Florida Bar News articles from April 2008

Florida Bar News archives from April 2008

Quince to lead Supreme Court.(Peggy A. Quince)
April 1, 2008... From roots in a segregated school system in her native Virginia to the highest judicial office in Florida, Peggy A. Quince's career has taken a remarkable path as America moved from the 20th to the 21st century. She now has been unanimously...

Courts foresee staff reductions: 30 percent of the workforce is at risk.
April 1, 2008... Asking the Florida court system to cut its budget by 10 percent next year---on top of 6 percent cuts this year---would be asking the third branch of government to commit suicide, Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Lewis told a key Senate...

Bar convention to highlight diversity: symposium to help firms 'create the winning edge'.(The Florida Bar)
April 1, 2008... Society and the legal profession have become more sensitized to diversity issues over the past few years because both have become more diverse, and projections indicate that the trend will continue. Against that backdrop, it is essential...

Pariente is now a Women's Hall of Famer.(The Hallowed Halls)(Barbara Pariente)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame at a March 11 Tallahassee ceremony. Pariente was one of three women added to the hall at the event, and joins...

S. Court finds CCCRCs are constitutional.(Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel)
April 1, 2008... A unanimous Florida Supreme Court has held that Florida's five regional offices for handling conflict public defender cases and some civil matters are constitutional. The court on March 13---two weeks and a day after it heard oral...

Business Law Section frets about loss of court funding.
April 1, 2008... The Bar's Business Law Section boasts a far-reaching focus, extending across practice areas and increasingly dealing with issues that the average person might not think of as necessarily "corporate." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Among the...

Bill would require circuits to set up collection courts: move seen as a way to help fund the courts.
April 1, 2008... Touting it as a way to help pay for Florida's financially strained court system, a House committee has approved a bill requiring all counties to create collection courts to improve the payment of imposed court costs and fines. The House...

Panel passes Crotzer bill.
April 1, 2008... Praising his patience and understanding, a key Florida House committee has approved a bill providing $1.25 million for Alan Crotzer, who spent more than 24 years in prison for a rape he did not commit. The House last year passed a bill...

Tax on services a possibility.
April 1, 2008... A constitutional amendment that could lead to a reimposition of the sales tax on services will go to Florida voters this fall. The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission on March 17 approved the amendment which would end the "required local...

Standardized compensation bills for wrongly incarcerated move.
April 1, 2008... Choked with emotion, Wilton Dedge--who received $2 million from the state in 2005 for spending 22 years in prison for a rape he did not commit--came back to the Florida Legislature to plead for justice for others wrongfully incarcerated. ...

Court funding.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Sen. Victor Crist's statement, as reported in the March 1 News, that the courts might have "intentionally" set themselves up to a position where they would have to close their own doors, just for the purpose of stimulating "panic at home" is...

Attorney-client privilege.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... I read with interest the February 15 News story concerning public lawyers needing stronger attorney-client privilege rules. The article and the attitude of the Bar's Attorney-Client Task Force was extremely disappointing. Having litigated for...

Diversity picnic.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Despite a torrential downpour, over 300 guests attended the first ever Central Florida Diversity Picnic, held at Stetson College of Law's Tampa campus, to celebrate and encourage diversity in the legal community. The impetus behind the...

ADA training.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... After reading David Petrano's letter in the March 1 edition of the News, I was stunned. He calls the tragic events at the Hillsborough County Jail "state-sponsored disability-bashing." The terrible actions of that individual were certainly...

Foreclosure crisis.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Thank you very much for the News' focus on foreclosures. Hopefully lawyers across the state will be energized to take interest and get busy learning how to defend foreclosures, and putting their skills to the test in their communities. At...

Federal Judicial Roundtable set.(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Florida Bar members will get a rare opportunity to talk informally with federal judges in small group settings, courtesy of the Bar's Federal Court Practices Committee. This year's Federal Judicial Roundtable, set for June 19, from 2:15 to...

Proposed jury instruction dealing with resisting without violence.(Notices)
April 1, 2008... The Supreme Court Committee On Standard Jury Instructions In Criminal Cases submits the following new and amended instruction to the Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases for comment. The committee proposes the following...

Proposed jury instructions dealing with multiple and interlocking counts.(Notices)
April 1, 2008... The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (Committee) has submitted to the Florida Supreme Court a report proposing revised comments to instructions 3.12(a), Single Defendant, Multiple Counts or Information,...

FAWL names TWL an 'outstanding chapter'.(Florida Association for Women Lawyers awards Tallahassee Women Lawyers)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The Florida Association for Women Lawyers recently presented its Outstanding Chapter Program Award to Tallahassee Women Lawyers. The award is presented each year to the FAWL Chapter deemded to have developed and offered the most effective...

FAWL's Johnson aims for expansion.(Sherri L. Johnson of Florida Association for Women Lawyers)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Sherri L. Johnson, president of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, has made it her goal this year to expand the reach of FAWL to include more chapters throughout the state. She was most recently in Gainesville at the University of...

Kenneth A. Gordon has become an equity partner with Brinkley, Morgan, Solomon, Tatum, Stanley, Lunny & Crosby.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Kenneth A. Gordon has become an equity partner with Brinkley, Morgan, Solomon, Tatum, Stanley, Lunny & Crosby, with offices at 200 E. Las Olas Boulevard, Ft. Lauderdale, 33301-2248, telephone (954) 522-2200.

C. Brent Wardrop has become associated with de Beaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris & Neal.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... C. Brent Wardrop has become associated with de Beaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris & Neal, with offices in Orlando, Tallahassee, and Tampa.

Butler, Pappas, Weihmuller, Katz, Craig announces that David Krouk, Lauren Levy, Andrew Watson, and Bryant Blevins have become partners with the firm.(On the Move)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Butler, Pappas, Weihmuller, Katz, Craig announces that David Krouk, Lauren Levy, Andrew Watson, and Bryant Blevins have become partners with the firm. Krouk practices in the Tampa office and concentrates in the area of third party liability and...

Alan W. Roddy has rejoined the Sarasota County Attorney's Office.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Alan W. Roddy has rejoined the Sarasota County Attorney's Office. He concentrates in the areas of land use and environmental law.

Daniel Harwin has joined the firm of Petosa & Associates.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Daniel Harwin has joined the firm of Petosa & Associates. The firm will continue to represent individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries or wrongful death from medical malpractice, nursing home neglect and abuse, products...

Anna E. Mack has joined Simpson & Simpson in Palm Beach Gardens as senior counsel.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Anna E. Mack has joined Simpson & Simpson in Palm Beach Gardens as senior counsel. A patent and trademark attorney, Mack's practices areas includes pharmacology, biotechnology, physical chemistry, metallurgy, and light mechanical arts.

Roland V. Bernal has been named a partner with Groelle & Salmon in Vero Beach.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Roland V. Bernal has been named a partner with Groelle & Salmon in Vero Beach. Bernal focuses his practice primarily on first party property loss claims, defense of first party litigation including bad faith, and insurance coverage analysis.

Robert B. Macaulay has joined Carlton Fields in Miami as a shareholder in the firm's corporate, securities, and tax practice group.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Robert B. Macaulay has joined Carlton Fields in Miami as a shareholder in the firm's corporate, securities, and tax practice group. Macaulay represents numerous domestic and international companies in a variety of transactions and ongoing...

William H. Myers, Robert J. Stommel, and David J. Slenn have joined Porter Wright in Naples.(On the Move)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... William H. Myers, Robert J. Stommel, and David J. Slenn have joined Porter Wright in Naples. Myers joins the firm as a partner and does estate planning, charitable gift planning, life insurance planning, trust and estate settlement, and...

Geoffrey C. Cheney has rejoined Akerman Senterfitt in Miami as a shareholder in the firm's corporate practice.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Geoffrey C. Cheney has rejoined Akerman Senterfitt in Miami as a shareholder in the firm's corporate practice.

David B. Rosemberg has joined Broad and Cassel in Miami as an associate in the commercial litigation practice group.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... David B. Rosemberg has joined Broad and Cassel in Miami as an associate in the commercial litigation practice group.

Carlton Fields.(On the Move)(Carlton Fields P.A.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Carlton Fields has elected eight new shareholders in Florida, including: Cristina Alonso, Johanna Wills Clark, Matthew R. Cogburn, Penelope A. Dixon, Amy Lane Hurwitz, Jason J. Quintero, Mark A. Smith, and Marty J. Solomon. Alonso, who handles...

Andrea Caro as been promoted to shareholder with Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe in Orlando.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Andrea Caro as been promoted to shareholder with Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe in Orlando. Caro practices in both state and federal courts and her area of concentration is civil litigation, where her primary focus is on insurance defense,...

Jeffrey B. Mallory has joined Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A., in Ft. Myers as an associate.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Jeffrey B. Mallory has joined Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A., in Ft. Myers as an associate. Mallory concentrates in corporate litigation, insurance defense, and product and premise liability.

John M. Fox-Snider, George A. Pincus, and Donald E. "Rocky" Thompson II have joined Stearns Weaver Miller in Ft. Lauderdale as shareholders.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... John M. Fox-Snider, George A. Pincus, and Donald E. "Rocky" Thompson II have joined Stearns Weaver Miller in Ft. Lauderdale as shareholders. Fox-Snider concentrates in commercial real estate transactions, including the purchase, sale,...

Linda Spencer-Walters, formerly an assistant chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been appointed as a United States immigration judge.(On the Move)
April 1, 2008... Linda Spencer-Walters, formerly an assistant chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been appointed as a United States immigration judge.

Kenneth J. Metzger, Allen R. Grossman, William M. Furlow, and Edwin A Bayo are have formed Metzger, Grossman, Furlow & Bayo LLC, located at 1408 N. Piedmont Way, Tallahassee 32308, telephone (850) 385-1314, fax (850) 385-4240.(On the Move)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Kenneth J. Metzger, Allen R. Grossman, William M. Furlow, and Edwin A Bayo are have formed Metzger, Grossman, Furlow & Bayo LLC, located at 1408 N. Piedmont Way, Tallahassee 32308, telephone (850) 385-1314, fax (850) 385-4240. The Web site is...

Roberta G. Stanley.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Roberta G. Stanley of Brinkley, Morgan, Solomon, Tatum, Stanley, Lunny & Crosby in Ft. Lauderdale co-chaired the Seventh Annual Breakfast for Champions of the Homeless. The firm received the 2007 Champions of the Homeless Award. ...

Humane Society of Broward County.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John N. Lambros, also of the firm, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Humane Society of Broward County.

Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Walt Dartland has been appointed a public member of the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board by Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty.

Bruce A. Blitman.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Bruce A. Blitman of Ft. Lauderdale has completed the Collins Center Appraisal Services' Umpire Training Program in Ft. Lauderdale and the Advanced Umpire Training course at the Windstorm Insurance Conference in Jacksonville. [ILLUSTRATION...

Jeffrey A. Kasky.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Jeffrey A. Kasky of Kasky & Kasky, P.A., has been certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a family, county, and circuit civil mediator.

Daniel B. Bass.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Daniel B. Bass has become affiliated with the Divorce Mediation Institute of Utah with offices at Suite A, 43 W. 9000 South, Sandy, Utah 84070, telephone (801) 568-0789. He has been accepted on the court roster of...

Jason S. Lichtstein.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Jason S. Lichtstein of Akerman Senterfitt in Tallahassee, recently moderated and presented at a panel titled "Advanced Strategies for Structuring, Engineering, and Closing Brownfields Transactions" at the Florida Chamber of Commerce's 24th...

Ted Leopold.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ted Leopold of Ricci~Leopold in Palm Beach Gardens spoke at the 2008 Florida Justice Association Workhorse Seminar in Orlando on the summation in a products liability case.

Association of Corporate Counsel.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Jean-Paul Durand, senior counsel to Tech Data Corporation in Clearwater, was elected to a third term as president of the West Central Florida Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

Bobbi L. Meloro.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Bobbi L. Meloro presented "Protecting Your Business Through Non-compete Agreements" to the Independent Insurance Agents of Broward County, Inc., at its membership luncheon in February. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ervin A. Gonzalez.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Ervin A. Gonzalez of Colson Hicks Eidson Colson Cooper Matthews Martinez Gonzalez Kalbac and Kane in Miami was recently a featured speaker at the "Truck Accident Litigation from Start to Finish in Florida" seminar presented by the National...

Gregory C. Yadley.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Gregory C. Yadley of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick in Tampa co-chaired the 26th Annual Institute on Federal Securities in Coconut Grove in February. He also made two presentations, one regarding the Securities and Exchange Commission's new capital...

Harvey E. Oyer III.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Harvey E. Oyer III of Shutts & Bowen in West Palm Beach delivered a lecture on "International Cultural Property Protection and Repatriation" at Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville.

Robert J. Sniffen.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Robert J. Sniffen of Sniffen Law Firm in Tallahassee recently presented "Whistleblower Acts and Worker's Compensation Retaliation" at the Labor and Employment Law Section's Eighth Annual Certification Review Seminar.

Rebecca Zung-Clough.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Rebecca Zung-Clough, vice president and wealth strategist for Northern Trust in Naples, has been appointed to the board of directors for the Collier County Boys and Girls Club. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Denise Bleau.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Denise Bleau of Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs in West Palm Beach, and co-chair of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association Labor and Employment Committee, joined with South Palm Beach County Bar Association...

J.B. Harris.(News and Notes)(J.B. Harris & Associates)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... J.B. Harris of Coral Gables-based J.B. Harris & Associates was a guest speaker on Chief Jimmy Brown's "Hot Talk" radio show Hot 105 FM, and spoke on about the status of post-Engle tobacco lawsuits filed throughout the state, entertained callin...

Frank M. Petosa.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Frank M. Petosa of Petosa & Associates in Boca Raton was a featured speaker on Defeating Arbitration Agreements in Nursing Home Admission Agreements at the Southern Trial Lawyers Association 2008 Annual Convention in...

Lawrence G. Walters.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Lawrence G. Walters of Weston, Garrou, Walters & Mooney, delivered a presentation on video-game censorship and First Amendment issues to the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Melissa Kuipers.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Melissa Kuipers, legislative director for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, testified before the Colorado Senate State Veteran's and Military Affairs Committee regarding the relationship between caps on damages...

Board appointments available.(Notices)
April 1, 2008... The Board of Governors is seeking applicants for the following vacancies to be filled during its May 31 meeting: ABA House of Delegates: Three lawyers (one under 35 delegate) to serve two-year terms commencing in August at the conclusion of...

Comp claims judges seek reappointment.(Notices)(Public notice)
April 1, 2008... The Statewide Nominating Committee for Judges of Compensation Claims will meet April 25 at 9 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport for the purpose of interviewing the following judges of compensation claims for reappointment:...

Annual Bar Convention resolution meeting set.(Notices)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Pursuant to Standing Board Policy 11.21, any member of The Florida Bar may offer for possible consideration at the Annual Convention any resolution to the Bar's Executive Committee, acting as the Resolutions Committee. A meeting of that...

Comments requested on senior judges seeking service renewal.(Notices)
April 1, 2008... The following senior judges' current service will expire on September 30, and they are seeking service renewal. Any persons having knowledge bearing upon the fitness or qualifications of any of the senior judges on this list to continue...

Jay A. Steinman.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jay A. Steinman of Carlton Fields in Miami was recently selected as a "Founding Member" of the Miami Beach Health Foundation.

Ellen Koehler Lyons.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Ellen Koehler Lyons of Carlton Fields in Tampa recently spoke to University of Tampa students regarding the Credit Abuse Resistance Education Program. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Robert A. Kasky.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Robert A. Kasky of Kasky & Kasky, P.A., has been certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a circuit civil mediator.

Glen J. Torcivia.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Glen J. Torcivia of The Law Office of Glen J. Torcivia and Associates was appointed village attorney for the Village of Palm Springs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Phillip B. Russell.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Phillip B. Russell of Constangy, Brooks & Smith in Tampa recently spoke at the Florida Transportation Builders' Association 2008 Construction Conference in Orlando on "How to Protect Your Business from Overtime Lawsuits."

Brad E. Coren.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brad E. Coren was recently elected to the board of directors of the Rotary Club of Weston.

A. Renee Pobjecky. (News and Notes.
April 1, 2008... A. Renee Pobjecky of Pobjecky & Pobjecky in Winter Haven recently spoke to aspiring law students at the "Pathways to Law Program." This event was hosted at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, by the International Section of the...

John W. Waechter.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John W. Waechter of Englander and Fischer in St. Petersburg spoke to the staff of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on "Primary and Secondary Markets in Municipal Securities" as part of their "Muniversity"...

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Gregory-Scott R. Haney of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick in Tampa has been appointed to the executive committee of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. Haney also serves as secretary of the museum's board. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Stephen E. Thompson and James D. Fox.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Stephen E. Thompson and James D. Fox of Roetzel & Andress in Naples have been appointed to the Ave Maria School of Law Florida Leadership Council.

Louis Tertocha.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Louis Tertocha, general counsel for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, recently lectured on entertainment venue contracts for the Miami-Dade County Pro Bono Project and at the University of Miami School of...

Herman J. Russomanno III.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Herman J. Russomanno III of Russomanno & Borrello in Miami was recently re-elected to the Miami-Dade County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Robert W. Murphy.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Robert W. Murphy of the Law Office of Robert W. Murphy in Ft. Lauderdale was appointed by the Federal Trade Commission to serve as a panel member concerning "Debt Collection Today: Understanding the Business," Federal Trade Commission Workshop...

Jason M. Murray.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Jason M. Murray of Carlton Fields in Miami recently served as keynote speaker at the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr., Bar Foundation's 2007 - 2008 Scholarship Banquet and Gala, themed "Commemorating 30 Years of Excellence." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

British-American Chamber of Commerce.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Harold Lewis of Pathman Lewis in Miami was recently elected to the board of directors of the British-American Chamber of Commerce.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John T. ("Jack") Manhire of American Tax Solutions in Chicago has been appointed the National Tax Law Division Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Frederick W. Jones.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... Frederick W. Jones of Graham, Builder, Jones, Pratt & Marks in Winter Park was reappointed to the Florida Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee.

Joe Englander.(News and Notes)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joe Englander of Christopher & Weisberg recently presented a CLE course in Dania titled "Find It Fast and Free on the Internet: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web" for the National Business Institute.

FSU students give.(Legal Roundup)(Florida State University College of Law)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... FSU Students Give: Sixty-seven percent of Florida State University College of Law students have made cash contributions to the law school's annual fund, making the 2008 rate of student giving the highest in the school's history. "The...

Sentencing guideline seminar.(Legal Roundup)
April 1, 2008... Sentencing Guideline Seminar: The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association along with the United States Sentencing Commission will sponsor the 17th Annual National Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel...

Dobin & Jenks adds lights.(Legal Roundup)(Royal Palm Beach High School)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Dobin & Jenks Adds Lights: Dobin & Jenks in Jupiter was honored by Royal Palm Beach High School recently as the girls' softball team played its first night game on its home field under lights. The high school failed to provide lights on the...

PBCBNCS donates $90,000.(Legal Roundup)
April 1, 2008... PBCBNCS Donates $90,000: The Palm Beach County Bar's North County Section recently donated $90,000 to local causes. "We are excited to help these organizations who make lives better for so many in our community," said Adam Doner, president of...

OCBA celebrates 75 years of service.(Legal Roundup)(Orange County Bar Association)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... OCBA Celebrates 75 Years of Service: The Orange County Bar this year is celebrating a 75-year legacy of leadership and community service in Central Florida by renewing its commitment to provide legal services to all members of the community....