Fostering an inclusive culture in the legal community

Fayer was inspired to create the committee by findings from a 2015 Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division survey. Forty-three percent of the 3,137 women YLD members who responded to the survey reported they had experienced gender bias during their careers, from opposing counsel, an employer or the court. Almost a third of respondents had resigned from a position due to lack of advancement, lack of work/ life balance, gender bias or employer insensitivity. Fayer is a Co-Chair of the committee and works hard to encourage others to work together to promote diversity and inclusion. Fayer has a passion for helping those who are often overlooked in our judicial system, and she received an award from the Supreme Court of Florida for her past pro bono work. Fayer also created the #KindLee Organization. The Lee County Bar Association’s efforts are consistent with the focus of The Florida Bar. In 2010, The Florida Bar overhauled its diversity efforts and created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee. This decision came out of recommendations from the Program Evaluation Committee. In addition to creating the committee, The Florida Bar transferred functions of the Member Outreach Committee to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, adopted a definition of diversity, and created a diversity grant program for local Bar associations.

The Lee County Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee is working to help people see different viewpoints, and to foster an inclusive culture and environment with equal access and opportunity for minority lawyers, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) lawyers. Through ongoing educational programs and partnerships, the LCBA, through the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and its committee members, are promoting and creating an environment of inclusion among legal professionals. To further its mission of increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal community, the members of this committee appreciate the fact our strength is in our differences, and through our differences we learn to appreciate working together to strive for a more inclusive legal community. In December 2020, the LCBA Diversity and Inclusion Committee held a community Zoom meeting entitled “Inclusion Revolution Seminar”. It was a fabulous seminar with inspirational and motivating speakers.

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is presenting its next event this month on June 18th, which is the LCBA’s monthly luncheon. Presenters have been chosen based around May’s Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. They include Ita Neymotin, Esq.; Leila Beglova; Dr. Colin Feng, CFP; and Nirupa Netram, Esq. Indera DeMine, Esq., is the Moderator. This event is available for both live and remote attendance.

Blake Hampton, President of the Lee County Bar Association, and Lauren E. Baugh, Executive Director of the Lee County Bar Association, are active members of the committee. Hampton intends to foster conversations among the community. He would like to help provide a neutral platform for people of different races and ethnicities to be heard. The members of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee represent a broad cross-section and viewpoints from people of different cultures.

Ita M. Neymotin is the Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel for the Second District Court of Appeal, and Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Neymotin is originally from the country of Kazakhstan, an Asian country of the former Soviet Union. As an agency head, Neymotin is responsible for the administration of five Judicial Circuits, which includes fourteen counties and close to 140 attorneys and staff. Not only is Neymotin the first female to be appointed as a Regional Counsel in the state of Florida. Her leadership also includes Chair of the Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Professionalism, and Chair of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Local Professionalism Panel.

Another original member of the

Diversity and Inclusion Committee is the Honorable Kathleen A. Smith, Public

Defender for the Twentieth Judicial

Circuit. Smith is the first female elected

Public Defender in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. She was elected in 2008 and she has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. She is an Adjunct Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University teaching Constitutional Criminal Procedure. Smith’s office received the Prudential Davis Productivity Award for 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Members of the Lee County Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee are listed on the following page.

Diversity is a fact Inclusion

is an act

Submitted on behalf of the Lee County Bar Association's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Is your firm part of the 100 Club? Any firm with two or more attorneys and 100% membership in the LCBA qualifies.

Absolute Law, P.A. Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan, PLLC. Arend & Sisk, P.A. Associates & Bruce L. Scheiner, P.A. Banker, Lopez & Gassler, P.A. Boy Agnew Potanovic, PLLC. Boyle & Leonard & Anderson, P.A. Burandt, Adamski, Feichthaler & Sanchez, PLLC. Calvo & Calvo, Attorneys at Law Cole Scott & Kissane, P.A. - Fort Myers Coleman & Coleman, PLC. Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. Freidin & Inglis, P.A. Garvin Law Firm Geraghty, Dougherty, Edwards & Stockman, P.A. Goldberg|Noone|Abraham Personal Injury Atttorneys Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz, P.A. GrayRobinson, P.A. Green, Schoenfeld & Kyle, LLP Hahn, Loeser & Parks, LLP Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. Hollander & Hanukah, Attorneys at Law John Webb Legal Group, P.L. Kelleher Law Knott Ebelini Hart Law Offices of Dennis L. Webb, P.A. Law Offices of Michael M. Raheb, Criminal Lawyer Law Offices of Scott T. Moorey Lee County Legal Aid Society, Inc. Linde Law Group McQuagge & King Law Firm Men's Rights Law Firm O'Halloran & O'Halloran, Attorneys at Law Osterhout & McKinney, P.A. Patrone, Kemp & Bentley, P.A. Pavese Law Firm Roetzel & Andress, L.P.A. Rubinstein & Holz Scarmozzino / King Trial Lawyers Sheldon E. Finman, P.A. Sheppard, Brett, Stewart, Hersch, Kinsey & Hill, P.A. Simmons Law Firm, P.A. Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. Strayhorn and Person, P.L. Viacava & Cantor Attorneys at Law Viles & Beckman, LLC Zinn Law

If you feel your firm is eligible, email a listing of your attorneys to admin@leebar.org and we will let you know.

Your Outside Health Care and Tax Law Co-Counsel.

Medical professionals and physician groups are faced with numerous and complex compliance issues that often take time, energy and resources away from their main focus, which is caring for their patients. Erin and Tom work with their clients to provide a comprehensive approach to ensure compliance with state and federal health care laws and regulations. They also counsel clients on mergers and acquisitions, tax matters, and general corporate and business issues. Both Erin and Tom understand that by doing what they do best means that their clients can do what’s best for theirs – just as we’ve done since 1924.

Adapting. Changing. Moving forward.

henlaw.com • IP Division: 239.344.1361

Fort Myers • Bonita Springs • Naples • Sarasota*

Erin Houck-Toll

Chair, Health Care Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Organizations & Planning, Tax, and Intellectual Property Florida Bar Board Certified in both Health Care Law and Tax Law

Thomas P. Clark

Florida Bar Board Certified in both Health Care Law and Tax Law

Attorney Joe North

Call Joe to Refer a Client: (239)337-1191

Car & Truck Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Drunk Driving Accidents Serious Injury Cases Paralysis Cases Apartment Shootings Gun Violence Cases Courtroom Trials Workers’ Compensation Wrongful Death Cases Pedestrian Accidents Bicycle Accidents Dog Bite Cases Slip and Fall Accidents Negligent Security Cases Settlements

Maximum Referral Fees

Joe North has been helping clients with injury cases and death cases for 30 years.

TheNorthLawFirm.com

14241 Metro Parkway, Suite 200 Fort Myers

Seeking a Litigation Attorney

Our job opening is your advantage.

Pavese Law is seeking an attorney for our Fort Myers office to practice commercial litigation primarily in the fields of real estate, community association, business, and construction law. • 2-5 years of litigation experience is preferred. • Must be motivated with a high degree of professionalism, excellent writing and communication skills to join our growing team.

We offer an excellent benefit package, competitive salary and bonus program.

Please email cover letter and resume to recruiting@paveselaw.com.

RPL

4,000 mediations

1980 - 2020

Experience Makes the Difference.

Leonard P. Reina, Esq.

mediator 239.263.2059 ■ LReina@LPReina.com