Florida Bar News articles from August 2007

Florida Bar News archives from August 2007

Court reworks intern program: law students now must get character clearance.
August 1, 2007... Law students who hope to gain experience handling cases before they become attorneys now have increased incentive to apply early for Florida Bar membership. That's because the Supreme Court on July 5 amended Bar Rule 11-1.3 to require that...

Disability advocates seek rule change to promote consistency.
August 1, 2007... Even though he is deaf, when Scott Harrison was an assistant public defender in Pensacola, he successfully defended clients at trial, thanks to accommodating judges and courtrooms wired for real-time court reporting. But when he moved to...

Keeping it fresh.
August 1, 2007... How do Florida law firms update their Web sites? In-House 51% Outsourced 35% Other 14% Source: The Florida Bar's Research, Planning and Evaluation Department

Lawyers make the grade: teachers praise how attorneys captivate their students in Justice Teaching program.
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The students were disappointed when the bell rang!" That high compliment for Justice Teaching lessons taught by three lawyers came from Kimberly Duffey, an educator in the Social Studies Department at Suncoast...

Court panel rejects commissions for evaluating judges: opponents fear government created evaluation panels could become politicized.
August 1, 2007... The Supreme Court's Committee on Judicial Evaluations voted down the concept of a government-created judicial evaluation commission designed to provide the public with information about judges standing for election or retention. Acting...

JAG officer takes on his bosses over Guantanamo detainee.(judge advocate general)
August 1, 2007... To hear Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles D. Swift tell it, he didn't do anything special. As a judge advocate general officer, he only represented Salim Ahmet Hamdan, one of the former drivers for Osama bin Laden and one of the detainees at...

Animal Law Committee seeks section status: 'we follow the rules. We have interest. And we want to keep growing....'
August 1, 2007... The Florida Bar's Animal Law Committee is ready to roar to section status. Chair Jennifer Dietz closed the committee's meeting at the Bar's Annual Convention in Orlando with this confident proclamation: "We are going to make section this...

The Government Lawyer Section.
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE GOVERNMENT LAWYER SECTION recently honored four government attorneys with its first Meritorious Awards for Government Service. The recipients included Geri Atkinson-Hazelton, general counsel of the Unemployment...

Proposed ethics advisory opinions.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Professional Ethics Committee will consider several matters at its next meeting, to be held in conjunction with The Florida Bar's General Meeting and tentatively scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 7, at the Tampa Airport...

Miami-Dade Courthouse Library faces funding crisis.
August 1, 2007... "What kind of courthouse doesn't have a law library?" That's what 11th Circuit Judge Gill Freeman asks in the wake of bad news that the Miami-Dade County Courthouse Law Library is on the budget chopping block because of cutbacks due to new...

E. Robert Williams Inn of Court launched.
August 1, 2007... The inaugural meeting of the E. Robert Williams chapter of the American Inns of Court recently held in Jacksonville. The E. Robert Williams Inn is focused on the workers' compensation practice and is one of the first Inns devoted to the...

Disciplinary actions.
August 1, 2007... The Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 17 attorneys, disbarring five, permanently enjoining one from the practice of law in Florida, finding one guilty of indirect criminal contempt, suspending nine, placing one on...

Rose to run Stetson's Advocacy Center.(Professor Charles H. Rose)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Professor Charles H. Rose, military law scholar and former judge's advocate, has been named as the new director of Stetson University College of Law's Center for Excellence in Advocacy. Rose's new duties include sponsoring national advocacy...

Bar exam standards.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... What a shame. The National Bar Association, rather than embracing the challenge of higher law school accreditation standards, claims that the higher standards will have a "disparate impact . . . on individuals of color." (Re: "Finney warns ABA...

Jury system.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... "The American jury system is dying," according to U.S. District Judge William G. Young in an address reported in the July 15 News. He's right. And judges are the ones killing it. As every criminal defense lawyer in the state knows, many...

Bevan petitions for Bar reinstatement.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Pursuant to Rule 3-7.10, Andrew Arthur Bevan of Palm Beach has petitioned the Supreme Court of Florida for Bar reinstatement. Pursuant to an September 8, 2004, Supreme Court order, Bevan was suspended from the practice of law for 91 days...

Richardson petitions for Bar reinstatement.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Pursuant to Rule 3-7.10, Scott Lee Richardson has petitioned the Supreme Court of Florida for Bar reinstatement. Pursuant to an October 27, 2005, Supreme Court order, Richardson was classified as an inactive member pursuant to Rule 3-7.1.3...

Hudson petitions for Bar reinstatement.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Pursuant to Rule 3-7.10, George Murray Hudson of Boca Raton has petitioned the Supreme Court for Bar reinstatement. Pursuant to an August 15, 2005, Supreme Court order, Husdon was put on the inactive list for incapacity not related to...

Joint U.S.-Russia law seminar set.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... People to People Ambassador Programs, together with the faculty of law at St. Petersburg State University, is coordinating a delegation of professionals specializing in the rule of law who will travel to Russia from November 2-9. The...

Workers' comp judges seek reappointment.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... The Statewide Nominating Committee for Judges of Compensation Claims will meet August 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the Orlando World Center Marriott at 8701 World Center Drive to interview the following workers' compensation judges for reappointment:...

Proposed manslaughter jury instructions.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases submits the following amended instructions to the Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases for comment. The Committee proposes to amend the following...

Emergency amendments to Family Law Rules.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Florida Supreme Court has adopted emergency amendments to the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. The amendments, new form 12.905(d) (Supplemental Petition for Temporary Modification/ Amendment of Custody for Child(ren) of Custodial...

The Committee on Professionalism.
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONALISM presented a number of awards at the Bar's Annual Convention. Pictured from the left are Judge Jim McCune, chair of the committee; Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr., recipient of the William...

Proposed jury instructions in regard to fleeing and eluding and leaving the scene.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases submits the following amended instructions to the Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases for comment. The committee proposes to amend the following...

Amendments to the rules of juvenile procedure.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Florida Supreme Court has adopted an emergency amendment to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure. The amendment, new form 8.978 (Order Authorizing Child to Secure Depository Financial Services Before the Child's 18th Birthday), was...

Proposed amendments to the Appellate Rules.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Appellate Court Rules Committee has published and invited comment on its proposed three-year cycle amendments to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. The below are two additional proposals. The full text of the proposals can be found...

Proposed family law rules amendments.(Notice)
August 1, 2007... The Florida Bar's Family Law Rules Committee has submitted to the Florida Supreme Court an out-of-cycle report and supplemental report proposing amendments to the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. The committee proposes an amendment to...

Board to look at disciplinary rule at Palm Beach meeting.
August 1, 2007... A report on judicial evaluations, proposed disciplinary rule and policy changes, and procedural rule amendments will occupy the Bar Board of Governors when it begins the 2007-08 Bar year at its August 17 meeting in Palm Beach. It will be...

Got a nose for news?
August 1, 2007... The Media and Communication Law Committee is asking Bar members to assist in identifying news reports worthy of recognition at the Bar's 2008 media awards ceremony. The media awards are presented annually in recognition of outstanding...

13th Circuit sets up new Web site.(Website overview)
August 1, 2007... Logging on to the 13th Circuit's new Web site is no longer business as usual, since the site has been revamped and improved to provide a window into the justice system. Pages are now printer-friendly and Spanish translations are now...

U.S. 11th Circuit to amend rules.
August 1, 2007... Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. [section]2071(b), notice and opportunity for comment is hereby given of proposed amendments to the rules of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. A copy of the proposed amendments may be obtained on and after...

Medal of Honor.
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A. HAMILTON "HAM" COOKE, right, of Jacksonville received The Florida Bar Foundation's Medal of Honor Award at the Foundation's 31st Annual Reception and Dinner June 28 in Orlando. The award honors Cooke's many...

Emergency amendments to the Probate Rules.(Notices)
August 1, 2007... The Florida Supreme Court has adopted emergency amendments to the Florida Probate Rules. The amendments were proposed by the Florida Bar's Probate Rules Committee in response to recent legislation. The court invites all interested persons to...

Amendments to judicial fundraising rules.
August 1, 2007... The Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee has submitted to the Florida Supreme Court a report on limitations of judges' participation in fundraising activities. The committee recommends that the court maintain the status quo as to the Code of...

Attorney-Client Task Force sees more work to be done: 'it's not an issue that's going away'.
August 1, 2007... Members of the Attorney-Client Privilege Task Force are recommending the group continue for at least another year while members study issues ancillary to their interim recommendations recently approved by the Bar Board of Governors. The...

Petosa to lead Fl. Justice Association.
August 1, 2007... Frank M. Petosa of Boca Raton was recently sworn in as president of the Florida Justice Association. Other officers and executive committee members of the FJA include: Thomas S. Edwards, Jr., president-elect; Michael A. Haggard, treasurer;...

TWL to meet in August.
August 1, 2007... Tallahassee Women Lawyers will hold its next general membership meeting August 15 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the new Hilton Garden Inn, located on Blair Stone Road in Tallahassee. To RSVP, contact Joy Tootle at Joy. Tootle@myfloridalegal.com no...

Palm Beach County Chapter of the American Jewish Committee.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gary S. Betensky of Richman Greer's West Palm Beach office was appointed to the Palm Beach County Chapter of the American Jewish Committee's board of directors.

Florida Realtor/Attorney Committee.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John R. Banister of Rutherford Mulhall was elected chair of the Florida Realtor/Attorney Committee and re-elected to the FAR/Bar subcommittee.

Dade County Bar Young Lawyers Section.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Joshua J. Hertz was elected secretary of the Dade County Bar Young Lawyers Section. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Gordon & Doner.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Gordon & Doner donated $1,500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach County, which will help provide financial support for 50 children and two chaperones to attend Alonzo Mourning's annual summer event, Zo's Summer Groove/Nike Youth Clinic...

South Florida Interactive Marketing Association.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Gaida Zirkelbach of Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart's West Palm Beach office was appointed programming co-chair of the board of directors of the South Florida Interactive Marketing Association. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

International Society of Primerus Law Firms.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Knopik Varner Moore was accepted as a member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Keith J. Hesse of Carlton Fields' Orlando office was elected to the board of directors of the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Fulton County Government.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Gerry L. Clark has been appointed county attorney for Fulton County Government in Atlanta.

Bay Harbor Islands Town Council.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Robert Yaffe of Kramer & Yaffe in Miami was re-elected to the Bay Harbor Islands Town Council for a fourth term.

Elizabeth F. Schwartz.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Elizabeth F. Schwartz of Miami Beach, was presented with the 2007 Sookie Williams Award for Outstanding Service to the Legal Community by the Dade County Bar Association and the Daily Business Review. Schwartz also received the 2007 Aqua...

Judge Paul M. Glenn.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... U. S. Chief Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Glenn received the Robert W. Patton Outstanding Jurist Award from the Hillsborough County Bar Association.

Michael H. Olenick.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Michael H. Olenick of Carlton Fields' Tallahassee office received the Florida Justice Association's 2007 Pro Bono Award. Olenick received the award for his pro bono efforts to obtain compensation for Alan Crotzer who was wrongfully incarcerated...

Quality Distribution, Inc.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jonathan C. Gold was named senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Quality Distribution, Inc., in Tampa.

Jerry Berry.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jerry Berry of Berry, Day, McFee & Martin was awarded the Donald Van Koughnot "Lion of the Law" Award, which recognizes excellence in legal skills, professionalism, and public service.

Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... David G. Bates of Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart's West Palm Beach office was appointed to the board of advisors of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Greg Ward and Jay Kim of WardKim.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Greg Ward and Jay Kim of WardKim in Ft. Lauderdale celebrated the firm's second anniversary.

Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Stacy L. Feinstein of Feinstein & Negroni in Plantation was appointed to the Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc., board of directors for a three-year term. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Advisory Workgroup.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jeffrey P. Wasserman of Shapiro, Blasi, Wasserman & Gora in Boca Raton was appointed chair of the Advisory Workgroup on the Florida Supreme Court-approved family law forms.

Florida Workers' Compensation Fraud Task Force.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Deborah S. Martin of Rutherford Mulhall was elected one of only 20 voting members of the Florida Workers' Compensation Fraud Task Force. Martin was also re-elected chair of the Premium Fraud Committee for another two-year term.

Roger C. Benson.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Roger C. Benson participated in the Advanced Workshop for Mediators in Intellectual Property Disputes presented by the World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the United Nations in Geneva. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Trent H. Cotney.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Trent H. Cotney of Glenn Rasmussen Fogarty & Hooker presented a seminar titled "Dealing with Defects in Design and Construction" at the 85th Annual Convention of the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association in...

Peter Quinter.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Peter Quinter of Becker & Poliakoff hosted a Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association Seminar titled "Creating Best Practices for Importing Food and Medical Devices" in Miami. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sheryl A. Edwards.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Sheryl A. Edwards of The Edwards Law Firm in Sarasota presented a seminar relating to the recent changes in the Florida Association of Realtors' form purchase and sale agreement to the members of the Sarasota Association of Realtors.

Paul Calli.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Paul Calli of Zuckerman Spaeder's Miami office, discussed "Ethical Problems in Multi-Defendant Cases" at the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' 20th Annual Statewide Meeting.

Frank M. Petosa.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Frank M. Petosa of Petosa & Associates in Boca Raton was sworn in as president of the Florida Justice Association at its Annual Convention. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jeffrey M. Cohen.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jeffrey M. Cohen of Carlton Fields' Miami office presented "Honesty is the Best Policy (If There's Money In It)--Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Collusion in the Insurance Industry" at the 2007 ABA Litigation Section's Insurance Coverage...

University of Miami's Law Alumni Association.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jeffrey D. Weinstock of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs was named vice president of alumni relations for the University of Miami's Law Alumni Association.

Gregory M. Cesarano.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Gregory M. Cesarano of Carlton Fields' Miami office spoke on "Volunteerism and the Act of Giving" at the Atlantic Coast Conference Alumni Directors' Conference.

Circuit Judge Lester Langer.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Circuit Judge Lester Langer of the 11th Circuit Court was awarded the Mellon 2007 Community Service Award at the 91st Annual Dade County Bar Association Installation Dinner. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hillsborough County Bar Association's Community Liaison Committee.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Amy L. Carstensen of Carlton Fields' Tampa was elected co-chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Community Liaison Committee.

David Pratt.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... David Pratt of Proskauer Rose in Boca Raton spoke on "Post-Mortem Issues Involving Family Limited Partnerships" at the Attorney/Trust Officer Liaison Conference in Palm Beach. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Community Partnership for the Homeless.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Ramon A. Rasco of Podhurst Orseck in Miami was appointed to serve as an executive board member of Community Partnership for the Homeless.

Florida Association for Women Lawyers.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Amy E. Furness of Carlton Fields' Miami office was elected president-elect of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Furness currently serves as the organization's liaison to the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations. ...

Boy Scouts of America, Central Florida Council.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... William E. Ruffier of Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna & Ruffier in Orlando was elected vice president of administration for the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America, Central Florida Council.

Milton Hirsch.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Milton Hirsch of Milton Hirsch PLLC in Miami co-wrote a criminal bench-guide for all criminal circuit judges in the state of Florida. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jerald David August.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Jerald David August spoke on "Mergers and Acquisitions Involving S Corporations" at the Seventh Annual Oregon Tax Institute in Portland, and on "Selected Issues in Drafting Joint Venture Agreements, Including Allocation Provisions."

Central Florida Estate Planning Council.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... David J. Akins of Dean Mead in Orlando was elected second vice president for the Central Florida Estate Planning Council.

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Edith G. Osman of Carlton Fields' Miami office was elected to the board of directors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Florida Venture Forum.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Richard A. Denmon of Carlton Fields' Tampa office was elected to the board of directors of the Florida Venture Forum.

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.(News and Notes)
August 1, 2007... Nellie L. King of West Palm Beach was elected secretary of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Robert E. Geisler joined Rutherford Mulhall's Boca Raton office.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Robert E. Geisler joined Rutherford Mulhall's Boca Raton office where he will practice civil litigation, professional malpractice claims, construction defect, toxic tort, premises liability, wrongful death, insurance defense, and product...

Franck D. Chantayan joined Broad & Cassel's West Palm Beach office.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Franck D. Chantayan joined Broad & Cassel's West Palm Beach office in the corporate and securities practice group.

Chad Christopher Hastings joined Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith's Stuart office.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Chad Christopher Hastings joined Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith's Stuart office to handle personal injury cases and business/commercial litigation cases.

Alice E. Meyer joined McDermott, Will & Emery's trial department.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Alice E. Meyer joined McDermott, Will & Emery's trial department as an associate in the Miami office.

Adrian C. Delancy joined Markowitz, Davis, Ringel & Trusty as an associate.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Adrian C. Delancy joined Markowitz, Davis, Ringel & Trusty as an associate. Delancy practices bankruptcy litigation focused on Chapter 11 business liquidations and reorganizations.

Littler Mendelson opened an office at 4767 New Broad St. in Orlando and added six new attorneys.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Littler Mendelson opened an office at 4767 New Broad St. in Orlando and added six new attorneys: Carlos Burruezo, Anthony Hall, Desiree Hill-Henderson, Jeffrey Jones, Juan Lopez-Campillo, and Janine Toner.

Katherine Erickson Loper joined Peek, Cobb, Edwards & Ragatz's Jacksonville office.(On the Move)
August 1, 2007... Katherine Erickson Loper joined Peek, Cobb, Edwards & Ragatz's Jacksonville office where she will focus on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases including medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, auto/truck accidents, and estate...