Florida Bar News articles from November 2003

Florida Bar News archives from November 2003

Pariente wages battle against breast cancer.
November 1, 2003... Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente has never been the shy type, a legal dynamo quizzing lawyers with a barrage of questions during oral arguments. But when 54-year-old Pariente joined her colleagues during oral arguments...

Grants available for local bar education efforts.
November 1, 2003... Does your local bar association have a project to reach out and educate the media and the public about the legal system? Then The Florida Bar would like to help--with some cash. Reviewing its Voluntary Bar Communications Grant/Underwriting...

Study to look at the courts' funding needs.
November 1, 2003... With a critical legislative session looming on court funding, the Bar Board of Governors has agreed to partially underwrite an independent study on court monetary needs. The board, at its October 3 meeting, approved recommendations from...

Workers' comp.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... Amendments to Ch. 440, the workers' compensation law, went into effect on October 1. Those of us who represent injured workers predict that the responsibility for medical care and lost income from injuries on the job will be shifted from the...

Legal needs of children.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I am a retired attorney and a volunteer guardian ad litem in Brevard County. I have been following all the letters and articles in the recent issues of the News, and am pleased to see that so much interest has been generated on the problems of...

Family Law.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... The Family Law Section is seeking comments on whether there should be a presumption that children of divorcing couples should spend equal time with each parent. The answer is obviously no. We are all different. Children are all different....

Conflict counsel.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... As part of Revision 7 to Article V of the Florida Constitution, in July the state will assume responsibility for funding "conflict defense legal services." The Article V Indigent Services Advisory Board, created by the legislature to help...

Inventory attorney.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... The August 15 News article "When lawyers die are the clients protected?" makes valid points for the requirement of each attorney to designate an inventory attorney. However, the Bar should recognize that a requirement for designation of an...

Amendments to federal rules proposed.(Letters)
November 1, 2003... The Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure has requested public comment on the preliminary draft of proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Procedure....

Student loans.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I recently read the September 15 News story regarding law school loan forgiveness for public interest lawyers through loan repayment assistance programs. I wanted to bring attention to the federal initiative regarding this issue. The...

New Jacksonville fed. courthouse needs a name.(Letters)
November 1, 2003... U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-FL, recently formed a task force to come up with a name for the new federal courthouse in Jacksonville. The task force is now accepting prospective names for the courthouse. All name recommendations should be...

December appointments to be filled.(Notice)
November 1, 2003... The Board of Governors is seeking applicants for the following vacancies to be filled during its December 5 meeting: Greater Orlando Area Legal Services, Inc., Board of Governors: One attorney to serve a two-year term on this 11-member...

Bar investment earnings grow.(Notice)
November 1, 2003... A strong financial market has continued to boost The Florida Bar's return on its investment portfolio, according to Investment Committee Chair Ian Comisky. Reporting to the Board of Governors late last month, Comisky said the Bar's...

Florida's newest attorneys take the oath of admission.
November 1, 2003... Addie P. Asay never thought she would stand in front of the Florida Supreme Court, much less be honored by the high court's justices. Yet October 7 she took the podium on behalf of her colleagues, the newest inductees to The Florida Bar,...

PAF awards scholarships.
November 1, 2003... The Paralegal Association of Florida, Inc., recently awarded its 2003 scholarship awards. The winners included Nekane Alvarez of Orlando, a student at Florida Metropolitan University, who received $750; Lea Brittain of West Palm Beach, a...

The D.W. Perkins Bar Association.
November 1, 2003... THE D.W. PERKINS BAR ASSOCIATION of Jacksonville recently held its 2003 Scholarship Awards Banquet at the Omni Hotel. More than 430 people heard retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Leander Shaw speak on the topic of "Judicial Independence and...

Current and retired members of the Florida Supreme Court.
November 1, 2003... CURRENT AND RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE Florida Supreme Court were on the University of Florida Levin College of Law campus in October to judge the 18th Annual Zimmerman Kiser & Sutcliffe Moot Court Competition Pictured from the left are final four...

As part of the community service efforts.
November 1, 2003... AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE EFFORTS of Panza Maurer, the Ft. Lauderdale firm put together a team to walk in the American Lung Association of Florida, Inc.'s Blow the Whistle on Asthma Walk. The walk took place October 4. [ILLUSTRATION...

Badly burned police officer retrains to become a lawyer.
November 1, 2003... When the call crackled over his radio, Jim O'Hara, a detective in the burglary division of the Plantation Police Department, happened to be in the neighborhood. A man had taken three young girls hostage and threatened to blow them up. When...

The Lee County Bar Association.
November 1, 2003... THE LEE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION recently hosted a dinner in Ft. Myers on the eve of the investiture of Judge John E. Duryea, Jr. Justice Kenneth Bell of the Florida Supreme Court traveled to Ft. Myers for the dinner and to administer the oath of...

PEC studies certification issues.
November 1, 2003... Changes to two certification programs and an alteration in the certification appeals process are being studied by the Program Evaluation Committee and will be presented to the Bar Board of Governors next month. PEC Vice Chair Dude Phelan...

International Law Section to reach out to Bar groups.
November 1, 2003... With an increasingly global economy, and communications and travel revolutions shrinking the world, the Bar's International Law Section is finding it has a lot in common with virtually every other Bar section. And consequently section...

OOSP Division to stress networking.
November 1, 2003... Using CLE programs and regional liaisons, the Bar's Out-of-State Practitioners Division is seeking to network its members, both to improve their opportunities and build division cohesiveness. "Things are going well," OOSP President Scoot...

Board briefed on proposed new Bar rules.
November 1, 2003... Rules that will make Bar members delinquent if they fail to pay probation monitoring costs, the fees for attending the Bar's ethics school, or fee arbitration awards have been presented to the Board of Governors in preparation for final board...

Health Law Section offers HIPAA forms.
November 1, 2003... Responding to numerous requests from the Health Law Section and other members of The Florida Bar, the Health Law Section's HIPAA Committee has prepared a suite of HIPAA forms for immediate use by Florida lawyers. "The HIPAA forms were...

Court employee takes a break from the war.
November 1, 2003... During his off-time he gets on the Internet, talks on the phone, watches movies, or catches up on some sleep. That sounds like the typical 23-year-old. What makes Florida National Guard Spc. Frederick Pearson, Jr., atypical is what he does once...

Free report shows lawyers how to get more clients.
November 1, 2003... CA. -- Why do some lawyers get rich while others struggle a to pay their bills? The answer, according to California lawyer David M. Ward, has nothing to do with talent, education, hard work, or even luck. "The lawyers who make the big...

How to write a motion.(Tips for the Young Lawyer)
November 1, 2003... If you only had 30 seconds to convince someone of your position, what would you say? Whenever I write a motion, I have the attitude that I have 30 seconds to convince the judge that my position is the right one. I have one page, maybe two, to...

YLD continues work on retooling PWP program.
November 1, 2003... The Young Lawyers Division has fine-tuned a proposal for revamping its Practicing with Professionalism and basic skills course requirements, including partially doing away with the deferment for government lawyers. YLD President-elect...

The Florida Bar's 2004 midyear meeting: January 14-17 * Hyatt Regency Miami * 400 S.E. Second Avenue * Miami, Florida.(Calendar)
November 1, 2003... Wednesday, January 14 Business Law Section-Judicial Liaison Committee 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Florida Supreme Court-Trial Court Budget Commission Personnel Committee 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. International Legal Practice...

Proposed board actions.(Notice)
November 1, 2003... Pursuant to Standing Board Policy 1.60, the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar hereby publishes this notice of intent to consider or take final action at its December 5 meeting on the following items. These matters are additionally governed...

Directory corrections noted.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2003... A number of corrections to the 2003 Bar Journal directory have been noted to the editorial staff. To set the record straight: Judge Dedee S. Costello was omitted from the 14th Judicial Circuit Court listing on page 686. her address is Bay...

Dade Bar YLS sets fundraiser.
November 1, 2003... The Dade County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section will hold a "Bids for Kids" event November 14 beginning at 6 p.m. at Parrot Jungle Island on Miami Beach. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the YLS' children's charitable programs....

The Palm Beach Country Bar.
November 1, 2003... Young Lawyers Section recently conducted its annual school supply distribution in which hundreds of students received supplies for the year. Pictures are YLS Executive Committee members Mike Napoleone, Allison Kapner, Ben Salzillo, Grey Tesh,...

Education Law Committee sets agenda.
November 1, 2003... The Bar's Education Law Committee plans to spend more time working on substantive education law CLE presentations, according to Chair Pam Bernard. The committee's September meeting focused on a variety of substantive legal issues: Minority...

When bad things 'have' to happen: the final answer is ...(Stresslines)
November 1, 2003... Have you ever tried to comfort an inconsolable friend who's been subjected to a soul-crushing experience like getting fired or dumped by a lover? Searching for a means to inflate flattened spirits, we find ourselves uttering something...

Palm Beach FAWL sets holiday party.(Stresslines)
November 1, 2003... The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers will host its annual holiday party December 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Cohen Pavilion. For more information and sponsorship opportunities contact Jane Gordon at...

Supreme Court opens its doors to artists.
November 1, 2003... Every lawyer dreams of going all the way to the Supreme Court. But Florida lawyer Kat Silverglate arrived at Tallahassee's stately halls of justice in a most creative way. "Fifteen years of interrogatories, trials, and briefs, and it...

Robin Rosenberg.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Robin Rosenberg, of Rosenberg & McAuliffe, P.L., presented at the midyear conference of Personal Injury Firm Legal Administrators regarding compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Miami-Date Florida Association for Women Lawyers.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Vail Gardner and Jennifer Webb, associates at Shook. , Hardy & Bacon, Miami, were named directors for the Miami-Date Florida Association for Women Lawyers.

Inner Circle of Advocates.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Bob Spohrer, of Spohrer, Wilner, Maxwell, & Mathews, P.A., has been chosen as a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates.

University of Miami's Citizen's Board.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Steven J. Brodie, of Carlton Fields, Miami, has been elected as an executive committee member of the University of Miami's Citizen's Board for a one-year term.

American Bar Association.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Ken Wright, of Baker & Hostetler, L.L.P., has been appointed chair of the International Investment in Real Estate Committee for the American Bar Association.

Diana Santa Maria.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Diana Santa Maria, of Ft. Lauderdale, spoke on the topic of Direct Examination of the Lay Witness at the A.J. Cone Trial Advocacy Institute Seminar in Orlando. She also spoke in Ft. Lauderdale on the Trial of the Soft Tissue Case for the...

East Tennessee St. University.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Shanell M. Schuyler, of Johnson City, TN, has accepted a part-time professorship position at East Tennessee St. University commencing in Spring 2004, where she will lecture on the Legal Environment of Business.

Teen Court Board of Directors.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Kimberly Page Walker, of Williams, Parker, Harrison, Dietz & Getzen, has been elected president of the Teen Court Board of Directors for Sarasota County.

Leslie J. Lott.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Leslie J. Lott, of Lott and Friedland, P.A., Coral Gables, spoke at the Practicing Law Institute's Ninth Annual Institute for Intellectual Property Law Conference in New York City.

Cathryn A. Mitchell.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Cathryn A. Mitchell, with MillerMitchell, P.C., Princeton, NJ, spoke at the meeting of the New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Association regarding implementing a company-wide trade secret protection program.

Florida Defense Lawyers Association.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Frank Ramos, associate of Clarke Silverglate Campbell Williams & Montgomery, Miami, was named to the board of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association and received the Trial Advocate Quarterly Award for his contributions to the Trial Advocate...

John Newton.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... John Newton, senior assistant attorney general in Attorney General Charlie Crist's Civil Rights and Economic Crimes units, spoke at a Privacy Compliance Conference for pharmaceutical industry leaders. He spoke about consumer protection laws and...

Association of Trial Lawyers of America.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Jeremy Alters, of Ratzan & Alters, has been appointed to the new lawyers board of directors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Florida Defense Lawyers Association.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Spencer H. Silverglate, of Clarke Silverglate Campbell Williams & Montgomery, Miami, was named president-elect of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association.

Marili Blanco.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Marili Blanco, an associate of Holland & Knight, Orlando, was installed to the volunteer leadership council of the Central Florida Chapter of the American Diabetes Association.

Ed Mullins.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Ed Mullins, of Astigarraga Davis, spoke at a seminar of the Inter American Press Association focused on The Media and Legal Attacks. He spoke on the topic of Internet, Defamation, and Personal Jurisdiction.

Frank Rapprich and Michael Haire, of Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley & Dunlap, P.A., spoke at a seminar.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Frank Rapprich and Michael Haire, of Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley & Dunlap, P.A., spoke at a seminar by Lormar Education Services titled Construction Management/Design-Build in Florida.

Charles Fletcher.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Charles Fletcher, of de la Parte & Gilbert, P.A., Tampa, spoke at the biennial International Desalination Association World Congress at Paradise Island, Bahamas. He presented his paper Obstacles to Desalination in the Southeastern United...

Alex Villamanan.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Alex Villamanan, partner of Villamanan & Babinsky, P.A., Miami Beach, presented Protecting Your Criminal Rights at E.F. International School of English.

State Regulation of Securities Committee.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... R. Michael Underwood, of counsel to Steel Hector & Davis, L.L.P., has been named chair of the American Bar Association Subcommittee on Enforcement of the State Regulation of Securities Committee.

Damaris Perez Daugherty.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Damaris Perez Daugherty, executive director of the Teachers Rights Advocacy Coalition, was called to testify before the U.S. Senate concerning the United Teachers of Dade.

Florida Statewide Advocacy Council.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Craig Marc Rappel, of Rappel & Rappel, P.A., Vero Beach, has been appointed chair of the Florida Statewide Advocacy Council for 2003-04.

Dawn Meyers.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Dawn Meyers, shareholder of Berger Singerman, Ft. Lauderdale, has been invited to participate in the Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Ft. Lauderdale Class X.

Mildred Beam.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Mildred Beam, of Mateer Harbert, spoke at the National Medical Association's 2003 Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly in Philadelphia, PA.

Edith G. Osman.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Edith G. Osman, past president of The Florida Bar and shareholder at Carlton Fields, Miami, served as an honorary chair of the 2003 Women's Fund of Miami-Dade County Luncheon at Parrot Jungle Island.

George J. Terwilliger.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... George J. Terwilliger, partner of White & Case, L.L.P., spoke at an American Institute of Certified Public Accountants National Conference on Fraud and Advanced Litigation Services.

Pertnoy, Solowsky & Allen, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Henry Marinello has joined Pertnoy, Solowsky & Allen, P.A., with offices located at 150 W. Flagler St., Ste. 2000, Miami 33130, telephone (305) 371-2223. He practices in civil litigation, corporate and commercial litigation, real estate, family...

Henderson Franklin.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Richard S. Annunziata has joined Henderson Franklin, with offices at Bonita Bay Executive Center II, 3461 Bonita Bay Blvd., Ste. 220, Bonita Springs 34134, telephone (239) 498-6222. He practices in civil and commercial litigation.

Sacher, Zelman, Van Sant, Paul, Beiley, Hartman, Terzo, Rolnick & Waldman, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Robert E. Linkin and Edward P. Degenhardt have joined Sacher, Zelman, Van Sant, Paul, Beiley, Hartman, Terzo, Rolnick & Waldman, P.A., with offices at 1401 Brickell Ave., 7th Fl., Miami 33131, telephone (305) 371-8797. Linkin practices in...

Kandell & Kandell.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Kandell & Kandell announces the relocation of its offices to 2665 S. Bayshore Dr., Ste. 900, Coconut Grove 33133, telephone (305) 858-2220. The firm concentrates in personal injury law and civil litiagation.

McFarland, Gould, Lyons, Sullivan & Hogan, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Angela M. Armstrong, formerly of Angela L. Morton, P.A., has joined McFarland, Gould, Lyons, Sullivan & Hogan, P.A., with offices at 311 S. Missouri Ave., Clearwater 33756 and at 3490 E. Lake Rd., Ste. B, Palm Harbor 34685, telephone (727)...

Claire Diaz has joined Sacher, Zelman, Van Sant, Paul, Beiley, Hartman, Terzo, Rolnick & Waldman, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Claire Diaz has joined Sacher, Zelman, Van Sant, Paul, Beiley, Hartman, Terzo, Rolnick & Waldman, P.A., with offices at 1401 Brickell Ave., 7th Fl., Miami 33131, telephone (305) 371-8797. She concentrates in commercial litigation.

Hinshaw & Culbertson.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Cheryl Wilke has become partner-in-charge of Hinshaw & Culbertson, with offices at One E. Broward Blvd., Ste. 1010, Ft. Lauderdale 33301, telephone (954) 467-7900. She practices in risk management and workers' compensation defense.

Berman & Norton Breman, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Erika G. Nikla has become an associate of Berman & Norton Breman, P.A., with offices at 401 S. Florida Ave., Ste. 300, Tampa 33602, telephone (813) 301-0043. She joins the creditors' rights, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation division.

City of Jacksonville Office of the General Counsel.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Juliana Rowland McFarland, former associate of Foley & Lardner, Jacksonville, has become an assistant general counsel with the City of Jacksonville Office of the General Counsel, with offices at City Hall, 117 W. Duval St., Ste. 480,...

Martin B. Kofsky, formerly of counsel with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart announces the opening of the Law Offices of Martin B. Kofsky, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Martin B. Kofsky, formerly of counsel with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart announces the opening of the Law Offices of Martin B. Kofsky, P.A., with offices at 200 S.E. 1st St., Ste. 705, Miami 33131, telephone (305) 205-6175. He practices in healthcare,...

Holland & Knight, L.L.P.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Rodolfo Pittaluga, Jr., and David Softness, formerly of Akerman Senterfitt, have joined Holland & Knight, L.L.P., with offices at 701 Brickell Ave., Ste. 3000, Miami 33131, telephone (305) 349-2253. Pittaluga practices in bankruptcy and...

Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, P.A.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Justin Zinzow has joined Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, P.A., with offices at 150 Second Ave. N., Ste. 1700, St. Petersburg 33701, telephone (727) 895-1971. He joins the firm's litigation practice group.

Steel, Hector & Davis, L.L.P.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Mia A. Burroughs and Devang Desai have joined Steel, Hector & Davis, L.L.P., with offices at 200 S. Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 4000, Miami 33131-2398, telephone (305) 577-7000. Burroughs joins the firm's litigation practice and Desai joins the...

Steel, Hector & Davis, L.L.P.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Melissa Segarra has joined Steel, Hector & Davis, L.L.P., with offices at 1900 Phillips Point W., 777 S. Flagler Dr., West Palm Beach 33401, telephone (561) 650-7200. She joins the litigation practice.

Rice Rose & Snell.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Karen A. Foxman has joined Rice Rose & Snell, with offices at 222 Seabreeze Blvd., Daytona Beach 32118, telephone (386) 257-1222. She concentrates in criminal and family law.

City of Jacksonvill Office of the General Counsel.(On the Move)
November 1, 2003... Christian E. Blalock, formerly of Greenberg Traurig, P.A., has become an assistant general counsel with the City of Jacksonville Office of the General Counsel, with offices at City Hall, 117 W. Duval St., Ste. 480, Jacksonville 32202, telephone...

Northern Illinois University College of Law.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Robert K. Downs, second vice president of the Illinois State Bar Association, has been named a member of the board of visitors of Northern Illinois University College of Law and the Leading Lawyers Network, a division of Law Bulletin Publishing...

Elizabeth F. Schwartz.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Elizabeth F. Schwartz, of Miami Beach, was selected to participate in a roundtable meeting, held in Washington, D.C., of 25 attorneys from across the country who are authorities on the issues affecting gay and lesbian parents. She also...

American Public Power Association.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Tommy Boroughs, partner of Holland & Knight, Orlando, was named second vice chair of the Policy Makers Council of the American Public Power Association.

Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers.(News and Notes)
November 1, 2003... Manuel A. "Alex" Reboso, a partner of Rossman Baumberger Reboso & Spier, P.A., has been elected to the executive committee of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers.