4 minute read
Past President
Marcy Shaw shares her life lessons in leadership
by travis russell, esq.
For Marcy Shaw, it all started in the 7th Grade at Rivera Middle School in St. Peterburg, Florida when Shaw was elected as Student Council Vice President. At a time when Swatch Watches were the “it” item, Shaw ran on the platform of “It’s Time to Vote for Shaw.” She made paper watches and handed them out to her classmates. Shaw was right; it was her time. She was bit by the leadership bug and hasn’t looked back since. Upon graduating from law school, Shaw joined the Office of the State Attorney in Fort Myers. She became heavily involved with the Lee County Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division. Shaw says it “was a great way to socialize and network with peers.” Shaw’s involvement allowed her to attend major Florida Bar events, such as the Voluntary Bar Leadership Conference. Shaw was happy to be in a place so “fostering of Bar service.” Shaw was elected the LCBA MemberAt-Large in 2003. She worked her way towards becoming President in 2008. For her term as President, Shaw’s goal was to “have LCBA spread its wings.” With a focus on a greater presence in the non-legal community, Shaw and her Executive Board, consisting of VP Keith Grossman, Secretary Andrew Epstein, Treasurer Mike Randolph, and Member-At-Large Karla Campos-Anderson, organized a “joint project with the Collier County Bar Association and Lee County Bar Association.” The event was dubbed, “Hockey Sticks and Building Bricks.” It was a Friday night hockey game, with both respective bars’ members and family attending an Everblades hockey game and reception afterward. This parlayed into Saturday morning when the joint bars reconvened to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Shaw says the event “was very well received, and there was a great turnout.” Shaw further indicated she could not have pulled it off without the help of her Executive Board, and specifically, the help of then-Executive Director, Nanci DuBois. Shaw says, “Nanci was an amazing
Executive Director, a real shining star!” Shaw also oversaw a significant expansion to the LCBA CLE library, where members found a vastly expanded database for learning and CLE credits. The Board was able to set aside the funds necessary to update and refresh the CLE library. As President in 2008, Shaw also found herself in a unique situation – dealing with the housing market crash. True to her Marcy Shaw in 7th grade sporting the Swatch form, Shaw took the reins and attacked watch that helped win her the election that situation head-on. She oversaw special programs aimed at addressing the housing crisis. LCBA partnered with Florida Rural Legal Services to provide Pro Bono assistance in conjunction with the Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force. Shaw also sought and obtained a grant from the Florida Bar Foundation for a Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project to assist anyone who was attempting to negotiate with their banks. The LCBA held monthly educational events for the public, set up a hotline to field calls from the public and provided pamphlets and The2003-2004 LCBA executive board: J. Tom Smoot, III 2006, checklists. Marcy Shaw 2008, Paul E. Liles 2007, Miguel C. Fernandez, III Shaw found a wealth of resources in the 2005, Dennis L. Webb 2004, Miles A. McGrane, III, President of The Floria Bar, Scott Weinstein 2003 local legal community that was ready, willing and able to lend a helping hand. “Don’t be afraid to tap into the generosity of the Lee County legal community. They will always answer the call for help.”
Travis Russell, Esq. practices in the Office of the Public Defender, 20th Circuit. He is the Vice President of the LCBA Young Lawyers Division, serves on the Board of Directors for Lee County Legal Aid, and is a member of the Calusa American Inn of Courts.
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Lee County Bar Association Nomination Form for two 2023 - 2024 Executive Council Member-at-Large
I, _____________________________ nominate the following LCBA member in good standing for the position of 2023 - 2024 Executive Council Member-atLarge:
Date: _______________________________________ Nominee’s Name: _______________________________________ Law Firm: _______________________________________ Comments: _______________________________________
Complete electronic nomination form online at www.leebar.org or
E-mail to: LBaugh@leebar.org Fax to: (239) 334-0523 Mail to: LCBA PO Box 1387 Fort Myers, FL 33902-1387
