YLD Spotlight

by katherine e. camadeco, esq.

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of labor, services or commercial sex. The U.S. Department of State estimates that as many as 24.9 million people, both adults and children, are being trafficked. In the United States, Florida ranks as the third-highest state where human trafficking takes place. Human trafficking is a crime that hides in plain sight. It robs individuals of their freedom and dignity. It does not discriminate when it comes to its victims; victims can be of any age, race, gender or nationality. And may come from any socioeconomic group. As attorneys, we have contact daily with diverse populations across Southwest Florida. The most important thing any of us can do to fight human trafficking is to educate ourselves on how to spot the signs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has developed an indicator card to help recognize the signs of human trafficking. • Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or houses of worship? • Has a child stopped attending school?

• Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior? • Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex acts?

• Is the person disoriented or confused, or showing signs of mental or physical abuse? • Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing? • Is the person fearful, timid, or submissive?

• Does the person show signs of having been denied food, water, sleep, or medical care? • Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers?

Or someone who seems to be in control of the situation, e.g., where they go or to whom they talk? • Does the person appear to be coached on what to say? • Is the person living in unsuitable conditions?

• Does the person lack personal possessions and appear not to have a stable living situation? • Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person freely leave where they live? Are there unreasonable security measures? If you identify any of the indicators, please contact the local Sheriff’s department or Florida Department of Law Enforcement so they can work to identify and rescue victims of trafficking.

Katherine E. Camadeco, Esq. is the President of the Young Lawyers Divsion of the Lee County Bar Association and an attorney at O’Halloran & Simmons, PLLC where she practices in the area of Marital and Family Law.

HB35 brings legal notices intothe 21stcentury

by linda doggett

Lee County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller

If you don’t like flipping through newspapers to view legal notices, you now have the option to scroll through your phones, tablets or desktop computers to view them as well. A new Florida law, CS/HB 35 (which amends Florida Statute 50.011), now allows local government agencies to post legal notices online through their local newspapers effective Jan. 1, 2022. Previously, the notices had to be published in print for meetings where official acts are taken or where public business is conducted.

Legal notices serve important functions, such as notifying the public about a wide range of transactions from divorces to unclaimed funds to public meetings. They are necessary to ensure that citizens, especially attorneys and their clients, are informed of current legal motions. The new law sets specific requirements for the newspapers that print the legal notices. For example, the newspaper must be printed periodically or weekly, and it must contain at least a quarter of its words in English, with no more than 75% of its content as advertising. Additional requirements, such as the newspaper holding periodicals permits or having an audience of at least 10% of households within the municipality, are also included in the new law. While there will still be a charge for the online ads, the new law protects taxpayers by restricting newspapers from charging more than they would charge for print ads. If the legal notices are published in print, they are required to be published online the same day for no additional charge. You can read all the details of the new law at this url: laws.flrules.org/2021/17. As more citizens move away from print and embrace digital platforms, this new law brings legal notices into the 21st century. You’ll have the added convenience to search and view legal notices 24/7 from the tips of your fingers, rather than only through the oldfashioned paper. To keep up with the latest news from the Lee Clerk’s office, subscribe to our e-mail newsletter at leeclerk.org/subscribe or follow us on social media.

MEET LINDA DOGGETT

Linda Doggett is the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller in Lee County. Linda was elected in 2012 to take office in 2013 as the first woman to be elected as Clerk of Court. She holds degrees in both Computer Science and Management Information Systems and has consistently advocated for technology efficiencies locally as well as for clerks statewide. Linda currently serves on four statewide Clerk committees. She has been presented with the 2016 Partnership Award by Florida Rural Legal Services. In 2021, 2018 and 2016, the Lee County Bar Association recognized Linda for her commitment to provide improved access to the courts through the Clerk’s Self Help Center and partnership with Legal Aid. In 2019, Linda was awarded the Clerk of the Year award by the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers for her efforts to lead strategic technology planning and initiatives, including the self-funded statewide rollout of TurboCourt. Linda is also very proud of establishing the Inspector General’s Office in Lee County. Her pledge to her constituents is accountability and transparency for government and to operate efficiently using technology solutions.

Mediation. Arbitration. Virtual or In-Person.

Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar Represented Plaintiffs and Defendants Former Plaintiff-side Personal Injury Attorney Former Medical Malpractice Defense Attorney Southwest Florida Resident Since 2005 Office in Collier County, Florida

(239) 821-0069 BrazzealMediation.com

Chad T. Brazzeal, Esquire

Chad@BrazzealMediation.com

Schedule Online

The Public Notice laws are changing, but working with us is not.

When the new laws* go into effect Jan.1, 2022, the Business Observer will still be in compliance. Which means doing business with us will still be simple, fast, affordable and accurate.

The Business Observer offers:

• Electronic invoicing and E-filing capabilities • Professional staff to quickly assist you • Low competitive flat rates • Qualified legal status • All print notices published by the Business Observer are automatically placed on BusinessObserverFL.com and FloridaPublicNotices.com at no additional cost

To publish your legal notices, call Kristen:

941-906-9386, ext. 323

Email: kboothroyd@BusinessObserverFL.com

BusinessObserverFL.com

*Florida House Bill 35

When Tiffany Pereira talks about the theme for her year as president of the Lee County Bar Association, her excitement is unmistakable. The theme is “Bridge the Gap”, and for Tiffany, the theme means so many things. The idea of “the gap” points to many ideas, and they are all about relationships. It’s the relationships between seasoned attorneys and newer attorneys; relationships between the Bar and the Bench; relationships between former leaders of the LCBA and current leaders; and relationships between attorneys and non-attorneys who also contribute to the legal community. Pereira says, “The theme for 2022 of Bridging the Gap came from my experiences on the LCBA and LCAWL Boards over the last 5 years, as well as the last few years serving on the Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors and Board of Directors for the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. It’s been interesting to see what voluntary bars can accomplish together, and the variety of programming that is accomplished when multiple organizations are working towards a common goal.” Pereira is a Fort Myers native. She says, “I grew up off McGregor and am a (Fort Myers High School) Greenie.” She then attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, originally for Aerospace Engineering, and obtained a Master’s in Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She continued her education at Florida Coastal School of Law.

When Pereira graduated law school, she knew she wanted to come home to Fort Myers. Getting started was not easy, though. She says, “I came out of law school, and I couldn’t find the right job for me. I didn’t want to take a job just to take a job, as that would be doing myself and the employer no favors.”

At the time, she started working with Attorney Jim Boatman on some activities for a non-profit agency. They developed a strong relationship and Boatman encouraged Pereira to start her own law firm. She took Boatman’s advice and started her firm virtually in 2016, moving to downtown Fort Myers in January 2017. Pereira credits the LCBA for helping her get her firm off the ground. “I’ve been a member of LCBA since the day I was sworn into the Florida Bar. As a young attorney who essentially went right into the role of a solo practitioner, I knew I would have to go above and beyond to immerse myself in the local legal community. When I needed someone more experienced to bounce ideas off or to guide me, I was able to find that person through the LCBA. I never would’ve been able to do it without these individuals willing to help me. It was critical.”

It is because of these early experiences with the LCBA that Pereira is eager to start a mentorship program. Not only does mentorship offer resources and guidance to a young attorney, Pereira also sees a strong connection between lack of mentorship and lack of professionalism. She says, “We are going to match young and ‘vintage’ attorneys. With a trend of young lawyers going out on their own, there are many young professionals entering the legal community who do not have big firm resources in the form of mentorship and learning ‘how to.’ On the other end of the spectrum, there may be individuals at large firms, in corporate jobs, government jobs, and the like who could use someone with a little more experience to collaborate with as well.” Pereira’s plan is to promote the mentorship program early in the year, including during the new lawyers’ swearing-in ceremony. LCBA will then ask members to opt in to the program when they renew their membership. She also believes the mentorship program is a good opportunity to match members interested in becoming board certified with members who have already obtained board certification. The mentorship can help them prepare for the application process. The mentorship relationship can be customizable to each mentor/mentee match. Pereira also plans to schedule group events specifically for the mentors and mentees. These events will have activities and topics that are specific to a mentorship relationship. Pereira says, “Like many of our programs, we can’t do this without you. If you are looking to give back, share your knowledge and help shape the minds of our future leaders, please consider signing up.”

Pereira also talks about honoring past presidents. “Coming up on 100 years since the LCBA was founded as the Fort Myers Bar Association, I think it’s time to look back and see how far we have come and the changes that have occurred in our community and state. We are going to circle back to past presidents and ask them about current events or hot topics during their term, then see where we are on those subjects now. What changes have been made, etc. Where are some of these people now? Are there any issues in our legal community that are worth revisiting?” Another program Pereira is looking to grow is the affiliate membership. She says, “In 2021 we opened up affiliate membership and I would really like to see us expand on this. This is a good avenue to help our members make connections with support services and other professionals outside of the practice of law. We modeled this after several other voluntary bar associations and have seen where working with non-lawyers has proven to bring in many CLE opportunities and programs that wouldn’t happen in closed bars. In other voluntary bars, affiliates make up a large portion of their membership.” Executive Director Lauren Baugh adds, “Members are excited to have new members joining.” Pereira continues, “Members become familiar with the affiliates because we see them regularly at our events.” Pereira has other ambitious changes in store for the year as well. “We are looking at new venues and avenues for speakers and events. We will be exploring new options for our monthly luncheons to make them more accessible for anyone who may not be downtown. We’re excited to announce a new location for the Bench-Bar Gala, as well as an expansion on the gala festivities. Our holiday party will be taken up a notch as well.”

Changes include regular meetings with the judiciary to maintain a constant flow of communication between judges and attorneys and more interaction points with the Lee County School District. There are also plans to schedule more philanthropic and pro bono activities. Monthly luncheon topics will address challenges or changes in the community, with a focus on topics like discussions happening at the Florida Bar, Agricultural Law and legislative updates. Of course, Pereira recognizes the success of her plans rests on the assistance of members who volunteer, Executive Director Baugh and the Executive Council. She points to the diversity and experience of the Executive Council when she speaks about their leadership. She says, “Each member brings a unique perspective and a varied background of experience. Fortunately, we are all involved in the community outside of LCBA, so we can pool together resources and come up with new ideas and initiatives that bring value to our members. Each Board member serves on at least one other non-profit board. We have a lot of returning Board members and new members that have been leaders via committees and practice sections, so we have a cohesive Board who is familiar with what LCBA does each year, what our monthly themes are, so on and so forth. Each year I am amazed to see how this group tackles any obstacle before us and turns every negative into a positive.” She’s happy to add, “We all work so well together. I rely upon all of them, and I know I can call up any of them.” Pereira also points out, “With the addition of Lauren Baugh as our Executive Director, we have climbed to 721 members, a huge increase from where we were 10 years ago.” Pereira strongly advocates for all local attorneys to join LCBA. She says participation in voluntary bars is on the rise, and with an organization like LCBA, you can find a group of attorneys you can call and text when you need assistance and guidance. She also has a more altruistic perspective. “Everything in life is what we make of it. I believe in giving back. For me, it’s about to continuing to serve the community that has helped me so much. When I moved my office downtown to the Dean Building in 2017, I found myself surrounded by LCBA members who convinced me to drink the tea – and it’s been some good tea.”

Photos left top to bottom: Tiffany speaking on parental leave during a FAWL conference while 38 weeks pregnant Tiffany with her family - Travis, Noah and baby Nate.

Past Female Presidents Share Advice with the Incoming President

by keith grossman, esq.

There have only been eight previous female presidents of the Lee County Bar Association. The first female president was Rochelle Z. Catz in 1989. I reached out to these past presidents and asked them what advice they would share with Tiffany Pereira. Here is what they had to share:

Kelly Fayer

“My advice for Tiffany as she becomes the ninth female LCBA president is to not strictly be a female LCBA President. Be a president without definitions or limits. You have earned your leadership role, and you will give the members an amazing year. Your theme of “Bridge the Gap” is very fitting because I have more advice. Don’t forget that for the last 73 years, there were only eight female presidents before you. Lead on your own terms, and take our history, and everyone who has made the LCBA incredible, with you. Lastly, it is an absolute honor to represent the LCBA. Please make sure you take time to enjoy being president. I know I will enjoy watching your success.”

Honorable Josephine Gagliardi

“My advice to Tiffany: Always consider what others might think about some proposal or project. Talk things over with people in the know because they can give you solid advice. Make sure to stick to the agenda and end the meetings on time. Keep the meetings interesting with good speakers and current topics. Call people if you have the time to remind them to come to the luncheons.

Always give thanks to the sponsors and everyone who contributes. Kind words are always welcome. Be and act professional at all times. Enjoy the year, it goes fast. P.S.: Tell your husband that the presidency is a license for a new outfit monthly.”

Honorable Mary Evans

“President Tiffany, can it be? Another girl president, just like me. Get ready for action, get ready for fun, Pretty soon you’ll say “WHAT HAVE I DONE!”

Emails will come and emails will go, One thing’s for certain, this job ain’t slow. Calls for this and calls for that, No time to waste, we need answers STAT! Venues, and dates, and speakers galore, Your patience’ll be tested, that’s for sure. Invites, menus, RSVPs, So much work no one else sees.

Now don’t be bothered, don’t be shy, This year will be quick, it’ll rocket on by. You’ve got what it takes, you’re quite enough, Remember that should times get tough.”

kelly l. fayer

hon. mary evans

hon. josephine gagliardi

Anne Dalton

anne dalton

“Hi Tiffany — Like you, I am a solo practitioner who has to carefully ration my time and energy among family, personal time, work demands, and volunteer projects such as the Lee Bar. Okay, please know going in — don’t feel guilty about delegating Bar duties to the Executive Council and the fantastic Lauren Baugh. The best thing I did as Bar president was asking Beverly Grady to take over all Res Gestae duties, and she did a great job. Secondly, keep the Practice Section CLEs. They give value and draw attorneys into the Bar. I have no doubt that you will have an excellent and memorable year, and all of us former Bar presidents will be here, ready to help and cheer you on!”

Karla Y. Campos-Andersen

“TIFFANY, CONGRATULATIONS!! The members of the Lee County Bar Association trusted and had faith that you would lead this organization to new heights, so they voted for you. You need to trust that our members knew what they were doing. My advice is to plan, plan, plan, plan and plan some more. Try to get events planned and scheduled far in advance as possible. There is no such thing as over planning. The best case scenario is that you have your entire 2022 year planned already, and then...be prepared to be super flexible, because some plans will inevitably fall apart, due to nothing you did or could have prepared for. There will be an emergency, every year has one. It too shall pass!! Cultivate a strong relationship with your Executive Director. She will be your right-wing woman. Like you, I was a solo practitioner when I was president, so I

had no staff to rely on. It was tough juggling both. I know you and Lauren are already very good friends, which is a good thing because you are about to spend a lot more time together. You now have a large Executive Board. If you are lucky to have a supportive and active Board as I did, then they karla y. campos-andersen will have your back. Do not be afraid to ask them for help. Your success reflects on their success. You are about to embark on an incredible year. I wish you the best, and rochelle z. catz feel free to get in touch if you ever need anything.”

Rochelle Z. Catz

“Dear Tiffany, I wish you all the best as you begin the office of President of the Lee County Bar Association. You have a much more diverse group than I had as president in 1989. It was a wonderful experience, and I am sure your term will be as well. I had a lot of help and cooperation as we moved through a new experience for all of us. We did not even have the technology that you have today. I am sure your term will be as exciting and gratifying as mine was. I wish you all the best. Fondly, Rochelle.”