to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and an Assistant State Attorney.  Her practice experience included over 120 jury trials, and countless administrative hearings and appeals in the areas of Insurance Defense, Employment and Labor Law, and Workers’ Compensation.  She has been designated an “AV” Peer Review Rated Lawyer by Martindale Hubbell.

Ms. Hewitt has an extensive library of articles and advisories for legal and risk management publications, including the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association News and LinkedIn.  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, has created and presented dozens of Power Point assisted seminars both for the CEU Institute and for her self-insured and self-administering clients, and has presented at the ABA Annual Conference and the NRRDA National Conference.

Ms. Hewitt was raised in Florida.   She received her BA in History and Music from the University of Florida in 1980, while working full time and participating in the UF Band.  She also earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida in 1983.  She was recently nominated by the City of Winter Park Chamber of Commerce for Volunteer of the Year, for her years on the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival Committee as their Entertainment Committee Director.

321-663-9017
peggyh@FLMIC.com

 

Medical Marijuana & Hemp CLE

Medical Marijuana & Hemp: Status in Florida of the Laws and Ethics

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Live GoToWebinar presented by the Chair of the Cannabis & Controlled Substances Group for Lowndes Law, Tara Tedrow, will focus on the quickly evolving legal and ethical issues in Florida with representing medical marijuana and/or hemp growers, distributors and sellers. Tara also teaches “Marijuana Law and Policy” as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. General Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin will moderate. Course number 5309. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Ethics CLE credit. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER

Tara Tedrow, Esq.Tara Tedrow is a shareholder at Lowndes Law and the Chair of the Cannabis & Controlled Substances Group.  In addition to working with clients statewide on land use, zoning and development issues, Tara handles complex regulated industries such as alcoholic beverage and marijuana and hemp licensing.  Tara is a regular presenter and speaker at industry seminars and conferences and advises a variety of clients on the impacts of cannabis regulations.  Tara is also an adjunct professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she was the first to teach a course on Marijuana Law and Policy and continues to teach today. Tara is the only person in the state to be appointed by the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services to serve on both the Industrial Hemp Advisory Board the state Hemp Advisory Committee, which she chairs. Tara serves on many community and philanthropic boards, and is most proud of founding an educational non-profit called the Florida Debate Initiative, where she helps establish competitive speech and debate programs statewide.

Patrick Russell, Mediator

Free CLE for Section Members: Meaningful Mediation: Ethical, Mindful, and Strategic

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Nov. 17, 12 – 1 PM, free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members.* Presented by Patrick Russell, Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution and Meaningful Mediation. Moderated by Solo & Small Firm Section Executive Council member Joshua Hertz of Law Office of Joshua J. Hertz, P.A. and Business and Professional Development Coach Paula Black.

Course number and 1.0 General; 1.0 Ethics CLE credit pending. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

Learn the mediation approach that rests on the powerful foundation of tactical thinking, ethics, and diplomacy from ADR Section Chair, Mediator, and former Florida Bar Ethics counsel and trial lawyer, Patrick Russell. His mediation goal is to unleash peace to have less conflict and more resolution. When parties mindfully listen, speak and act during mediation, they can better understand one another, trust one another, and are in a better position to resolve their differences.

Many litigators leave behind a legacy of conflict. Throughout his entire career, Patrick has maintained mutual respect with opposing counsel, many of whom are and remain friends. With courtesy, honesty, and respect as his guiding principles, Patrick prides himself on having a reputation as a relationship-builder who looks to the lessons of history to guide solutions for the future.
Patrick Russell, MediatorPatrick Russell has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Circuit Court Mediator since 2009 and has been practicing law since 1994. Before joining Salmon & Dulberg, he was a Trial Partner at Lydecker | Diaz, where he also created and led the firm’s first statewide Mediation Division. Before Lydecker | Diaz, Patrick managed his own law firm for almost twenty years and then worked with The Florida Bar. Patrick’s diverse legal experience includes insurance law and first-party property claims, high-exposure personal injury claims and premises liability matters, ethics and professional responsibility issues, and commercial litigation.

EDUCATION:

University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1993
Marquette University, Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, 1990

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Member, The Florida Bar
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
  • Chair: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2021)
  • Secretary: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2019)
  • Executive Council: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2019 – present)
  • Chair of the Health & Wellness Committee: The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (2018 – present)
  • Member, The Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section
  • Member, Miami-Dade County Bar Association
  • Member, Broward County Bar Association
  • Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
  • Director for the Making History Project, a non-profit oral history project that preserves the experiences of combat veterans and studies the impact that combat trauma can have on military service members.
  • Member, Windstorm Insurance Network
  • Former Member, Florida Grievance Committee, 11th Circuit
  • Former Partner, Lydecker | Diaz
  • Former Ethics Trial Lawyer, The Florida Bar
  • Founding Lawyer, Russell | Law
Diana Abril, Attorney

Free CLE for Section Members: How to Become a Legal Advocate for Your Own Special Needs Child or Clients and Their Families

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Oct. 27, 12 – 1 PM, free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members. Presented by Diana Abril. Moderated by Solo & Small Firm Section Executive Council member Joshua Hertz of Law Office of Joshua J. Hertz, P.A. and Business and Professional Development Coach Paula Black. Course number 5400 is approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

Diana Abril, AttorneyDiana Abril is an executive with 17 years of legal and business experience having worked in the Corporate and M&A department of an AMLAW 200 law firm and for 12 years as General Counsel to two medium-sized companies, one of which was publicly traded. She is a proud graduate of the Florida Developmental Disability Council’s Florida Partners in Policymaking program, a leadership and advocacy training program for individuals with developmental disabilities and caregivers focusing on becoming community leaders and catalysts for systems change, and a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA).

During 2020, Abril founded ABRIL LAW, PLLC to focus on child advocacy and special education law. As the mom to a neurodiverse child, Diana has been focusing on disability rights advocacy for the past four years—and this is her passion project. Learn the art of disability rights advocacy from a corporate lawyer-mom with first-hand experience.

 

CANCELED: Free CLE for Section Members: Technology and Best Practices to Advance Your Firm

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Sept. 22, 12 – 1 PM, free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members.* Presented by Janelle Esposito, Managing Partner of the Bradenton firm, Esposito Law Firm. Moderated by Solo & Small Firm Section Executive Council member Joshua Hertz of Law Office of Joshua J. Hertz, P.A. and Business and Professional Development Coach Paula Black.

Course number 5395. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Technology CLE credit. *Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. REGISTER

As large numbers of people turn to technology and video-teleconferencing platforms to stay connected; it is more important than ever that lawyers use best practices not only in communicating with clients but with the Court. Learn more about how to properly utilize technology to advance your practice while at the same time ensure your client’s confidential information is protected.

Janelle EspositoJanelle Esposito is President and Managing Shareholder of Esposito Law Group.  She represents multiple large financial institutions on a variety of matters, including compliance, administration, personnel, operations and credit. Janelle has documented loans and assisted in various loan modifications, workouts and closings, served as title agent as requested, assisted in correcting title defects and documentation deficiencies and generally provided advice on other banking and credit issues. She has represented creditors in simple and complicated litigation and commercial foreclosure matters in both state and federal court. She is well versed in areas relating to debt restructure, forbearance and/or settlement, documentation, lender liability issues and creditor’s rights in bankruptcy including a creditor’s right to relief from the automatic stay and proceedings to value assets. Janelle has represented clients in both federal and state court in commercial litigation matters, corporate matters, contract disputes, landlord/tenant issues, trust and estate litigation and governmental law.