The Magazine For The Legal Professional ISSUE JULY/AUGUST We Welcome St. Petersburg Bar Association President Cary A.

Transcription

1 The Magazine For The Legal Professional ISSUE JULY/AUGUST 2015 We Welcome St. Petersburg Bar Association President Cary A. Cash Renew Your Membership at StPeteBar.com FOCUS OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: A Time To Showcase Our Bar Association By J. S. Lucas Fleming COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION: Part Of Gulfcoast Legal Services Mission To Provide Justice By John Dubrule FIRST DCA ADDRESSES WORKERS COMPENSATION PAY AND INVESTIGATE RULE By Mitchell R. Golden

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3 contents PARACLETE: The Spirit of Truth JULY/AUGUST 2015 FEATURES 8 OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION A TIME TO SHOWCASE OUR BAR ASSOCIATION By J. S. Lucas Fleming 10 COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION: PART OF GULFCOAST LEGAL SERVICES MISSION TO PROVIDE JUSTICE By John Dubrule 14 ST. PETERSBURG S WAGE THEFT ORDINANCE: AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF RECOVERING UNPAID WAGES By R. Michael Pierro, Jr., P. A. 16 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS AN ART FORM By Jovita Kravitz, Esq. 20 ST. PETERSBURG BAR ASSOCIATION 90TH ANNIVERSARY GALA 22 FIRST DCA ADDRESSES WORKERS COMPENSATION PAY AND INVESTIGATE RULE By Mitchell R. Golden 23 7 FLORIDA BAR ADVERTISING RULES YOUR WEBSITE IS LIKELY BREAKING By Gavin Walsh ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 4 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE 6 EDITOR S NOTE 18 ST. PETERSBURG BAR FOUNDATION 24 COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS 26 JUDGE S CHAMBERS 28 PFAWL 30 COMMUNITY LAW PROGRAM 32 PARACLETE PARENT 34 STETSON REVIEW 35 BAR AND COURT NEWS 36 YOUNG LAWYER S CORNER 37 WHAT S UP & WHO S NEW 38 CLASSIFIEDS St. Petersburg Bar Association P. O. Box 172 St. Petersburg, FL Phone: Fax: info@stpetebar.com The mission of the St. Petersburg Bar Association is to serve the legal community, to strengthen the noble calling of the practice of law, and to foster excellence in the profession. Executive Director Melissa Byers mbyers@stpetebar.com Editor Caroline Johnson Levine levine.levinelaw@gmail.com Paraclete Advertising JoAnn Knight jknight@stpetebar.com Design & Production DEX Imaging Editorial Policy: The Paraclete is published for the members of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. The magazine is published 6 times per year and welcomes submissions for publication. Publishing and editorial decisions are based on the editors judgment of the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the article, and the potential interest to the readers of the magazine. From time to time, the Paraclete publishes articles dealing with controversial issues. The views expressed in the Paraclete are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editors, executive committee or officers of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. No endorsement of those views should be inferred unless specifically identified as the official policy of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. Advertising copy is reviewed, but publication herein does not imply endorsement of any product, service or opinion advertised. Advertising rate cards are available upon request by calling and may be downloaded at www. stpetebar.com St. Petersburg Bar Association. 3

4 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Fellow St. Petersburg Bar Association Members, I will begin by first saying thank you for allowing me such a cherished opportunity to serve. I consider this position an extreme honor, and I make the commitment to you to give it my all. Our bar association has developed into such a wonderful organization thanks to the hard work, dedication, support, and leadership of so many over the past 90 years. I have included some infographics below that highlight who and what we are. St. Petersburg Bar Association by the numbers: I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience through the years as a St. Petersburg Bar Association member and often reflect on the value it has added to both my professional and personal life. After you review the following, I would like for you to stop and complete the following sentence: I belong because What are your favorite things about our bar association? I would love to hear your thoughts feel free to them to me (cary.cash@brasfieldlaw.net)! Thank you all for your membership every single one of you helps to better our legal community! Cary Cash Leadership Opportunities: Section Chairs Chosen by President-Elect and Executive Director Young Lawyers Section Committee Chairs Oktoberfest, Law Day, Judicial Reception Chosen by YLS Chair Executive Committee Member must be nominated by a St. Pete Bar member or the Nominating Committee. Slate is announced in February Average number of views of weekly eblasts Total Number of Attorneys in Pinellas County 3423 Total St. Petersburg Bar Association Membership Search for St. Petersburg Bar Association ( Paraclete: The Paraclete is published six times per year. Paraclete Editorial Guidelines and Advertising Rates/Specifications are online on our website under Download / Forms or from the bar office. Editor Caroline Johnson Levine; Designer Martin Friedman; Printer Dex Imaging. Social Events: YLS Judicial Reception, YLS Monthly Social Hours, Holiday Party, Member Appreciation Wine and Art, Installation Ceremony, Past President s Reception, Rowdies Game (this September!) Historical Highlights The St. Petersburg Bar Association began May 15, The first President was Freeman P. Lane. The first regular meetings were held at the Detroit Hotel. Dues were $15 per year and cigars were given at membership meetings. Male Membership: 707 Female Membership: 382 Law Students: 101 Judges: Largest State Voluntary Bars: 1. Hillsborough 2. Orange County 3. Palm Beach County 4. Broward County 5. Jacksonville 6. St. Petersburg Meet the Judiciary Events: Annual Judicial Reception, Bench & Bar, and YLS Morning at the Courthouse, Judges Roundtables Legal Education 35 Continuing Seminars per year 14 Sections 4 Pro Bono Events: Sixth Circuit Pro Bono Recognition Ceremony; Annual Ask A Lawyer Day; Ask A Lawyer Monthly Seminar at Pinellas County Urban League Member Benefits and Discounts: The St. Pete Bar will be offering subsidized events beginning with tickets to a Rowdies game in September; find additional member benefits by visiting the Member Benefits page at 18 Annual Corporate Sponsors 4 Membership Luncheons per year (September, October, March, April); average attendance per meeting: 200

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6 EDITOR S NOTE By Caroline Johnson Levine Professionalism is a word that is frequently aggrandized by attorneys, however, it can sometimes appear to be an elusive ideal in practice as we dwell in a world that appears to be losing its hold on civility. Oftentimes in the legal field, one s intelligence quotient (IQ) is celebrated as the ultimate obelisk, however, an attorney s professionalism quotient (PQ) may be more important to cultivate in a profession that services the needs of clients. Professionalism may be an easy concept in theory, however, it can become challenging in practice. The Merriam-Webster dictionary saliently defines professionalism as the skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well. However, overwhelming caseloads, conflicts with distressed clients, and challenging communications from opposing counsel, can sometimes create unexpected pitfalls for an attorney. Importantly, attorneys must consider that professionalism is intractably tied to the ethical Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. A lack of professionalism can have wide ranging consequences for an attorney and disciplinary sanctions can be severe. Pursuant to its constitutional authority, the Florida Supreme Court routinely issues disciplinary decisions regarding the unprofessional behaviors exhibited by some attorneys. The Florida Bar v. Daniel Gass, 153 So.2d 886 (Fla. 2014) aptly illustrates how quickly an experienced attorney can experience a reversal of fortunes and enter into a lengthy era of professional rehabilitation. Gass practiced law for over 20 years and then found himself in trouble for a case in which he displayed a lack of diligence and a failure to keep his clients informed of updated developments as the case progressed through the court system. Gass was retained to handle several civil matters and proceeded to ignore, and fail to inform his clients about, orders to show cause, depositions, and contempt warrants for arrest. His clients filed a Florida Bar complaint and the referee in Gass s disciplinary hearing recommended a sanction of license suspension for 60 days. However, the Florida Supreme Court found that Gass s misconduct [was] particularly egregious because it ultimately resulted in his clients each spending three days in jail for contempt. Id. at 892. Gass s lack of professionalism in facile matters, resulted in the Supreme Court suspending Gass from the practice of law for a period of one year. Gass clearly demonstrates that it is critical for attorneys to continually and exponentially develop their professionalism skill set. One of the very best methods for attorneys to grow and improve their PQ, is to join and actively participate in a local Bar association. In fact, membership in the St. Petersburg Bar Association is one of the best decisions that an attorney can make, as the opportunity for professional development in this Bar is unparalleled! Joining and volunteering in the various sections available can lead to service opportunities in unexpected ways and also create exposure to countless examples of excellent leadership and long term essential connections. Further, an excellent contributor to the Paraclete magazine can provide the Bar membership with important and current legal and community information in order to facilitate the highest level of professional engagement. Please consider joining a section and subsequently volunteer to be a section Chair, or author an article on an interesting area of the law. Furthermore, at the next Bar Association meeting, please be sure to introduce yourself to the Bar Association Leadership for , as these Executive Officers are wonderful examples of the embodiment of professionalism in our community: President Cary A. Cash, President-Elect Erica K. Smith, Secretary Gregory J. Hoag, Treasurer William B. McQueen, and Immediate Past President J.S. Lucas Fleming. Caroline Johnson Levine is the Chair of The Florida Bar s Committee on Professionalism and is an appointed member of the Senior Lawyers Committee. She has also been appointed by the Florida Bar Board of Governors to the Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. 6

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8 Our 90th Anniversary Celebration A Time To Showcase Our Bar Association By J. S. Lucas Fleming 8 Wow! What an evening. I think our founding members would be pleased to see us celebrate our anniversary the way we did on May 15th, the day we were founded 90 years ago at believe it or not 7:30 pm. They also probably would have appreciated how many of us dressed for the event in 1920s attire and how over 400 of us gathered to give thanks for their hard work in making this Association part of the fabric of St. Petersburg, The Florida Bar and the court system. The evening to me really struck a chord when we had so many from our community and our older members join us. Louie Adcock, Bill Davenport, George Wilsey, John Green, Seymour Gordon, David Seth Walker, Bob Beach and Bud Evertz have given so many years to our Association. It was nice to honor their legacy. We also had several widows of members attend, a sign that our Association reaches farther than just from our members. Support from our elected officials was evident. Congressmen David Jolly, Senator Jack Latvala, Representative Darryl Rouson, Mayor Rick Kriesman, former Mayor Bill Foster and City Councilman Jim Kennedy were on hand to join in the celebration. The Florida Bar was well represented with President Greg Coleman, President- Elect for Bill Schifino, President- Elect of The Florida Bar Foundation Donnie McKenzie, former Florida Bar President Bill Blews, and Board of Governors member Andy Sasso attending. The former Federal Chief Judge of the Middle District of Florida Elizabeth Kovachevich (Judge K) and Chief Judge of the 6th Judicial Circuit Thomas McGrady were present as was former Chief Judge of the 6th Circuit David Demers. Our Clerk of Court Ken Burke joined us as well. Paul Tash, Chairman and CEO of the Tampa Bay Times, former CEO of Florida Power Andy Hines and Chancellor of USF St. Pete Sophia Wisniewska demonstrated the community support for our Association. When you have over 400 people and 30 sponsors at an event, you know it takes special people to put this celebration together. Mary Evertz served as chairwoman and did a fabulous job of getting the right people on the committee and leading them to create an evening that many have said is the largest Bar event in its history. We knew Melissa Byers, our Executive Director, had skills that could take the Bar to a new level in organization. We didn t know that she could also organize an event that many, again, have said was one of the most elegant Bar events they have attended. Add to that her creative flair to include a caricature artist, photographs with period backdrops as souvenirs, including a cigarette girl and newspaper boy reminiscent of the 1920s (and who happen to be her children), and a 1920s band, and you are left with the impression that there was great attention to detail that made you feel as though you were in the 1920s. It was a time to showcase our Bar Association and I think everyone left with the impression that they liked what they saw. We also were able to see how many people outside of the legal profession support us by serving as sponsors. The St. Petersburg Bar Association has a rich history with St. Petersburg and the legal profession. You only had to look at the history that was on display there to know that. We as an Association will be able to reflect back on this evening as we grow and continue to find ways to serve our members and the community better. It is with this understanding of who we are and where we come from that we can thrive.

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10 Community Outreach And Education: Part Of Gulfcoast Legal Services Mission To Provide Justice By John Dubrule 10 Gulfcoast Legal Services (GLS) Mission states that Gulfcoast Legal Services is a regional non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, personal legal advocacy, counseling and education to vulnerable individuals and families. When most people think of Gulfcoast, they think of the direct legal help given to clients. But education is an important part of our mission. An educated client is a more powerful client. When people know their rights they are better able to protect themselves should legal matters or disputes arise. Landlordtenant education is a typical example. When a tenant s landlord fails to maintain an apartment according to the lease, the Florida Statute, or municipal code, many tenants think that it is their right to withhold rent from the landlord. That can get them into trouble when facing an eviction for nonpayment of rent. Unless they have delivered the proper notification to the landlord, they can be evicted for nonpayment of rent despite the landlord s failure to maintain. But this information is not useful unless it reaches the tenant before the problem arises. That is why Gulfcoast believes that it is essential to be involved in community education. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to door to door scams. Over the years Gulfcoast has helped many seniors who have been victimized and are facing credit problems and even foreclosure from the scams. Sometimes it involves water treatment systems where a salesman poses as a government official testing water. When the senior sees the vial of dirty water that mysteriously appears after the testing, they readily sign a contract for a water treatment device, only to find that their credit card has thousands of dollars showing up on it. Likewise, there are people who take advantage of a need for home repairs to get clients to sign over a deed to their house while signing a contract to repair their roof. It is not until a foreclosure is filed that they realize what has happened. Gulfcoast has a regular program of community outreach and education to help prevent these problems before they happen. On a monthly basis GLS staff visits senior centers to provide advice to seniors and presentations on legal matters to educate and protect them from victimization. In the past few months GLS staff have also attended a number of events to provide education and advice to members of the public including the New Covenant Baptist Church Annual Health & Wellness Expo, the Brister Temple C.O.G.O.C. Church Health and Wellness Expo, the Pinellas Hippy Agency Fair, Trinity Presbyterian Church Community and Agency Health Fair, and Help Us Help U Health Fair. Apart from the community legal education, it is also important to provide outreach to those who would not normally find their way to our doors, but are in need of legal help nonetheless. The homeless are an example of a population that is hard to reach. Legal assistance often is a critical part of helping the homeless get off the street by obtaining disability or even helping to get identity documents so that they can work. On a regular basis GLS visits sites that assist the poor and homeless and Gulfcoast has a staff member who specializes in helping the homeless. Monthly, she visits along with volunteers and Stetson Law Students projects including Daystar, Beacon House, Boley Safe Haven, and St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen. In additional to the homeless, GLS staff members visit schools, domestic violence shelters, and make home visits as part of our services. Gulfcoast has educational materials and links to other helpful webpages on its website Education and outreach are critical pieces in helping vulnerable populations. Gulfcoast not only helps people in legal crisis but helps keep them out of legal problems as well. John E. Dubrule, Esq. Mr. Dubrule graduated from Brandeis University in 1976 with a BA and from Boston University School of Law in 1980 with a Juris Doctor. He is an adjunct professor at Stetson Law School and has held the positions of a Staff Attorney, Managing Attorney, Director of Litigation and Training, and was recently named Executive Director at Gulfcoast Legal Services. He has been with Gulfcoast for 35 years where he has served as a public interest lawyer working with low income clients. But the person who scored well on an SAT will not necessarily be the best doctor or the best lawyer or the best businessman. These tests do not measure character, leadership, creativity, perseverance. ~ William Julius Wilson

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12 Congratulations St. Petersburg Bar Association Leadership EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS Cary A. Cash, President Erica K. Smith, President-Elect Gregory J. Hoag, Secretary William B. McQueen, Treasurer J.S. Lucas Fleming, Immediate Past President BOARD MEMBERS Kelli Hanley Crabb Bruce H. Denson Beth A. Horner Jovita Kravitz Stephen Lewellyn, YLS Rep. Sean K. McQuaid Shirin M. Vesely SECTION CHAIRS Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation Kevin D. Fantauzzo Appellate Practice Matthew J. Conigliaro Bankruptcy Hend Nassar-MacLean Business Law E. Chantel Greene/Ronald W. Gregory Criminal Law John Andrew Crawford Employment Law Richard Michael Pierro, Jr. Marital & Family Law Tara J. Scott Probate & Guardianship Benjamin F. Diamond/Lyndy Jennings Real Property Stephen C. Chumbris, Jr. Solo, Small Firm R. Nadine David Trial Practice Shirin M. Vesely/David D. Neiser Young Lawyers Stephen Lewellyn Paraclete Editor Caroline Johnson Levine 12

13 State & Federal Business Litigation/Co-Counsel Arrangements Accepted Robert D. Eckard Board Certified Business Litigation, LL.M. International Law & Business (727) Alternate US 19 North Palm Harbor, FL Deceptive Trade Practices Litigation Unfair Competition Non-Compete Agreements Securities Litigation Trade Secret Litigation Criminal Defense White Collar Crime Immigration International Law Bankruptcy Foreclosure We pay referral fees consistent with rules and regulations of the Florida Bar. Like us on Facebook & Follow us on 13

14 St. Petersburg s Wage Theft Ordinance: An Alternative Means of Recovering Unpaid Wages by R. Michael Pierro, Jr., P.A. 14 In April, the St. Petersburg s City Council passed a wage theft ordinance, the first municipal ordinance of its kind in Florida. The measure followed a statewide study indicating that wage theft is a significant problem in Florida and more specifically, St. Petersburg. 1 The Law An employer violates the new ordinance if it fails to pay earned wages to an employee within a reasonable time following the date the employee performed the work for which those wages were compensation. 2 A reasonable time is presumed to be no more than 14 days. 3 Offending employers will be required to pay not only the underlying unpaid wages but also liquidated damages equal to twice the amount of unpaid wages plus the claimant s reasonable attorney s fees and costs. 4 Notably, all employers (except the United States, Florida, and the City) are covered by the ordinance. 5 The ordinance also contains an antiretaliation provision which prohibits employers from threatening, intimidating, or taking other adverse action against employees...for asserting any claims to wages pursuant to [the ordinance]. 6 Recoverable damages for retaliation are limited to any lost wages suffered and liquidated damages. Who Will Handle the Processing of Wage Theft Claims Filed with the City? According to the the City s legal department, the ordinance is on track to be implemented by early September. The ordinance provides for the appointment of an individual designated to implement and enforce the law. 7 In this regard, the City has created a Compliance Coordinator position. According to the job posting, the position requires a strong background in human resources, law or business administration with a Master s Degree being preferred. Qualified individuals must either be Florida certified circuit civil mediators or obtain such certification within one year of hire. The City will also have to appoint one or more hearing officers to adjudicate wage theft claims. 8 The Claims Procedure The claims process is initiated by filing a written complaint with the City. FIled claims must meet a threshold minimum of $60. 9 The limitations period for claims is one year from the date the wages were due to be paid. 10 Unlike in a federal or state court proceeding, the claimant is not required to effectuate formal service of the complaint on the employer. Instead, if the complaint meets the threshold wage amount and otherwise alleges facts indicating wage theft, the City must serve the employer by simply mailing a copy of the complaint. 11 The employer is in turn required to file an answer within 21 days of service. 12 Following the filing of the answer, it is expected that the Compliance Coordinator will attempt to facilitate conciliation by the parties. 13 If conciliation efforts are unsuccessful, the claim is to be assigned to a hearing officer who has been licensed to practice law... in Florida for... at least five years and is otherwise qualified to hear wage theft matters. 14 The ordinance sets forth the administrative hearing procedures. Parties are permitted to conduct discovery in accordance with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and the hearing officer may issue subpoenas compelling witness attendance at the hearing. Any party, including a corporate entity, may opt for a nonattorney advocate unless disallowed for good cause. 15 Following the hearing, if the hearing officer finds a wage theft violation, he/ she shall issue an order directing the employer to pay the unpaid wages, liquidated damages, the claimant s reasonable attorney s fees and costs as well as the City s administrative expenses and the costs of the hearing within 45 days of the order. 16 The ordinance does not provide for an appeals process. Existing Federal and State Wage/Hour Laws and Gap-Time Claims There are existing laws providing for private causes of action to recover unpaid wages. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Florida Minimum Wage Act (FMWA) require most employers to pay non-exempt employees at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked in a workweek. 17 In addition, the FLSA generally requires that such employees be paid overtime wages equal to one and one half times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. 18 The City s wage theft ordinance is an important measure for St. Pete residents in that there currently is no

15 federal or Florida statute providing a direct vehicle for recovering unpaid wages other than minimum wages or overtime pay. For example, if an employer agrees to pay an employee $20 per hour but fails to do so for a given number of hours, neither the FLSA nor the FMWA provides a remedy beyond any minimum wage or overtime pay problem the failure to pay $20 per hour may have caused. This is commonly called a gap-time claim, a situation where the employer has failed to pay the promised compensation but the employee was paid at least the minimum wage for the workweek(s) in question and the employee did not work overtime or the overtime was otherwise paid. 19 Under state law, aggrieved Florida employees are limited to seeking recovery of unpaid gap-time wages by filing a breach of contract, unjust enrichment and/or quantum meruit claim. Florida law does provide for the recovery of attorney s fees to the prevailing party in such common law actions for unpaid wages. 20 However, unlike the FLSA and FMWA, there is no state or federal statute that allows for the recovery of liquidated damages for the failure to pay gap-time wages. As such, while there are remedies for unpaid gap time, they do not have the teeth of either the FLSA or the FMWA. St. Petersburg residents will now be able to recover liquidated damages in actions to recover unpaid gap-time wages under the new ordinance. This is not to say that the ordinance is solely a means to recover unpaid gap-time wages. By its language, the ordinance arguably allows for recovery of unpaid wages premised upon the failure to pay minimum wage under the FMWA or overtime under the FLSA. 21 In other words, a claimant could conceivably recover treble damages under the ordinance (as opposed to double damages under the FLSA) for what is essentially an FMWA and/or FLSA violation. Defense attorneys may argue that to the extent the ordinance provides its own remedy for FLSA and Florida Minimum Wage Act violations, the ordinance is preempted by those statutes. Whether a preemption argument would be successful is beyond the purview of this article. Note, however, the preemption argument would not be applicable to a gap-time claim as neither federal nor state statute covers such claims. A possible disadvantage to an employee seeking to recover unpaid wages under the ordinance, as opposed to state or federal law, is the ordinance s one-year limitations period. As stated above, a claimant must file a complaint with the City within one year of the date the alleged unpaid wages were due. In contrast, the FLSA provides for a two year statute of limitations or three year limitations period for willful violations. The FMWA has a minimum four year statute of limitations. Florida s statute of limitations for breach of an oral contract is five years. It should be noted that a claimant is precluded from pursuing a claim under the ordinance if he/she files an unpaid wage claim in federal or state court premised upon the same facts. If this occurs subsequent to filing under the ordinance, the claimant is deemed to have withdrawn his/her claim. 22 St. Pete residents will now have a local administrative remedy to seek recovery of unpaid wages that in theory may be less daunting and more efficient than pursuing a claim in federal or state court. In light of the exposure to possible treble damages and attorney s fee liability under the wage theft ordinance, it behooves St. Pete employers to revisit their pay policies and procedures to be sure their employees are properly and timely compensated for all work performed. R. Michael Pierro, Jr. ( Mike ) is an attorney and mediator practicing exclusively in the area of labor and employment law in which he is Florida Bar Board Certified. He currently serves as Chair of the Employment Law Section of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. For more information regarding Mike and his practice, please visit com or him at mikepierro@ rmpemploymentlaw.com. 1. City of St. Petersburg Code of Ordinances, Sec (a). 2. Id. at Id. 4. Id. 5. Id. 6. Id. at Id. at Id. at 15-43(d). 9. Id. at 15-41, 43(a)(2). 10. Id. at 15-43(a)(3). 11. Id. at 15-43(b)(2). 12. Id. at 15-43(b)(3). 13. Id. at 15-43(c). 14. Id. at 15-41, 15-43(d). 15. Id. at 15-43(d)(5). 16. Id. at 15-44(b) U.S.C. 206; Florida Statutes, Section (2015) U.S.C Lundy v. Catholic Health System, 711 F.3d 106, (2nd Cir. 2013). 20. Florida Statutes, Section (2015). 21. City of St. Petersburg Code of Ordinances, Sec , Id. at 15-45(e). 15

16 Community Development is an Art Form by Jovita Kravitz, Esq. 16 The arts are the best insurance policy a city can take on itself. Woody Dumas, former Mayor of Baton Rouge Politicians don t bring people together. Artists do. Richard Daley, Former Mayor of Chicago Many members of the St. Petersburg Bar are well known and recognized for their passion for developing the local Mirror Lake Lyceum Historic Meeting & Special Event Venue Perfect for all your social & corporate functions Grand Hall & Ballroom Orpheum Stage Open Catering with Preferred List Exclusive Full Liquor Service Free On-Site Parking Seated Dinner Capacity Third Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL Tel: (727) Fax: (727) bwilder@mirrorlakelyceum.com community through pro bono and other forms of volunteer work. The various nonprofits and programs supported by the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation such as Community Law Program are examples of local attorneys efforts to improve the lives of St. Petersburg residents in need and to make our city a better place to live, work, and visit for everyone. Another way in which St. Pete Bar members are initiating community development is through the arts. Attorneys such as former mayor Rick Baker, who brought the Chihuly gallery to St. Petersburg, have provided tremendous assistance and incentives for local and out of state artists to open galleries downtown. Another key figure in this effort is real estate attorney Rob Kapusta, who was presented the Heroes Among Us award by the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation this year for his overwhelming charitable work throughout St. Petersburg, including his tremendous support for the arts. Among Rob s various community development projects is the Warehouse Arts District in the area of 22 nd Street and 5 th Avenue South. Rob spearheaded the effort to revitalize this previously neglected part of town several years ago by encouraging and facilitating gallery and studio spaces for visual artists. In the past couple of years, the district has become a popular destination for locals and visitors, particularly during the Art Walk every second Saturday of the month, including the Duncan McClellan glass gallery and pottery at the Train Station. Rob also helped form the Warehouse Arts District Association, Inc., a nonprofit organization that is in the process of building an arts center called the ArtsXChange. The center will provide affordable studios for emerging and established artists as well as arts education to children in underprivileged areas of St. Petersburg to discover their hidden talents and inspire them to pursue their dreams. Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, made the following observation about the significance of the arts in community development: In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country. In that sense, the arts are important to St. Petersburg s economy through increased tourism and spending at galleries and museums. Even more profound and lasting, however, is the ability of the arts to inspire, unite, engage, and elevate all members of our community. Jovita Kravitz is a partner at Kravitz Law Group, P.A., representing personal injury and medical malpractice clients throughout the Tampa Bay area. She serves on the boards of Community Law Program and the Warehouse Arts District Association as well as the St. Pete Bar Executive Committee. Jovita also provides pro bono assistance to local artists. She may be reached at jovita@ kravitzlawgroup.com.

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18 St. Petersburg Bar Foundation President s Message By Camille Iurillo The St. Petersburg Bar Foundation has had an exciting year filled with many successes and challenges. In that regard, it has been in many ways a bittersweet year. First, as many of you know, the Foundation building sold this year with a net cash benefit to the Foundation in the amount of approximately $158,000. A number of donors have reached out to me to express their concern that these funds might be used to support St. Petersburg Bar Association events instead of for not-for-profit causes supporting the Foundation s mission. Rest assured that the Foundation has this fund of money held in a segregated account. The use of the funds will be in accordance with the intent of the donors and in accordance with the Foundation s mission statement. Although I know it was a disappointment to the Foundation donors and members, as well as many of the St. Petersburg Bar Association members to have to sell the building, it was a sound business decision that had to be made. Unfortunately, the unforeseen damage to the building, due to a flood, made repair of the building cost prohibitive. We were fortunate to be able to sell the building quickly with a financial gain to the Foundation. All of the present and upcoming officers and members of the Foundation board are dedicated to turn this course of events into a positive result for our community. We know there were many generous donors to the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation building campaign. The plaques and bricks honoring those who contributed are presently being preserved, protected and stored at Erin Barnett s law firm. We thank Erin and her partners for storing these special items to be held until the Foundation has a location where they can be proudly displayed and honored. The second significant change is the necessity of the Foundation to hire its own part-time Executive Director and find a new location out of which to operate. During the past year, members of the Foundation board and significant donors to the Foundation worked tirelessly with certain members of the Association board to work toward establishing a new relationship between the organizations. The need for establishing a new relationship was due to, in significant part, because the Association s finances did not allow for the Executive Director and staff to support the present needs of both the Foundation and the Association going forward, as had been done in the past. The significant donors to the Foundation as well as the Foundation board members remain committed to continue the level of fundraising they have had in the past. Therefore, the Foundation board has chosen to continue on an independent path. As of the timing of the writing of this article, the Foundation board members have dedicated much of their time to set up this independent organization. We are proud to report that the staff, located at the new St. Petersburg Bar Association address in downtown St. Petersburg, have been very cooperative to help with this transition. I invite any of the Foundation members or Association members to contact myself or any members of the 18

19 board to discuss this further and also to see how you can get involved in this new opportunity for the Foundation to flourish and grow further. I would like to thank all who served on the Foundation board this past year: Dion Hancock, President-Elect, Ron Gregory, Treasurer, Lynn Gordon, Secretary and our other board members, Gina Pellegrino, Beth Casey, Caitlin Docherty, Erin Barnett and Jesse Skipper. We had many very successful fundraising events as well as dues donations to become a Foundation member. First, the Holidays in July, chaired by Beth Casey, generated an approximate net benefit of $3,000; second, The Heroes Among Us, chaired by Dion Hancock and Erin Barnett, generated an approximate net benefit of $20,000; and third, the Law Day Event, chaired by Caitlin Docherty. The Association board has decided to take over this Foundation event. We thank them for their decision to take on this very time-intensive and important event. Fourth, the Rays Event, chaired again by Greg Hoag, who seems to have this down to an absolute system, his event generated approximately $8,000. The Professionalism Seminar to honor Mike Keene and Marty Rice, chaired by a number of our members and Judges including Judge Pam Campbell, Tom Masterson and Eric Ludin to name a few was an inspirational event and very well attended. This event generated approximately $9,000 to the Foundation. This does not include the dues donations! We are pleased to announce our new officers and board members as follows: Officers Dion Hancock President Ron Gregory President-Elect Lynn Gordon Secretary Board Members Eric Ludin Beth Casey Caitlin Docherty Erin Barnett Camille Iurillo Gina Pellegrino We have one board position to fill and one officer s position (Treasurer) to fill. We are reviewing candidates at this time. The Foundation will be holding its swearing in ceremony at the end of June. By the time this article is published, you will have already heard about the event and hopefully will have been able to attend. We thank all the members of the St. Petersburg Bar Association, the Foundation donors and those in our community who have supported the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation mission to fund, develop and promote efforts which enhance the legal profession and encourage better public understanding of and access to the judicial system. In furtherance of this mission, some of the many projects and scholarships awarded this year are as follows: Judge Frank H. White Diversity Scholarship, Judge Thomas E. Penick, Jr Award for Community Service, Judge Paul H. Roney Essay Award, Teen Court Scholarship, Joyce Ann Nelle Legal Assistant Scholarship, Enterprise Village at the Gus A. Stavros Institute and the Community Law Program. Since we will be operating as an independent organization, the cost to run the Foundation will be higher. So this first year will be a financially challenging one. Our goal over the next few years is to overcome these newly placed financial challenges and increase our donation base and fundraising efforts to further serve the needs of the community. We look forward to your support over the coming years as the Foundation grows in its new role as an independent organization. 19

20 90th Anniversary Gala MAY 15TH, 2015 THE COLISEUM 20

21 Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR RED CARPET SPONSOR Greene & Greene, LLC The Fleming Law Group, P.A. Morgan & Morgan SPOTLIGHT ON YOU SPONSOR Abbey, Adams, Byelick & Mueller, LLP Anthony & Partners The Bank of Tampa Baskin Fleece Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A. Carlton Fields Jorden Burt Englander Fischer Fisher & Sauls, P.A. Goodis Thompson & Miller, P.A. Greenberg Traurig, P.A. Harris, Barrett, Mann & Dew, P.A. Larry Heinkel (TaxProblemLaw.com) Leeper Law McClanathan, Burg & Associates, LLC McQueen & Siddall, LLP Meros, Smith, Lazzara, Brennan & Olney, P.A. Modern Business Associates Raymond James Trust Sabal Trust Company Tampa Bay Times Trenam Kemker U.S. Industrial Piping Westfield NAME IN LIGHTS SPONSOR Buckley Law Group, P.A. Clarie Law Offices, P.A. Stevens & Stevens BRM, Inc. 21

22 First DCA Addresses Workers Compensation Pay and Investigate Rule By Mitchell R. Golden 22 The First District Court of Appeal, which hears all workers compensation appeals, recently issued an opinion in Babahmetovic v. Scan Design Florida Inc.,...Sa 3d..., 2015 WL (Fla. 1st DCA 2015) on 5/1/15. This decision addresses numerous issues including the major contributing cause standard and entitlement to a one-time change in treating physician under Section (2)(f). However, one key issue deals with the Pay and Investigate rule, or also referred to as the 120-Day rule. Under Section (4), the 120- Day rule allows a Carrier to investigate a workers' compensation claim while paying benefits to the injured worker and then make a final decision as to acceptance or denial of compensability within 120 days after the initial provision of benefits. In Babahmetovic, the carrier started paying benefits while investigating the claim, and then timely filed a Notice of Denial/DWC-12 within 120 days after it initiated benefits, denying ongoing compensability of the entire claim. However, the carrier did not initially send a letter to the claimant placing him on notice that they were electing to "pay and investigate" the claim. The injured worker filed a Petition seeking a determination of compensability and a one-time change in physician. The Judge of Compensation Claims denied compensability as well as the one-time change, and the injured worker appealed. The First DCA held that if a carrier fails to provide written notice to the claimant of its intention to rely on the "Pay and Investigate" rule (or also referred to as the 120-Day rule), which the Court held was specifically required by Section , then the Employer/ carrier forfeits or waives its right to deny compensability. The Court states: "We now hold that an employer/ carrier who pays yet does not provide written notice "[u]pon commencement of payment" cannot avail itself of the 120- day rule to deny compensability, because it has elected to "pay" rather than to "pay and investigate." It follows that, here, the E/C elected to "pay," and thus waived any right to deny compensability of the original workplace injury under the 120- day rule." Id. at 3. Because the carrier in Babahmetovic only elected to pay the benefits, as opposed to the option of "pay and investigate" (emphasis added), the court concluded that the Employer/Carrier waived its right to deny compensability of the workplace injury, even though it secured expert opinion evidence indicating the work injury was not the major cause of the need for treatment. Based on its interpretation of the 120- Day rule, and other legal issues raised by the injured worker in the appeal, the First District remanded the case back to the JCC to award claimant compensability and the claimed one-time change in physician. This case sets forth a new legal standard in Florida, and specifically requires that the employer/carrier must place the injured worker on written notice if it elects to"pay and investigate" the claim under the 120-day rule. Failure by the employer/carrier to so notify the injured worker in writing results in the employer/carrier being barred from denying compensability, even if the employer/carrier subsequently and timely files a Notice of Denial within the 120 days from the initial provision of benefits. Accordingly, it is now crucial for the carrier to send written notification to the injured worker, in accordance with Section , whenever the carrier is electing to "pay and investigate" a reported workers' compensation claim. In all cases where the carrier wants to investigate compensability under the 120-day rule, yet still protect its rights to deny compensability of the claim pending the results of its investigation, the carrier must provide written notice to the employee that it is specifically electing to pay the claim pending further investigation, and that the carrier will advise claimant of either claim acceptance or claim denial within 120 days from the initial provision of benefits. There appears to be no obvious adverse consequence to the employer/ carrier should it decide to serve written notice on the injured worker in every case simply to preserve the potential of a denial within 120 days of the first provision of benefits. In conclusion, there can be no dispute that Babahmetovic stands for the proposition that an employer/carrier's failure to strictly comply with Section will result in unintended consequences. Mitchell R. Golden is a member of the Workers Compensation practice group and practices in the area of workers compensation litigation, appellate practice and in general insurance defense. Mr. Golden is Board Certified in Workers Compensation Law with The Florida Bar.

23 7 Florida Bar Advertising Rules Your Website is Likely Breaking By Gavin Walsh It is interesting to browse various firms websites in St. Petersburg and spot the numerous violations of Florida Advertising Rules by reputable, ethical attorneys. While websites don t need approval from The Florida Bar like most advertisements, they still need to conform to Advertising Rules through and The good news is that fixing the violations are often easy and you can start with these seven advertising rules your site may be inadvertently violating right now. One of the most ignored advertising rules is the use of images that contain a person that could be erroneously thought to be a member of your firm. Stock images of someone rowing a boat, playing with kids or working in an office setting are often used in websites because they can be easier to find than original pictures of your employees or partners. However, Rule requires that an image cannot contain someone who could be mistaken for a lawyer or employee of the advertising firm without a prominent notice stating something to the effect of Not a lawyer or employee of law firm. Many websites have at least one image that contains someone that could be considered an employee when they are not. You must either add a disclaimer or use real photos of your employees or partners on your site. Real photos tend to connect more with clients and you can often get great photos with just a modern phone, so it is in your best interest to upgrade your photos to the real thing. Testimonials often violate Florida Bar s advertising rules as well. Testimonials that do not represent the typical experience of your clients are not permissible; so you cannot cherrypick stellar reviews. You also need a disclaimer indicating that prospective clients may not obtain the same or similar results. The use of past results is similar; you can only refer to past results if they are objectively verifiable and not misleading. For example, results that are not representative of your typical clients are not allowed. Similarly, posting a case result that omits it was by a judgment obtained by default or without contest can be a violation. You also cannot use past results, even if they are public record, without informed consent of your client(s), subject to exceptions in Rule Does your website say you specialize in divorce? Another common problem is using restricted words when describing the focus or practice areas of your firm. The words certified, a specialist, an expert, and variations thereof are restricted for use to those who have been certified by an organization accredited by the American Bar Association or The Florida Bar. If you are certified in Family Law, you cannot say you specialize in divorce, but rather that you specialize in family law or focus on divorce. If you list experience on your site, be sure it is for your actual time as a lawyer. Problems occur when you combine the experience of all lawyers in your 40 years of experience claim or if you include your experience as a paralegal or other non-lawyer position when you list your years of experience. You should only include your years of experience as a lawyer unless you expressly state otherwise. A tricky potential violation revolves around claims that must be objectively verifiable. A seemingly innocuous statement that you have successfully handled a multitude of cases or won many cases may not be verifiable with your average prospective client who interprets successful outcomes or wins differently. It may be safer to avoid such claims altogether. Finally, rewards and recognition need to be expressly qualified. For example, you cannot claim you are a Super Lawyer unless you also state which organization named you a Super Lawyer and the year (unless the current year is the year you achieved the recognition). Claiming you are a Super Lawyer is not objectively verifiable whereas stating X organization in X year named you a Super Lawyer is verifiable. Getting your website into compliance can save some embarrassment and does not take too much time to get right. It is often the face of your firm to potential clients so it is worth taking the time to fix. I will leave you with an example of a humorous potential issue. One website has this statement as part of its headline: Legally, We Can t Claim We re the Best (city) (practice area) Attorney. But That statement is nothing if not literally accurate, but does it mislead a prospective client regarding a material fact? (Rule ) Are there other things to consider? We would love to hear your thoughts! Gavin Walsh is the founder of FavoredLawyer.com, a website design company that focuses on growing the clientele of lawyers. He can be reached at Gavin@favoredlawyer.com or (941)

24 Community Champions Dana Greenbaum Making a Difference by Going the Extra Mile By Jovita Kravitz Never believe that a few caring people can t change the world. For, indeed, that s all who ever have. Margaret Mead This month, we put the spotlight on Dana Greenbaum, a long-time St. Petersburg Bar member and seasoned workers compensation and plaintiff s attorney. For more than ten years, Dana has made a significant difference in the lives of young women and girls who had nobody on their side. Through her representation as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem and as a reading tutor at local public schools, Dana encounters girls from broken families and foster homes who have suffered unimaginable abuse, neglect, instability, poverty, and hunger. From a statistical standpoint, growing up in such difficult circumstances makes these children nearly certain to drop out of school, abuse alcohol or drugs, become single mothers, suffer domestic violence, or be convicted of a crime. But Dana is determined to prevent that from happening to the girls she represents and tutors. She remains in contact with her GAL clients and students she tutored for years after her formal representation has ended. In doing so, Dana remains the one constant figure in these girls otherwise turbulent, mutable lives. She transcends the role of a legal representative to become a mentor, a parent, a teacher, and a friend. One young woman in particular is about to obtain her GED; Dana tutored her when she was in the third grade and remained in close contact with her over the years, making sure she was staying on track and emphasizing the importance of higher education. Dana helped this teen prepare for the various parts of the GED, drove her to and from the school on testing days, and even helped pay for the exam. To the lucky girls Dana took under her wing when they had no other positive role models or mentors, she has made an immeasurable difference in their futures. These girls, who are now young women about to graduate from high school, have the confidence, education, and critical life skills they would not have otherwise to succeed as adults. Our community is fortunate to have people like Dana who take the time out of their careers and busy family lives to assist those who lack the opportunities that others often take for granted. Jovita Kravitz is a partner at Kravitz Law Group, P.A., representing personal injury and medical malpractice clients throughout the Tampa Bay area. She serves on the boards of Community Law Program and the Warehouse Arts District Association as well as the St. Pete Bar Executive Committee. Jovita also provides pro bono assistance to local artists. She may be reached at jovita@ kravitzlawgroup.com. The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves. ~ Steven Spielberg 24

25 Carlton Fields Jorden Burt congratulates the St. Petersburg Bar Association For 90 years of leadership and service to its members, the legal profession, and the community. Scan the QR code to download our firm s mobile app. Atlanta Hartford Los Angeles Miami New York Orlando Tallahassee Tampa Washington, D.C. West Palm Beach Carlton Fields Jorden Burt practices law in California through Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, LLP 25

26 The Judge s Chambers 26 The Judge s Chambers is a glimpse into the life of one of our local judges. This month the Paraclete is proud to feature The Honorable Judge Paul Firmani. Why did you decide to become a lawyer? I was born and raised in London, England and as a student I used to visit the Old Bailey and the High Courts of London. I dreamed of working one day in those esteemed institutions. I loved watching Perry Mason on television and it is ironic that I ended up being a criminal defense lawyer in the United States many years later. What was your first legal position upon graduation from law school? In 1981, I became an Assistant Public Defender in Pinellas County and worked there for three years handling Juvenile cases, Misdemeanors and then Felonies in front of now retired Judge Crocket Farnell. What areas of legal practice did you engage in prior to taking the Bench? Most of my career has consisted of criminal defense work with the Public Defender s office. In 1987, I was hired by the 13 th Circuit Public Defender s Office in Hillsborough County and eventually became the Chief of the capital division. Then in 1994, I was fortunate enough to be hired by the Public Defender s office in Pasco County and the current Public Defender Robert Dillinger promoted me to become the Chief of the New Port Richey office, where I had the privilege to work for several years before my appointment to the bench by Governor Jeb Bush. Why did you decide to become a judge? I have to give a lot of credit again to Bob Dillinger for suggesting and encouraging me to become a judge. I have always prided myself on being a public servant, working as an attorney for those less fortunate and in sometimes desperate situations. I saw serving on the Bench as the next logical step to my career as a public servant. What have been some of the best experiences you have had on the Bench? Being a county judge means that you may wear several different hats. One day you may be handling Small Claims Court or Peoples Court. The next day you may be handling landlord-tenant evictions or code enforcement or traffic citations. Many people appearing before me are often doing so without the benefit of Counsel. The most challenging and rewarding part of my job is to make sure that everybody that comes before me, no matter what the issue, feels that I am a part of the solution and not the problem and feel that they have been afforded their day in court, regardless of my ruling. What are some the future challenges facing the practice of law? The number of Law schools in the State of Florida has increased from 7 to 12 since It s going to make it tougher and tougher for these graduates that are coming into the marketplace to find work within their field, while also experiencing the extra pressure of having to pay back large college and law school loans. I am worried that the increasing competitiveness could result in lowering the standards of professionalism and ethics in our profession. Further, the Public Defender s Office and the State Attorney s Office have always been a great initial training ground for law school graduates. However, the reality today is that these offices are unable to pay salaries that are competitive with private practice and these offices are not able to recruit or keep good quality attorneys for any length of time. This has a negative impact on the quality of justice in the criminal justice system.

27 What have you discovered to be the most rewarding part of your career as a lawyer and as a Judge? Without a doubt, the most rewarding part is the feeling you get when you have contributed either as a lawyer or as a Judge to ensure that a person has received justice in the courtroom. What advice would you offer to new lawyers? Remember that being a lawyer is a profession and not a job. It is important to practice ethically and professionally. If you are in a law firm, make sure that you obtain a mentor within the firm that you admire so they can pass on the lessons that they have learned during their career. If you are a solo practitioner, become a member of your local Bar Association and also the Inns of Court so that you have an avenue to learn the aspects of good lawyering that you do not always learn in law school. What are the benefits of living and practicing law in the 6th Judicial Circuit? When it comes to the Judiciary and lawyers in the 6 th Circuit, one comes to appreciate that the 6 th Circuit is a beacon to the rest of the State of Florida, when it comes to the standards of professionalism of both the judges and lawyers in Pinellas and Pasco County. It is a great place to live and I feel privileged to be a part of this legal community. Good lawyers know the law; great lawyers know the judge. ~ Author Unknown 27

28 PFAWL has had an extremely exciting and busy spring! On May 6, 2015, PFAWL hosted its annual membership drive at Nuvelle Beauty Bar. Members and non-members enjoyed an evening of pampering, networking, appetizers, and drinks. Thank you to our sponsors: Banker Lopez & Gassler, Executive Reporting Service, Risk Avoidance Managers, Inc., Mid Florida Credit Union, The Pless Law Firm, P.A., William D. Slicker, P.A., Law & Mediation Office of Jacquelyn M. Shannon, P.A., OMNI Services, and totdot. In line with The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division s health and wellness initiative, all attendees received a swag bag with wellness related coupons and freebies. Additionally, we would like to thank the following companies that donated prizes for our awesome raffle: Pia s, Aria, Interactive Bodyworks, Pure Barre, Orange Theory, Fit 2 Run, totdot, and Nava Yoga. A very special thank you to Meredith Gaunce and Laura Jo Lieffers for their hard work putting this event together. Continuing to address The Florida Bar YLD s health and wellness initiative, PFAWL collaborated with the St. Petersburg Bar YLS and the Clearwater Bar YLD for a CLE and Paddleboarding lesson on May 30. A big thank you to Shavarne Dahlquist for organizing the event and to Bruce Denson for conducting the CLE and helping attendees learn to paddleboard. We would also like to thank our sponsors: Kravitz Law Group, P.A. and Kira Doyle Law. outgoing board members for their hard work and dedication this past year. We had an amazing year and are looking forward to another exciting year with the incoming board members and officers. It is time to renew your membership or if you would like to join PFAWL, please visit PFAWL is From left to right: Jacqueline Kuyk, Brittany Maxey, Jennifer Codding one of 33 chapters of FAWL, which is a voluntary bar association that provides a statewide voice for Florida s women lawyers. Membership in our organization is open to every attorney that supports the organization s mission, and we encourage both men and women to participate in and attend our socials and events. From left to right: Meredith Gaunce, Erica Pless 28 PFAWL installed its new board members and officers at our monthly social on July 7, We thank all From left to right: Jacqlyn Bryant, Adriana Foreman, Elena Krekovic, Mandi Clay, Katherine Yanes

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30 is a non-profit corporation formed in 1989 by members of the St. Petersburg Bar Association concerned about the civil legal needs of low income residents of Southern Pinellas County, Florida. Over the years, CLP has recruited a panel of approximately 400 St. Petersburg area attorneys who provide free assistance to thousands of people in need of civil legal assistance each year. To volunteer for pro bono service, contact Community Law Program at By Kimberly Rodgers 30 April 17, 2015 marked the first ever circuit-wide pro bono recognition event hosted by the Sixth Circuit s Pro Bono Advisory Committee chaired by Judge Kimberly Todd. The ceremony was held at the CJC, and approximately 30 judges were in attendance along with a host of other distinguished guests, including William Schifino, incoming president-elect of The Florida Bar as keynote speaker. Pro bono awards were presented by Judge Todd and Judge McGrady to an Outstanding Attorney (Ramon Carrion), an Outstanding Law Firm (Simons & Caty), an Outstanding Law Student (Rebecca Watts CLP volunteer), an Outstanding Paralegal (Jerri Evans), and the judges selected an attorney to receive a Chair Award (Hanz Griebal). In addition, several individual attorneys and a law firm were given honorable mentions and were presented with nicely framed certificates. CLP volunteer attorney, Lawrence Markell and Fisher & Sauls, P.A. were among those given honorable mentions. Both Mr. Markell and Fisher & Sauls, P.A. have made extraordinary contributions to the Community Law Program in 2014 and over the years and to the delivery of free legal services to those less fortunate in our community. Following the presentation of these awards, I had the pleasure of presenting lapel pin awards to those attorneys present at the ceremony who fulfilled The Florida Bar s aspirational pro bono requirement of providing at least 20 hours of pro bono legal services to the poor. Lapel pins were presented to those attorneys who discharged this obligation by participating with CLP, Bay Area Legal Services (Clearwater), or with the Sixth Judicial Circuit s Guardian ad Litem Program. The lapel pin award is a special recognition that is done statewide and is made possible through a collaborative effort among the Florida Supreme Court, the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, and the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association. These recipients received a letter of commendation signed by Justice Labarga, Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and a lapel pin featuring a scale of justice surrounded by the words, One Client One Attorney One Promise Outstanding Pro Bono Service CLP has enjoyed a rich history of presenting the lapel pin award to its volunteers in a special ceremony each year. This year, we were honored to be able to present this award to our volunteers before a much larger audience and during a most auspicious occasion. Please join me in congratulating the following CLP volunteers as our 2015 Lapel Pin Recipients: Patricia Alten Erin Barnett David Bernstein Chelsea Blackie David Blum W. G. Bostick, Jr. Beth Jenkins Casey Russell Cheatham, III John Cunningham B. Kirk Eason John Ellis Belinda Engleman Kathleen Engelman Robyn Featherston Kristina Feher Timothy Goodwin Elizabeth Greenberg Pamela Hembree Amber Hill Natoria Hubbard Carol Anne Johnson John Karvonen Lawrence Markell Betheny Mather Anthony Morelli Kathryn O Brien Marilyn Polson Barry Salzman Keith Sanders Michael Singer William Slicker Erica Smith Ted Starr John Tuthill Dierdre White Jeannine Williams Jerome Williams Jr. Michael Ziegler We are very grateful to these attorneys not only for fulfilling (and in most cases surpassing) The Florida Bar s aspirational pro bono goal, but their individual and collective contributions have greatly contributed to our organization s success in 2014 in serving the civil legal needs of our most vulnerable residents. With their help (along with the help of 80 additional volunteer attorneys, countless law students, and other lay volunteers), we provided free legal assistance by way of advice clinics, self-help classes, and individual representation to 1,031 unduplicated clients, and we helped them recover nearly $750,000 in financial benefits. We also collaborated with over 15 organizations/agencies within our community and organized and/or participated in six community outreach events designed to educate the general public about legal rights and responsibilities. Also, in 2014, we organized and hosted a record four live CLE programs all designed to help educate and recruit attorneys to participate with our organization. The in-kind value of these donated services totaled $502,976. Wow, and with only approximately eight percent of the membership of the bar within our local community, we were able to accomplish all of this for the less fortunate in our community. I can only imagine how much we could accomplish with just a few more! Please consider joining us in this effort by contacting me directly at (727) or by ing me at clp@lawprogram.org.

31 St. Petersburg Bar CLE Audio CD s Available For a complete list of titles, visit stpetebar.com under Download/Forms on the hompage menu. For more information, contact

32 Summer 2015 By Gay L. Inskeep Frederick, Rae, and Donald Petterson, circa 1910 Donald Petterson at time of his voyage on the S.S. San Lorenzo legend had Rai committing suicide when Edwin was 12 and Donald was 10, and had the two boys running away from home after developing a dislike for their stepmother whom Frederick married shortly after Rai s death. The story had Edwin heading west toward California, and Donald heading East toward New York City. Donald would eventually be taken under the wing of socialite William MacArthur, reportedly a cousin of General Douglas MacArthur. The two brothers were not supposed to have met again until the 1940s, when both, having reenlisted to serve in the Pacific during World War II, landed in a military hospital after being injured in the line of duty. 32 S.S. San Lorenzo, circa 1927 He leaned forward, his forearms resting on the cool metal railing of the S.S. San Lorenzo. A light wind, carrying the salty Atlantic air, stung his face. Blinking, he dragged a sleeve across his eyes. He patted the pocket of his jacket, searching for the familiar rectangular shape of the Lucky Strikes he had slipped in the night before. Lifting out the box with his right hand, his left hand retrieved matches from his pants pocket. A cigarette dangled from his lips as he cupped a hand to the wind and struck a match. He inhaled deeply, the smoke warming him against the morning chill. He took in his surroundings, the pre-dawn sky almost indistinguishable from the cresting waves. The approach of sunrise was already starting to lighten the sky and reveal the horizon. The loud blast of the steamer s horn startled him from his meditation. He looked around to see that a few other passengers had emerged from their cabins and had taken up posts further down the railing. There was a low murmur as the group caught a glimpse of a distant shoreline dotted with light green fronds swaying in the breeze. Puerto Rico was in view. This is how I imagine my grandfather during his voyage on the S.S. San Lorenzo to the island of Puerto Rico on March 24, I found the ship s passenger log on a popular genealogy website when I was doing some research recently to confirm, or refute, accepted family lore regarding my paternal ancestry. The story of my grandfather, Donald J. Petterson, begins at his birth in Akron, Ohio in He was the son of Frederick Petterson and Rai Topping, first generation Swedish-Americans. Frederick and Rai had one other child, my grandfather s brother, Edwin Nelse Petterson (good Swedish name!). Family There is much more to the family history, but those are the major points that I was determined to verify or not. Unfortunately, there is no one left to ask on my dad s side of the family, as he, his parents, and all three siblings are deceased. I have four cousins I ve never met and can t find (estrangement seems to be a thing for the Petterson family) and one whom I did know in childhood but who, about 20 years ago, decided he didn t want to be found. So armed with my grandfather s military records, a monthly subscription to an online genealogy site, and a healthy dose of natural curiosity, I set about trying to settle the facts. My research has left me with mixed results. I ve been able to confirm many of the details of our family story, but there have been other details that I can now refute. And still others where the truth is even more interesting than the legend. I was fairly quickly able to determine that my grandfather was the older brother, not the younger. So that called into question the veracity of the story of the two of them running away from

33 home. Further research revealed that Donald was only six years old, and Edwin only three, when their mother Rai died in 1915 at the age of 28, not of suicide, but of complications after an operation for peritonitis. It is unlikely the boys ran away at such young ages. I found additional records that Edwin married and had a child in Akron, Ohio before moving to Los Angeles. So it appears that while he indeed headed west, it didn t occur until he was well into adulthood. My great-grandfather Frederick did remarry someone named Ruie Fish after Rai s death, but so far, I can t find any evidence that her stepsons disliked her. Some old Marine Corps records of my grandfather s reveal that in 1943, Ruie applied for an allocation of his pension, something that my grandfather appeared to have supported. Also, the 1930 census showed Edwin living with Frederick and Ruie in Akron when Edwin was 18 years old; if he disliked Ruie so much, I imagine he would have struck out on his own at that age. As for my grandfather heading east and acquiring a wealthy benefactor, I ve discovered that to be true, but with some twists. Again, it doesn t appear that Donald ran away from home at a young age. I found a record that the benefactor, MacArthur, was living in Akron, Ohio around At that time, Akron was known as the Rubber Capital of the World, and MacArthur was there in some capacity with one of the rubber factories. My great-grandfather was listed in the 1920 census as being an inspector at a factory, so I have surmised that this is when their paths must have crossed. How my grandfather came to live with MacArthur after that is mere speculation on my part, but I have confirmed that he was indeed a ward of MacArthur not in New York, but in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, sometime between 1918 and My grandfather s Marine Corps records contain a handwritten note from William MacArthur seeking special treatment for him as a young Marine Private, and a personal response from Major General John T. Lejeune, for whom Camp Lejeune is named. This leads me to believe that MacArthur was, if not an actual cousin of the famous MacArthur, at least a person of some influence. MacArthur s family home in Hasbrouck Heights happened to be about a mile from where my grandmother, Ruth, whom Donald would eventually marry in 1929, lived with her parents. I believe that MacArthur and my grandmother s father, Charles Glabau, were contemporaries in the same social circles. Otherwise, it is unlikely that my grandfather, son of a factory inspector from Ohio, would have met my grandmother, daughter of a wellto-do scientist and food chemist from New Jersey. Again, this is speculation on my part, but it is at least supported by some of the evidence I have unearthed in my research. And speaking of speculation, one of the most intriguing pieces of information I found was the passenger log of the S.S. San Lorenzo that I mentioned at the beginning of this column. My grandfather, who was 18 at the time, was accompanied by William MacArthur who was 43 at the time. He was listed as Donald J. MacArthur on the log. Why they went to Puerto Rico together, how long they stayed, and why his real last name was not used in the log is a mystery I may never solve, and one that was absent from the family stories passed down to me. But I ll keep looking. I am also still searching for records to verify the reunited at the military hospital story. I am not sure that my children appreciate or understand why all of this is important to me. I just know that if someday, they, like me, start to feel the pull of those who came before us, they ll have a record based on fact rather than the oral histories that seem to lose a little credibility with each retelling. And they ll learn that there is something to that old adage that truth is stranger, or at least more interesting, than fiction! 33

34 By Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, Dean, Stetson Law Stetson Presents SNT in October This October, hundreds of attorneys from around the country will gather in St. Petersburg for Stetson s Special Needs Trusts The National Conference at The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club. The 17th annual conference will provide an in-depth review of major issues presented in the creation, administration and monitoring of special needs trusts. The driving force behind this multiday conference is Professor Rebecca Becky Morgan. She tells me it will be of great value to attorneys who have clients or a family member with special needs, and that the conference will offer cutting-edge sessions on topics relevant to any attorney who handle special needs issues. Speakers will include policymakers from government agencies and attorneys who are nationally recognized as leaders in the field of special needs planning. As Stetson s Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law, and Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Elder Law, Professor Morgan has an impressive list of national credentials in the field of elder law. She has served as past president of a number of national organizations including the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the National Senior Citizens Law Center. She has also chaired the American Association of Law Schools Section on Aging and the Law, and is on the faculty of the National Judicial College. Professor Morgan has assembled a prestigious group of presenters for this conference, including: Kenneth Brown Team Leader, Social Security Administration Gail Dotson Associate Regional Counsel, U.S. Department of HUD Eric Skidmore Director of the Office of SSI and Program Integrity Policy, Social Security Administration Shirley Whitenack President of NAELA The three-day conference will begin on Wednesday, October 14, with daylong Tax Intensive sessions that include: What Is a Grantor Trust, and When Do You Need an EIN? Income Under the Tax Rules: Not Everything a Trustee Receives Is Taxable Income The Interplay of Income, Estate and Gift Tax Prior to my life in academia, I worked as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and as an attorney/adviser in the U.S. Department of Education. I continue to teach tax law at Stetson, and I am honored to be presenting a session at this conference: The Role of MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) in Special Needs Planning. For more information about the SNT Conference, I invite you to visit www. stetson.edu/snt. 34

35 Bar and Court News ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS - SUNCOAST CHAPTER: The Suncoast Chapter of the ALA meets on the second Wednesday of each month for the meetings held in Tampa and on the second Thursday of each month for the meetings held in St. Petersburg. Please contact Meetings/Edu. Chair Lisa Guillory, lguillory@bajocuva.com or visit the ALA website at org/ for more information. Date: Thursday, August 13, 2015 Time: 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Program: General Membership Meeting Location: Bascom s Chop House 3665 Ulmerton Rd. Clearwater, FL Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2015 Time: 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Program: General Membership Meeting Location: Grille One Sixteen 612 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Tampa, FL PINELLAS ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS: The PACDL meets the third Thursday of each month at the Pinellas County Justice Center from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Lunch is provided for members. Meetings are open to members and those who come to join. We usually have one hour of CLE. Memberships are also available for law students. For more information on PACDL please contact Bruce Denson at bruce@thedensonfirm.com or (727) Visit: PACDL.com for more information. PINELLAS COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS: PFAWL meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at different locations each month. For more information on events contact Kristina Feher at Kfeher@Feherlaw. com. For membership inquires contact Shavarne Dahlquist at shavarne. dahlquist@raymondjames.com. Watch for upcoming PFAWL events. PINELLAS COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA: Monthly meetings for the Pinellas County Chapter of PAF, Inc. are on the second Tuesday of each month. Paralegals, student paralegals, nonmembers and attorneys are always welcome. For further information or to make reservations, please contact Cherie Dantzscher at cdantzscher@ meiroselaw.com. For more information on the local chapter contact Crystal Siegel, President at csiegel@ brasfieldlaw.net or visit the Paralegal Association of Florida website at www. pafinc.org. Please note the new location of upcoming meetings: Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 Time: 6:15 p.m. Program: Ethics Speaker: Sean K. McQuaid, Esq. Location: Feather Sound Corporate Center I Feather Sound Dr., STE 125 Clearwater, FL Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2015 Time: 6:15 p.m. Program: Lottery Advice and Estate Planning Speaker: Linda Griffin, Esq. Location: Feather Sound Corporate Center I Feather Sound Dr., STE 125 Clearwater, FL ST. PETERSBURG ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (SPALSS): Please join us for dinner and camaraderie at our next quarterly meeting. For more information about the meetings or SPALSS, please contact Debora Shirley, President at (727) Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: To be announced. Contact Debora Shirley for location. Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Pasadena Yacht and Country Club 6300 Pasadena Point Blvd. Gulfport, FL

36 By Steven Lewellyn The Young Lawyers Section (YLS) is a diverse group of extraordinary, talented, and driven young lawyers. Having been a member for several years, I can tell you at its core the YLS is about building important relationships among fellow young lawyers and promoting essential qualities that make good lawyers. I am proud to be a member of this amazing group and honored to have the privilege of chairing the YLS over the next year. Planning is in the works, and this year is going to be an exciting time. There will be new opportunities to become engaged and active with the membership and the community. You should expect to see new events that are aimed toward the YLS core and promoting new membership and membership engagement. Events and meetings will start ramping up in September, so please keep an eye on your and the event calendar to ensure you don t miss out. I encourage anyone that is interested in becoming a member or becoming more involved to please me at s.lewellyn@ maxeyiplaw.com. On that note, I cannot stress enough the importance of having a strong network of peers that you can rely upon for help. Let s be honest, while the practice of law can be immensely rewarding, it can also be demanding, difficult, and at times stressful for even the seasoned lawyer. This is especially true for young lawyers learning not only the substantive practice of law but also learning how to manage competition for your time and attention. Having a peer network that you can turn to for advice on things like managing your desk, balancing competing priorities, the billable hour, and even how to talk with the partner is invaluable. Becoming an active and engaged member of the YLS will give you the ability to build your invaluable network. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in September and hope that you are ready for an exciting new year! In closing, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes that I often reflect upon: Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ~ Lao Tzu Stephen Lewellyn is a registered United States Patent agent with Maxey Law Offices, PLLC. He is versed in international patent law and has trial and appellate experience before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Stephen provides client counseling for all aspects of patent application, design, and maintenance. Stephen is the chair of the YLS. Douglas R. Ramm, Ph.D. Diplomate in Forensic Psychology American College of Forensic Examiners Board Certified in Clinical Psychology American Board of Professional Psychology Announcing the Opening of his St. Petersburg Office Cornell & Duquesne Universities 30 Years Experience in Forensic Psychology Hundreds of Court Ordered Evaluations Testified on more than 100 Occasions Adult & Juvenile Forensic Examiner Parenting Plan Evaluation & Parenting Coordination Personal Injury Litigation Evaluations Elder Competence Evaluations Douglas@RammPsych.com Phone

37 What s Up & Who s New NEW & REINSTATED MEMBERS ARTILLE, RUSSELL E. 201 N. Franklin St., Floor 7 Tampa, FL Phone: ; Fax: rartille@forthepeople.com Undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Artille is a partner with Morgan & Morgan, P.A. BARBER, MARY KATHLEEN th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: kbarber@barber-law.com B.S. from University of Florida; J.D. from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University; Masters of Business Administration from Brock School of Business, Samford University. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Barber is an associate with Growney, McKeown & Barber, P.A. BEATTY, FRANCESCA BERNHARDT 1 Mangrove Pointe St. Pete Beach, FL Phone: ; Fax: francescabeatty@msn.com Undergraduate degree from University of Colorado Boulder; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Beatty is a sole practitioner. BLACKIE, CHELSEA S. 17 Dr. M.L. King Jr. St. S., STE 200 St. Petersburg, FL Phone ; Fax: chelseablackie@gmail.com B.A. from Florida State University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Blackie is a sole practitioner. BOSTICK, WILLIAM G., JR th Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: wgblawoffice@gmail.com B.S. from Florida State University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Bostick is a sole practitioner. BRUM, ADAM 201 N. Franklin St., Floor 7 Tampa, FL Phone: abrum@forthepeople.com B.S. from the University of Florida; J.D. from The John Marshall School of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Brum is a partner with Morgan & Morgan, P.A. CAPUTO, DARREN M st Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: dcaputo@brasfieldlaw.net B.S.B.A. from Appalachian State University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law; M.B.A. from Stetson University. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Caputo is an associate with Brasfield, Freeman, Goldis & Cash, P.A. CENTONZIO, JAVIER A th Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: jac@hilllawgroup.com B.A. from Park University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Centonzio is of counsel with Hill Law Group, P.A. CREVELING, SHARON L. SCHEIRER th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: screveling@themislawllp.com B.A. from Cedar Crest College; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Creveling is an associate with Themis Law Group, LLP. CROCKETT, DEBBIE SINES th Ave. S. Naples, FL Phone: ; Fax: dscrockett@napleslaw.com B.A. from Salisbury University; J.D. from the University of Baltimore. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Crockett is an associate with Cheffy Passidomo, P.A. JULY/AUGUST 2015 DAUTA, OMAIRA P. ROMERO st Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: omaira.dauta@gmail.com B.A. from Florida Atlantic University; J.D. from Florida A & M University. Admitted to The Florida in Ms. Dauta is currently an associate with Churchill Wells. FISHER, KELLY M. P.O. Box St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: kfisher@fisherlawgroupfla.com B.A. from University of South Florida; J.D. from University of Pittsburgh, Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Fisher is a partner with Fisher Law Group. HATHAWAY, JESSICA R th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: jessica@keithringlaw.com B.S. from Florida State University; J.D. from Florida Coastal Law School. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Hathaway is an associate with Keith A. Ringelspaugh, P.A. JASTER, ANASTASIA C th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: acjaster@themislawllp.com B.A. from University of South Florida; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Jaster is a partner with Themis Law Group, LLP. MAKHOLM, JOHN A Pinellas Bayway S., STE 202 Tierra Verde, FL johnmakholm@gmail.com J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Makholm is a sole practitioner with The Makholm Law Group. MARSALISI, FRANK P Central Ave., STE A St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: frankm@fpmlaw.com B.A. from University of Florida; J.D. from University of Pittsburgh. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Marsalisi is a sole practitioner with Marsalisi Law. 37

38 McGRATH, MARIAN HANLY P.O. Box 384 St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: B.A. from Stetson University, J.D. from Loyola University; and L.L.M. in Taxation from University of Florida. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. McGrath is a sole practitioner. PIERCE, TAYLOR K nd Ave. S., STE 510 St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: tpierceesq@gmail.com Undergraduate degree from University of South Florida, J.D. from Stetson University College of Law; and Masters of Accountancy from University of South Florida. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Pierce is a sole practitioner. PINCUS, LOREN 5453 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: lpincus@yanchuckberman.com B.A. from Eckerd College; J.D. from New England School of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Pincus is an associate with Yanchuck, Berman, Wadley, Zervos & Thomas, P.A. RAY, AMY th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: ray@tuckerludin.com B.A. from Northern Michigan University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Ms. Ray is an associate with Tucker Ludin, P.A. SHAPIRO, SETH M nd Ave. NE, STE 515 St. Petersburg, FL Phone: ; Fax: seth@morrislawfl.com B.A. from Stetson University; J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Shapiro is a partner with Morris Law Firm, P.A. WALSH, JAMES PATRICK st Terr. Seminole, FL Phone: jpattwalsh@gmail.com B.A. from Kent State University, J.D. from Ohio Northern University. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Walsh is an associate with EXL Legal. ZULIAN, DAVID A th Ave. S. Naples, FL Phone: ; Fax: dazulian@napleslaw.com B.A. from Emory University; J.D. from the University of Miami. Admitted to The Florida Bar in Mr. Zulian is an associate with Cheffy Passidomo, P.A. STUDENT MEMBERS BECK, MARGARET A. Phone: beck.margaret@ufl.edu B.S. from the University of Florida. Currently attending the University of Florida Levin College of Law. BECKSTROM, PETER Phone: pbeckstr@law.stetson.edu Undergraduate degree from The College of Saint Scholastica. Currently attending Stetson University College of Law. BOGGS, SCOTT Phone: dscott40@msn.com Pre-Seminary at Cedarville College; Doctor of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical School. Currently attending Thomas Cooley School of Law. MCLAREN, ROBERT T. Phone: mclaren@law.stetson.edu B.S. from the University of Florida. Currently attending Stetson University College of Law. SCHMELZER, SCOTT Phone: schmelzer03@gmail.com B.A. from the University of Florida. Currently attending Stetson University College of Law. Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk. ~ Henry David Thoreau Classifieds OFFICE SPACE: PASADENA: Large professional office in high visibility location. Shared space in a professional wealth management office includes shared conference room, kitchen, free easy access parking. Cable, dedicated phone numbers, utilities included. Nice reception area and minutes to downtown. Month to month ok. $850. Call Lorna at ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN: The Paramount 721 First Avenue North. One Block from courthouse/county building. Virtual offices from $250/ month. NEW Art Deco construction. Receptionist in stunning atrium waiting area. Beautifully appointed conference rooms. Fax/copiers, state of the art telephone system, gorgeous kitchen/lounge, much more! Ali Curtis ST. PETERSBURG Looking for an attorney to share office space with two other attorneys. Location is th Ave. Rent would be $500 per month plus utilities. Shared conference room, shared reception waiting area. Plenty of space. Contact for Details: Andy G. Strickland, Esq. at ST. PETERSBURG Professional office space in the Baypoint Commerce Center (formerly the Koger Center - Gandy and 4th Street) to share with tax attorney. Two offices plus cubicles for support staff. Rate & term negotiable. Immediate availability. LarryHeinkel@ lawyer.com. ST. PETERSBURG Ideal home/office for attorney(s) has been recently listed and is located on First Avenue North in the historic Kenwood area zoned as urban development. This classic home is in great structural condition and carries transferrable warranty. Parking lot attached. Visit: com/homedetails/2851-1st-ave-n-st- Petersburg-FL-33713/ _ zpid/ Classified Advertising is available to St. Pete Bar Members for $25 per month, up to 50 words. The cost for Non-Members is $50 per month. For ads over 50 words - add $1 per word. Contact JoAnn Knight, Paraclete Advertising at jknight@stpetebar.com for more information. 38

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