The Florida Bar's LegalFuel Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Florida Bar
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.
Board certification recognizes an attorney’s special knowledge, skill, and experience in a specific area of law. Established in 1982 by the Florida Supreme Court, board certification helps consumers identify specialists in 27 different areas of practice. Although the certification program has been an option for over four decades, only around four percent of Florida Bar members are Board Certified.
In today’s episode hosts Autumn Chadwell and Jamie Moore welcome Lisa McNelis, Chair of the Civil Trial Board Certification Committee, to discuss the requirements and benefits of board certification.
Lisa McNelis is a partner at the South Florida law firm of Roselli & McNelis. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame and attended law school at Nova Southeastern College of Law. She has been Board Certified in Civil Trial since 1996. For more than 40 years, Lisa has represented the injured and their families, initially becoming the first female partner at a well-respected law firm in Ft. Lauderdale and thereafter opening her own law firm with her husband. Lisa has served on various Boards and committees over the years, including Family Central, Broward Legal Aid, and Florida Legal Aid. She is currently serving as Chairperson of the Palm Beach Grievance Committee and The Florida Bar Civil Trial Certification Committee.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #9542.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Florida Bar Board Certification
- Florida Bar News – Board Certification Isn’t Just a Title – It’s a Commitment to Excellence
- Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Florida Bar Find a Lawyer
When you're a lawyer, keeping accurate records is crucial. It's not just about good business; it's about protecting yourself from potential disciplinary action and ensuring you can deliver the best service to your clients. A bad record-keeping system can lead to lost files, missed deadlines, and a host of other issues that can land you in trouble.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Jeff Hazen, Assistant Ethics Counsel at The Florida Bar, to discuss records retention Rules and best practices.
Jeff Hazen serves as the Assistant Ethics Counsel for the Florida Bar, with over 16 years of dedicated service. Throughout his tenure at The Florida Bar, Jeff has handled thousands of inquiries on the Ethics Hotline, assessed numerous lawyer advertisements, and issued dozens of staff Ethics Opinions. Jeff is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
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 # 9506.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
LegalFuel Article: How long should I keep closed file?
LegalFuel: Records Management, Retention, and Destruction Guide
LegalFuel Document Library
- Client Communications Forms and Letters
- Client Fee Agreements and Letters of Representation
- Lawyer Changing Firms
Rules Regulating The Florida Bar – View the Full Set
- Rule 4-1.6 Confidentiality of Information
- Rule 4-5.8 Procedures for Lawyers Leaving Law Firms and Dissolution of Law Firms
Ethics Hotline – 800-235-8619
Ethics Informational Packets
Ethics Opinions by Subject
- Opinion 06-1
- Opinion 10-2
- Opinion 12-3
- Opinion 88-11
Unclaimed Trust Account Funds
LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Attorneys and law firms are increasingly being targeted by sophisticated scams, including phishing schemes, fraudulent check scams, wire fraud, and even identity theft. These scams can cause devastating financial losses, erode client trust, and damage professional reputations.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Steve Weisman, lawyer and nationally recognized expert on scams, to discuss why lawyers are such attractive targets and what can be done to protect the legal profession from these threats.
Steve Weisman is a lawyer and nationally recognized expert on scams, identity theft, and cybersecurity. Steve holds a JD from Boston College Law School and a BA from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is also a professor at Bentley University and is the author of more than ten books, including The Truth About Avoiding Scams, which Smart Money Magazine recognized as one of the year’s ten best money book. Steve earned a Certificate of Merit for excellence in legal journalism from the American Bar Association and he has written columns for USA Today, Bankrate.com, the American Institute of Economic Research, and the Saturday Evening Post.
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 # 9386.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Scamicide
- About Steve
- All Books – Steve Weisman - Amazon
- Beware of Scam Emails Targeting Lawyers [Florida Bar News]
- FBI Issues Alert on Fake Lawyers Scamming Crypto Victims [Florida Bar News]
- Scams and Phishing Attacks Powered by AI [American Bar Association]
- What we know about the cybercrime group Scattered Spider [Cybersecurity Dive]
- State-of-the-art phishing: MFA bypass [Talos Intelligence]
- SIM Card Swap Scams [National Cybersecurity Alliance]
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Many attorneys have now been working fully virtual for years. During the pandemic most firms experimented with different levels of remote or hybrid work models. For some it worked well, and they continued, but other firms chose to return to the office. While supporters of remote work point to increased flexibility, autonomy, and efficiency, critics worry about the loss of mentorship opportunities and the potential impact on productivity and quality.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Marelize Dingman, of Florida Appeals, to discuss the key to running a successful law firm without a physical office.
Marelize Dingman earned her BA in Social Work from the North-West University in South Africa. After moving to the United States, she was hired at the firm Palmer and Palmer P.A. Following Bill Palmer’s appointment to the Fifth District Court of Appeal, Marelize joined another well-respected Orlando law firm and began managing large corporate events and promoting South African musical artists. When Bill Palmer returned to private practice, Marelize was thrilled to join him and the whole Florida Appeals team as their Firm Administrator.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #9354.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Florida Appeals
- Marelize Dingman
- Beyond Brick and Mortar: The Evolution and Impact of Virtual Law Firms (NYSBA)
- How to Work Remotely as a Legal Professional: A Guide (Clio)
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Succession planning is vital for any law firm, but it's about more than just retirement. It ensures business continuity through the expected transitions and the unexpected ones like incapacity, death, or disaster. For solo and small firms, it is critical to uninterrupted client service, while also maximizing firm value.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Tom Lenfestey, of The Law Practice Exchange, to discuss succession planning.
In his role as the Founder & CEO of The Law Practice Exchange, Tom’s goal is to guide lawyers through the next chapter of their legal career, whether that’s succession planning, exit planning, or strategic growth through law firm acquisition. As a respected leader in law firm sales, Tom has guided The Law Practice Exchange to be the leading marketplace and expert team specializing in aiding attorneys and law firms in buying and selling law firms through continuation, exit and succession strategies. Its mission is to provide education and essential services to facilitate seamless law firm sales and acquisitions and lawyer transition planning.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE. Course # 9312.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- The Law Practice Exchange
- Selling Your Practice with Tom Lenfestey (Podcast)
- Selling Your Law Practice: Insights from Tom Lenfestey on Building a Saleable Business (Podcast)
- How to Value Your Law Firm with Tom Lenfestey (Podcast)
- Rule 4-1.17 Sale of Law Practice
- Florida Bar Ethics Informational Packet: Notifying Clients of Change in Firm Composition
- Florida Bar’s Ethics Informational Packet: Of Counsel
- ABA LPM: Succession Planning for Your Next Firm Administrator
- A Guide to Law Firm Succession Planning: From Emergency Plans to Exit Strategies
- Checklist for Lawyers Retirement, Law Office Closure, Or Law Firm Dissolution
- The 16-Pager: How to Avoid Boredom in Retirement with the Greatest of Ease (ABA Journal)
- Book: Designing a Succession Plan for Your Law Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Preparing Your Firm for Maximum Value (Amazon)
- Book: Younger Next Year – A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond (Amazon)
- Book: Traction – Get a Grip on Your Business (Amazon)
- Succession Planning Guide
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
The use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers has shown enormous potential for efficiency, quality, and improved client service, but it also requires the careful consideration of ethics, data security, and an understanding of the degree of human supervision needed. Agentic AI is now emerging and could further transform the business of law.
In today’s episode host Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcomes Tom Martin, of LawDroid, to discuss the impact of Agentic AI on the business of law and the future of law practice.
Tom Martin is a Generative AI expert who serves as CEO of LawDroid, Principal of Deep Legal, and Adjunct Professor at Suffolk Law School, where he literally wrote the textbook on AI and legal services. As an ABA Legal Rebel and Fastcase 50 Honoree appointed to the ABA Center for Innovation, he's transforming the legal industry through his companies, teaching, and speaking at major conferences like ABA TechShow and LegalWeek.
A Yale and UCLA Law graduate, Tom hosts the LawDroid Manifesto podcast and conference while making a dent in the universe from his home in Vancouver, Canada.
You can follow Tom's writings and podcast at: lawdroidmanifesto.com.
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 # 9290.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Tom Martin, Founder and CEO of LawDroid
- LawDroid Manifesto
- Thinking Like a Lawyer: Agentic AI and the New Legal Playbook
- AI Agents: What Are They, How Do They Work, Why Should I Care?
- What is Agentic AI, and How Will It Change Work?
- Agentic AI and Legal: How It’s Redefining the Profession
- Enhancing Efficiency and Client Service with Legal Tech Tools
- Why Agentic AI is the Architect of Autonomy
- Harvey Launches Deep Research for Legal
- LawDroid Launches CiteCheck AI, a Fail-Safe Against AI Citation Hallucinations
- 10 Agentic AI Use Cases for Contact Centers
- CoCounsel: The Industry-Leading GenAI Assistant for Professionals
- Zapier AI
- Anthropic: AI Research and Products That Put Safety at the Frontier
- The Florida Bar Guide to Getting Started With AI
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Handling sensitive client data and funds has always come with some risk, but now with cyber threats on the rise, attorneys need to be even more proactive in protecting their practice and clients. Maybe you have already considered getting cyber insurance but don’t know what you need to look for in a policy? In addition to covering the costs associated with data breaches and ransomware, having cyber insurance protects your firm and clients and can even improve the delivery of legal services by offering attorneys some peace of mind.
In today’s episode host Christine Bilbrey welcomes Cathy Agacinski, attorney and insurance expert, and Troy Riley, a cybersecurity consultant, to discuss all things cyber insurance.
Cathy Agacinski graduated from Fairfield University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and earned her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law. She has been licensed as an attorney in Florida since 1992, and she is Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation and a Florida Bar Certified Circuit Court Mediator. She is also licensed in New Jersey and has experience as both a practicing attorney and insurance agent.
Cathy is a shareholder at Silver & Agacinski, P.A., where she focuses on insurance disputes, representing injured workers and handling personal injury cases. She is also an agent and owner of 3 Generations Insurance Agency, specializing in professional liability and cyber insurance. Cathy also serves on the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Technology and the Workers’ Compensation Rules Advisory Committee.
Troy Riley is a cybersecurity consultant with over 22 years of experience. He holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida. Troy holds many professional certifications including the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and Project Management Professional (PMP). He has expertise in legal liability, manufacturing, healthcare, automotive & transportation, incident response readiness, security program assessments, and vulnerability management.
Troy is a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), the SANS Institute for Cybersecurity training, and the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
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 # 9232.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- 3G Insurance
- Cybersecurity Committee Co-Chair Recommends Insurance to Protect Against Ransomware Attacks [Florida Bar News]
- New Florida Bar Guidelines Offer Framework for Law Firm Cyber Resilience [Florida Bar News]
- The Importance of Cyber Security Insurance for Law Firms [Clio]
- Cyber insurance for the legal industry [Coalition]
- What You Need to Protect Your Firm From Cyber Threats [LegalFuel Guest Post]
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Trust accounting is one of the biggest compliance challenges for attorneys, and mistakes can lead to serious consequences—including disciplinary action. But what if there was a way to simplify the process, ensure compliance with Florida Bar Rules, and give attorneys peace of mind? Today, we’re exploring Nota trust accounting solution, a free Florida Bar member benefit designed specifically to help lawyers stay compliant with Florida Bar Trust Accounting Rules.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Tim Jakubowski, Attorney Banking Consultant and Assistant Vice President at Nota, and Christina Potter Bayern and Mike Bayern, attorneys and Nota power users, who will share how Nota has helped them maintain compliance and avoid common pitfalls.
Tim Jakubowski has worked with M&T Bank and small business clients for nearly 10 years. He prides himself on passion and partnership – understanding how his clients operate their businesses and providing the best-suited banking solutions to help achieve their goals. In 2022, Tim joined the Nota Division of M&T to help solo and small law firms become more efficient with Nota’s platform and the benefits it offers.
Christina Potter Bayern is the founder of Potter Bayern Law, a firm focused on business litigation and personal injury. She currently serves as President of the Tampa Hispanic Bar Association and was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2024.
Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, Christina advocates for individuals and families impacted by negligence, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries. She also represents businesses in breach of contract and commercial litigation matters. Before launching Potter Bayern Law, she handled high-stakes litigation at a multi-state law firm in Tampa.
Christina earned her Juris Doctor from American University - Washington College of Law, where she served as President of the Latin Law Students’ Association and Co-Editor-in-Chief of a legal publication. She is also a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa where she double majored in Economics and International Studies.
Aside from her legal work and community service, Christina enjoys spending time with her husband and family and finding new places to eat.
Michael Bayern is a co-managing member at Potter Bayern Law, where he represents business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors in complex business, commercial, and real estate litigation. He was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2023 and 2024.
Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts in Crime, Law, and Justice, with a minor in Sociology, from Pennsylvania State University. He then obtained his law degree cum laude from American University Washington College of Law, where he served as Vice President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Honor Society and was a national semi-finalist in the American Bar Association Arbitration Competition—showing his skill in negotiation and dispute resolution.
Michael has extensive litigation and courtroom experience, including starting as an assistant public defender in Orlando, then transitioning to insurance defense work, insurance coverage work, and his current litigation practice in commercial and real estate litigation and disputes. Michael counsels clients on a wide range of commercial, business, and real estate disputes, including contractual disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, business torts, and real estate disputes. He prides himself on being able to help clients mitigate risk and achieve favorable outcomes.
Beyond his legal practice, Michael is committed to supporting business owners and entrepreneurs in protecting their investments and ensuring their businesses thrive. In his spare time, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife (and law partner), family, and dog. They enjoy time outdoors, taking their dog to the park or hiking on the weekends.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course # 9194.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Nota by M&T Bank
- Free Trust Accounting Software Now Available [The Florida Bar News]
- Getting Down to the Basics – Free Nota Trust Accounting Resource [The Florida Bar Journal]
- IOTA Management for Lawyers [LegalFuel Free CLE]
- Rules Regulating Trust Accounts: Chapter 5
- Trust Accounting Resources
- Trust Accounting – Basic Records and Procedures
- LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Practicing law is stressful, but lawyers and judges who are involved in cases where the parties have experienced trauma may find themselves deeply affected by the individual’s trauma and can even experience post-traumatic effects themselves. Just as a victim experiences trauma in a way that can leave long-term post-traumatic effects, their lawyer’s ability to provide competent legal assistance can also be affected. The cumulative effect of this secondary trauma experience on lawyers or judges over time is known as vicarious trauma.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Libby Clark and Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara, the co-founders of The Humanized Lawyer Project, to discuss Vicarious Trauma and the impact on attorneys.
Elizabeth Clark is a passionate advocate for systemic transformation in the legal profession and is a co-founder of The Humanized Lawyer Project, a groundbreaking initiative created with Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara aimed at helping lawyers reclaim autonomy and resilience in a profession prone to burnout and systemic dysfunction. Ms. Clark served as the Co-Chair of the landmark New York Attorney Well-Being Task Force from 2021 to 2022 and as the inaugural chair of the New York State Bar Association Standing Committee on Attorney Wellbeing. She received her JD from Albany Law School and is a member of the New York State Bar. She specializes in real estate development, finance, and operational strategy.
Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara is the Clinical Director & Founder of DBT Wellness & Psychological Services in Saratoga Springs, NY. She has over 25 years of Clinical Psychology experience in various settings including inpatient, residential, forensic, outpatient, and academic. Dr. O’Hara’s area of expertise is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, a highly researched and evidence based psychological treatment. Dr. Kerry received her doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology and has held clinical positions at Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Psychiatric Hospital, Harvard Medical School. During the past 8 years, Dr. O’Hara has focused on the mental health crisis and wellness related to the field of law and has been named as a clinical consultant to the New York State Bar Association Lawyer Taskforce for Lawyer Wellbeing. She currently sits on two working subcommittees for the Wellbeing Taskforce addressing Occupational Policy and Wellness Programing.
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 Ethics CLE credit and 0.5 hour of Mental Health and Wellness CLE credit. Course # 9087.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Attorney Wellness & Consulting
- The Humanized Lawyer Project
- Trauma, Mental Health and the Lawyer - New York State Bar Association
- Finding the Compassion Balance: Mindful Lawyering & Vicarious Trauma (Webinar) - New York State Bar Association
- Report and Recommendations of the NYSBA Task Force on Attorney Well-Being (New York State Bar Association)
- Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Impacted Representation (New York State Bar Association)
- Trauma-Informed (As a Matter of) Course by Natalie Netzel (American University Washington College of Law)
- The Impact of Secondary Trauma in the Legal Profession (LegalFuel Podcast)
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
As we step into 2025, technology continues to reshape how law firms operate and serve their clients. From advanced case management systems to cutting-edge artificial intelligence, which innovations will be essential for boosting efficiency and enhancing client interactions?
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Paul Unger, of Affinity Consulting, to explore the top tech tools transforming legal practices. He’ll share actionable insights on integrating these advancements into your firm, helping you improve operations and deliver exceptional client service.
Paul Unger is the founding partner of Affinity Consulting and holds a degree in Political Science from Capital University and a law degree from Capital University Law School. A national speaker and author, Paul specializes in coaching lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.
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 # 8933.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Paul Unger, Esq.
- Affinity Consulting
- Staying Ahead Of The Curve: Preparing Your Law Firm For 2025 [Forbes]
- Top Tech Tools for Lawyers [Clio]
- How to Secure Your 2025 Legal Tech [American Bar Association]
- What is Agentic AI, and How Will It Change Work?
- How Reasoning Models are Transforming Logical AI Thinking [Microsoft Developer Community Blog]
- 2025 Law Firm Data Security Guide: How to Keep Your Law Firm Secure [Clio]
- What is mobile device management (MDM)? [IBM]
- Cybersecurity Assessments for Law Firms: How Not To Screw Them Up [Above the Law]
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Running a law practice involves more than just handling cases—it comes with a unique set of challenges, from growing your client base to finding reliable advice on complex issues and streamlining daily operations. Every solo and small firm attorney has faced these hurdles. Today, we’re diving into resources designed to assist members with these challenges. From the Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center, the Lawyer Referral Service, Lawyers Advising Lawyers, to the Career Center and more, we’ll explore tools that can help you deliver exceptional legal services while making practice management easier and more efficient.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore will discuss programs and tools designed to assist members in managing their law practices, available through The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course # 8877.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
- The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
- The Florida Bar Career Center
- Lawyers Advising Lawyers
- Mental Health and Wellness Center
- Florida Lawyers Helpline
- Legal Fuel Document Library
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, few innovations have sparked as much curiosity—and controversy—as generative AI. Imagine a tool that can pass the bar exam, draft legal briefs, and redefine the very process of legal writing. But as we look to the future of AI in law, we're faced with profound questions: Can a machine truly understand the law? What happens to concepts like authorship, ethics, and attorney-client privilege in a world where AI is a co-author?
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Dr. Kirsten Davis, Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law, and an expert in generative artificial intelligence in legal writing to explore these questions.
Kirsten Davis is a Professor and Provost's Faculty Fellow for Generative Artificial Intelligence and Higher Education at Stetson University College of Law. She earned her JD from Ohio State and a Ph.D. in Human Communication from Arizona State University. Prior to joining the faculty at Stetson Law, she was a federal judicial clerk, an attorney at Jones Day, and a faculty member at the Arizona State University College of Law.
Dr. Davis has served on the board of the Association of Legal Writing Directors and the Legal Writing Institute. She is a past Chair of the Florida Bar's Standing Committee on Professionalism, serves as the Program Co-Chair for the Association of American Law Schools Section on Technology, Law, and Legal Education; as a member of the Legal Writing Institute’s AI Committee; and as a member of the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Technology.
Dr. Davis’s work focuses on the intersection of legal communication and legal ethics. Most recently, she has been studying the impact of generative artificial intelligence on legal communication, legal ethics, and higher education. She is currently leading a group of over 400 law professors who are exploring the impacts of Generative AI on legal writing education and practice. Her course, Legal Writing with Generative AI, was one of the first of its kind to be offered to law students.
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 # 8875.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Kirsten K. Davis
- A New Parlor Is Open: Legal Writing Faculty Must Develop Scholarship On Generative AI and Legal Writing [Stetson Law Review]
- Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 24-1
- Florida Bar Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources
- Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI [Amazon]
- The Florida Bar Guide to Getting Started with AI
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Professionalism, ethics, and courtroom presence are vital tools for every attorney striving to deliver exceptional service and build a strong reputation. Today, we’ll explore how these qualities can elevate an attorney's practice, enhancing credibility with judges, clients, and colleagues. Organizations like the American Inns of Court play a key role in promoting these standards, helping attorneys navigate the challenges of a demanding profession while upholding the values of integrity and civility.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Judge Ross Bilbrey, to share insights on courtroom decorum, oral argument tips, and the value of the Florida Inns of Court.
Judge Bilbrey has been on the First District Court of Appeal since 2015. Prior to this, he was a Circuit Court judge in Pensacola beginning in 2012 and was appointed to the Santa Rosa County Court in 2006.
He received his B.A. and his J.D. from the University of Florida. Before taking the bench, Judge Bilbrey was in private practice where he focused on civil and commercial litigation. He also served as a legal assistance attorney for the JAG Corps at the Naval Legal Service Office at NAS Pensacola.
Judge Bilbrey is active in the American Inns of Court and previously served as president of the Pensacola Chapter as well as president of the First DCA Appellate Inn, here in Tallahassee.
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 # 8824.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- American Inns of Court
- English Inns of Court
- Counsel to Counsel Mentoring Program [The Florida Bar]
- Lawyer Advising Lawyers [The Florida Bar]
- Oral Arguments Set for Proposed Amendments to Civil Procedure Rules Ahead of January Implementation [The Florida Bar]
- Supreme Court Declines to Erase ‘Zealous Advocacy’ From Bar Rules [The Florida Bar]
- Guidelines for Professional Conduct [The Florida Bar]
- Professionalism Expectations [The Florida Bar]
- Northern District of Florida [Courtroom Etiquette]
- Middle District of Florida [Courtroom Decorum]
- Guidelines for Professional Conduct [The Florida Bar]
- Effective Brief Writing and Oral Argument: Gaining the Inside Track [The Florida Bar]
- Florida Voluntary Bars
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Every day, lawyers work diligently to solve their clients’ legal issues, but finding the right information in the most efficient manner can be a challenge. Enter vLex Fastcase, an innovative tool built to change the way legal work gets done. From AI-driven insights to seamless integration into daily workflows, this platform offers new ways for lawyers to work faster and smarter, and ultimately enhance the delivery of client services. Today, we’ll explore how this game-changing resource can assist attorneys and how Florida Bar members can benefit from it at no additional cost.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Alex Shaffer, a Customer Success Manager of vLex, to discuss the vLex Fastcase platform features.
Alex graduated from the University of Texas School of Law and went on to litigate cases in the trial division of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. While balancing a fast-paced litigation schedule, he quickly came to appreciate the need for quick and reliable research.
Now, Alex leverages vLex's innovative solutions to eliminate the many research roadblocks that stand between attorneys and successful results. His work is centered on reducing attorneys' research hours so that they may redirect their focus to where it matters most— their clients' success.
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 # 8825.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Florida Bar Member Benefit – vLex Fastcase
- vLex Fastcase Benefit Introduction - Webinar
- vLex – Your Ultimate Legal AI Platform
- vLex Resource Guides
- vLex Videos
- Best Practices for Utilizing AI in Your Law Firm
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
The legal profession is known for its intensity and constant pressure. But what happens when personal challenges and mental health struggles start to affect those who uphold the law? Today, we’re diving into the often-overlooked mental health challenges faced by attorneys, judges, and courtroom staff, exploring how these issues impact professional conduct and what steps can be taken to find balance, support, and resilience in a demanding career.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Judge Alicia Latimore, circuit court judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Florida to discuss strategies for balancing self-care with professional duties.
The Honorable Alicia Latimore was appointed to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in 2005. She has also served as the Administrative Circuit Judge for the Unified Problem Solving Court. Prior to her appointment, Judge Latimore was in private practice, specializing in marital, family, and juvenile law and served as an appeals referee and an administrative hearing officer for the Florida State Department of Labor Appeals for Unemployment Compensation. She was also a traffic infraction officer for the 9th Judicial Circuit Court from 1994 to 1997. Judge Latimore graduated from Duke University in 1985 and received her JD from the University of Florida in 1990.
Judge Latimore gives back to her community in many ways outside of the courtroom, but she has focused on teaching the next generation of lawyers and jurists as an adjunct professor at Barry University's School of Law. Judge Latimore was recently elected as the circuit conference member of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates allegations of judicial misconduct and disability against Florida state judges. She is also a longtime member of the Florida Bar’s Mental Health & Wellness Committee.
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 # 8823.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Florida Bar Mental Health and Wellness Center
- Florida Lawyer Helpline
- 833-FL1-WELL (833-351-9355)
- Mental Health & Wellness of Florida Lawyers Committee
- Florida Lawyers Assistance
- Lawyers Call (954) 566-9040
- Judges Call (888) 972-4040
- Florida Judicial Wellness Program
- Well-Being in Law (American Bar Association)
- Mental Health First Aid Training
- Florida Bar Journal: The Surprising Master Key to Happiness and Satisfaction According to the Lawyer Research
- The Impact of Secondary Trauma in the Legal Profession
- National Library of Medicine: Dimensions of Wellness – Change Your Habits, Change Your Life
- LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Not every client interaction or legal matter goes as expected. Billing disagreements, unmet expectations, and misunderstandings can quickly escalate, leaving attorneys vulnerable to disciplinary action. Fortunately, mediation provides an alternative—a confidential, informal approach to resolving disputes before they escalate. Through The Florida Bar’s free mediation program, attorneys and clients can engage with a neutral mediator to find common ground, saving time, expense, and stress compared to formal proceedings. Today, we'll explore how this program helps attorneys navigate conflict, protect their practice, and reach resolutions that work for everyone involved.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Shanell Schuyler and Christina Magee to discuss The Florida Bar’s mediation program.
Shanell Schuyler serves as the Director of the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) and Intake Department of The Florida Bar. She also supervises the Bar’s Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration Program, the Practice and Professionalism Enhancement Programs, and Diversion/Discipline Consultation Services. Shanell is a graduate of Florida State University, cum laude, with a B.S. in Finance, and Stetson University College of Law. She began working for The Florida Bar as a senior attorney in 2007. She became director of the ACAP/Intake Department in February 2012. Shanell is an active member of the National Organization of Bar Counsel where she frequently speaks on topics pertinent to lawyer regulation.
Christina Magee received her JD from the NYU School of Law and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil, Appellate, and County Mediator. She is a Qualified Arbitrator and is on the AAA Arbitration and Mediation panel for Commercial and Employment matters. Ms. Magee founded Brevard Mediation Services in 2011 and restricts her practice to mediation, arbitration, and other forms of dispute resolution. She is on the roster of Mediators for the US District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. She is also a member of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators and a diplomate of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. She currently serves on the Florida Bar’s Grievance Mediation & Fee Arbitration Committee.
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 # 8800.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
- Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP)
- Grievance Mediation & Fee Arbitration Committee
- Rules Regulating The Florida Bar Chapter 14: Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration
- Mediation in Florida [Florida Courts]
- Consumer Pamphlet: Grievance Mediation Program
- Mediation [Article: The Florida Bar]
While most attorney-client relationships end without disputes over fees, disagreements can sometimes develop. These disputes often result from misunderstandings or communication breakdowns and can occasionally lead to a bar complaint. Fee issues can occur between attorneys and clients or even between attorneys involved in the same case. Although these disputes can be resolved through the courts, alternative solutions are available. The Florida Bar offers a fee arbitration program, which functions like a mini trial. In this program, an arbitrator makes a final and binding decision after reviewing evidence and hearing testimony. This arbitration process is free, voluntary, and can be initiated by either the attorney or the client. By utilizing this program, attorneys can better serve their clients and avoid involvement in the disciplinary system.
In today’s episode host Jamie Moore welcomes Shanell Schuyler and Steven Lesser to discuss The Florida Bar’s fee arbitration program.
Shanell Schuyler serves as the Director of the Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) and Intake Department of The Florida Bar. She also supervises the Bar’s Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration Program, the Practice and Professionalism Enhancement Programs, and Diversion/Discipline Consultation Services. Shanell is a graduate of Florida State University, cum laude, with a B.S. in Finance, and Stetson University College of Law. She began working for The Florida Bar as a senior attorney in 2007. She became director of the ACAP/Intake Department in February 2012. Shanell is an active member of the National Organization of Bar Counsel where she frequently speaks on topics pertinent to lawyer regulation.
Steven B. Lesser chairs the national Construction Law and Litigation practice group at his firm. He is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar and focuses solely on construction law and litigation, including governmental construction claims, defense, and hotel/condominium disputes. A Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, he was elected to the Board of Governors in 2022 for a 3-year term. He has received numerous awards from the Florida Bar and American Bar Associations for his contributions to the construction industry.
Mr. Lesser is a Past-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, the largest construction lawyer group globally, known for its scholarly publications and programs on construction law. He also served as Past-Chair of The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education committee, overseeing the Bar’s certification plan and 27 certification committees. Additionally, he has held leadership roles in various Florida Bar and American Bar Association Committees, including Past-Chair of the Florida Bar Construction Law Certification Committee.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 8663.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Grievance Mediation & Fee Arbitration Committee [The Florida Bar]
Keep Your Fee Dispute Out of Court [Video]
Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP)
Complaint Alternatives [The Florida Bar]
Bar’s Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration Program Seeks Volunteers [The Florida Bar]
Grievance Mediation & Fee Arbitration Volunteer Form
Rules Regulating The Florida Bar Chapter 14 Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration
Many lawyers struggle with the pressures of practicing law and the impact it has on their mental health and work performance. Finding some satisfaction in your work and even a sense of purpose can go a long way in alleviating the misery that you may be feeling. While you may still not love practicing law, you can learn to adjust your view to see the value that your work brings to your clients or to the community.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Stuart Teicher, to discuss his book, “How to Stop Hating the Law”. He offers actionable strategies for making the practice of law more enjoyable or at least more tolerable.
Stuart Teicher is a professional legal educator who focuses on ethics law and writing instruction. He is a Supreme Court appointee to the New Jersey District Ethics Committee where he investigates and prosecutes grievances filed against attorneys. Stuart teaches Professional Responsibility at Georgetown Law and undergraduate writing at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
A practicing attorney for over 25 years, Stuart’s career is now dedicated to helping fellow attorneys survive the practice of law and thrive in the profession through seminars, in-house training for law firms, CLE instruction, and keynote speeches at conventions and association meetings. Stuart helps attorneys get better at what they do (and enjoy the process) through his entertaining and educational CLE performances. His previous book, “Navigating the Legal Ethics of Social Media and Technology”, was published by Thomson Reuters.
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 # 8579.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
· Stuart Teicher
o Contact
o Buy My Book
o How to Stop Hating the Law: A path to hope for miserable lawyers [Amazon]
· Florida Bar Practice Resource Center CLEs with Stuart Teicher
· Florida Lawyers Helpline
· How to Start and Build a Law Practice [Amazon]
· LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
As an attorney, you rely on your staff, but HR issues with your staff can catch you off guard and when not handled properly, these issues can completely disrupt the successful delivery of service to your clients. Human Resource management is essential for every business, but in a small firm, the HR department is most likely just you. And like any business, firms must comply with federal and state labor laws on overtime, maternity leave, discrimination, etc. Unless you are a labor and employment law attorney, you may not be aware of all the requirements and best practices. This can result in inconsistent policy enforcement or inadequate documentation of performance issues, ultimately leading to some avoidable headaches.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Kevin Johnson, an employment defense attorney, and Shareholder of Johnson Jackson, to discuss HR best practices for law firms.
Kevin Johnson graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by The Florida Bar since 2007. For more than two decades, Kevin has represented and advised employers about laws that affect their relationships with employees, helped them solve problems when they arise, and defended them against discrimination charges and lawsuits filed by their employees. His clients range from national restaurant chains, retail employers, and large hospitals, to independent restaurants, medical practices, and other local employers. Kevin has experience litigating cases in jurisdictions throughout the United States, both in single-plaintiff cases and in nationwide class and collective actions. He has been recognized in the field of employment law by various publications, including Best Lawyers in America, Florida Trend, and Super Lawyers. Kevin is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell. He has also been recognized by The Florida Bar for his involvement with promoting technology and practice-management education for Florida lawyers.
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 Labor and Employment Law CLE credit. Course # 8619.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Johnson Jackson PLLC
- Kevin D. Johnson
SHRM
- How Small-Business Owners Successfully Delegate HR [SHRM]
U.S. Department of Labor
- Family and Medical Leave Act [U.S. Department of Labor]
- Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act [U.S. Department of Labor]
- Employee or Independent Contractor Classification [U.S. Department of Labor]
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]
- What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]
Americans with Disabilities Act [U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division]
U.S. Department of Labor mandates two salary threshold increases for white collar FLSA exemptions and a mechanism for future automatic increases [Employment Law Watch]
LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
The ABA 2023 Tech Survey highlights that 56% of respondents regularly utilize fee-based online services for legal research, with an additional 21% using them occasionally. Surprisingly, 12% never utilize these resources. Despite the abundance of technological options available for legal research, many lawyers still hold a preference for hard copy books. Research suggests that modern screens and e-readers struggle to replicate the tactile experiences of reading on paper, hindering the natural navigation of lengthy texts. For lawyers, books offer a tangible resource for easy browsing, annotation, and cross-referencing that online research might not offer.
In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Maggie O’Neill, to discuss why books are still relevant in the practice of law.
Maggie O'Neill holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota, and a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.
For over 17 years, Maggie ran a solo practice specializing in family law and dependency cases, focusing on litigation and mediation. Maggie's experience in the publishing industry is extensive, having held key roles including Vice President of Product Management and Vice President of HR Publishing at Thomson Reuters and as Editor in Chief of Professional Publications at Reed Elsevier. Additionally, Maggie worked at Callaghan and Company as a Legal Editor and Project Manager.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit. Course # 8493.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
· Florida Bar Member Benefits: Legal Publications
o The Florida Bar and LexisNexis Store
o Contact Sales 1-877-394-8826
· ABA to release TechReport 2023 survey on legal tech trends [American Bar Association]
· ABA Profile of the Legal Profession 2023 [American Bar Association]
· The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens [Scientific American]
While the legal field has historically been hesitant to adopt new technology, AI is now slowly sweeping into law firms. Integrating AI programs can dramatically boost a firm’s efficiency and reduce costs by assisting with many tasks including legal research, document drafting and review, and even automated client communication. There is a clear upside to implementing AI, but legal professionals must also be aware of the risks and ethical concerns that come with its use.
In today's episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Damien Riehl, to discuss best practices for utilizing AI in the law firm.
Damien Riehl is a lawyer, technologist, and lead product designer at vLex with experience in complex litigation, digital forensics, and software development. A coder since 1985 and for the web since 1995, Damien clerked for the chief judges of state and federal courts, practiced in complex litigation for over a decade, has led teams of cybersecurity and world spanning digital forensics investigations, and has led teams in legal-software development.
Co-Chair of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles, he has helped recommend changes to Minnesota statutes, rules, and policies — all related to connected and autonomous vehicles. Damien is Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association's working group on AI and the Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL).
At SALI, the legal data standard he helps lead, Damien develops and has greatly expanded the taxonomy of over 14,000 legal tags that matter, helping the legal industry's development of Generative AI, analytics, and interoperability.
At vLex Group – which includes Fastcase, NextChapter, and Docket Alarm – Damien helps lead the design, development, and expansion of various products, integrating AI-backed technologies to improve legal workflows and to power legal data analytics.
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 # 8473.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
LLMs for Legal Tasks: Best Practices [by Damien Riehl]
vLex – Your Ultimate Legal AI Platform
Latest version of ChatGPT aces bar exam with score nearing 90th percentile [ABA Journal]
AI Agents and The Era of The Intelligent Interface [Forbes]
Affective Computing: Advancing human wellbeing by developing new ways to communicate, understand, and respond to emotion [MIT]
Why We Need to See Inside AI’s Black Box [Scientific American]
Understanding AI Terms: What is a Foundational Model? [The National Law Review]
AI in Law: Transforming Legal Practices [Clio]
What is AI and How Can Law Firms Use it? [Clio]
LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar detail the many required procedures and the professional conduct of our members. They are designed to protect the public and maintain ethical standards within the legal field. When the Bar receives a complaint, it is often due to a lack of understanding or awareness of the rules by the attorney. Here at the Practice Resource Center, we actively try to assist our members with resources and guidance so that they have the tools and knowledge to be compliant with the Rules.
So, in today’s podcast, we’re going to discuss some essential, but perhaps less well-known Bar Rules that every lawyer should be aware of to avoid a disciplinary action.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 8346.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
· Supreme Court Reduces the Number of Mandatory CLE Hours
· Supreme Court-Mandated Professionalism CLE Now Available
· Frequently Asked Questions About CLE Requirements
· Designate Your Inventory Lawyer Today!
· If a lawyer is leaving a firm, which clients to notify?
· LegalFuel Document Library: Lawyer Changing Firms
· Trust Accounting – Basic Records and Procedures
· It Is a Requirement That the Trust Account Compliance Certificate Be Completed
· Trust Account Compliance Certificate Instructions
· Trust Accounting FAQs
· Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP)
· How long should I keep closed files?
· How to Establish an Interstate Law Practice? What are some pitfalls to avoid?
· Choose a Corporate Structure
· Should I form a professional service corporation? Do I have to?
· Modern Complexity Demands New Ways of Working: The Future of The Lawyer-Nonlawyer Partnership
· The Florida Bar Ethics Informational Packets
· Best Practices for Law Firm Invoices [Guest Post]
· LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Lawyers often invest in technology but may not utilize it effectively, leading to a missed return on investment. Strategic spending on impactful technology is crucial when you are a solo or small firm on a budget.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Catherine Sanders Reach, to discuss cost-effective technology tools and services you may already have at your disposal.
Catherine Sanders Reach provides practice technology and management assistance to lawyers and legal professionals. Formerly, she was Director of Law Practice Management and Technology for the Chicago Bar Association and the Director at the American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Resource Center. Prior to her work at the NCBA, CBA and ABA she worked in library and information science environments for several years, working at Ross and Hardies as a librarian. She received a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of Alabama.
Catherine’s professional activities include articles for Law Practice magazine, Law Technology News and GPSolo Magazine, as well as numerous other publications. She has given presentations on the use of technology in law firms for national bar conferences, state and local bar associations and organizations such as the National Association of Bar Council and the Association of American Law Schools.
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 # 8284.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
· About Catherine Sanders Reach
· Subscribe to North Carolina Bar Association CPM ICYMI Newsletter
· Articles Written by Catherine Sanders Reach
o Free and Cheap Technology for Thrifty Lawyers
o Can MS 365 Replace Law Practice Management Software?
o Expand MS 365 with Add-ins and Integrations
o Adobe Acrobat Has a New (Inter)Face
o Microsoft 365 versus Google Workspace
o Trying Out LinkedIn Newsletters
· Other Resources
o Microsoft Bookings
o Use Planner in Microsoft Teams
o Removing sensitive content from PDFs
o Fastcase Quick Reference Guide
o Dashlane Authenticator app
o Keeper Authenticator
o Zoom VoIP Phone Services
o Microsoft Teams Phone
· LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center
Back in the day, law firms either relied on their reputations and referrals from former clients or they paid for billboards and phone book ads. If you are a solo or small firm practitioner, you likely don’t have a lot of time or a huge marketing budget to compete with larger firms to attract new clients, but a simple, well-crafted digital marketing strategy can be all that you need for maintaining a steady flow of client activity.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Rob Saravia and Jeff Hazen, to discuss practical marketing tips and Bar Advertising Rules.
Rob Saravia is The Florida Bar’s new marketing manager aiding growth in the Programs Department. He brings over 4 years of experience in the marketing field, with a focus on the dynamic realm of retail marketing. Rob is a graduate of Florida State University with a double major in Marketing and Economics.
Jeff Hazen serves as the Assistant Ethics Counsel for the Florida Bar, with over 15 years of dedicated service. Throughout his tenure at The Florida Bar, Jeff has handled thousands of inquiries on the Ethics Hotline, assessed numerous lawyer advertisements, and issued dozens of staff Ethics Opinions. Jeff is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 8214.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
• Article: Law Firm Marketing Strategy: Top 8 Ideas to Grow a Legal Practice (by Clio)
• The Florida Bar Advertising Regulation and Information
• Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation
• Chapter 4 Rules of Professional Conduct
• 4-7.13 Deceptive and Inherently Misleading Advertisements
• 4-7.16 Presumptively Valid Content
• 4-7.18 Direct Contact with Prospective Clients
• 4-7.20 Exemptions from the Filing and Review Requirement
• Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 20-01: Negative Online Reviews
• Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 21-1: Negative Online Reviews
• Ethics Hotline 800-235-8619
• Grow Your Practice – Join the Lawyer Referral Service
• LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
• LegalFuel: Marketing Resources
Microsoft 365 is a must for many legal professionals who rely on its wide range of time saving and regularly enhanced tools. There are also specifically designed features within the software to streamline your daily legal workflow that you may not be aware of. Now artificial intelligence has been integrated across Microsoft 365. It’s called Copilot and it is poised to become your new digital assistant inside of all the Microsoft applications that you are already using. Smart lawyers should take note and ask how Copilot can instantly and fundamentally change how you get work done in your firm.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Ben Schorr, a Senior Content Manager at Microsoft, to discuss Microsoft 365 and Copilot.
Ben Schorr is a Senior Content Program Manager at Microsoft. He is also the author of several books and articles on technology including “The Lawyer’s Guide to Microsoft Outlook,” “The Lawyer’s Guide to Microsoft Word” and “OneNote in One Hour.” He was a Microsoft MVP for 20 years and has been involved in management and technology for more than 30. In his free time, he’s a slow Ironman triathlete and a high school football coach. He currently lives with his family in Redmond, WA.
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 # 8203.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Ben Schorr - LinkedIn
- Books by Ben Schorr
- Article by Ben Schorr: Which Office 365 Package is Right for Your Law Firm?
Microsoft
- Microsoft Copilot
- Official Microsoft Blog: Announcing Microsoft Copilot, your everyday AI companion
- Microsoft: Rehearse your slide show with Speaker Coach
- Summarize an email thread with Copilot
- Get started with Microsoft 365 Chat in Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft OneDrive for Business
- Natural language search in Outlook
LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Beginning in March of 2020, the pandemic transformed every aspect of our lives. For most of us who had reported to an office every day, this meant a very sudden shift to remote only work. Law firms had to quickly adapt to stay connected to the courts, colleagues, and their clients. We are now more than three years out and while some firms found that remote work was seamless and chose to continue it, other firms have gone to a hybrid model or banned remote work completely. According to a recent ABA report, 89% of lawyers in private practice are allowed to work remotely, with 18% permitted to work out of the office all the time and 45% with the flexibility to choose their own schedule. Here at the Practice Resource Center, we were curious to hear how it’s all working out.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Richard Rivera, Partner at Smith Gambrell Russell, to discuss how the firm’s Jacksonville office has adapted to the new normal.
Richard Rivera received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Florida in 2009 and earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the Florida State University College of Law. Rich works in both the Litigation and the Intellectual Property Practice Groups. His IP practice is concentrated in trademark and copyrights, compliance with state and federal laws governing sweepstakes and other promotional activities, software and internet technology, marketing, and licensing issues. He also prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office. Rich is also the current Chair of The Florida Bar’s Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers Committee.
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 # 8185.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Smith Gambrell Russell
- About Rich Rivera
- ABA Article: Are law firm leaders having second thoughts on remote work?
Intapp Time
Article: How to Work Remotely as a Legal Professional: A Guide (from Clio)
Article: Working remotely is now a top priority, says new ABA report highlighting lasting shifts in practice of law
- ABA 2022 Practice Forward Report: Where Does the Legal Profession Go from Here?
LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
A recent Bar News article stated that: “Trust account maintenance and compliance is critically important. Lawyers who agree to hold money in trust have an ethical obligation to account for every penny as long as the funds remain in their possession. Commingling of funds, poor ledger management, and even basic accounting errors can result in client complaints, audits, and disciplinary action that could lead to suspension or disbarment. And while most attorneys diligently comply with Rules Regulating Trust Accounts (Chapter 5), trust accounting violations have ranked among the top three most common disciplinary complaints over the past three years and is on track to be the top complaint in 2022-2023.”
That is why Scott Westheimer, the current Florida Bar president, has made it a top priority to offer all Florida Bar members a high-quality, free trust accounting solution. In partnership with Nota by M&T Bank, this initiative has become a reality.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Nota Co-Founder and CEO, Paul Garibian, and Nota Product Manager, Rosalie Shaughnessy, to discuss the Florida Bar’s newest member benefit, Nota by M&T Bank.
Paul Garibian holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida. Paul is a Co-Founder and CEO of Nota, the Florida Bar’s free member benefit that helps lawyers manage their trust accounts.
Rosalie Shaughnessy is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and has over 10 years of experience in business analysis, testing and quality assurance, and over four years as a test lead for digital banking. Rosalie is currently the Product Manager for Nota, and previously worked as a Business System Analyst for M&T Bank.
This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 0.5 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit. Course # 8089.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Nota by M&T Bank
- About Us
Nota Trust Accounting – Member Benefit
Article: The Florida Bar to Provide Members with Access to Nota’s Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) Management Platform at No Cost
Article: In a First for a State Bar, Florida to Provide All Members With Free Trust Accounting Software to Help Ensure Compliance and Protect the Public
LawNext Podcast: The Florida Bar’s Precedent-Setting Decision To Give Every Lawyer Access To Trust Accounting Software
CLE: Trust Accounts by the Book
LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Chatbots and AI platforms have the potential to revolutionize the way law firms operate, bringing numerous benefits to both legal professionals and their clients. These technologies can streamline administrative tasks, enhance research capabilities, and provide quick and accurate responses to routine legal inquiries. By automating repetitive and time-consuming processes, chatbots can free up lawyers' time, allowing them to focus on more complex and strategic aspects of their work. However, it's crucial for legal professionals to be mindful of the ethical concerns surrounding the use of chatbots and AI in the legal field.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Tom Martin, CEO of LawDroid, to discuss how AI and chatbots can automate a firm’s processes.
About Tom Martin:
Tom is a graduate of Yale and UCLA School of Law, and is a legal AI advocate, lawyer, author, and speaker. He is the CEO and founder of LawDroid, a Generative AI Legal Technology Company, and is a co-founder of the American Legal Technology Awards. Clients include ARAG Legal Insurance, Fasken, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Palace Law, and many law firms.
Tom has been recognized as an ABA Legal Rebel and a Fastcase 50 Honoree. He has presented at the ABA TECHSHOW, LegalWeek, ILTACON, ClioCon, and Legal Innovators. Tom’s writing has been published in the ABA’s Law Practice Today, Law Technology Today, and GP Solo Magazine.
Tom has his own podcast: LawDroid Manifesto on iTunes. He also serves as a mentor at the Yale Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking and ATJ Tech Fellows.
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 #7932.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Tom Martin
- LawDroid
- The LawDroid Podcast
American Legal Technology Awards
Article: New GPT-Based Chat App from LawDroid Is a Lawyer’s ‘Copilot’ for Research, Drafting, Brainstorming and More
Article: Chatbots sometimes make things up. Is AI’s hallucinations problem fixable?
Harvard: Library Innovation Lab
LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
Fostering a thriving law firm culture not only ensures the growth of a successful legal practice but also nurtures a positive and uplifting company environment. Although the legal industry has long held assumptions about the inevitability of a highly competitive, burnout-inducing culture, it is vital to challenge these norms. By doing so, law firms empower their employees, clients, and overall business to thrive. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are naturally more motivated and invested in their work, culminating in increased productivity and success for the entire business. Ultimately, investing in a strong law firm culture becomes a win-win situation for all involved.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Paul Spiegelman, of Small Giants Community, to discuss the benefits of cultivating a positive company culture.
About Paul Spiegelman:
Paul is the co-founder of the Small Giants Community, a peer-group of purpose driven business leaders. Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA and received his JD from Southwestern University. He practiced law for two years before starting BerylHealth, where he was the co-founder and CEO. He is also the founder and chairman of The Beryl Institute and was the chief culture officer at Stericycle.
Paul is a sought-after speaker and a New York Times best-selling author on leadership, employee engagement, entrepreneurship, culture, and leading a purpose-driven life. His book, Why is Everyone Smiling? The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity, and Profit, includes low- or no-cost practices that can impact the lives of employees and the success of small or large businesses. He has made numerous radio and TV appearances and his views have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine. He is currently a columnist for Forbes.com and has been honored with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.
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 # 7923.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Paul Spiegelman
- Podcast: Growing with Purpose
Paul Spiegelman Books
- Patients Come Second: Leading Change by Changing the Way You Lead
- Why is Everyone Smiling?: The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity, and Profit
- Smile Guide: Employee Perspectives on Culture, Loyalty and Profit
Small Giants Community
- About
Article: ‘Command and Control’ Leadership is Dead. Here’s What’s Taking Its Place
Article: Modernizing Law Firms’ Work Rules Enables Focus on Employee Well-Being
Traditionally, the workweek spans from Monday to Friday, but have you ever questioned the rationale behind this norm and whether it is optimal? Amongst growing anxiety and stress levels worldwide, some companies are envisioning a different approach to work by embracing a 4-day workweek. Not only can a shorter workweek benefit employees’ mental health, but it can also enhance productivity. Research indicates that a reduced workload can lead to lower stress levels and greater job satisfaction, as well as offer more opportunities for leisure outside of work.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt welcome Joe O’Connor, of the Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence, to discuss the 4-day workweek study.
The Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence is a global initiative based in Toronto, Canada, launched in partnership with leading UK and US people-first transformation company Curium Solutions.
Previously, as the chief executive officer of 4 Day Week Global, Joe led the design and implementation of four-day week trials all over the world, supporting hundreds of employers and thousands of employees to make the transition to reduced-hour, productivity-focused working in 2021 and 2022.
Joe holds an MBS in Strategy and Innovation Management and a BBS with Honours in Accounting from the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Employment Law from The Honorable Society of King’s Inns.
Joe recently led a research project on work time reduction as a visiting research scholar with Cornell University in New York City. He is now based in Toronto, where he heads up Canadian operations for Curium Solutions in addition to directing the Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence.
Joe is also formerly the chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, having founded the coalition in 2019, where he developed the world's first four-day week pilot program and research project in 2021.
He has been active on the issue of working time reduction since 2018, when he organized a major international conference and research paper on ‘The Future of Working Time’.
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 # 7651.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Joe O’Connor
· Work Time Reduction | Center of Excellence
· Mission
· Work Time Reduction Assessment
· Contact Work Time Reduction | Center of Excellence
4-Day Week Trial Results
Article: What is Parkinson’s Law and why is it sabotaging your productivity?
Article: The Effect of Long Working Hours and Overtime on Occupational Health: A Meta-Analysis of Evidence from 1998 to 2018
Article: Operational Excellence – Key Principles and How to Implement Them
Article: ABA – 8 steps for creating value-based pricing that works
LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
The legal profession has been grappling with the issue of lawyer well-being for a while now. Unfortunately, too many lawyers are still experiencing chronic stress and burnout resulting in high rates of substance abuse and depression. It is essential to acknowledge the importance of lawyer well-being and take actionable steps towards it. Healthy and happy lawyers provide better legal services to their clients, which improves their satisfaction and trust in the legal system.
In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Bree Buchanan, Senior Advisor at Krill Strategies, to discuss well-being strategies for lawyers.
Bree Buchanan, JD, MSF, was a founding co-chair of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being and is a co-author of its groundbreaking 2017 report, The Path to Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change. From 2020 to 2023, she served as board president and inaugural executive director of the Institute for Well-Being in Law. Prior to this, Ms. Buchanan served as chair of the ABA Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs (2017-2020). She is currently a member of the newly formed Lawyer Well-Being Committee of the International Bar Association. As Director of the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program from 2013 to 2018, she worked with individual lawyers experiencing these issues, and with legal employers who were seeking resources and support for their staff. Her tenure with that program followed a two-decade legal career which included positions as a litigator, lobbyist, and law professor. She is now Senior Advisor with Krill Strategies, Inc., providing consultation and training on issues related to lawyer well-being and impairment for major legal employers.
Praised for her warm presentation style and engaging presence, Ms. Buchanan is a frequent speaker for international and national law-related organizations, as well as global law firms on strategies for lawyer well-being and impairment. In 2018, she was awarded the “Excellence in Legal Community Leadership Award” by Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Ms. Buchanan is co-host of the podcast, The Path to Well-Being Law, and has shared her own story of recovery as a featured guest on podcasts in the United States, Canada and the U.K. Ms. Buchanan’s writing has appeared in Law Practice Today, Judicature, The American Lawyer, and Family Lawyer Magazine, as well as Lawyer Health and Wellbeing: How the Legal Profession is Tackling Stress and Creating Resiliency (Ark Group, 2020). In 2018, she graduated from the Seminary of the Southwest with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, where she honed a deep interest in the intrinsic link between meaningful work and personal well-being, as well as in assisting individuals with vocational discernment. Based in Austin, Texas, and Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Buchanan tends to her own well-being by engaging regularly in hiking, cycling, weightlifting, and being willing to ask for help when she needs it.
Bree Buchanan can be reached at bree@prkrill.com; 512-797-6118.
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 # 7534.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Institute for Well-Being in Law
- The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change
- The Path to Well-Being in Law Podcast
The Florida Bar Mental Health and Wellness Center
The 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
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 Software
LegalFuel: 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
- 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
- Leadership
- Blog
- Publications
- Solo & Small Firm Section of The Florida Bar
- Section Website
- 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:
- Florida Lawyers Assistance
- Meetings & Events
- 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:
- The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
- Lawyer Referral Service Office: 800-342-8011
- LawyerReferral@FloridaBar.org
- Join the Lawyer Referral Service
- Lawyer Referral Service Membership Application
- Coverage Areas
- Lawyer Referral Service Rules
- The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Chapter 8
- LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
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
- eBook: Tips for Managing Remote and Hybrid Law Firms
- eBook: How to Implement Process Optimization at Law Firms
- Article: How Law Firms Can Reinvent Talent Acquisition and Retention Strategies
- Thomson Reuters: 2021 Report on the State of the Legal Market
- The American Lawyer
- Article: Most Lawyers and Staff Are Now Eligible for Hybrid Work
- Article: For Hybrid to Work Longterm, Law Firm Processes Need Refresh
- ALA Legal Management Magazine: Let’s Make a Deal
- ABA Formal Opinion 483
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:
- Amishi.com
- amishi.com/books/peak-mind
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 Tech Helpline
- LegalFuel Technology Resources
- Technology CLEs
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
- Your CLE Records
- Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education
- On-Demand CLE Catalog
- General CLE Info & Requirements
- CLER Forms and Applications
- 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:
- The Florida Bar – Attorney Discipline
- Florida Bar Attorney Consumer Assistance (ACAP) Hotline 866.352.0707
- The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
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:
- Florida Bar Ethics Hotline 800.235.8619
- LegalFuel: The Practice Resource Center of The Florida Bar
- The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 4
- Florida Bar Ethics Opinions
- Proposed Advisory Opinions
- Subject Index of Ethics Opinions
- List of Florida Ethics Opinions by Number
- Opinion 20-1
- Opinion 21-1
- Ethics Informational Packets
- Interstate Law Firms
- Florida Bar Unlicensed Practice of Law Program
- UPL Formal Advisory Opinions
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:
- Thomas P. Farley - Mister Manners
- Workshops
- Ask Mr. Manners
- The Florida Bar's Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism
- Legal Professionalism in the Electronic Age
- Best Practices for Professional Electronic Communication
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.org
AXEL Go, a secure cloud storage and file-sharing application
- 20% off Florida Bar Member Discount
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?
- 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 Table of Contents to see all the helpful information that’s included.
- 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
- Pocket Card PDF
- 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
- Taking an organizational approach to addressing secondary trauma in child welfare settings
- The Essential Role of Supervisors in Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress
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
- Quick Reference Checklist – Targeted Social Media
- 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
- In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration – Parental Leave, SC18-1554
- Sample Parental Leave Policy
- Article: Drafting a Personal Leave Policy
- Article: Is a Parental Leave Policy Right for Your Business?
- DoL – Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Guide
- 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
- CSK’s LinkedIn
- CSK’s Facebook
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
- FPR Certification Course
National Court Reporters Association
- Making the Record: A Guide for Attorneys
- 2021 Court Reporting & Captioning Week (2/6-2/13)
Phipps Reporting
- Remote Litigation Academy
LegalFuel Resources
- Free CLE: Conducting Depositions Online – What You Need to Know
- Video Conference Toolkit
- Video: How To Conduct Remote International Depositions
Florida Bar News
- Taking Effective Remote Depositions
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 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 Know
o 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
- Practice Resources
- TrustBooks
- LawPay
Florida Supreme Court Family Law Resources
- Family Courts Information page
- Family Law Forms
Lawyerist.com
- Law Firm Pricing
o Alternative Law Firm Pricing Models - Unbundled Legal Services
Other
- Clio Legal Trends Report
o COVID-19's Impact on the Legal Industry - SmartVault Client Portal
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
- https://lrs.floridabar.org/
- Lawyers Apply: https://www.floridabar.org/member/lrs/
LegalFuel
- Practice Tips: Referral Fee Basics
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 (PDF Download)
Clio Resources:
- Clio.com
- Legal Trends Reports
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.
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 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:
- 2019 Tax Guide
- Exclusive-Solo(k) Facts Flyer
- SEP IRA and Exclusive(k) Plane Comparison
- Personal Financial Planning - Data Collection Checklist
- Retirement Plan Flow Chart - Businesses with Employees
- Retirement Plan Flow Chart - Owner Only Businesses
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.
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.
ServeManager
- 6 months free
- Concierge service
Fastcase
- Access to full National Law Library (3 months)
Clio
- Free 3 month access to Clio
Ruby Receptionists
- 269 dollars off service
- Unlimited outbound calling
NetDocuments
- 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 BarPodcast, 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.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, special host Michael Higer talks to Judge Michelle Sisco, Richard Levenstein, Stephen Ware, Dean Cannon, and Brian Fitzpatrick about the Constitution Revision Commission and its potential proposals. They cover the selection process for judges and term limits.
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.
Judge Michelle Sisco sits in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Tampa, Florida, and is the incoming chair of The Florida Bar’s Constitutional Judiciary Committee.
Richard Levenstein is the past vice chair of the Constitutional Judiciary Committee and a charter original member of the committee.
Stephen Ware is a professor of law at the University of Kansas where his interests include judicial selection, alternative dispute resolution, commercial law, and private law generally.
Dean Cannon is the executive vice president and statewide chair of government affairs at GrayRobinson.
Brian Fitzpatrick is a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School. His research at Vanderbilt focuses on class action litigation, federal courts, judicial selection, and constitutional law.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Liz McCausland reviews updates in the field of bankruptcy with Barbara Leach. They dive into topics like exemptions, debt payment using credit cards, and student loan dischargeability.
Barbara Leach is the managing attorney of Barbara Leach Law, PL. She practices family law, consumer bankruptcy, and civil litigation
Liz McCausland is an experienced attorney and Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Laurence Colletti reviews updates in the field of employment with Kevin Johnson, including a couple specific cases and how they’ve affected the law. They include Schaefer v. Walker Bros, Mercedes-Benz v. International Union, UAW, and other cases that dive into topics like telecommuting, arbitration agreements, and overtime rules.
Kevin Johnson is a labor and employment law attorney with the law firm of Thompson Sizemore Gonzalez & Hearing in Tampa, Florida.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Laurence Colletti reviews updates in the field of criminal law with Denis deVlaming, including listing a couple specific cases and their effect on the law. Some of these cases include Hurst v. Florida, Miller v. Alabama, and other cases that dig into topics like racial bias and the obtaining of blood samples.
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.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Suzanne Clark and Park McManis about electronic discovery and digital evidence. Their discussion includes why it’s important for lawyers to know about e-discovery and resources for those interested in using e-discovery, including the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists.
Suzanne Clark concentrates her legal practice in commercial and business litigation and cybersecurity law.
Parke McManis is an attorney, MBA, Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA), and Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS).
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Wayne Bell about the advantages of making a website homepage more relatable. They discuss the need for personality and human connection even if it is through a screen.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Christine Falcicchio, Ian O’Flaherty, and Tara Cheever about their new apps created specifically for lawyers. These apps that assist with things like evidence presentation and document review, are among other easy-to-use technology that can be used by lawyers in court.
Christine Falcicchio is a principal at Strut Legal, Inc. She has been managing the creation of eBrief projects since 2005.
Ian O’Flaherty is the founder and CEO of LIT SOFTWARE, LLC which has designed and developed the leading and award-winning legal specific apps available for iPad: TrialPad, TranscriptPad, and DocReviewPad.
Tara Cheever is the product manager at LIT SOFTWARE, LLC.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Jonathon Israel talks to Richard Granat about having a secure client portal as part of your law firm website. They also discuss how, in order to achieve success in a competitive market, law firms have to take advantage of technology that enables them to reach customers that weren’t previously served.
Richard Granat is a lawyer and a recognized expert on the delivery of legal services over the internet.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Lawrence Kunin and Serge Jorgensen about data security breaches and the legal implications of such a breach. They also discuss the ethical obligations of an attorney in regards to data security, as well as signs that reveal when a firm has been breached.
Larry Kunin is a partner in Morris Manning & Martin’s Litigation practice and serves as chair of the firm’s Data Security and Breach practice.
Serge Jorgensen is president and a founding partner of the Sylint Group. He provides strategic guidance and active oversight in computer security.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast from the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention, host Christine Bilbrey talks to Jacey Kaps, Chip Trefry, and Scott Reid about how having cyber and data protection can be just as important as locking your door. They discuss insurance options and prevention methods, including training staff to identify and handle potential threats.
Jacey Kaps is a partner and executive committee member at Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell.
Earl “Chip” Trefry is the owner and CEO of Member Benefits, Inc., a full-service insurance and financial services organization.
Scott Reid is currently the national director of cyber insurance for Gallagher Affinity Insurance Services and the executive director for the American Cyber and Data Security Alliance.
This year’s coverage of the 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention kicks off with host Christine Bilbrey talking to keynote speaker Chief Justice Jorge Labarga about what's included in his speech. The main topic is maintaining open lines of communication between branches of government. They also discuss extending term limits for supreme and appellate court judges and role of the Constitutional Revision Commission.
Jorge Labarga is a Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, taking office on January 6, 2009. On June 30, 2014, he was sworn in as Florida’s 56th Chief Justice and the first Cuban-American to hold the post.
The 2017 Annual Florida Bar Convention is fast approaching, taking place on June 21-24 at the Boca Raton Resort. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Melanie Griffin, chair of the Annual Convention Committee, about what this year’s convention will look like including technology CLEs, president showcase seminars, and networking opportunities in the form of nightly receptions. They also discuss the different activities planned for the kids that tag along with their parents which involve lots and lots of ice cream. Tune in for details on the new registering process for those interested in attending.
Melanie Griffin is the Tampa Office Managing Shareholder of the Dean Mead Law Firm. In this position she has achieved multiple courtroom and settlement victories including championing commercial litigation, intellectual property, and labor and employment issues for Florida businesses.
Running a law firm entails a lot more than practicing law; it involves marketing, employee management, and utilizing analytics. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Evan Parker, managing director at Lawyer Metrics, about the four common issues he sees law firms struggling with: the business behind law, hiring the right person the first time, managing employees, and lack of diversity. He shares how Lawyer Metrics typically aids with these challenges and how analytic data can be used as a factual foundation to guide toward solutions.
Dr. Evan Parker is managing director of Analytics & Research at Lawyer Metrics, LLC. He is an expert in using large-scale data to produce business insights and inform strategic decision-making.
Chances are, you’re at least vaguely familiar with the term “virtual lawyer”, but what is a virtual lawyer and what does it mean to move your practice online? In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Richard Granat about what a virtual law practice looks like, the major drivers in the switch to online services, and the learning requirements of making your own practice a virtual one. To clarify, technology should be used in conjunction with a traditional practice rather than lawyers simply disappearing behind a screen. According to Richard, legal professionals should establish their business model and find the online resources to meet their particular needs rather than simply diving into technology.
Richard Granat is a lawyer and a recognized expert on the delivery of legal services over the internet. He has served as Co-Director of the Center for Law Practice Technology, Florida Coastal School of Law.
Ediscovery is an industry that is constantly shifting and evolving as technology changes. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to electronic discovery expert William Hamilton about using ediscovery and how the legal industry is adapting to growing technology. Their discussion includes the different ediscovery products available, sanctions, interactions with social media, and resources you can use to keep up with all aspects of ediscovery.
William Hamilton is an electronic discovery expert. He is currently the executive director of the UF Law E-Discovery Project and International Center for Automated Information Retrieval.
What if there was a way to practice law and only spend five dollars a day running your business? Would you believe it? In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel talk to Rick Georges, a solo practitioner practicing in St. Petersburg, Florida, about how he uses technology to run his business effectively and cheaply. Some of his methods are as simple as using software to take care of administrative tasks, like switching to online banking. In their discussion, they also talk about security measures that those using technology need to take, like encrypting emails and protecting accounts with two-factor identification.
Rick Georges is a solo practitioner, practicing in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is active in the St. Petersburg Bar Association, Florida Bar, and American Bar Association, and presents seminars and programs on the use of computers in the practice of law.
If you want a consultation with attorney Andrew LeGrand, you can set up a date, time, and cover the cost without ever talking to him. Andrew, founder of Spera Law Group, is a master at technology shortcuts and, in this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, he shares with hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel the apps he uses to save him time. From phone answering services to shareable calendars, law professionals can use these sources to save them time and money.
Andrew Legrand is the founder of Spera Law Group, LLC, a cloud and paperless law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana. He helps small business owners create and protect successful companies.
Noory Bechor was doing business law for a big law firm in Israel when he came to the realization that lawyers’ process is far too inefficient. So he came up with LawGeex, a cloud-based artificial intelligence program that uses machine learning to help revolutionize the legal world. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, Noory joins hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jonathon Israel to discuss how LawGeex works and how this and other artificial intelligence will continue to make lawyers more efficient, without replacing their jobs. Tune in for a clear explanation of the way machine learning works and how it replaces simple, repetitious tasks like drafting contracts.
Noory Bechor is the CEO and founder of LawGeeks. As a former commercial lawyer, he combines his years of experience with his entrepreneurial spirit to help other lawyers #lovelegalagain, making their work easy, efficient, and even more impactful.
The practice of law is a profession that is constantly evolving and one that requires continued training and education to stay on the cutting edge of legal trends. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Jonathon Israel and Christine Bilbrey talk with Third Judicial Circuit in North Central Florida General Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall about the upcoming Florida Bar Tech Show and why office managers, paralegals, law students, and lawyers should attend.
Jennifer Kuyrkendall is the General Magistrate for the Third Judicial Circuit in North Central Florida. She also sits on the Executive Council of the Solo & Small Firm Section where she currently serves as secretary and chair of The Florida Bar Tech Show: Riding the Technology Wave.
As technology becomes more integrated into the daily tasks of lawyers around the world, new and innovative ways to improve the practice of law will continue to emerge. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Jonathon Israel and Christine Bilbrey talk with eFileMadeEasy President Dario Diaz about the history of e-filing, Metadata, and tips to help attorneys improve their e-filing process.
Dario Diaz is the owner and managing partner of the law office of Dario Diaz PA in Tampa, FL. In 2014 Dario was named to The Florida Bar Technology Committee and now stands as the vice-chair on that committee. He is also the president of Legal Automation Systems Inc. which created eFileMadeEasy.
The Practice Resource Institute is the law office and law practice management service of The Florida Bar. For assistance, contact the Bar’s Practice Resource Institute to speak with a practice management advisor. PRI can be reached from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, via phone at 866-730-2020, email at prisupport@flabar.org, or live chat via the PRI website at http://pri.floridabar.org.
Some small law firms and solo practitioners feel that their practice and available revenue is too small to invest resources into cyber security protections. In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Jonathon Israel and Christine Bilbrey talk with Shook, Hardy & Bacon partner Al Saikali about helping lawyers assess their security risk and why cyber security is important even for the smallest firms.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, hosts Renee Thompson and John Stewart talk with The Florida Bar Board of Governors Eighth Judicial Circuit representative Carl Schwait about the legislative amendments recently made to rule 4-7.22. Carl explains that the relationship of lawyers to clients and their procurement is much more guided through the internet today than it has been ever before. This shift in how the public seeks out legal services has brought a whole new group of for-profit companies and corporations into the legal marketplace whose chief aim is to match lawyers and clients. The Florida Bar declared a few issues that these changes now present to rule 4-7.22 and The Florida Supreme Court did not agree with some of these stated issues requesting that the bar go back and reevaluate the rule. Carl explains that their goal was to prevent for-profit matching services from arguing with the board of governors over whether they were a directory, a lawyer referral service, or some other entity and that most of these organizations didn’t want to be classified as lawyer referral services at all. The bar wanted to do away with all naming conventions and solidify the classification of these companies as qualifying providers so that every entity or person who was in the business of matching attorneys and clients would all fall within their rules. He emphasizes that The Florida Bar does not oversee qualifying providers and that their rules are to the lawyers who participate in this matching program in order to better protect the public. Carl closes the interview with an analysis of how these changes impact voluntary bar lawyer referral services, why the malpractice insurance requirement was removed, and how The Florida Bar might proceed if The Florida Supreme Court asked for oral arguments on these rules.
Carl Schwait is a North Central Florida mediator, businessperson, educator, Florida Bar leader and former public servant. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell and named to Florida’s Super Lawyers® for the last nine years, he has been a member of The Bar for over 39 years.
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Adriana Linares interviews Practice Panther Vice President of Accounts Mor Assouline, Clio Director of Sales Engineering & Strategic Solutions Joshua Tanzola, Rocket Matter CEO and Founding Partner Larry Port, and MyCase Senior Customer Success Manager Marielle Levy about cloud-based practice management programs. The interview begins with a group analysis of topics that customers most frequently ask questions about, such as security and data migration, and how each respective company handles these inquiries. Josh explains what change management means in regards to practice management programs and Mor gives examples of why cloud security is safer than traditional file keeping methods. Larry discusses the importance of client portals and how difficult it can be to transfer client data from old systems and Marielle stresses the importance of two factor authentication. The interview closes with a group review of client accounting needs and how each company's software addresses them.
Mor Assouline is the vice president of accounts for Practice Panther. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the Florida International University College of Business Administration.
Joshua Tanzola is the director of sales engineering & strategic solutions for Clio. He received his Bachelor of Arts in business from The University of British Columbia.
Larry Port, CEO of Rocket Matter, is also a speaker and award winning writer at the crossroads of the legal profession and cutting edge technology. He frequently discusses marketing, design and efficiency, and quality techniques in the software industry that can be leveraged by lawyers and legal professionals.
Marielle Levy is the senior customer success manager for MyCase. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Many lawyers are noticing a rapid shift in client expectations as the number of millennials seeking legal services expands. What options are there for law firms that embrace new technology and want to provide a more effortless customer experience?
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Adriana Linares talks with Clio co-founder and CEO Jack Newton about his organization and the benefits that the cloud can bring to the practice of law. Jack opens the interview by giving a brief history of how Clio was founded. Using client feedback, Clio added software features aimed at helping lawyers increase their workflow and grow their firms. Jack reveals that Florida has their highest user density in the United States and explains how customer growth led to the company eventually providing advice (through e-books, white papers, and talks) to their clients on best practices and how attorneys can embrace the cloud. He also covers his top reasons legal professionals should use the cloud, including increasing the ease of managing a caseload and issuing bills to consumers that are payable online. Additionally, he addresses ethical concerns attorneys have regarding using these services to store confidential data and privileged client information.
Jack discusses the impetus behind the creation of the Clio Cloud Conference and their mission to provide the best of legal education and industry thought leaders who are improving the practice of law. He closes the interview with an analysis of law firm data security concerns and how cloud services solve those issues via protected client portals.
Jack Newton is the founder of Clio, one of the pioneers of cloud-based practice management. Jack has spearheaded efforts to educate the legal community on the security-, ethics- and privacy-related issues surrounding cloud computing, and has become a nationally recognized writer and speaker on these topics.
Jack has recently joined the board of the International Legal Technology Standards Organization (ILTSO), where he will help the organization craft standards for law office technology. He also co-founded and is acting president of the Legal Cloud Computing Association (LCCA), a consortium of leading cloud computing providers with a mandate to help accelerate the adoption of cloud computing in the legal industry.
Forty nine cents of each dollar spent on electronic discovery is wasted as a result of lawyers not understanding how to properly scope a preservation effort or use forms of production and collection that are both defensible and reasonable. How do lawyers stay abreast with new technology that might become a possible source of evidence and where do they get that information? Why do solo lawyers and small firms need to know about electronic discovery?
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast host, Adriana Linares chats with Computer Forensic Examiner Craig Ball about electronic evidence, e-discovery, and how important it is for litigators to understand this data acquisition process. Craig explains why small firms and solo lawyers should be interested in e-discovery, if they want access to electronic evidence, and why printing physical copies of documents for storage is no longer practical. He also talks about the denial that many lawyers have regarding their need to understand and use new tech and provides resources online where lawyers can go to become more informed about e-discovery. Craig discusses why law firms should insist upon certain electronic competencies from their lawyers, like understanding the appropriate means by which to do reasonable searches of electronically stored information, and why he thinks the bar associations have not done enough to stress the importance of such knowledge. He then closes the interview with an analysis of emerging tools designed specifically to assist small firms and solo practitioners with e-discovery and provides specific software options that can help lawyers with the collection and preservation of evidence.
Craig Ball is a trial lawyer and computer forensic examiner who focuses his practice on serving as court-appointed special master and consultant in computer forensics and electronic discovery. He is a founder of the Georgetown University Law Center E-Discovery Training Academy and serves on the academy’s faculty. Craig received his J.D. from, and teaches Electronic Discovery and Digital Evidence at, the University of Texas School of Law.
With the legal industry’s increased efforts to integrate new technology into the profession, it has never been more important for law firms to protect themselves and their data. However, what happens when a breach does occur and privileged information is compromised? More specifically, what is a breach notification and what procedures are Florida law firms required to follow immediately after the incident?
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Adriana Linares sits down with Orange County Bar Association Technology Committee Chair Daniel Whitehouse to discuss data breach notification procedures and what constitutes personally identifiable information. Daniel breaks down what Florida statutes consider a data breach (basically an unauthorized party accessing restricted data) and gives a few examples of situations within a law firm where this definition applies. He then provides an in-depth explanation as to what types of data fall under personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers, medical records, and email addresses, and discusses what Florida’s data breach notification law is. Daniel takes time to explain what the Florida attorney general’s office will require from law firms that experience such a breach and analyzes what ethical obligations legal professionals have to their clients and the prevention of future unauthorized access. He closes the interview with tips on how law firms can encrypt their data and proactive changes companies can implement to increase their security policies.
Daniel Whitehouse holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), both from Webster University. He interned for The Honorable Susan C. Bucklew of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and attended Stetson University College of Law where he graduated Co-Valedictorian. Daniel is currently the chair of the Orange County Bar Association Technology Committee.
Law firms are considered by many hackers to be soft targets with a wealth of valuable information. Data from social security numbers, credit cards, and client confidences is enough to make the criminal mind salivate with malicious intent. Between 31-45% and 10-20% of firms have been infected by spyware or experienced security breaches respectively. But what can a private practitioner or law firm do to prevent these trespasses on their networks?
In this episode of The Florida Bar Podcast, host Adriana Linares welcomes cyber security expert Sherri Davidoff to discuss the dangers to data that exist for law firms today. To begin their dialog, they define what ransomware is and tell us why so many firms give in to its extortion.
Tune in to learn what practitioners can do to counteract or mitigate some of the risks. Spam filters, employee training, role-based access controls, and anti-virus software are among many countermeasures available for even small firms. In addition, lawyers may want to consider network monitoring, cloud-based software platforms, and comprehensive backup and retrieval systems. The key to successfully implementing the latter is to test your IT firm’s ability to restore lost files.
Sherri Davidoff is a nationally-recognized cyber security expert who is a founder and Senior Security Consultant at LMG Security. She has over a decade of experience as an information security professional, specializing in penetration testing, forensics, social engineering testing, and web application assessments. Davidoff is an instructor at Black Hat and co-author of "Network Forensics: Tracking Hackers Through Cyberspace". She is a GIAC-certified forensic examiner (GCFA) and penetration tester (GPEN), and holds her degree in computer science and electrical engineering from MIT.
Discussed on This Episode:
- Ransomware
- Cryptowall
- Role based access controls
- Email traps
- Anti-virus software
Have you been hearing about how lawyers are working remote and have a “mobile office” but don’t know what that means? Are you thinking about starting your own mobile practice and need some tips? Do you have a law firm that could benefit from more mobile systems and tools? Well, you’re in luck! Today on The Florida Bar Podcast, Adriana Linares and Larry Port, founder and CEO of Rocket Matter, discuss remote access, cloud-based services, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, online collaboration, and what is needed to start a mobile law office.
Topics include:
- What it means to be “in the cloud”
- Cloud and server security
- Practice management programs
- Mobile phone systems and PVX software
- Note taking, collaboration, and communication tools
- Technology trial and error
- iPad apps, Microsoft Surface devices, and using Apple computers
- Looking first for lawyer specific products