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- Legal Talk Network
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- audio
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LegalFuel is the official Florida Bar Podcast. This monthly series is brought to you by The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar and will feature esteemed leaders in law discussing new and innovative topics. Its purpose is to help members of The Florida Bar as well as attorneys from other states run better practices and provide better legal services to their clients. Disclaimer: The views expressed by the participants of this program are their own and do not represent the views of, nor are they endorsed by The Florida Bar, their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, or representatives. None of the content should be considered legal advice. As always, consult a lawyer.
- People |
- Country Of Origin |
- USA
- Produced In |
- Tallahassee, FL
- Premiere Date |
- 2015-01-16
- Frequency |
- Periodic
- Explicit |
- No
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Submit ReviewThe client intake process goes far beyond simply having a potential client complete a few forms. It encompasses everything from attracting new clients during the first interaction with your firm to ultimately signing engagement letters. For small firms and solo attorneys, this process can be incredibly time-consuming and typically does not generate any billable hours. However, by implementing efficient processes and utilizing the right tools, the client intake process can be streamlined, enabling your practice to run more smoothly while also leaving a positive first impression on clients.
In today’s episode, hosts Karla Eckardt and Jamie Moore welcome Jordan Turk, a practicing attorney in Texas and legal technology advisor at Smokeball, to discuss the client intake process. Smokeball is a cloud-based legal practice management software and one of The Florida Bar’s newest member benefits.
Jordan Turk’s family law expertise includes appeals, pre and postnuptial agreements, as well as complex property division and highly contentious custody cases. In addition, Jordan has given CLEs across the country on topics ranging from client relationships to proper trust account management. Jordan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Classics, History, and Religious Studies. She then went on to attend the University of Arkansas School of Law to earn her J.D. After almost four years of practice with a high-asset family law firm in Houston, Jordan discovered the world of legal technology which ultimately brought her to Smokeball.
Jordan has authored and co-authored many articles that you can find in various state bar publications and around the internet. Passionate about giving back to her community, Jordan makes a point of taking pro bono cases whenever possible.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Technology CLE credit and 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 7414.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Jordan Turk
- jordan.turk@smokeball.com">jordan.turk@smokeball.com
The Florida Bar Member Benefits: Practice Resources & Software
Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
The Florida Bar – Ethics Hotline
- 800-235-8619
A landmark ABA study revealed that 12.5% of lawyers have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, compared to only 4.5% of the general population. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD often struggle with sustained focus, organization, procrastination, and completing tasks on time. Most lawyers are under a fair amount of stress, which can exacerbate their ADHD symptoms. This can have a profound effect on professional performance, personal relationships, and overall emotional well-being. For attorneys struggling to manage their ADHD symptoms, there are effective strategies that can be used to regain focus.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Casey Dixon, founder of Dixon Life Coaching. Casey is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and CCE-Global Board-Certified Coach that helps high achievers with ADHD learn how to thrive.
Casey Dixon graduated from The University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education with a master’s in educational policy and leadership and is a respected life coach with a unique focus on science-based, innovative, collaborative coaching, advising, and thought-partnering for attorneys with ADHD or executive function challenges.
She has been coaching clients with executive function challenges for over 17 years. Casey works with her clients to develop the tools they need to transform the impact ADHD and executive function challenges have on their productivity and well-being.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Mental Health and Wellness CLE credit. Course # 7227.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Casey Dixon, M.S.Ed., PCC, BCC, SCAC
· The Focused Lawyer Coaching Group
· Contact: info@dixonlifecoaching.com
Article: The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys
Regardless of practice area, attorneys handle and store a volume of confidential information that can make them attractive targets for hackers. Small firms can be particularly at risk because they are less likely to employ fulltime IT staff. Cybersecurity can feel like an overwhelming topic, but there are actionable steps that a small firm can implement to build data protection and prevent security breaches.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome technology experts, Sharon Nelson and John Simek, of Sensei Enterprises, Inc., to discuss cybersecurity dangers and legal technology software. Sensei Enterprises, Inc. is a nationally known digital forensics managed information technology provider, and managed cybersecurity firm in Fairfax, Virginia.
Sharon D. Nelson, Esq., is the President of Sensei Enterprises, Inc. and is the author of the noted electronic evidence blog, Ride the Lightning and is a co-host of the Legal Talk Network podcast series called “The Digital Edge: Lawyers and Technology” as well as “Digital Detectives.” She is a frequent author and speaker on legal technology, cybersecurity, and electronic evidence topics. She was the President of the Virginia State Bar from June 2013 – June 2014 and a past President of the Fairfax Law Foundation, and the Fairfax Bar Association.
John Simek is the Vice President of Sensei Enterprises, Inc. and has a national reputation as a digital forensics technologist and has testified as an expert witness throughout the United States. He holds a degree in engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and an MBA in finance from Saint Joseph’s University.
John holds the prestigious Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, and the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification in addition to multiple other technical certifications. He is a past chair of the ABA TECHSHOW and a co-host of the Legal Talk Network Podcast Digital Detectives. He is a frequent author and speaker on legal technology, cybersecurity, and electronic evidence topics.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Technology CLE credit and 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 7140.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- About Us
- Articles
- Podcast – Digital Detectives
- Podcast – The Digital Edge
- Services
- Contact Sensei Enterprises, Inc.: 703-359-0700
The 2020 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide (eBook)
Making the most of your time is probably at the top of your list if you’re running a solo or small law firm. When you’re managing both the business side of your firm while also practicing law, your to-do list may quickly become overwhelming. Reducing repetitive tasks and streamlining your processes can be made easier with legal technology. That’s why choosing the right technology for your needs can be one of the most important decisions you will make. In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome legal technology expert, Bob Ambrogi, to discuss practice management software and legal technology trends. Bob Ambrogi is a lawyer and journalist who has been writing and speaking about legal technology and innovation for more than two decades. He writes the award-winning blog LawSites, is a columnist for Above the Law, hosts the podcast about legal innovation, LawNext, and hosts the weekly legal tech journalists’ roundtable, Legaltech Week. He is also cofounder of the LawNext Legal Technology Directory.In 2011, Bob was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” In 2017, he received the Yankee Quill award for journalism from the Academy of New England Journalists and was honored by the ABA Journal as a Legal Rebels Trailblazer. A graduate of Boston College Law School, Bob is a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and past-president of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. In his law practice, he represents newspapers and the news media.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course # 6942. REFERENCED RESOURCES:
The Florida Bar Member Benefits – Practice Management SoftwareLegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Other Legal Tech Blogs:
Many attorneys rely heavily on their nonlawyer staff to assist with the extensive workload that comes along with running a practice. It is very easy to begin to lean on competent and experienced staff members to handle significant components of cases, but it is critical that attorneys have a clear understanding of the Bar Rules that address the appropriate roles of nonlawyers. In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes back Florida Bar Ethics Counsel, Jonathan Grabb, to discuss guidelines for the roles of nonlawyers and the attorneys that supervise them. The Florida Bar Professional Ethics Committee has created the Legal Assistants and Nonlawyer Employees Ethics Informational Packet that addresses proper and improper activities of nonlawyer staff. If your questions or issues are not addressed in this episode, you can contact The Bar’s Ethics Hotline. Jonathan Grabb graduated cum laude from Florida State University’s College of Law in 2008 and became the Ethics Counsel for The Florida Bar in November 2021, after serving in the Ethics & Advertising Department for 8 years as an Assistant Ethics Counsel. Jonathan has fielded more than 20,000 calls on the ethics hotline, reviewed thousands of lawyer advertisements, and issued dozens of staff opinions. Prior to working at The Florida Bar, Jonathan was a Senior Attorney at the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 6870.REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Rules, Ethics & Professionalism
- media.floridabar.org/uploads/2021/06/Nonlawyer-Packet-updated-6-28-21.pdf">Legal Assistants and Nonlawyer Employees – Ethics Informational Packet
- Subject Index of Ethics Opinion
- Lawyer Regulation
- ABA Model Guidelines for the Utilization of Paralegal Services
Have you ever considered starting your own law practice? It’s an appealing question – imagine being your own boss, setting your own schedule, and only accepting cases that you are excited about. There are certainly a lot of pros to starting your own practice, but for every pro, there are also several cons to consider.
In today’s episode, host Jamie Moore welcomes Cristina Alonso of Alonso Appeals to discuss what it’s like to start and manage your own law practice.
Cristina Alonso of Alonso Appeals is Board Certified in Appellate Practice by The Florida Bar. She handles appellate litigation in state and federal courts. She has handled over 100 appellate matters, including matters before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Florida Supreme Court, and all Florida district courts of appeal. She also works as an integral part of trial teams, having served as counsel at over 25 trials. Her work includes providing litigation support, including ensuring that issues are preserved for appellate review, and drafting and arguing complex pre-trial motions, case dispositive motions, jury instructions, and post-trial motions. Her work also includes developing innovative strategies for new and evolving theories of liability, representing individuals and corporations in high-stakes litigation, managing national and statewide litigation, and providing appellate consulting services to trial counsel. Her experience spans various practice areas such as complex business litigation, constitutional and civil rights, mass tort litigation, and products liability. She was honored by the Daily Business Review as the “The Most Effective Lawyer” in Appellate Practice of 2014 and as one of “The Most Effective Lawyers” of 2009 in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. She was recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the 40 Minorities under 40 of 2011. She also received the Florida Diversity Council’s 2012 Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award, was named a Top Lawyer in the South Florida Legal Guide 2013-2022, and was selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers 2013-2022. Cristina currently serves as the Chair-Elect of the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar, and as an appointed member of the Board of Governors.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #6784.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Alonso Appeals
- Solo & Small Firm Section of The Florida Bar
- New Law Practice/New Office Checklist
- Choose a Corporate Structure
- Member Benefits
- Start a Law Firm Topics
- ABA Article: I’m Ready to Start My Own Law Practice – What Are the Pitfalls?
- Join the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
- Wix
- LegalFuel
We all know that the practice of law can be extremely stressful, and unfortunately, lawyers have consistently experienced higher rates of depression and substance abuse. Because of this, The Florida Bar’s Mental Health & Wellness of Florida Lawyers Committee continues to strive to bring awareness to the resources available to Bar members. One of the resources, Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc., or FLA, provides confidential assistance through assessments, referrals, education, and support groups.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore, welcome Dan McDermott and Carol Parks, of Florida Lawyers Assistance. We discuss programs and services available to assist attorneys, judges, law students, and other legal professionals who may be impaired in their ability to function in a legal setting.
Dan McDermott was appointed Executive Director by the Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc Board of Directors, effective June 15, 2020. Dan graduated from Yale University and The University of Iowa College of Law. Following a two-year clerkship with the Chief Judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Dan practiced law in Cedar Rapids for 5 years before moving to Washington, DC. He then began what is now a more than three decades-long stint as a lawyer in recovery. Dan worked in government relations in the financial services and technology sectors, before becoming Head of US Government Relations of Visa, the world’s largest electronic payment network. At FLA, Dan is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations. The foundation of his work is assuring that members of Florida’s legal community receive compassionate interaction and appropriate counseling.
Carol Parks received her B.A. in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University. She then became a Florida Certified Health Professional, received a Master of Science in Counseling from Nova University, and a Master of Business Administration from St. Leo University. She has worked tirelessly to educate and treat those suffering from addiction and mental health issues. From behavioral health technician to Chief Executive Officer of a 100-bed dual-diagnosis facility, Carol has the advantage of understanding all aspects of treatment from evaluation to aftercare, and from discovery to recovery.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Mental Illness Awareness CLE credit. Course #6704.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
-
lap.org/">Florida Lawyers Assistance
- lap.org/meetings-and-events">Meetings & Events
- lap.org/continuing-education">CLE
- Florida Bar Mental Health and Wellness Center
- Member Benefits Program: Mental Health and Wellness
- Florida Bar News: Group Provides Support for Working Mothers
- LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Most of us at one time or another might have heard the saying, “great minds think alike.” Perhaps our colleagues have said it when collectively the same decision is made, or an exceptional idea is brainstormed in a group. But do great minds think alike, or do great minds think differently?
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Haley Moss, author of Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals. We discuss how having a better understanding of neurodivergence can help lawyers foster positive relationships with their colleagues and help them work more effectively with the clients they serve.
About Haley Moss:
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Haley Moss’s parents were told that she might not ever finish high school or earn a driver’s license. Today she is a lawyer, neurodiversity expert, keynote speaker, educator, and the author of four books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. Haley is a consultant to top corporations and nonprofits that seek her guidance in creating a diverse workplace, and a sought-after commentator on disability rights and the Americans With Disabilities Act.The first openly autistic lawyer in Florida, Haley’s books include “Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals” (ABA Book Publishing; June 2021), “The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook” (Jessica Kingsley Publishers; November 2021), “A Freshman Survival Guide for College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders” (Jessica Kingsley Publishers; October 2014), and “Middle School — The Stuff Nobody Tells You About: A Teenage Girl With High-Functioning Autism Shares Her Experiences” (AAPC Publishing; March 2010) Her articles have appeared in outlets including the Washington Post, Teen Vogue, GQ, Bustle, Fast Company, Law 360 Pulse, and the ABA Journal.Haley earned her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law with numerous honors. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 2019, she is the recipient of awards including the American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division’s Breaking Barriers Award (2021), D-30 Disability Impact List (2021), Road Less Traveled Award from Ms. JD (2020), Outstanding Self-Advocate Award from University of Miami — Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (2018), and Publix Self-Advocate of the Year from the Palm Beach County Special Needs Advisory Coalition (2018).This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Mental Illness Awareness CLE credit. Course #6579.
The Florida Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service was created in 1972 to bridge the gap for individuals in need of legal services by referral method with licensed attorneys. The Lawyer Referral Service serves an important purpose in providing clients with an unprejudiced referral to a licensed attorney who has the experience and knowledge in the area of law suitable to the client’s legal needs.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Christine Bilbrey, to discuss how attorneys can become a member of the Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service to serve Floridians and grow their client base.
Christine Bilbrey is the Director of The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center, and one of the hosts of The Florida Bar's LegalFuel podcast series. In addition to the Practice Resource Center, Christine oversees all things related to the Lawyer Referral Service and is also the staff liaison for The Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers. Christine holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Legal Administration. She previously served as the principal firm administrator at area law firms in her hometown of Pensacola, Florida. Prior to joining The Florida Bar, Christine was a certified HR classroom and virtual trainer for the world’s largest credit union.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course # 6473.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not new concepts for law firm managers, however the pandemic resulted in more firms acknowledging that remote and hybrid models do work and are worth investing in long-term. According to a recent American Lawyer survey, “80% of firms have completed, or are currently developing, formal assessments of roles and individual workers to see if they were eligible for full remote work in perpetuity—beyond the pandemic.”
In today’s episode host Karla Eckardt welcomes Garima Goswami and Andreas Becker, of Lawyaw, a Clio company, to discuss their eBook on managing remote and hybrid law firms.
Garima Goswami is the Content Manager at Lawyaw. She is in charge of studying the current state and upcoming trends within the legal industry and creating content based on the findings. Previously, she worked as a content marketer in the finance automation industry focusing prominently on the digital payments sector; led crisis management and communication projects; and, worked as a journalist for print media before transitioning into SaaS marketing.
Andreas Becker is the Director of Business Development of Lawyaw at Clio. He has spent the last three and a half years working closely with thousands of legal professionals across the country to help streamline their practices. Prior to Lawyaw, Andreas practiced for several years as a personal injury and real estate attorney. He received his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and a B.A. in Legal Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course #6243.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Lawyaw, part of Clio
- Thomson Reuters: 2021 Report on the State of the Legal Market
- The American Lawyer
- ALA Legal Management Magazine: Let’s Make a Deal
- ABA Formal Opinion 483
- media.floridabar.org/uploads/2022/07/Ch-4-2022_02-AUG-RRTFB-8-1-2022.pdf#page=179">Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.12(a)
Back in the 1960s, doctors were not yet aware that physical exercise could improve cardiovascular health. Flash forward to today and scientists are proving that with the right mental training, we can change the structure of our brains resulting in improved memory, strengthened focus, better decision making, and even reduced stress and anxiety.
Many of these studies have been conducted on groups of people who work in what are identified as “High-Demand” professions including soldiers and athletes. We know that the practice of law easily falls into this high-demand designation, so today we have brought in an expert to educate us on how we can integrate brain training into our lives in the same way we use a regular exercise program to strengthen our bodies.
Dr. Amishi Jha is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She serves as the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, which she co-founded in 2010. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California–Davis and postdoctoral training at the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center at Duke University. Dr. Jha’s work has been featured at TED, NATO, the World Economic Forum, and The Pentagon. She has received coverage in the New York Times, NPR, TIME, and Forbes. She is also the author of the national bestseller, Peak Mind, Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Mental Illness CLE credit. Course #5975.REFERENCED RESOURCES:
In 2021 The Florida Bar Board of Governors launched a three-month beta test of a tech support helpline. After much success, the non-emergency Florida Bar Tech Helpline was added to the Member Benefits catalog in February 2022. The Tech Helpline offers routine remote services, including basic troubleshooting, operating system support, and technical setup for home and remote offices.
In today’s episode host Christine Bilbrey welcomes Adriana Linares, owner of LawTech Partners, operator of The Florida Bar Tech Helpline.
Adriana Linares is a legal technology consultant and trainer. She is a frequent speaker at national technology conferences and a regular contributor to legal blogs, publications, and podcasts. In 2013 she was selected as a Fastcase 50 honoree, recognizing “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders.” She served as Chair of the American Bar Association TECHSHOW 2017 and was profiled as a Legal Rebel Trailblazer by the ABA Journal in 2018. She is also the Technology & Practice Management Advisor of the San Diego County Bar Association. She has served as a technology consultant the Florida Bar Board of Governors and operates The Florida Bar Tech Support Helpline.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for .5 hours of General CLE credit including .5 hours of Technology CLE credit. Course #5911.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center gets a lot of questions about trust accounting and technology, but one of the most popular topics members contact us about is Continuing Legal Education (CLE). They want to know how to find our free CLEs, or they are having trouble posting credits, or they are confused about the CLE requirements. New attorneys have questions about the Basic Skills Course Requirements (BSCR) and more experienced attorneys are looking for courses to maintain their Board Certification status. So, to help us bring clarity to all things CLE, we have brought in the expert.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome Director of The Bar’s Legal Specialization and Education (LSE) Department, Maritza McGill, to discuss all things CLE.
Maritza McGill is the Director of the Legal Specialization and Education (LSE) Department of The Florida Bar. Maritza graduated from The Florida State University and was a Program Administrator at The Florida Bar from 1982-1997. She returned to the Bar in 2012 as Assistant to the Director of LSE and in 2015 she was promoted to Certification Specialist. In 2018 Maritza became the Assistant Director of LSE and then in 2022, was named Director. As the LSE Director, Maritza has oversight of the certification program, course accreditation and CLE/BSCR compliance of members.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #5877.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Florida Bar Member Portal
-
Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education
- On-Demand CLE Catalog
-
General CLE Info & Requirements
-
CLER Forms and Applications
- media.floridabar.org/uploads/2022/01/Petition-for-Removal-of-CLER-Delinquency-fill-in.pdf">Petition for Removal of CLER Delinquency
- CLER FAQs
-
CLER Forms and Applications
- Order CLE CD/DVD Products
- Basic Skills Course Requirement (BSCR) FAQs
- BSCR Forms and Petitions
- BSCR Phase 1: Practicing with Professionalism (PWP)
- BSCR Phase 2: Basic Courses
- Article: ABA CLEs Ineligible for FL CLE Credit
- LegalFuel Free CLEs
Disciplinary Actions are likely the most closely read section of each edition of The Florida Bar News. However, total discipline cases are actually on the decline. According to the Bar’s website, in a typical year, the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) receives over 16,000 requests for assistance; and only about 25% of those inquiries result in the opening of a disciplinary file. Last year 3,364 files were opened which resulted in only 318 Supreme Court Discipline cases.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome back Deputy Director of Lawyer Regulation, Patricia Savitz, to discuss The Florida Bar’s lawyer discipline process. If your questions or issues are not addressed, you can contact LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar for guidance.
Patricia Savitz has been with the Bar since 1997 and was previously Bar Counsel with the Orlando Branch of The Florida Bar where she handled all aspects of Bar disciplinary proceedings. She was recently promoted to Deputy Director for the Lawyer Regulation Department of The Florida Bar. Patti received both her undergraduate and her law degree from the University of Miami. Prior to working at the Bar, Patti was an Assistant Public Defender in the 20th Judicial Circuit in Fort Myers and was a Senior Attorney with the Department of Children and Families. She has done extensive appellate work including oral argument before the Fifth District Court of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course #5838.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Every year, there are updates and changes to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar and new Ethics Opinions. We are fortunate to have knowledgeable attorneys standing by on the Ethics Hotline responding to calls from our members. Because it’s a new year, we are going to discuss some of the changes that have recently gone into effect as well as review other important ethics and advertising rules.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome back Florida Bar Ethics Counsel, Jonathan Grabb, to review rules and opinions that members frequently have questions about. If your questions or issues are not addressed, you can contact The Bar’s Ethics Hotline or LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar for guidance.
Jonathan Grabb became the Ethics Counsel for The Florida Bar in November 2021 after serving the Ethics & Advertising Department for 8 years as an Assistant Ethics Counsel. Jonathan has fielded more than 20,000 calls on the ethics hotline, reviewed thousands of lawyer advertisements, and issued dozens of staff opinions. Prior to working at The Florida Bar, Jonathan was a Senior Attorney in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Jonathan graduated cum laude from Florida State University’s College of Law in 2008. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys going to the local rock-climbing gym with his wife and two daughters.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course #5771.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
The Florida Supreme Court has partnered with the Bar to declare November “Legal Professionalism Month” and is asking members to rededicate themselves to the highest ideals of professionalism and civility in all they do. To close out the month and as reference going forward, we thought we'd discuss how to navigate the new normal as it pertains to our virtual or socially distanced workplace interactions with colleagues and clients. In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt are joined by Mr. Manners himself, Thomas Farley, to discuss all our modern professional etiquette dilemmas.Thomas P. Farley is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, syndicated columnist, and TV commentator. His clients have included the United States Department of Commerce, the Estée Lauder Companies, JPMorgan Chase, the Walt Disney Corporation, Bank of America, the American Automobile Association (AAA), the U.S. Army, Viacom, Toyota, and UPS. Thomas is a regular and popular guest on the NBC Today show, where he fields questions on modern-day manners issues. In 2017, he debuted “Manners on the Move,” a special multi-part Today show series that examined incivility in America. His syndicated weekly column, “Ask Mister Manners,” appears in Tribune publications throughout the United States. His insights appear regularly in other media as well, including the Rachael Ray show, Inside Edition, Dr. Oz, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Wired and Money magazines, USA Today, CNN, VH1, and ABC. Thomas is a graduate of New York’s Fordham University. He has been a guest lecturer at New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and he edited the anthology “Modern Manners: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Social Graces.”This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Professionalism CLE credit. Course #5680.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
-
manners.com/">Thomas P. Farley - Mister Manners
- manners.com/workshops">Workshops
- manners.com/ask-mister-manners">Ask Mr. Manners
- The Florida Bar's Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism
Don’t let popular headlines fool you into thinking that only large firms with enormous bank accounts and ties to potentially criminal activity are at risk of cyberattacks. The reality is that firms small and large store client files full of confidential and personally identifiable information making them valuable targets to cyber criminals. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month so this month’s episode will focus on one of the tenants of cybersecurity, protecting your files.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt are joined by Rick Stiles to discuss and demystify secure file storage and file sharing. They’ll also discuss basic cybersecurity practices that even solo and small firms can implement to secure the data they store and share in the cloud. If your questions or issues are not addressed, you can anonymously contact LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar for guidance.
Rick Stiles is a communications technology veteran with decades of experience, Rick was Vice-President of some major telecom companies like HyperEdge and NA Communications, where he spearheaded and led the development of many innovative communications technologies, some of which are still commonly used today. As senior VP of Products and IP at AXEL, Rick brings real-world implementation and deployment experience with a deep understanding of networking disciplines. Rick has extensive expertise in the creation of intellectual property and is named in several significant U.S. patents including four current blockchain-specific pending patents.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course #5660.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
LegalFuel Cybersecurity Resources
FTC’s Cybersecurity for Small Business
AXEL Go, a secure cloud storage and file-sharing application
Here at the Practice Resource Center, we frequently get calls from lawyers who are thinking about starting their own firms and we explain that they will be doing two jobs: practicing law and running a small business.
In this latest episode, host Christine Bilbrey speaks with Amie Remington to discuss why law firms should consider outsourcing some or all their human resource functions.
Amie Remington is the Chief Legal Officer for Transport Leasing Contract Inc. of the TLC Companies, a 57,000-worksite employee Professional Employer Organization. Prior to this, she was General Counsel for fifteen years at a professional HR organization where she advised businesses on employment-related legal issues. Amie was a partner at the law firm of Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews in Pensacola where she represented employers, management, and the State of Florida in all types of employment-related matters. Amie serves on the National Association of Professional Employer Organization’s Legal Advisory Committee and on the Florida Association of Professional Employer Organization’s Board of Directors.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit. Course #5585.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- https://www.napeo.org/
- https://www.fapeo.org/
- Can Your Law Firm Work with a PEO?
- law-firms-should-outsource-human-resources-functions-6817.htm">Why Law Firms Should Outsource Human Resources Functions
- Florida Lawyers Helpline Call 833-351-9355
Today, practicing law requires a lot more technology know-how than in the past. Back in 2016, The Florida Supreme Court increased the number of mandatory CLE hours to include 3 in technology. We know that members are taking advantage of our large library of free CLE courses to get technology credit, but some lawyers have managed to successfully avoid actually using technology either by having support staff deal with it or by being very dependent on an IT specialist.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt discuss frequently asked tech questions as well as the answers, solutions, and tips they would offer in response. If your questions or issues are not addressed, you can anonymously contact LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar for guidance.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course #5559.
Visit the episode page on LegalFuel.com for referenced resources: https://www.legalfuel.com/all-those-tech-questions-youve-been-afraid-to-ask/
“Attrition of women lawyers is one big obstacle to improving gender diversity at the top. When asked recently to identify major obstacles for women advancing to equity partner, 31% of the nation’s largest law firms said attrition. Nearly all (94%) reported that retaining women lawyers was a problem for the firm.” Law Practice Today
In this latest episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Anne Brafford to discuss what the studies are telling us about the current state of women in the law, how firms can successfully retain and engage female lawyers, and how doing so improves the profession for everyone.
Anne Brafford is a former equity partner at Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP and the founder of Aspire, an education and consulting firm for the legal profession. Anne is the Vice President of the Institute for Well-Being in Law, formerly known as the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. She is the Chair and founder of IWIL’s Well-Being Week in Law. She was the Editor-in-Chief and co-author of the 2017 report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Anne is a past Chair of the ABA Law Practice Division’s Attorney Well-Being Committee. She created the ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers and is the author of an ABA-published book titled Positive Professionals, which provides science-based guidance to law firm leaders for boosting work engagement for lawyers. Anne is nearing completion of her doctoral work in positive organizational psychology. Her research focuses on lawyer thriving, positive leadership, workplace well-being, work engagement, motivation, mental health, inclusion, and the retention and advancement of women lawyers.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness credit. Course #5467.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- New Strategies For Engaging and Retaining Women Lawyers
- Building Workplace Well-Being
-
Workplace Well-Being Handbook For Law Firms 2021 ($100.00)
- Review the 23-2021.pdf">Table of Contents to see all the helpful information that’s included.
- 30-2018.pdf">ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers
- Positive Professionals: Creating High-Performing Profitable Firms Through the Science of Engagement
- Aspire: Helping Law Firms & Lawyers Thrive
Helping others gives a lawyer’s work meaning but carrying the weight of their client’s stress and trauma can also exact a heavy toll on a lawyer’s well-being. Secondary trauma is caused when one is indirectly exposed to someone else’s trauma, and it can develop into secondary traumatic stress which manifests itself in ways that mimic PTSD. Secondary Trauma can especially affect lawyers, judges, and child advocates like Guardian ad litem that work in juvenile justice, criminal justice, and family law. The Florida Bar’s Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers Committee has been tirelessly working to destigmatize mental illness, recommend best practices and remedies, and help bring more balance into lawyers’ daily professional lives. In furtherance of this Bar-wide initiative, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Dr. Erika Tullberg about the signs, symptoms, and causes of secondary trauma as well as ways to alleviate its impact on legal professionals. Dr. Erika Tullberg is an Assistant Professor at NYU's Langone Health’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, where her work focuses on the trauma-related needs of children that have experienced maltreatment, and the related needs of their parents and the caretakers, staff and systems that serve them. She is currently serving as the Associate Director of NYU’s NCTSN Center for Child Welfare Practice Innovation, which is developing and implementing trauma-informed child welfare practices in partnership with child welfare providers around the country. Dr. Tullberg earned her PhD at the City University of New York School of Public Health, her MPH at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, her MPA at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and her BA at Columbia College. She is also a foster and adoptive parent. This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness CLE credit. Course #5313. REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Understanding Secondary Trauma: A Guide for Lawyers Working with Child Victims
- The Florida Bar's Health and Wellness Center
- Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale
- Proqol.com Pocket Card
- NCTSN: Secondary Traumatic Stress
- NCTSN: The Resilience Alliance: Promoting Resilience and Reducing Secondary Trauma Among Welfare Staff – Participant Handbook
- Relevant articles by Dr. Erika Tullberg
Social media platforms have become ubiquitous marketing tools. According to a report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and conducted by PwC, social media advertising revenues reached $41.5 billion in 2020, which is nearly 30% of all internet advertising revenue. So, how can Florida lawyers leverage social media to create impactful advertisements while ensuring compliance with Florida Bar ethics rules?
To help answer this question, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Jesse R. Butler about The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division’s (YLD) Social Media Pocket Guide, a handbook created in collaboration with the Ethics and Advertising Department of The Florida Bar in an effort to assist Florida lawyers in complying with the rules governing lawyer advertising.
Jesse R. Butler has served as the Chair of the YLD Technology Committee since 2019. He graduated from the University of Florida Law School and is a partner at Dickinson & Gibbons in Sarasota. He is Board Certified in Appellate Practice and has handled appeals throughout Florida, in Federal court, and he is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court. Jesse was a member of the inaugural class of The Florida Bar Leadership Academy. He previously served as President of the Sarasota County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers’ Division after serving for several years on the board as a director and he is also the Chair of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee. In 2020, Jesse was re-elected to his third term on the Board of Governors for The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, where he represents the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course #5027.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- YLD's Social Media Pocket Guide
- Advertising Regulation and Information Page of The Florida Bar
- Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation
- media.floridabar.org/uploads/2020/08/Quick-Reference-Checklist-Targeted-Social-Media-8-7-20.pdf">Quick Reference Checklist – Targeted Social Media
- media.floridabar.org/uploads/2020/08/Guidelines-Social-Networking-Sites-8-19-2020.pdf">Advertising Guidelines for Networking Sites
- Florida Ethics Opinions Search
In March, The Florida Bar announced the launch of a test program—The Florida Bar Tech Support Helpline—to assist solo and small firm lawyers with technology issues and assistance. The three-month beta initiative is an experiment to see if solo and small firm lawyers could benefit from a non-emergency IT helpline. It runs through June 11th. The program, operated by LawTech Partners, is intended to serve solo and small-firm lawyers who typically can’t afford full-time IT departments or managers; it offers remote computer, software and related tech support via phone, live chat, email, or virtual appointment. If successful, the Tech Support Helpline could eventually be added to the Bar’s Member Benefits program.On today’s bonus episode, guests Adriana Linares, Jay Kim, and Scott Westheimer join host Karla Eckardt to promote the Tech Support Helpline and go over some important FAQs.
Adriana Linares, owner of LawTech Partners, is a legal technology consultant and trainer.
Jay Kim has served on The Florida Bar Board of Governors since 2016 and is currently Chair of the Board Technology Committee.
Scott Westheimer has served on The Florida Bar Board of Governors since 2013 and is currently a member of the Board Technology Committee.
Note: This bonus episode is NOT available for CLE credit.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- The Florida Bar Tech Support Helpline (BETA): https://lawtechpartners.com/techhelpline/
- Florida Bar Member Benefits: https://www.floridabar.org/member/benefits/
In 2020 the Florida Supreme Court adopted a presumptive three-month parental leave rule for many court cases that would require judges to grant a lead attorney’s request for leave for the birth or adoption of a child. More recently, The Florida Bar’s YLD published an excellent resource entitled, A Practical Guide to Parental Leave for Employers: What to Expect When Your Employee is Expecting. In this episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Iris Elijah and Anisha Patel about the YLD Guide and the shifting landscape of parental leave in the legal profession.
Iris Elijah is the Associate General Counsel for FIU. Iris is the President-Elect Designate of the YLD and Chair of its Inclusion and Equality Committee. She serves on the Board of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Assoc., is a Miami-Dade FAWL Foundation Board member, and a member of the Miami Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Anisha Patel is a commercial litigation attorney at Hill Ward Henderson in Tampa, where she represents individuals and firms in a variety of business-related disputes. Anisha currently serves an ex-officio board member of the HCBA YLD and as a governor on The Florida Bar YLD BoG, where she is the Vice Chair of the Inclusion and Equality committee.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit. Course #4800.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- YLD's A Practical Guide to Parental Leave for Employers
- Florida Courthouse Lactation Room Inventory
- FAWL Courthouse Lactation Room Handbook
- Mamava Lactation Room Locator App
- public.flcourts.org/casedocuments/2018/1554/2018-1554_miscdoc_359801_e05.pdf">In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration – Parental Leave, SC18-1554
- parental-leave-policy.aspx">Sample Parental Leave Policy
- for-drafting-parental-leave-policies.aspx">Article: Drafting a Personal Leave Policy
- paid-parental-leave-right-for-your-company.aspx">Article: Is a Parental Leave Policy Right for Your Business?
- DoL – Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Guide
- Toolkit.pdf">Congressional Research Service – Guide to Paid Family Leave in US
Pre-COVID, legal professionals operated in a world centered around in-person interactions; meeting with clients, colleagues, appearing in court, attending mediations, the list goes on. COVID took all human interactions virtual and now even happy hours happen on Zoom. While we are cautiously optimistic that soon we’ll slowly start making our way back into the office and gathering in-person, some firms are permanently integrating the tech-centered changes that worked well for them during COVID.
In this episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Rochelle Birnbaum Chiocca about shifting from traditional in-person methods used to recruit, hire, and onboard new employees to accomplishing it all in a virtual setting. They discuss the benefits, and some of the pitfalls, of the virtual process and offer some practical tips and resources available to solo, small, and large firms alike.
Rochelle Birnbaum Chiocca is a partner in the West Palm Beach office of Cole, Scott & Kissane. For the past twenty years, her practice has focused on construction defect litigation, premises liability matters, and insurance coverage disputes. Rochelle became Cole, Scott & Kissane’s Director of Recruiting in February 2020. She is responsible for the hiring of law clerks and attorneys at all fourteen offices of Florida’s largest law firm.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit. Course #4673.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- FSU’s Career Services and Professional Development Office
- UF’s Office of Career and Professional Development
- FIU’s Ovadia Career Planning and Placement Office
- UM’s Career Development Office
- FAMU’s Career Planning and Professional Development Office
- Stetson’s Office of Career and Professional Development
- Nova’s Office of Career and Professional Development
- Cole, Scott & Kissane
The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal system links all of the 20 judicial circuit courts, the 5 District Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court – all through one single, integrated Portal website. Usage of the E-Filing Portal has grown significantly since it first began accepting documents in 2011. According to its 2019-2020 Annual Report, almost 300,000 registered filers use the system, sending over 25 million documents to the Florida’s Court System annually. Still, the Portal remains a confounding topic for many practicing attorneys.
In this episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Carolyn Weber about the Portal. They cover portal basics, FAQs, and discuss upcoming updates.
Carolyn Weber joined the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers [FCCC] organization in November 2012 as the Portal Program Manager and has helped in the design and implementation of the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. She has worked with the Courts and Clerks both Federal and State for the past 38 years in a variety of roles. She was instrumental in the design and implementation of the Federal Court’s e-Filing application CM/ECF. Carolyn has her MBA in Computer Information Systems.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course #4550.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- LegalFuel E-Filing Resources for Florida Lawyers
- Portal FAQs for Filers
- Portal Training Videos
- Portal Training Manuals & Materials
- Procertas - Florida State e-Filing Module
Note: To request e-filing support, submit a support request form, email support@myflcourtaccess.com, or call (850) 577-4609 and leave a message.
Many of our listeners are new, solo, or small firm attorneys, so we like to explore and demystify as many topics as we can to help them in their practices. In this episode we explore the court reporting and captioning industry. Court reporters have long played a crucial role in the legal world, but there is a lot more to this industry than quietly recording testimony for the record.
Hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Christine Phipps about a court reporter’s unique skills; the important role court reporters play before, during, and after trial; and how the court reporting and captioning industry is adapting to pandemic related challenges. They also discuss qualifications, certifications, and other practical considerations attorneys should evaluate when choosing a court reporter in Florida.
Christine Phipps is a Registered Professional Reporter, the President of Phipps Reporting, Inc., and the current President of the National Court Reporters Association. She received her degree in court reporting from Broward State College. She spent the first two years of her career as an official court reporter and then the next 15 working all over the world as a freelance court reporter. Christine then opened her own court reporting and litigation support agency, Phipps Reporting. In addition to reporting, she is also an Eclipse Trainer and has served as Chair of the NCRA’s Technology and Freelance Committees. Christine has received numerous awards including the 2014 Most Enterprising Woman of the Year and her company has made the Inc. 5000 list every year since 2014.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit. Course #4472.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Florida Courts: Court Reporting
Florida Court Reporters Association
National Court Reporters Association
- the-record-booklet.pdf?sfvrsn=746322a6_4">Making the Record: A Guide for Attorneys
- 2021 Court Reporting & Captioning Week (2/6-2/13)
2020 has been an unprecedented time of change for everyone and needless to say, there is a lot to talk about. So, for this final episode of 2020, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt discuss the year’s greatest hits, including the most frequently asked questions at LegalFuel, some new Rules and Ethics opinions, a few tips on technology and working from home successfully, as well as some free Member Benefits that you may not be aware of including the new Lawyer Helpline.
Thank you for joining us today and throughout the year, for fitting us into your busy schedules, and welcoming us into your spaces. We understand that for many the holidays will look a little different this year. Nonetheless, we hope everyone has a chance to spend time with loved ones this holiday season, even if it’s via Zoom. May the New Year bring health, happiness, and prosperity to you and yours. This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.5 hours of General CLE Credit, 0.5 hours of Ethics Credit, and 0.5 hours of Technology Credit. Course #4374.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Visit the episode page on LegalFuel.com for referenced resources: https://www.legalfuel.com/the-greatest-hits-of-2020/
Back in 2006 when the idea of a Florida Registered Paralegal program was being considered, Judge Ross Goodman who was chair of the Special Committee to Study Paralegal Regulation stated “I think lawyers are going to realize the benefits of having this program is that they are going to have better trained paralegals; they are going to be able to identify the better paralegals in the hiring process; and the paralegals that they do have are going to get continuing education that is going to be a benefit to the lawyers and the law firms.”
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with CEO of Law Office Support Services and Chair of the Florida Registered Paralegal Enrichment Committee, Margo Valenti about what is required for a paralegal to become an FRP and the real value an FRP can bring to your firm.
Margo Valenti is the Founder and CEO of Law Office Support Services: a virtual paralegal and legal support service for Solo Practitioners and Small Firms, and proud Member Benefits Provider for the Florida Bar. During a career that spans 30 years, Margo has held numerous positions with well-established law firms; from humble beginnings as a legal assistant trainee, to attaining Florida Bar Registered Paralegal status at the program’s inception, to serving in the all-encompassing role of law firm administrator. Margo's last post before starting her own company was as a Senior Member of an IPO team charged with taking companies public on the New York Stock Exchange. Margo holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. Margo has had the honor of serving as the Vice-chair for The Florida Bar’s newly formed FRP Enrichment Committee in 2019, as the Chair of its Communication Subcommittee. Currently, Margo serves as the Chair of the FRP Enrichment Committee.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Florida Registered Paralegal Program
A Florida Registered Paralegal (FRP) is a paralegal who has met the education, training, certification and work experience required for voluntary registration as set forth in media.floridabar.org/uploads/2020/09/Ch-20-2021_03-SEP-RRTFB-9-3-2020.pdf">Chapter 20 of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar. The Florida Registered Paralegal Eligibility and Compliance Committee is charged with assisting in the implementation and administration of the Florida Registered Paralegal program.
The Florida Registered Paralegal Enrichment Committee is charged with developing education programming, creating networking and social events to foster camaraderie among FRPs, and raising awareness of the FRP program and the benefits of FRP membership.
Law Office Support Services is a virtual paralegal and legal assistant subscription service that is designed around the specific needs of your practice. Whether working in your practice management software or on our team site, our time is tracked incrementally, and narratives of the work that we have performed are provided monthly for billing directly to your clients. Law Office Support Services is an approved Florida Bar Member Benefit.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit. Course #4331.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has forced practitioners to quickly adopt new technologies, such as video conferencing. But there are serious privacy and security obligations that must be considered when utilizing these technologies and handling the information created through their use.
In this episode of The Future of Florida Law, host Jonathon Israel welcomes attorneys Robert “Beau” Blumberg and Ronald “Ron” Hedges to speak on the impact of video conferencing on the practice of law in Florida including providing practical tips on how to navigate privacy and security considerations.
Ronald J. Hedges, J.D., is a Senior Counsel with Dentons US LLP. He served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey from 1986 to 2017. Mr. Hedges is a frequent writer and speaker on various topics related to, among other things, electronic information and is the lead author of Managing Discovery of Electronic Information: A Pocket Guide for Judges, Third Edition (Federal Judicial Center: 2017). He is also the Co-Senior Editor of The Sedona Conference Cooperation Proclamation: Resources for the Judiciary, Third Edition. His full biography is available at https://www.dentons.com/en/ronald-hedges.
Robert E. (Beau) Blumberg is a partner in the Miami Trial Law Firm of Deutsch Blumberg & Caballero, P.A. A Miami native he received his undergraduate and law degrees from the College of William and Mary and has been a member of The Florida Bar since 2014. Beau Blumberg currently serves as Vice Chair of The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Technology and is a current member of the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee of The Florida Bar, and Florida Bar Grievance Committee “A.” Beau is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Lawyers Section of the Dade County Bar Association. This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hours of General CLE Credit including 1.0 hours of Technology Credit. Course #4428.
Practicing law was stressful enough before COVID-19 exacerbated the anxiety and depression that can come from worrying about finances, job security, or the health of loved ones. In response, The Florida Bar fast tracked the debut of the free, 24/7/365 mental health helpline. The Florida Lawyers Helpline is exclusively for Bar members to call and speak to mental health professionals, and if needed, receive up to three free in-person therapy sessions with licensed mental health counselors. Members can also call the helpline to receive financial consults or get assistance from caseworkers to locate eldercare and childcare providers, all at no charge.
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with CorpCare Vice President, Lisa Hardy, to discuss the Helpline and its confidentiality and independence from The Bar and to explain what members can expect when they call.
Lisa Hardy is VP of Clinical Operations at CorpCare. She has over 35 years of experience in mental health, substance abuse and human resources and has been with CorpCare EAP since 2000 where she oversees all aspects of the program delivery systems and quality control. As a certified leadership coach, Lisa is a recognized international speaker on leadership development, corporate team building, resiliency and emotional health, employee wellness, substance abuse/addiction, workplace issues and anti-bullying.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
The Florida Bar’s Mental Health and Wellness Center
- Florida Lawyers Helpline
The Florida Lawyers Helpline (1-833-FL1-WELL) is a 24/7/365 confidential service that connects Florida Bar members with mental health counselors and provides up to three in-person or telehealth counseling sessions per year at no cost to the member to help develop strategies to better deal with professional pressures and personal life challenges.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners
The Florida Bar YLD’s Supervised Practice Program WebpageThis podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness Credit. Course #4260.
While many lawyers likely credit much of their success to their high IQ’s, studies have shown that the happiest and most successful people also possess high emotional intelligence (EI or EQ).
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Ronda Muir to discuss how attorneys can understand, use, and raise their emotional intelligence to increase their happiness and be more successful in their law practices.
Ronda Muir is the founder of Law People Management, which is one of the country’s leading authorities on lawyer personalities and on integrating behavioral science into the legal workplace. For more information about this episode’s guest visit https://www.lawpeopleblog.com/.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness Credit. Course #4197.
Visit the episode page on LegalFuel.com for referenced resources: https://www.legalfuel.com/elevating-happiness-and-increasing-success-with-emotional-intelligence
Some attorneys have been using alternatives fee arrangements for years while others have staunchly held on to the traditional billable hour model. In the face of the current pandemic, many in the billable hour camp have been forced to innovate and transform their practices to ensure they continue to attract and retain clients.
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk with Jim Mullaney to discuss how he’s implemented alternative fee arrangements and other client-centered tools to build and grow his practice.
A. James Mullaney III is a Jacksonville mediator and attorney who has been handling family law cases exclusively for over 20 years. Mr. Mullaney is a member of The Florida Bar’s Solo & Small Firm and Family Law Sections. For more information about this episode’s guest visit https://www.jimmullaney.com/.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Ethics Credit. Course #4151.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
LegalFuel
- Alternative Pricing Models
- Alternative Fee Arrangements May Help You Attract Clients
- CLE: How Lawyers Can Easily Offer Alternative Fee Arrangements
- CLE: How to Optimize your Billing and Collections to Make your Practice More Profitable
- CLE: Conducting Depositions Online – What You Need to Knowo FL. Supreme Court Administrative Orders
Florida Bar Rules & Ethics
- RRTFB: Rule 4-1.2 Objectives and Scope of Representation
- Ethics Hotline: 800.235.8619
Florida Bar Member Benefits
Florida Supreme Court Family Law Resources
Lawyerist.com
Other
Wondering about the difference between a qualifying provider and a lawyer referral service? Are you interested in becoming a qualifying provider or participating with one? Are you familiar with The Rules Regulating the Florida Bar that specifically address the division of fees between lawyers in different firms and the sharing of fees with nonlawyers?
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk with returning guest Jonathan Grabb to discuss the Qualifying Provider Rule, effective 2018, that amended rules regulating referral services. They also delve into which referral and fee splitting arrangements are permissible under the rules, finally putting to rest some long-held myths. Monica Burkes, of the Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Department, is also on to talk about Qualifying Provider requirements and reporting procedures.
Jonathan Grabb is Assistant Ethics Counsel for the Ethics and Advertising Department at The Florida Bar.
Monica Burkes is a legal secretary for the Bar’s Lawyer Regulation Department. She manages the Qualifying Provider Service (QPS) database and handles all QPS annual reporting.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Ethics Credit. Course #4093.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Ethics
- Qualifying Provider Rule: Changes, requirements, & Q&A
- Ethics Informational Packets – incl. Interstate Law Firms, Referral Fees, Of Counsel, Legal Assistants and Nonlawyer Employees, etc.
- Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Ethics Hotline: 800.235.8619
The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
LegalFuel
As we’ve discussed in previous episodes and articles, COVID-19 has prompted law firms to reassess their business continuity plans with many lawyers facing challenges that will permanently impact their careers. While some are going solo, others have opted for retirement.
In this episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk with The Bar’s own Jessica Malloy, Nathan McClure, and Jonathan Grabb to discuss the rules, processes, and best practices lawyers should consider when closing a firm, electing inactive membership status, or formally electing to retire from The Florida Bar.
Jessica Malloy is the manager of the Membership Records Department at The Florida Bar.
Nathan McClure is a specialist for the Membership Records Department at The Florida Bar.
Jonathan Grabb is Assistant Ethics Counsel for the Ethics and Advertising Department at The Florida Bar.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Ethics Credit. Course #4053.
REFERENCED RETIREMENT RESOURCES:
Membership Records
- Membership Records Forms – incl. Petition for Retirement, Petition for Removal of Retirement Status, Petition for Removal of Inactive Status, etc.
- Contact: 850.561.5832 or membershiprecords@floridabar.org
Ethics
- Ethics Informational Packets – incl. Notifying Clients of Change in Firm Composition, Of Counsel, Closed Files, etc.
- Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Ethics Hotline: 800.235.8619
LegalFuel
- Checklist for Lawyer Retirement, Law Office Closure, or Law Firm Dissolution
- CLE Podcast: Can I Afford to Retire?
- Document Library: Lawyer Changing Firms
Working from home has been thrust upon us all, and every part of our legal system has been deeply affected by the need to operate online. How should you navigate these changes? To help lawyers understand the new landscape created by COVID-19, Florida Bar Podcast hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome three guests, Judge Robert Hilliard, Rebecca Bandy, and Jack Newton, to hear their valuable perspectives on remote work for the legal profession.
First, Judge Robert Hilliard of Florida’s First Judicial Circuit shares how the judiciary has operated in the era of social distancing and what technology they have used to make the shift to virtual court proceedings. Judge Hilliard offers lawyers insights on how to navigate online court appearances and discusses what judicial operations may look like in the future.
Following this conversation, Christine and Karla are joined by Rebecca Bandy, director of the Florida Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism, to discuss strategies for maintaining high professionalism standards while working from home. Rebecca shares common lawyer mishaps in virtual legal practice and offers best practice tips for maintaining privacy, confidentiality, proper video conference etiquette, and more.
For their final interview, Christine and Karla talk with Clio CEO Jack Newton about how new, tech-driven processes can improve client experiences and make legal services more efficient. Jack also outlines Clio’s resources for helping lawyers deliver legal services from home and digs into what the COVID-19 Impact Research Briefing shows about the current state of the profession.
Finally, make sure your workspace is working for you! Christine and Karla share their tips for creating a comfortable, productive workspace in your home office.
This episode, The Science of Working from Home (Course # 4041), has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for the following CLE credits:
- General - 2.0 hrs
- Technology - 1.0 hrs
- Mental Health Awareness - 1.0 hrs
Links Mentioned in Today’s Podcast:
Florida Courts
- Florida Courts Technology Commission
- Workgroup on the Continuity of Court Operations and Proceedings During and After COVID-19
Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism
- https://www.floridabar.org/prof/
- Legal Professionalism in the Electronic Age (media.floridabar.org/uploads/2020/05/Legal-Professionalism-in-the-Electronic-Age.pdf">PDF Download)
Clio Resources:
The Florida Bar’s Rule 1-3.8 requires every member to designate an inventory attorney. Why? Your clients need to be protected in the event you are suddenly unable to practice law, and your inventory attorney will contact your clients and ensure the proper handling of their files. To help members understand how this process works, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk with Patricia Savitz about the details of Rule 1-3.8 and how to designate an inventory attorney through the Florida Bar member portal.
Patricia Savitz is staff counsel for the Lawyer Regulation Department at the Florida Bar.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Ethics Credit. Course #3936.REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- LegalFuel Document Library: Inventory Attorney
- Florida Bar main site: Information Regarding Inventory Attorneys
The ever-evolving role of technology in records and information management has left many lawyers with a lot of questions. What do you need to know about on-site versus off-site data storage? How do you migrate from physical to electronic files? And what about record retention rules and document disposal practices? Together with records management expert John Montaña, Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckart explore best practices and discuss what members should do to ensure compliance with bar rules.
John Montaña, J.D., F.I.I.M., F.A.I., is vice president of advisory services at Montaña & Associates.
The Florida Bar continues to seek to lessen the stigma surrounding mental health issues and offer more support to its members in the future. To bolster these goals, it has been working to develop a partnership with CorpCare Associates, Inc. and their employee assistance program. Hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome George Martin and Lisa Hardy, both of CorpCare, to outline the many services offered through their program and explain how they have worked with other bar associations to provide 24/7 mental health help and extensive support for members.
George W. Martin, Jr., is president and CEO of CorpCare Associates, Inc., a national employee assistance program company.
Lisa Hardy is vice president of clinical operations at CorpCare Associates, Inc.
media.floridabar.org/uploads/2020/04/Florida-Lawyers-Helpline-Horizontal-e1588172096529.png" width="298" height="76">The Florida Lawyers Helpline (1-833-FL1-WELL) is a free and confidential service that connects Florida Bar members with professional counselors. There’s no cost for calls to the Helpline and you may be referred for up to three free telehealth counseling sessions per year to help you develop strategies to overcome life’s challenges, balance priorities, and better handle both personal and professional pressures.
In addition to mental health support, the Helpline’s licensed and certified counselors can assist with other stressors members might face during or after the pandemic – such as providing a case manager to help find long-term care facilities for family members or financial consulting to help members with debt management, budgeting, and retirement planning. All these services are completely confidential and available at no cost to eligible Bar members.
Florida Lawyers Helpline is provided through an agreement with CorpCare Associates Inc., which has over 200 professional counselors across Florida and 11,000 nationwide.
Florida Bar members may reach the helpline by calling 1-833-FL1-WELL.
Please note: this number is for Florida Bar members and is not a referral service to find a lawyer or make a complaint against a lawyer.
Tenga en cuenta: Este número es sólo para miembros del Colegio de Abogados de la Florida (The Florida Bar). No es servició de referencia para asesoría legal ni es donde se presenta una queja en contra de un abogado.
Attracting new business is important to your legal practice, but there are many questions you should consider when marketing your firm. What type of content can your ad contain? How should you interact with potential clients online? Which marketing materials must be submitted to the Bar for review? From online campaigns to tv ads to social media posts, lawyers must follow advertising regulations and be aware of best practices. In this Florida Bar Podcast hosted by Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt, Elizabeth Tarbert of the Bar’s ethics department offers guidance for ensuring compliant advertising and avoiding marketing violations.Elizabeth Tarbert has been ethics counsel for the Florida Bar since 1997.
Find more information in the Florida Bar’s Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General or Ethics CLE Credit. Course #3829
Why are millennials leaving their careers in law? Generational differences and breakdowns in communication often broaden the disconnect between the career goals of millennials and the traditional legal practice models of law firms. Florida Bar podcast host Christine Bilbrey talks with consultant JP Box about the millennial mindset and his recommendations for creating a culture that motivates young associates. JP encourages law firms to engage millennials in meaningful work early on and gives perspective on the work-life blend that fuels this new generation of lawyers.
JP Box is the founder of JP Box Consulting LLC and author of, “The Millennial Lawyer: How Your Firm Can Motivate and Retain Young Associates,” published by the American Bar Association in 2018.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit. Course #3789.
Legal professionalism continually evolves alongside changes to the practice of law and advances in technology. What should be done to help lawyers maintain necessary and even exceptional levels of professionalism? In this edition of the Florida Bar podcast, host Jonathan Israel welcomes Mike Tanner to moderate a panel discussion between Ashlea Edwards, Judge Paul Huck, Judge Nelly Khouzam, and Kara Rockenbach on lawyer professionalism. They review the current definition of professionalism per the Florida Bar’s Professionalism Expectations and give their take on what teaching strategies would encourage optimal professional behavior in Florida lawyers. To close out their conversation, they also discuss best practices for handling instances of unprofessional behavior.
Ashlea Edwards is an associate attorney at Akerman LLP.
Paul C. Huck is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Judge Khouzam is a judge for Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal.
Kara Rockenbach is a founding partner of Link & Rockenbach.
Employment law violations happen in all businesses— even law firms. How can you protect your firm and, more importantly, your employees from harassment and other workplace issues? In this edition of the Florida Bar Podcast, Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome employment law expert Deborah Minnis to help lawyers understand the applications of Title VII and other antidiscrimination statutes within the law firm setting. They share examples of misconduct in law firms, offer advice on preventative training, and discuss the elements of harassment claims. Deborah also surveys current employment law trends to help law firms stay up to date on developments in this area of the law.
Deborah Minnis is an attorney and shareholder at Ausley & McMullen in Tallahassee, Florida.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit. Course # 3732.
The Florida Bar wants you to get the most out of your membership, so tune in for this second installment in this series focusing on member benefits! Podcast hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt spotlight three prominent services available for free or with discounts through the Bar’s member benefits program: Fastcase, ROSS Intelligence, and LegalFuel.
Segment 1: Fastcase - Ed Walters and Damien Riel share the driving forces behind the creation of Fastcase and offer insights into their ongoing goal to make legal research easily accessible for all lawyers. They also explain how to gain free access to Fastcase with your Florida Bar membership.
Segment 2: ROSS Intelligence - Andrew Arruda discusses how ROSS’s artificial intelligence features come alongside lawyers to offer faster, easier legal research processes. Andrew also highlights the value of ROSS’s document analyzer. Florida Bar members can take advantage of a 14-day free trial and then receive a 10% discount.
Segment 3: LegalFuel - Jonathon Israel, director of the Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center, gives members an in-depth look at the programs available to them, including LegalFuel and its free practice management CLEs, the Lawyer Referral Service, and Lawyers Advising Lawyers.
The episode offers 1.0 hour of General or 1.0 hour of Ethics CLE credit and it is course number 3694.
Did you know the Florida Bar offers its members over 70 free or discounted products and services? Check them all out, including its newest member benefit: TrustBooks. In part one of this two part series on member benefits, podcast hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk with Tom Boyle, CPA and TrustBooks co-founder, about what led him to develop trust accounting software tailored to lawyers’ needs. They discuss the importance of ensuring your accounting is compliant with current state bar rules and how TrustBooks helps lawyers avoid common pitfalls. Tom also shares details on how TrustBooks can seamlessly integrate with both Clio and LawPay.
Is your practice in need of a firm administrator? You may be reticent to pass the baton, but it could help your firm become significantly more efficient and profitable. Florida Bar podcast hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt sit down with Debra Elsbury, president-elect of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), to discuss what lawyers need to know about the successful management of their law firms. They talk about how legal administrators save attorneys time and money and describe what the relationship between an administrator and managing partner should look like. Debra shares many of her personal experiences and offers insight into how administrative roles may differ from firm to firm.
Debra Elsbury is the firm administrator for Threlkeld Stevenson in Indianapolis, Indiana.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit. Course # 3672.
In this special edition of the Florida Bar Podcast recorded at the Annual Convention in June, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt sit down with Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson to hear about her personal journey in the legal profession. She describes the path she took to eventually become Leon County Judge and shares valuable wisdom for lawyers on breaking through self-imposed barriers and creating personal meaning in the practice of law.Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson has served as a Leon County Judge in Tallahassee, Florida since 2008. Prior to her election, she spent the majority of her career representing teachers and university faculty as in-house counsel with the Florida Education Association and as adjunct faculty at Barry University’s Tallahassee campus. She has distinguished herself as a first in many categories, including as the first Ethiopian-American judge in the United States and the first African-American elected president of the Tallahassee Women Lawyers and the Tallahassee Bar Association. She is also a former president of the William H. Stafford American Inn of Court. The Conference of County Court Judges of Florida awarded her the Distinguished Leadership Award in 2016, and she was also the recipient of the Florida Bar’s 2019 Distinguished Judicial Service Award.
When we talk about technology, we like to focus on the innumerable benefits afforded to us, our businesses and our clients, but it’s worth remembering that technology is a double-edged sword. Joining host Laurence Colletti at this year’s Florida Bar’s Annual Conference, victim’s rights attorney Stephanie Cagnet Myron provides a chilling portrait of the dangers technology poses not only to our children but to all of us, in the form of cyberstalking, harassment, and more. They also discuss ways we, and parents especially, can work to protect ourselves and the ones we love from the potentially lasting impacts of bad actors online.
Stephanie Cagnet Myron is an attorney and founder of Cagnet Myron Law.
Do you have any sense of how the law will address the testimony of a conscious AI? The panelists from the Florida Bar’s eDiscovery committee and the Digital Currency Taskforce have been, as well as exploring and educating on issues related to technologies like blockchain. Zachary Catanzano, Daniel Maland, and Darren Spielman join host Jonathon Israel at the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention to talk about their work and the impacts these cutting edge technologies could have on the practice of law.
Zachary L. Catanzaro is a small business and entrepreneurship lawyer who focuses on intellectual property and emergent technologies, including cryptocurrency and blockchain.
Daniel Maland is a member of Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton’s complex litigation department.
Darren Spielman is a shareholder of Kain Spielman, P.A.
Data breaches are a regrettably routine occurrence in our increasingly digital economy. Yet, many companies are still woefully underprepared to respond to a breach of their own data. At this years Annual Convention of the Florida Bar, host Laurence Colletti hears from Chris Dix and Ryan Bilbrey about who is at risk (everyone), how much a breach costs (more than you think), and the first steps to recovery (hint: don’t keep your digital breach incident plan only on your computer). Tune in to learn how to protect yourself, your business, and your clients.
Ryan Bilbrey is the founder of Reckoning Consulting Partners.
Chris Dix is a technology-focused lawyer and CPA working at Smith Hulsey & Busey
The future of any state bar rests in the hands of the next generation. At the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention, Jason Silver, outgoing chair of the Student Education and Admissions to the Bar committee, shares with host Laurence Colletti a bit about what his committee has been doing to help law students achieve their best in law school, while taking the bar, and when they start their practices.
Jason Silver is an associate at Greenspoon Marder in their Financial Services group.
Following a Judicial Luncheon with Governor DeSantis at this year’s Florida Bar’s Annual Convention, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T. Canady joins host Renee Thompson to discuss the recent appointment of three new justices to his court, the influx of funding to help the court attract and retain a talented staff, and the steps the court is taking to better serve the community through new technology programs.
Charles T. Canady is the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Host Laurence Colletti is joined by the Florida Bar’s departing president Michelle Suskauer to discuss her path to the presidency and accomplishments during the past year. She emphasizes the priorities her presidency held including supporting small/solo firms through LegalFuel, continuing support of lawyer mental health and wellness initiatives, and encouraging gender equality and diversity in leadership. Michelle also highlights her favorite accomplishment–the bar’s summit on criminal justice at which the bar collaborated with stakeholders in the criminal justice system on important issues to encourage much needed reform.
Continuing with updates on case law in this series from the Florida Bar Annual Convention, host Laurence Colletti talks to Denis deVlaming about his presentation on criminal law. Together, they review some of the noteworthy cases from 2018 and 2019 and discuss how they affect the practice of criminal law. They survey a wide variety of cases, including Madison vs Alabama, which dealt with a defendant suffering from dementia on death row and Carpenter vs United States, a case on privacy rights relating to warrantless searches of cell phone location data. Tune in to hear Denis’s full inventory of interesting criminal cases.
Denis deVlaming is a criminal defense attorney in Clearwater, Florida.
Leadership of the Florida Bar is changing! In this episode from the Annual Convention, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Dori Foster-Morales about her role as president-elect in the year ahead. Dori talks about her support of bar president John Stewart’s planned focus on technology and then shares goals for her own presidency beginning in June 2020. They also discuss how she maintains a healthy work-life balance when managing multiple commitments.
Dori Foster-Morales is a board certified marital and family lawyer and partner at Foster-Morales Sockel-Stone.
Doing estate planning early and often helps families avoid uncomfortable issues later in life. Florida Bar Annual Convention co-presenters Peggy Hoyt and Alex Douglas join host Geoff Probst in a discussion of the latest elder law and estate planning updates. They survey case law and practice tips in many areas including qualified beneficiaries, homestead issues, guardianship, irrevocable trust, and even estate planning for pets. They encourage listeners to find their entire presentation in the solo/small firm section of the Florida Bar site after the convention ends.
Peggy Hoyt is a founding partner of Hoyt & Bryan where she practices in the areas of family wealth and legacy counselling, including elder law.
Alex Douglas handles a wide variety of probate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, and contested guardianship cases with Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson.
Need legal assistance but don’t have out-of-pocket money for a lawyer? Fear not, there are prepaid legal insurance plans that can help you. At this year’s Annual Convention of the Florida Bar, host Laurence Colletti welcomes legal insurance expert Howard Rosenblatt to talk about affordable access to the legal system. They begin the discussion explaining the difference between Chapter 9 and Chapter 642, and then dive into why legal insurance can be very beneficial for those seeking legal assistance and for attorneys. Howard then continues to breakdown the types of legal matters the insurance does and doesn’t cover and why quality of service matters for both parties.
Howard M. Rosenblatt is an attorney specializing in estate planning, probate, and elder law.
Recent Supreme Court decisions are creating significant changes in the practice of employment law. Hosted by Geoff Probst at the Florida Bar Annual Convention, Kevin Johnson discusses what lawyers need to know about these developments. They highlight recent cases and examine how Kisor vs. Wilkie affects the balance of power between courts and agencies. Later, they briefly discuss employment law developments around the classification of gig economy employees and the impacts of medical marijuana in drug-free workplaces.
Kevin D. Johnson is a shareholder of Johnson Jackson LLC and has represented management in labor and employment law matters for 25 years.
Lawyers in Florida are expected to be competent with technology; the Florida Supreme Court has even made it a CLE requirement. But meeting the bare minimum requirements shouldn’t be enough. At the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention, panelists Janette Smith, Christine Senne, and Anessa Allen Santos join host Jonathan Israel to share some of their insights on the tools lawyers should be using to improve their practice; where they can find resources on how to work smarter and not harder; and how the bar is taking a leading role in facilitating this training.
Janette Smith is an attorney providing consulting services to local governments, non-profit entities, and law firms interested in streamlining technology.
Christine Senne is vice president of legal and compliance for Fluent and serves as of counsel with Manson Bolves Donaldson Varn, PA, with whom she practices environmental law.
Anessa Allen Santos is the founder and managing attorney of IntelliLaw.
Keep current on the latest developments in business case law with this overview from CLE presenter Paige Greenlee at the 2019 Florida Bar Annual Convention. Paige and host Laurence Colletti discuss the Florida case law updates from June 2018 to May 2019. They quickly review each case and its outcome and highlight some of the more colorful situations that led to litigation. From a cruise ship diamond purchase gone wrong to a dispute over a real estate deal at a tailgate party that may have never happened–tune in for this CLE overview!
Paige A. Greenlee founded Greenlee Law PLLC in 2014, after spending twelve years in private practice at both large and mid-sized firms in Tampa.
Even years after we first heard of blockchain technologies, many of us don’t really ‘get’ it. “Isn’t it just some currency thing?” Far from it. Anessa Allen Santos joins hosts Karla Eckhardt and Renee Thompson at this year’s Annual Convention of the Florida Bar to share her expertise on what blockchain is, what impact it will have on the practice of law, and how it will soon be just as pervasive across our lives as the internet.
Anessa Allen Santos is the founder and managing attorney of IntelliLaw.
With over 107,000 members, taking the reins of the Florida Bar can be a daunting job. At the State Bar’s Annual Convention newly appointed president John M. Stewart feels ready to dive right in. President Stewart shares with host Laurence Colletti his plans to make sure the bar navigates the influence of technology’s proliferation intelligently and efficiently. He also seeks to institute a new pilot program in coordination with the State Supreme Court to help them determine the effectiveness of existing court rules.
John M. Stewart is president of the Florida Bar and a partner at Rossway Swan.
We are all well-aware of the mental health crisis in the legal profession, but how much do you know about the work being done to improve attorney well-being? In this episode from The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Anne Brafford about her shift from big law to the study of positive organizational psychology. They talk about Anne’s book, “Positive Professionals,” and delve into many studies on various aspects of lawyer health and well-being. The findings show that firms that cultivate more support for their employees have better outcomes and greater profitability. Later, they discuss the ABA’s Well-Being Pledge, and Anne explains how its different elements are meant to inspire cultural changes in the profession.
Anne Brafford (JD, MAPP, PhD in progress) is a former equity partner at Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP and the founder of Aspire, an educational and consultancy firm for the legal profession.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit and 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness CLE Credit. Course # 3592.Mentioned in This Episode:
- Anne’s book: Positive Professionals
- The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change
- ABA Presidential Working Group resources–ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers
- Visit the ABA's page for the Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession which, among other resources, includes the Well-Being Pledge Commitment Form
- Anne's website: www.aspire.legal
Retirement requires planning, but not all plans are created equal. The Florida Bar Podcast hosts Christine and Karla talk with business valuation expert Gary Trugman and financial advisor Michael Davino about how best to prepare and effectuate your retirement. Together, they explore the pitfalls to avoid, and the best practices to explore to maximize your return and ensure yourself a comfortable future.
Gary Trugman is a CPA, an accredited business valuer, and the president of Trugman Valuation Associates Inc.
Michael Davino is a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed Inc.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.5 hours of General CLE Credit. Course # 3558.Materials:
How well are guidelines for professionalism understood by lawyers? In this episode of the Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Rebecca Bandy and Adriannette Williams about how the Florida Bar is seeking to elevate professionalism amongst its lawyers. Rebecca and Adriannette outline their roles at the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism and describe the center’s current efforts to raise awareness. They discuss their many programs and resources on professionalism, which teach lawyers how to manage themselves in essential areas including professional communication, social media, mental health, mentoring, and more.
Rebecca J. Bandy serves as the director of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism at the Florida Bar.
Adriannette Williams is the assistant director of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism at the Florida Bar
How can law firms attract good employees and keep them? In this episode of the Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Michael Cohen about the critical things attorneys need to know when hiring, evaluating, or terminating an employee. They outline proper preparation for interviews, effective employee evaluation processes, and how to handle employee terminations.
Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Philadelphia Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE Credit. Course # 3301.
Many people are not aware that the Florida Bar and the Florida Board of Bar Examiners are two separate entities. In this episode of the Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Missy Gavagni and Scott Baena about the roles of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. They outline its various functions including character and fitness investigations and the development, administration, and grading of bar exams. They also discuss the processes of conditional admission, readmission of disbarred lawyers, and the new military spouse rule in Florida.
Missy Gavagni has been the executive director of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners since 2006.
Scott Baena began his term as chair of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners in November 2018 and will serve until October of 2019.
Nora Riva Bergman shows lawyers how her strategies can have a tremendously positive impact on their lives, both professionally and personally. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Nora about her book, “50 Lessons for Lawyers: Earn More – Stress Less – Be Awesome,” and her evolution from practicing attorney to law firm business coach. They discuss how Nora’s strategies for work-life balance can be experimented with and adapted to fit the needs of any firm or lawyer.
Nora Riva Bergman is a licensed attorney, law firm business coach, and author.
Lawyers are in the business of holding sensitive and personal information, so they are prime targets for data breaches. Do you know how to protect your firm and clients? In this episode of the Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Al Saikali about how lawyers should prepare their firms for different types of cybersecurity threats. They discuss how cybersecurity has changed and give tips on different types of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards. Firms of all sizes can implement defenses tailored to their needs, and lawyers have an ethical and legal obligation to take cybersecurity seriously.
Al Saikali is a Chambers-ranked lawyer specializing in privacy and data security law.
Lawyers are in the business of holding sensitive and personal information, so they are prime targets for data breaches. Do you know how to protect your firm and clients? In this episode of the Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckhardt talk to Al Saikali about how lawyers should prepare their firms for different types of cybersecurity threats. They discuss how cybersecurity has changed and give tips on different types of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards. Firms of all sizes can implement defenses tailored to their needs, and lawyers have an ethical and legal obligation to take cybersecurity seriously.
Al Saikali is a Chambers-ranked lawyer specializing in privacy and data security law.
When Florida lawyers behave unethically, The Florida Bar steps in to ensure that justice is served. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Adria Quintela about The Florida Bar’s Department of Lawyer Regulation and attorney discipline. She shares how an investigation works, from the filing of a complaint all the way to what happens after the trial. The episode also features tips for lawyers who have received complaints or wish to avoid them.
Adria Quintela is staff counsel and director of Lawyer Regulation for The Florida Bar.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for .5 hours of General CLE credit including .5 hours of Ethics CLE credit. Course #5584.
Navigating social media can be murky territory for lawyers, especially in regards to ethics. But using it as a communication and marketing tool could make the payoff worth it. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Ethan Wall about how lawyers can use social media efficiently and ethically to promote their practice. For those hesitant to invest the time in social media, they share tips like separating your professional and personal accounts, focusing on the most relevant channels rather than trying to tackle all of them, and buying domains related to your practice even if you don’t plan on using them.
Ethan Wall is a social media law attorney, author, professor, consultant, and keynote speaker in Miami, Florida.
Part of what makes lawyer wellness so hard to achieve is the association of vulnerability with weakness. Attorneys feel they can’t ask for help or even admit they have a problem. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Dori Foster-Morales and Mark Eiglarsh about attorney mental health and the importance of being vulnerable and open about your struggles as a lawyer. They discuss the advantages of meditation and how the Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers is helping attorneys learn how to be happier and healthier.
Dori Foster-Morales is a board certified marital and family lawyer and partner at Foster-Morales Sockel-Stone.
Mark Eiglarsh is the owner of the Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh and also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law.
Abiding by all ethical standards can be complex for lawyers, but with the resources available it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Karla Eckhardt talks to Richard Bush, Steven Teppler, Henry Paul, Judy Rushlow, and John Berry about the 2018 Masters Seminar on Ethics including the most common ethics issues lawyers encounter. They discuss issues such as sole practitioners who don’t have as much accountability, internal cybersecurity issues in law firms, and how lawyers can often feel isolated both in and outside of ethics issues.
Richard Bush is the senior partner of Bush & Augspurger where he has been practicing law for 37 years.
Steven Teppler leads Abbott’s electronic discovery and technology based litigation practice and frequently co-counsels with other attorneys on electronic discovery issues.
Henry Paul primarily represents lawyers in all matters before The Florida Bar, and applicants before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
Judy Rushlow, who served as the assistant director of Florida Lawyers Assistance Inc. for twenty-two years, was appointed executive director by the Florida Bar Board of Directors in October 2017.
John Berry serves as The Florida Bar’s Legal Division Director supervising the lawyer regulation and professionalism efforts.
Meditation could be a helpful tool for lawyers struggling with crippling stress and anxiety, but most are intimidated by the idea or don’t know where to start. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Jeena Cho about how meditation helped her with her stress and how other attorneys can implement it in their practice. She ends the episode with a two minute meditation practice for those who want to see what typical meditation feels like.
Jeena Cho is the author of two books: The Anxious Lawyer, An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation, and How to Manage Your Law Office.
As his two years as president comes to an end, there’s a lot for Michael Higer to reflect on. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host and president-elect John Stewart talks to Florida Bar President Michael Higer about his position. They discuss his initiatives, including his focus on lawyer health and wellness, and the challenges he overcame dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
For this year’s annual Federal Judicial Roundtable, 28 judges from multiple districts allowed practitioners the unique experience of discussing hypothetical cases with experienced judges. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Renee Thompson talks to John Barkett about the event and topics of hypotheticals practitioners discussed, which ranged from document possession to draft expert reports.
John Barkett is a commercial and environmental lawyer with x.
In honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Day, update yourself on what’s happening on the elder law forefront. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Karla Eckhardt talks to Peggy Hoyt and Alex Douglas about the different forms of elder abuse and what advanced age persons can do to protect themselves. They discuss resources, including the elder abuse hotline, and the complexities of guardianship.
Peggy Hoyt is a founding partner of Hoyt & Bryan where she practices in the areas of family wealth and legacy counselling, including elder law.
Alex Douglas handles a wide variety of probate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, and contested guardianship cases with Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson.
For those confused or curious about how The Florida Bar’s e-filing portal works, here’s the information that you need to get started. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Amy Borman and Murray Silverstein about the Florida Bar’s e-filing portal, how it works, and how attorneys can get their documents properly e-filed. They explain document submission standards and offer resources to help Florida attorneys stay current on all things e-filing.
Amy Borman currently serves as the 15th Judicial Circuit’s first general counsel.
Murray Silverstein is managing partner in Greenspoon Marder’s Tampa office.
Most of the time our pets provide us with love and support, but sometimes our pets and other animals need legal support. That’s when animal lawyers step in. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Karla Eckhardt talks to Ralph DeMeo, Matthew Deitz, and Gregg Morton about hot topics in animal law and the growing success of the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar. They discuss programs the section is investing time in and the real difference they’re making in the banning of greyhound racing.
Ralph DeMeo is a shareholder at Baker Donelson with a concentrated practice on environmental and land use law.
Matthew Dietz is a founding member and current litigation director of Disability Independence Group.
Gregg Morton is chair of the Animal Law Section of The Florida Bar.
Criminal law saw some game-changing cases this year that cracked down on jury bias and developed exceptions to the exclusionary rule. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Karla Eckhardt talks to Denis deVlaming about a couple important US Supreme Court cases including Pena Rodriguez v. Colorado, Birchfield v. North Dakota, and Utah v. Strieff and what their outcomes mean for future criminal law cases in Florida.
Denis deVlaming is a criminal defense lawyer. He is board certified in criminal law and has been approved by the Florida Bar to give continuing legal education seminars on every aspect of the criminal trial.
The Florida Bar has recently focused increasingly on health and wellness and how struggling lawyers can overcome the stigma that keeps them from asking for help. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Judy Rushlow and Molly Paris about Florida Lawyers Assistance Inc. (FLA) and the resources it provides to attorneys with mental health or substance abuse problems. Florida lawyers can find help for any situations, no matter how serious, by calling the hotline.
For lawyers seeking help with wellness issues, call the FLA hotline: 1-800-282-8981
Judy Rushlow, who served as the assistant director of FLA for twenty-two years, was appointed executive director by the Florida Bar Board of Directors in October 2017.
Molly Paris began her work with FLA in September 2017 in the newly and much needed role of outreach coordinator, but transitioned into the assistant director position in October 2017.
The conversation surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is shifting from the fear of it replacing human jobs to how firms are using it to streamline their processes. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Eric Ostroff about the impact artificial intelligence will have on the legal profession. They discuss how it can augment your practice by shortening time spent on things like document review and share tips on how to integrate AI into your practice.
Eric Ostroff, a partner at Meland Russin & Budwick, focuses his practice on business litigation and trade-secrets/noncompete law and litigation.
Cryptocurrency is quickly rising in popularity but should lawyers accept it as payment? In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Drew Hinkes and David Silver about how lawyers can and should interact with cryptocurrency. They discuss the volatile aspects of the technology, how attorneys go about accepting cryptocurrency as payment, and the potential for a legal community coin in the future.
Drew Hinkes is the general counsel, chief legal officer, and co-founder of Athena Blockchain, a financial services advisory firm focused on the tokenization of investments.
David Silver is a founding partner of Silver Miller and is focused exclusively on representing aggrieved investors and cryptocurrency users worldwide who seek to recover their financial losses.
Though they are still in the early adoption phase, blockchain and smart contract technologies have the potential to change the practice of law. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2018 Florida Bar Annual Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Anessa Santos and Scott AllendeVaux about what blockchain and smart contracts are and how they will automate processes and address problems within the legal profession. They also discuss resources for lawyers interested in incorporating these technologies in their practice and what’s happening in the near future of blockchain and smart contracts.
Attorney Anessa Santos has 15 plus years' experience in the technology field of UC&C, specializing in providing legal and business consulting services.
Scott AllendeVaux is currently the senior partner at Allendevaux & Company, a risk management and regulatory compliance firm.
Various committees within the legal profession, such as the ABA’s Mental Health Committee and the Florida Bar’s Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness, are brainstorming methods to address the increasingly sobering statistics of depression, severe anxiety, and substance abuse among lawyers . In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Joe Ankus about mental health first aid training and how it could positively impact the law firms that use it. They discuss the benefits of non-judgemental and undivided listening and give various other tips for mental health first aid.
Joe Ankus has been a legal search consultant since 1991 and is the president of Ankus Consulting, Inc.
Identity theft doesn’t just apply to stolen credit cards or social security numbers. For attorneys, scammers can steal names and even bar numbers in order to trick consumers. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Shanell Schuyler about attorney identity theft scams, what they look like, and what both lawyers and clients can do to prevent them. For victims of identity theft, they also share resources within and outside of the Florida Bar that can help attorneys recover from and report identity theft.
Shanell Schuyler is director of the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) and Intake Department of The Florida Bar.Additional Resources:
- The Office of the Attorney General’s Identity Theft Resource and Response Center
- The Office of the Attorney General consumer fraud hotline is 866-9-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226).
- The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services hotline is 800-HELP-FLA (800-435-7352).
- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Computer Crime Common Complaints page: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/FCCC/Common-Complaints
- File a Complaint with The Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov/complaint
- File a Complaint with The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): http://www.ic3.gov/
- Lawyers should report identity theft to ACAP at 866-352-0707, or email acap@floridabar.org.
While you hope to never experience workplace violence, it’s important to know what to do in such a situation. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Deputy M. Dean Crump about the different kinds of workplace violence and the importance of training employees to handle these issues properly. They discuss how to safely deal with terminations, physical security measures, and how to prepare for an active shooter situation.
Dean Crump is the deputy sheriff for Leon County Sheriff's Office.
The role of The Florida Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization and Education (BLSE) is to identify the attorneys who have special knowledge, skills, and proficiency in certified areas of practice. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk about the BLSE with Diana Kellogg, Jessica Malloy, and Steven Rubin including what the certification process looks like and why it’s important for attorneys. They discuss the examinations, cost, peer review, ethics evaluations, and other components that make the certification process a valuable learning experience as well as a means for accreditation.
Diana Kellogg is the director of the BLSE.
Jessica R. Malloy is the education compliance and accreditation manager of the BLSE.
Steven D. Rubin is the current chair of BLSE.
According to a Johns Hopkins University study of more than 100 occupations, more lawyers suffer from depression than any other occupation. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt discuss lawyer wellbeing with Larry Krieger, who expands on why attorneys often struggle with depression and the wellbeing factors that may lead to satisfaction in a legal career. Together, they also talk about why firms should care about their employees’ happiness and how to create a positive environment.
Professor Larry Krieger co-directs the Externship Program and supervises criminal justice externships at the Florida State University College of Law.
If you have questions about professional conduct, conflict of interest, or what information you can include in your advertising, The Florida Bar’s Ethics and Advertising Department is there with answers. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt talk to Elizabeth Clark Tarbert about the Ethics and Advertising Department, including their role with the Bar, common questions they are asked, and why lawyers shouldn’t be afraid to call them for advice. They also discuss advertising rules and how to keep track of these rules as they change.
Elizabeth Clark Tarbert has been ethics counsel for The Florida Bar since 1997, providing oral and written ethics opinions Bar members.
As the year comes to a close, there are a number of things both large and small firms need to think about, one of these things being insurance policies. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Chip Trefry about end of the year insurance planning for lawyers. They discuss what types of insurance lawyers should think about, including health and cyber insurance, and the details of group coverage and tax benefits.
Earl “Chip” Trefry is the owner and CEO of Member Benefits, a full-service insurance and financial services organization.
The 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) is the third of its kind in Florida history. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Mary Adkins, author of the book Making Modern Florida: How the Spirit of Reform Shaped a New Constitution (University Press of Florida, 2016). Professor Adkins has researched the history of the 1968 Florida Constitution and its revisions. Florida is the only state in the nation that offers a process for individuals to speak directly to Commissioners to propose constitutional amendments that could potentially be placed onto Florida’s 2018 General Election ballot for voter consideration.
Mary Adkins is the director of Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy and a Master Legal Skills Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
As Hurricane Irma swept through Florida, it left a number of lawyers stranded without their usual resources so the providers of The Florida Bar’s member benefits stepped up, offering free services and access to resources during this time of need. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast recorded at the 2017 Clio Cloud conference, host John Stewart talks to ServeManager’s Trent Carlyle, Fastcase’s Ed Walters, Clio’s Andrew Gay, and Ruby Receptionist’s Austin Lindsey about their products and what their companies are providing to those affected by hurricane Irma. For more details on what services are being provided, see the list below or check out The Florida Bar’s website.
- 6 months free
- Concierge service
- Access to full National Law Library (3 months)
- Free 3 month access to Clio
- 269 dollars off service
- Unlimited outbound calling
- 3 months free
Trent Carlyle is the CTO and co-founder of Lawgical, parent company of ServeManager.
Ed Walters is the CEO and co-founder of Fastcase, an online legal research software company based in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Gay is a Stanford graduate who was hired by Clio initially as a Support Specialist in 2015, and is now responsible for the leadership and vision of Clio’s Partnerships team.
Austin Lindsey is the corporate concierge at Ruby Receptionist.
The Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) receives around 19,000 to 20,000 calls a year regarding a plethora of complaints like fee disputes or lack of communication. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Shanell Schuyler, director of ACAP, about the most common complaints her office receives and how lawyers can avoid being the cause of these complaints. She also discusses how to handle payment disputes and what to do if clients refuse to pay.
Shanell Schuyler is director of the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) and Intake Department of The Florida Bar.
The practice of law can be filled with stress and conflict that can have a harmful impact on a lawyer’s wellness. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Scott Rogers about using mindfulness as a way to maintain well-being as a lawyer. They discuss what mindfulness is not, how it affects the brain, and why mindfulness is relevant to lawyers specifically. They also explore the impact of technology on people’s well-being.
Scott Rogers is founder and director of the University of Miami School of Law’s Mindfulness in Law Program where he teaches Mindful Ethics, Mindful Leadership, and Mindfulness in Law and he co-founded the University of Miami’s Mindfulness Research & Practice Initiative.
Did you know that the Practice Resource Institute (PRI) provides free resources for Florida Bar members? Many Florida attorneys don’t realize the scope of what the PRI offers. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Scott Westheimer about the future of the PRI, the benefits of being a member, and how the program has grown. They also talk about both the Program Evaluation Committee and the Member Benefits Committee, what they are, and how they function within The Florida Bar.
Scott Westheimer is a partner at Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer and currently serves as the chairman of the Communications Committee and serves on the Executive Committee, Program Evaluation Committee, Technology Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee with The Florida Bar.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Barbara Leach talks to Tom Julin, Dana McElroy, Rick Ovelmen, and Howard Wasserman about the First Amendment, including a couple relevant cases and the potential impact of the Trump administration.
Barbara Leach is the managing attorney of Barbara Leach Law, PL. She practices family law, consumer bankruptcy, and civil litigation.
Tom Julin is a partner at Gunster Yoakley & Stewart and has litigated free speech issues of almost every type in Florida and around the country.
Dana McElroy is a partner in Thomas & LoCicero’s Fort Lauderdale office. She practices at the trial and appellate levels, handling a wide range of matters involving media and communications law.
For more than 30 years, Richard J. Ovelmen has practiced constitutional, land-use, local government, media, class action, and intellectual property law.
Professor Howard Wasserman teaches civil procedure, evidence, federal courts, civil rights, and First Amendment at Florida International University.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, special guest host and future president-elect of The Florida Bar Michelle Suskauer interviews current president and president-elect Bill Schifino and Michael Higer. In their discussion they share experiences, advice, and priorities for this coming year, including a focus on health and wellness.
Michelle Suskauer is a West Palm Beach Criminal Lawyer and an AV Preeminent rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell.
Bill Schifino is managing partner of Burr & Forman LLP’s Tampa office and a board-certified specialist in the area of business litigation.
Michael Higer is a partner of Berger Singerman’s Dispute Resolution Team and is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer who has devoted his practice to commercial litigation and civil trial work.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Joe Corsmeier about social media and the ethical considerations lawyers need to make when using it. They discuss conflicts of interest, maintaining separate professional and personal accounts, and how to effectively use social media to market your legal practice.
Joseph Corsmeier is an AV-rated attorney practicing in Clearwater, Florida.
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