The Orange County Bar Association- The Briefs - November 2022

Inside this Issue:

President’s Message

Technology Committee

Technology to

Your Marketing

Firm Committee

Chief’s Column

to Justice

President’s Message

Thankful and Grateful, Today and Every Day

Karen L. Persis, Esq.

Clerk’s Corner

New E-Filing Portal Confidentiality Requirements

The Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell

Nominations Now Open for OCBA Leadership Positions

New Members

Professionalism Committee

Don’t Be an Oaf About the Oath

Robert W. Borr, Esq.

7

Chief’s Column

VRI and Access to Justice

The Honorable Lisa T. Munyon

10

Technology Committee

Using Technology to Automate Your Marketing C. Todd Smith, Esq.

Solo & Small Firm Committee

Tech Solutions for the Solo and Small Firm

Kimberly Soto, Esq.

Tiffany D. Thompson-Disler, Esq.

OCBA September Luncheon 16

Legal Aid Society Teaching Tips

Resources and Partnerships: Educational Success for Special Needs Children in the Dependency System!

Mexcye Roberts, Esq.

21

Paralegal Post

Let Me Introduce You to Introductions

Nancy L. Jordahl, ACP, FRP, FCP

25

Young Lawyers Section News YLS on the Move

Vaughn Glinton, Esq.

27

Bowling Night 28

Voluntary Bar News SideBar

Alena V. Baker, Esq.

Classifieds

Calendar

month prior to the

Advertising – 20th of the month prior to

Copy – 15th of the month six weeks prior to the month of

the Briefs

Editor

John M. Hunt

Associate Editors

Karen L. Middlekauff & Lauren Brusca

Hearsay Columnist

Michael V. Andriano

YLS on the Move

Vaughn Glinton SideBar

Alena V. Baker

OFFICERS

Karen L. Persis, President

Amber N. Davis, President-Elect

Arti Ajit Hirani, Treasurer

Keshara Cowans, Secretary

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Michael Barber

Chris Carmody

Euribiades Cerrud, II

Lisa Gong Guerrero

Kate T. Hollis

Kristopher J. Kest

Bruce Mount

Alisia Adamson Profit Rafael O. Rodriguez C. Andrew Roy Jessica A. Travis

Brandon M. Sapp Eric C. Reed, Ex-Officio Stephanie Alcalde, YLS President

INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Candice Maull

Advertising & Sponsorship Manager Ursla Gallagher

Marketing & Communications Coordinator Kirstyn Scerri

of

If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day. Publication of advertising herein does not imply any endorsement of any product, service, or opinion advertised. The opinions and conclusions, including legal opinions and conclusions contained in articles appearing in The Briefs, are those of the authors and do not reflect any official endorsement of these views by the Orange County Bar Association or its officers and directors, unless specifically stated as such.

All contents ©2022 Orange County Bar Association. All rights reserved. Designer: Catherine E. Hébert Cover photo: Adobe Stock

880 North Orange Avenue • Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 422-4551 • Fax (321) 430-1558

www.orangecountybar.org

Legal Aid Society 407-841-8310

Citizen Dispute 407-423-5732

Family Law Mediation 407-423-5732

Lawyer Referral Service 407-422-4537

Orange County

Foreclosure Mediation 407-515-4330

Young Lawyers Section 407-422-4551

President’sMessage

November 2022

Thankful and Grateful, Today and Every Day

For many of us, November serves as a time to pause and reflect, and give thanks for the people in our lives. I want to use this message to give thanks to all of you. The heartbeat of the OCBA is the staff and volunteers who make this organization so incredibly special, and I am so very grateful for all that you do.

she’s helped over 2,200 people in a variety of matters from land lord/tenant to family to consumer issues.

I am so appreciative of all that Kelsey Martin, our Administra tive Assistant, does for our Bar. Kelsey handles the administrative aspects of staffing attorneys in the Self-Help Centers of both the Seminole County and Orange County Clerk’s Office. In addition, she works with our Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program. So far this year, she’s helped over 400 homeowners nav igate the program.

Karen L. Persis, Esq.

I am thankful for Candice Maull, our Interim Executive Director, who without hesitation jumped in to help us in our time of need.

Prior to taking the Interim Executive Director role, Candice served as Director of Public Programs where she organized a team to process applications for Orange County government’s original $13.3 Eviction Diversion Program.

I am forever indebted to Mildred Rivera-Artau, our Director of Accounting and Administration, who manages a budget of over $1.5 million, processes all the payments for our many events, and works to ensure that the OCBA remains healthy and stable financially.

I must give a shout out to Ursla Gallagher, our Advertising and Sponsorship Manager! Ursla is responsible for securing advertis ing and sponsorship dollars to fund our Law Committee CLEs, Social Events, and Annual OCBA Events. Last year she raised over $187,000 in non-dues revenue to help support OCBA pro grams and The Briefs publication.

I am constantly impressed by Stephanie Sadi, our Events Manager, who is responsible for managing CLE programs, social events, room rentals, and more. Last year she coordinated over 70 hours of CLE programming, not to mention a stellar Bench Bar Confer ence offering over 40 hours of CLE. And she somehow manages to keep her cool, even when corralling all of us lawyers and our events.

I am grateful for Carolyn Cochrane, our Membership Specialist, who is the primary customer service contact for the 3,000 mem bers of the OCBA. In addition to handling all our membership renewals, she processed nearly 2,000 court access cards last year.

Thank you to Aracelis Colon, our Lawyer Referral Intake Special ist, who helps members of the community find legal resources and attorneys. Last year the lawyer referral team made over 10,000 lawyer referrals and handled over 33,000 phone calls from mem bers of the Orange County community looking for legal help. And we cannot forget Xiomara Isanoa. As our Lawyer Referral and Mediation Coordinator, Xiomara coordinates our Citizen’s Dispute Mediation program. From January to September 2022,

And finally, thank you to Kirstyn Scerri, our Marketing & Com munications Coordinator, who handles all things related to The Briefs magazine production and social media, as well and keeping us all up to date on all things happening at the OCBA.

I am grateful for our Executive Council – a group of attorney leaders who care deeply about our membership and community and are committed to service. They are hardworking and passion ate. And, they also happen to be a lot of fun, which makes the tough times much less of a struggle, and the good times, an ab solute blast.

I am thankful for our past presidents, who are always willing to advise us when asked (and sometimes even when we don’t ask). Their continued devotion to our organization provides continuity and perspective.

I am so appreciative of all the work that the OCBA Foundation and Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association do for our greater Orange County community. Whether it be com munity forums, scholarships, legal services, or bicycle drives –these organizations always keep our residents in their hearts.

I am always amazed by the Young Lawyers Section. With innova tive programming, several community service projects a year, and an unrelenting willingness to help wherever needed, they are a force to be reckoned with. We are so fortunate to have them

And I am grateful for all the work of our committees. Committees full of volunteer lawyers, judges, law students, and paralegals who are constantly pushing out an astonishing number of topically rel evant CLEs, developing programming, and planning fun events to keep our membership engaged and knowledgeable.

Sometimes, I am overwhelmed by how special this group is. It is such a great honor to lead it. Thank you for this opportunity. And thank you for being so awesome!

Karen L. Persis, Esq., owner of Karen Persis, P.A., practices surrogacy law, gamete donation, and adoption. She has been a member of the OCBA since 2005.

Clerk’sCorner

New E-Filing Portal Confidentiality Requirements

If you have filed any civil cas es lately through the Florida Courts E-filing Portal, you likely noticed some important changes which are required when it comes to confidential infor mation. E-Filing Portal users are now required to select whether case-initiating documents contain confidential information when fil ing in Circuit Civil (CA), Coun ty Civil (CC) and Small Claims (SC) cases.

This revision to the portal was in response to a recent federal court order. This order and its case were announced in the Portal Newsfeed section and in a mes sage sent to all registered users in August (more information about the court order can be found in federal Case No.: 4:22cv106MW/MAF).

I recognize this will take some training of both attorneys and le gal assistants to select the correct option to denote whether filings contain confidential information, or not. To assist you, indicating

confidentiality in these documents has been integrated into the E-Filing Portal in a convenient way to ensure compliance with the court order.

Filers are now prompted to select one of the three radio buttons to denote a filing as containing no confidential information or is accompanied by a Notice of Confidential Information or Motion to Determine Confidentiality.

Additionally, if the filer selects option A, the filer must attest prior to submission that “The document(s) submitted contain no confi dential information and I am aware that they may be automatically available to the public before the submission is accepted and com pleted by the Clerk.”

In the event of further updates, the Florida Courts E-Filing Au thority is committed to providing timely notifications that can be found in the News and Information section of the E-Filing Portal located at the top of the user login page.

If you have any questions about how to appropriately indicate whether a case-initiating document contains confidential informa tion, please contact the E-Filing Help Desk at (850) 577- 4609 or visit www.MyFlCourtAccess.com.

The Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell, Esq., Orange County Clerk of Courts, has been a member of the OCBA since 2004.

Getaway

April 28-30, 2023

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

Discounted member rate of $189 / night

Resort fee of $10 per day includes transfers to Disney Springs, access to miniature golf, racquet ball, bike rentals, rock climbing wall, sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks, paddle boats, 10% discount on retail and cabanas, and more!

Nominations Now Open for OCBA Leadership Positions

Nominating Guidelines

The following elected leadership positions are open for nominations:

OCBA Executive Council

(One-year term for each position: June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024.)

• Vice President/President-Elect

• Treasurer

• Secretary

(Three-year term for each position: June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2026.)

• Three (3) Executive Council Seats

Legal Aid Society of the OCBA

(Three-year term for each position: June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2026.)

• Two (2) Trustee Seats

Young Lawyers Section of the OCBA

(Two-year term for each position: June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2025.)

• Five (5) Board Member Seats

Important Deadlines

Nomination Period: Open now through Friday, January 13, 2023

Election Period: Late February / Early March 2023 Board Appointments / Officer Installations: May 2023

1. Blank nomination forms are available on the OCBA website, under the About Us/Nominations-Elections section.

2. Completed nomination form(s) must be sent via email to Candice Maull, Interim Executive Director, candicem@ ocbanet.org.

3. Each nomination form must be signed by no less than five (5) OCBA members in good standing.

4. For YLS nominations, the forms must be signed by no less than five (5) OCBA members in good standing, who are also YLS members.

5. Any nomination for the offices of Vice President/ President-Elect, Treasurer, or Secretary of the OCBA Executive Council shall only be accepted if the nominee has already served on the OCBA Executive Council at least one (1) year.

6. To make sure you receive your election ballot, log in to your member account on the OCBA website to check that your email address is correct, no later than December 31, 2022.

7. If you need to update your email address and do not know your username, please contact Carolyn Cochrane, at carolync@ocbanet.org, or 407-4224551, Ext. 245, for assistance. If you need to reset your password, please follow the password reset instructions.

New Members

Regular and Government

Enrique A. ALVAREZ

Tom FARRELL

Donald T. HILL

Hunter PATTERSON

J. STEWART

David Lamar STOKES JR.

Carstarphen WATKINS

WOLTER

M. SPRAGUE

Law Student

FELIBERT

R. MONROE

Patron

M. TECCE

Invite your colleagues to join the OCBA today!

Go to: www.orangecountybar.org to join online and see our calendar of upcoming events, seminars, and activities!

407-422-4551, ext. 245

ProfessionalismCommittee

Don’t Be an Oaf About the Oath

AConsider the consequences to an associate or staff member who requests an extension to every task at the very last minute, gives the same bogus excuse each time an assignment falls due, or simply ignores them altogether. That person is written up and may lose their job with the firm because they failed to fulfill their duties as an employee. Conversely, that very same conduct between officers of the court in the context of a lawsuit must generally rise to an extreme before actual consequences come into play. One would naturally think that court deadlines and sworn duties ought to be just as important as work deadlines and employment contracts, but that is not always the case.

Robert W. Borr, Esq.

ttorneys are officers of the court and professionals bound by an oath - an oath that promises to uphold those canons enshrining civil, moral, and ethical obligations. Taking the Oath of Admission is the fi nal step; literally being “sworn in” to the Bar is the moment of be coming an attorney. Considering the climb to get there; obtaining a 4-year college degree, LSAT, law school admission, achieving a doctorate degree, passing the Bar Exam, and staying out of trouble the entire time; simply standing and repeat ing words may seem like the easy part.

In contrast, however, the Oath of Admission is never completed in the same sense as the other requirements. While it is the final step to becoming an attorney, the Oath itself is not a step that one can move beyond (arguably by disbarment). A copy may hang on the wall like a degree, award, or other achievement, but the Oath is something dif ferent. It is something that should be an intimate part of every practitioner’s daily decisions.

Oath of Admission to The Florida Bar

The general principles which should ever control the lawyer in the practice of the legal profession are clearly set forth in the following oath of admission to The Florida Bar, which the lawyer is sworn on admission to obey and for the willful violation to which disbarment may be had.

“I do solemnly swear:

While the law often contains a great deal of “gray area” when it comes to civil litigation, it is apparent through the recent manda tory case management orders and substantial revision of the rules of civil procedure that the current state of motion practice is problematic. The American Bar Association has published articles about the word “zeal ous” being used as a defense to unprofessional and unethical conduct.

I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida;

I will maintain the respect due to courts of justice and judicial officers;

I will not counsel or maintain any suit or proceedings which shall appear to me to be unjust, nor any defense except such as I believe to be honestly debatable under the law of the land;

I will employ for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to me such means only as are consistent with truth and honor, and will never seek to mislead the judge or jury by any artifice or false statement of fact or law;

I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my clients, and will accept no compensation in connection with their business except from them or with their knowledge and approval;

To opposing parties and their counsel, I pledge fairness, integrity, and civility, not only in court, but also in all written and oral communications;

The duties of the legal practitioner are expounded upon specifically in Chap ter 4 of the Rules Regulat ing the Florida Bar and are repetitive of those duties, which are: raise legitimate issues before the court, do not mislead, do not delay, practice with truth, honor, fairness, and civility are the ideal and required standards for the proper administration of law and order.1

I will abstain from all offensive personality and advance no fact prejudicial to the honor or reputation of a party or witness, unless required by the justice of the cause with which I am charged;

I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed, or delay anyone’s cause for lucre or malice. So help me God.”

1See generally:

Unfortunately, many things recently appearing routine in the practice, specifically in civil litigation, wholly depart from those general principles and exacting rules. Too many “meet and con fer” conversations become a diatribe of “read my motion,” “this is just what we have to do to set the hearing,” and “litigating is my J-O-B.” How many cases does it take for the same cut and paste motion to be denied before it is considered a bad faith argument?

A lower standard of conduct often begets a lower standard of conduct, which is why un checked unprofessionalism is so destructive to our industry. When a lawyer is consistently poked in the eye with the ol ive branch extended to oppos ing counsel, it becomes more and more difficult to offer that branch time and time again.

Robert W. Borr, Esq., is litigation counsel at Irvin and Irvin PLLC in Winter Park, Florida. He has been a member of the OCBA since 2011, sits on the Florida Bar Profession al Ethics Committee, and is a past chair of the OCBA Professionalism Committee.

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.1 (MERITORIOUS CLAIMS AND CONTEN TIONS)

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.2 (EXPEDITING LITIGATION)

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.3 (CANDOR TOWARD THE TRIBUNAL)

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.4 (FAIRNESS TO OPPOSING PARTY AND COUNSEL)

Chief’sColumn

The Honorable Lisa T. Munyon Chief Judge Ninth Judicial Circuit Court

VRI and Access to Justice

The Ninth Judicial Circuit is one of the largest and most diverse circuits in Florida. On any given day in our commu nities, one can hear conversations spoken in over 160 languag es. This rich, cultural diversity means that in over 35 percent of households in Orange County and over 50 percent in Osceola County the primary language spoken in the home is a language other than English. It also means that in our courts, where English is the only language spoken, ac cess to justice for many court us ers is dependent on interpreters.

Interpreters have long bridged the gap between the courts and court users with limited English proficiency in criminal, juvenile, problem solving, domestic violence, probate, and guardianship courtrooms. But, in a circuit our size, the demand for interpreting services is often greater than the limited number of staff interpret ers available. To bridge the gap in service delivery we needed to rethink how interpreting services were delivered. And to do that, we needed technology.

Historically, interpreting services were delivered in person, in the courtroom. Interpreters spent a lot of time traveling to courthous es, getting to courtrooms, and waiting for hearings to start. More often than not, travel time took longer than providing interpret ing services. Looking towards technology to improve upon this traditional system, we began using virtual remote interpreting technology (VRI) to deliver both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting services in 2007.

For all the gains it gave the courts, early VRI didn’t include tech nology that could provide services on demand. It eliminated the need to travel through and between courthouses, but interpreters still waited for hearings to be called and judges still waited for

interpreters to be available. There was still a gap in service deliv ery, and for the next 12 years our A/V team worked tirelessly to bridge it.

In 2018, the Circuit launched the remote system that we still use today – On Demand VRI. Using network technology, courtrooms are connected to interpreters through the video conference system and voiceover IP cards. With On Demand VRI, judges can re quest an interpreter in real-time eliminating the delay inherent in our previous systems. Within seconds of receiving the request, an interpreter appears virtually in the courtroom, available to provide consecutive and simultaneous interpreting services.

On-Demand VRI instantaneously eliminated the time delay is sues and bridged the gap in providing services that plagued the courts for decades. Judges can now hear and rule on proceedings in less time. Interpreters cover more hearings – across multiple locations – directly from their workstations. Simultaneous inter preting allows for a more natural cadence in courtroom conversations, ultimately resulting in faster hearing times. The improved courtroom flow assists in mitigating the ever-increasing demands on our courts and helps to eliminate unnecessary backlogs. And most importantly, the immediacy of On Demand VRI gives the members of our community with limited English proficiency quicker and easier access to justice.

It has been a long journey to get from traditional interpreting services to On Demand VRI, and it took more than simply em bracing new technology. Our A/V team spent years building and refining this system. Our judges and interpreters gave invaluable insights that informed each new iteration. And, all of you, em braced every new change that came your way. On Demand VRI has been revolutionary for our courts and court users because of all of our combined efforts, and I thank you for your part in it.

The Honorable Lisa T. Munyon, Chief Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, was first appointed to the Circuit Court for Orange and Osceola counties in 2003 and has been an OCBA member since 1989.

TechnologyCommittee

Using Technology to Automate Your Marketing

Wcontact, you can add all of their contact details to your CRM with the click of a button. Another helpful tool is the HubSpot business card app which lets you scan a business card to automatically cap ture the contact info into your CRM. Although the free version of HubSpot is more than enough for most law firms, premium features are available with a paid subscription.

C. Todd Smith, Esq.

hether you own your firm or are a brand-new associate, most of us must mar ket our legal practice. However, most attorneys I talk to about marketing say the same thing: “I would do more marketing if I just had the time.” Whether you bill for your time or not, the most valuable resource attorneys have is their time, and often, marketing our practices gets pushed down to the bottom of the to-do list. But what if you didn’t always have to find the time for marketing, and some of it just happened in the background? Today, that’s possible with automation.

Marketing automation relies on software to perform repetitive tasks that free up your time for other tasks, like legal work. Effective marketing starts with consistency, but that can be difficult with a busy schedule. Are you guilty of random acts of marketing? Are you neglecting your marketing plan because you never get around to it? Automation eliminates your inconsistency. A well-executed automation workflow saves time and increases engagement with your audience, which makes your marketing more effective. You will still have to take the time to learn how to use automation, and to set up your automation tools. Once you do, you will get an immediate return on your investment.

Below are a few suggestions to automate the following key mar keting tasks: email marketing, lead nurturing, social media posts, and writing marketing copy. If you’re not currently automating any of your marketing, here are a few tools that might help you get started.

Customer Relationship Manager (“CRM”)

When people talk about a CRM tool, they are usually referring to a CRM system which helps with contact management and sales management. Although most legal case management systems include basic information about clients and contacts, CRM does more than just manage your contacts. It manages your relation ships and interactions with your clients, potential clients, and re ferral sources. At its core, a CRM system allows you to track your relationships so that you can systematically and consistently (there’s that word again) follow up with your potential clients and referral sources. One of the best-known CRM systems is Salesforce, which tends to be used by larger firms. For smaller firms and solos, there are lots of options available, including Microsoft Office Outlook if used to its full capability. In addition, HubSpot offers a free version that is more comprehensive than many paid CRMs.

HubSpot is an all-in-one, easy-to-use marketing automation plat form for law firms of every size. HubSpot integrates customer relationship management, social media scheduling, automated email marketing, and much more. You’ll get lead flows, forms, drip emails, analytics, and more — all designed to make it easy for you to efficiently grow your law firm’s database. HubSpot also has a plug-in with Outlook so when you receive an email from a new

Another CRM tool, Lawmatics, streamlines and simplifies the en tire legal client journey. It automates everything from scheduling and client intake to client onboarding. Lawmatics integrates with many case management products, which minimizes the number of platforms in your workflow. Like other automation tools, there is some work up front to set it up, but it can be a huge time saver. Clio is one of the most popular case management systems, and it offers its own CRM add-on product, called Clio Grow.

As text messaging is replacing email as the preferred communi cation tool for many of our clients, don’t be tempted to use your personal cell phone for texting clients. Make sure the case man agement or CRM system you choose has this capability. It’s more secure and it keeps all your client communications organized in one place. Case Status is software that uses texting and a client app to automate client communication. With Case Status, lawyers and law firms can easily communicate the status of any client’s case directly to the client through a user-friendly app that the client can download on his or her phone. This process allows the attor ney and law firm to create templates that are sent to the client for any type of case, at various stages of the case. The client can also communicate by text or through the app and the attorney receives the communication in one central location in the web interface. Case Status also integrates with other case management systems so that an automatic text update is sent when the client’s case status is changed in the case management system. The system will perform random customer satisfaction surveys and automatically ask for a review at the end of the case.

The bottom line is that a CRM system will help you grow your business by making it easier to connect and follow up with poten tial clients and referral sources. If you haven’t started using a CRM system yet, now is the time to get started.

Email Marketing

Two of the most commonly used email marketing tools are MailChimp and Constant Contact. Both offer free and premium plans to create email messages, newsletters, and analytics so you can track your email campaigns’ effectiveness. Easy to use and af fordable, these email platforms have been around for a long time.

You may be familiar with the basics, but did you know they can also be used to automate your lead nurturing or drip campaign? Here’s an example of how that works. A potential client visits your website and provides their email to download your lead magnet (i.e., your firm’s “Free Guide to Estate Planning”). The potential client’s email address is now captured in your potential client contact list. With an automated drip campaign, you can send scheduled follow-up email messages to keep in touch with the potential client, so you remain top of mind until they convert to an actual client.

One of the easiest automations you can cre ate for your marketing strategy is the client birthday greeting. This is an effortless way to check in with current and former clients and doesn’t cost you any time at all. Just select one of the birthday email templates and schedule it to automatically be sent to clients on their birthday.

Social Media Automation

Social media automation tools can be a convenient way to help manage all aspects of your social media presence. Hootsuite is designed to make it easy for marketers to schedule content and keep track of what’s happening with their brand online. Hoot suite has everything that your firm needs to create an impactful digital presence. In addition to scheduling posts and managing your presence, Hootsuite will also help you analyze your social media results.

Buffer and Sprout Social are other examples of social media schedulers that help users manage their posts more efficiently. These platforms allow users to schedule their posts across all their social media channels, and to read and respond to comments. This eliminates the need to sign in to each of your social media channels to update and schedule content. Instead, you have one dashboard to post on all your platforms. To

track how your posts are doing, they both offer a wide range of analytics so you can see what is and isn’t working for your firm’s social media strategy.

Automating Everything

You can’t talk about automation without talking about Zapier. Zapier is an automa tion tool that allows you to integrate nu merous apps and services, including most of the products mentioned in this article. The platform connects to over 2000 other apps and services to automate just about anything, including marketing tasks.

For example, let’s say you have an Excel spreadsheet of potential referral sources.

South Carolina Legal Matter?

When you add a new name to the spread sheet, Zapier will connect Excel and Outlook to automatically send a form email to the newly added contact. You create a “trig ger” so when the event happens in one pro gram, Zapier will execute the automation in the other program. There are countless triggers you can create and Zapier offers an extensive library of pre-built integrations and APIs. This is a good place to start ex ploring automation.

Copywriting

One of the most time-consuming tasks in marketing is creating content. Finding time

Solo & Small FirmCommittee

Tech Solutions for the Solo and Small Firm

Tgrowth happen within our own practices. We both have become more knowledgeable as to how, why, and what technology would better serve our practices. In no particular order, here are different areas that we have found, either by making our own mistakes or by doing independent research, that technologies can help improve law firm efficiency; better serve clients; and make us more produc tive, profitable, and pleased to be an attorney:

1. Accounting & Billing

Kimberly Soto, Esq.

he pandemic has brought changes to the practice of law, and as many of you are prob ably aware, some of these chang es are here to stay. These changes force us to learn and incorporate more technology into our practic es – a path that can be confusing and expensive, but also with many benefits. One of the new realities with which you as a solo or small firm practitioner will be dealing is that court hearings, mediations, depositions, interviews, client communications, and meetings will continue to occur in the virtu al world. How do you incorporate technology into your practice in a practical and meaningful way to deal with these and other changes? You have probably heard, or more likely thought about, the apho rism “time is money,” particularly in light of your career choice. We solo and small attorneys split our time between doing billable legal work and juggling administrative matters, practice development, marketing, networking, gener ating bills, collecting payments, deciding on appropriate techno logical additions , and arranging knowledgeable and responsive tech support. Planning and making the right technology decisions will benefit you, your practice, your clients, and your staff.

To manage the varied roles that we, as solo and small firm attor neys, take on, as they perform both legal and administrative duties, we need to consider advantageous solutions that maximize the benefit to ourselves and our practices. Some of these solutions are to add to or expand the technologies in our practices. Take a moment and list generally where your time is spent, and you may come to the same conclusion that I did: Even though you may be efficient, there are ways to be more productive and profitable, with the end result being a better practice and happier attorney. Since I first opened my practice, I have come to realize that in today’s market, improved efficiency is fundamental to success. Comprehending the digital transformation of your practice and how technology bene fits the various aspects of a solo and small firm attorney’s life can lead to increased efficiency, better outcomes, and increased income.

When some of you opened your firms, you were using the figura tive equivalent of nothing more than a legal pad, a typewriter, and heavy-bound legal books. Over time, based on your firm’s needs and realistic budgeting, you may have gradually expanded your practice to include more updated technology. We saw this same

To earn income, we must track our time dedicated to per forming legal work and then regularly, not sporadically, bill clients. Rather than manually keeping time records with pen and paper and then creating invoices for clients individual ly, billing software streamlines this process. Many account ing programs include tools that facilitate simple invoicing, but legal practices have more complex billing needs and there is specialty billing software available. Some features to think about are easy time tracking, client expense tracking, invoicing, monitoring payments, trust accounting, use of al ternative billing arrangements, etc. Billing software typically creates, sends, and tracks invoices without having to recreate the wheel. These programs offer reports that can give you an overview of your practice or selectively allow you to monitor important aspects such as trust accounting. Accounting soft ware also can keep track of a business’s income and expenses, calculating overall revenue, expenses, and profits. Drawing on some basic knowledge of accounting, which most of us have, and using technology will increase efficiency, free up time, and ultimately increase profits.

2. Case or Practice Management

Either develop your own system through trial and error or take advantage of the expertise and development on the var ious available case or practice management software solu tions. Case or practice management systems may include accounting and billing software and also typically provide other programs to standardize client intake, organize emails, store documents, assist with discovery, improve communica tion with clients via online client portals, include unlimited secure storage, and more. In more complex cases, you might also benefit from e-discovery or document management au tomation. These programs reduce the time spent on tedious tasks. Sophisticated case management resources can help to keep your office on schedule and reduce human error when maintaining your legal records in an efficient, organized, and accessible manner.

3. Cloud or Web-Based Storage

Rather than ending up with many boxes or filing cabinets full of old paper files and folders, using a cloud or web-based management solution means you will have the same interface while workingin the traditional office, at home, or on the road. There are several options for secure data storage provid ers. With cloud or web-based storage, you can have economical security, remote accessibility, and collaborative workflow. Do away with the piles of papers, and the painstaking task of storing them, and move into the digital world. Make sure to

Tiffany D. Thompson-Disler, Esq.

comply with the rules regarding retaining client files in the digital world.

4. Digital Legal Research

Having strong legal research skills is crucial not only for sav ing time and money but also achieving favorable results for clients. Quality legal research is a burdensome but vital daily task that must be continually developed and refined. As with the previous tech considerations, numerous online platforms exist on a spectrum from free to costly. Most of us are familiar with the more traditional names and they work well, but you should also investigate newer ones with specific options that could be more beneficial to you.

5. Electronic Signature

How many signatures does your office obtain a week between your signature and client signatures? How many times is there a submission deadline that you are struggling to meet? How many times if that document was signed quicker, would the legal matter move more quickly to a conclusion or on to the next step? View streamlining the documentation process and reducing turnaround time as a necessity that will lead to improved client satisfaction and increased income. Compet ing yet versatile tools are available to enable quick signatures and transmittal of documents even from your mobile devices.

6. Marketing

As you try to grow your practices, prudently explore new mar keting channels to develop solid sources of client acquisition. In addition to your law firm’s website, consider search engine optimization, pay-per-click ads, social media platforms, blog ging, and emailing. Digital technology has removed some of the hassle and expense so that you can compete. Use any and

all marketing resources available, build your reputation, and develop a firm brand. This will lead you to significant client acquisitions and aid in building referral relationships. You never know where your next client could come from.

7. Outsourcing

Think outside the box. Taking into consideration your time constraints, skill level, and knowledge base, you may con sider contracting out certain projects. Hiring a trusted and experienced contract attorney to conduct targeted quality research and to draft pleadings, motions, discovery, letters, etc. for your review can be rewarding because it can save time and, more importantly, allow for you to have a better worklife balance. Another option for outsourcing includes virtual paralegals or assistants, who can provide you and your staff with some much-needed assistance. These sources of targeted support can be a welcome relief to yourself and your longterm team members if used properly and in a timely manner.

8. Scheduling

Whether it is calendaring your own time or trying to co ordinate schedules to set up an appointment with clients, opposing counsel, clerks, judicial assistants, etc., a compre hensive and user-friendly scheduling feature is critical to the smooth running of your practice. For practices with other team members, consider the use of web and mobile-based messaging programs designed to help teams organize, track, and manage scheduling.

9. Videoconferencing

Telephonic meetings appear to be becoming yesterday’s pref erence. Video conferencing is the here and now and will

For complex immigration matters made simple, this is where you want to

Amy Watson, Laura Pettegrew, Judge Gisela Laurent, Camy Schwam-Wilcox

Mariete Sanchez Casillas, Marilyn Carbo, Larri Thatcher, Whitney Chisholm

Robert Borr, Jacon Schumer, Andrew Irvan

Sabrina Jadunandan, Dayna Clark, Sean Mendez-Catlin, Dana Alberga

Veritext Sponsors – Ana Lopez, Maria Hupp, Roselin Figueroa

September Luncheon with HBACF

OCBA September Luncheon

Co-sponsored with the Hispanic Bar

Speaker: Hon. Jorge Labarga,

of Central Florida

Sponsor:

Chris Kolos, Judge Heather Pinder Rodriguez

Cesar Neira, Karen Persis, Judge Jorge Labarga, Judge Tarlika Nunez-Navarro

Hispanic Bar Association members

Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Award winners

Legal Aid SocietyTeaching Tips

Resources and Partnerships: Keys to Educational Success for Special Needs Children in the Dependency System!

Wattending. When a concern is identified, the program builds on educating and supporting the families in the home.”

Mexcye Roberts, Esq.

e’ve all heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child!” That is especial ly true when it comes to accom plishing goals for children in the dependency system. It really does take all of us using our collective talents and resources to get the job done for our Guardian ad Litem (“GAL”) children. I may not have the answer to a specific question, but I have several Legal Aid Society (“LAS”) colleagues who are subject matter experts in nuanced dependency law.

Dependency court is designed as a collaborative system that pro vides for the care, safety and protection of children in an envi ronment that fosters social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development. The primary objective is to identify the problems existing within families that substantially endanger children, put services and supports in place to address issues, shore up the family unit, then close the case once the family is stabilized. Accomplish ing that goal generally requires employing services from a vast net work of organizations. That is especially true when representing children with special needs. The services required are as diverse as the children we serve. In fact, children with special needs require collaborations across a wider network to get the job done.

As GALs, we periodically represent children with physical, men tal health, and learning challenges. Due to their complex medical and psychiatric conditions, the needs of these children differ from their peers without these diagnoses. The objective nevertheless re mains the same for all: to provide services and supports to meet the child’s needs and prevent further abuse. Every child should have the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop their full po tential. Special accommodations and resources may be needed for children with medically complex needs.

In June of this year, the GAL Program presented a continuing legal education lunch and learn featuring speakers from Hospital Homebound and Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (“PPEC”).

The speakers provided an overview of their program’s services and showcased the valuable assistance and support they offer our chil dren with medically complex needs.

PPEC, operated by Children First Health Care System, provides medical daycare to children with medically complex needs. Chil dren First PPEC centers are specifically designed to optimize the development of each child’s independence, while helping them reach their full potential. Daily care at PPEC centers involves clinical interventions, therapy services and educational activities.

Angie Harris, Program Director, explained, “That program is de signed to educate and serve as partners in childcare. Children in the program receive Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy. Certified teachers are on site to assist and instruct children. Children who attend PPEC centers are healthy while

Members of OCPS’s Hospital Homebound team provided in sightful information on how the program works and shared eligi bility criteria. Hospital Homebound provides educational services to children with conditions that confine the student to home or the hospital. A homebound or hospitalized student is a student who has a medically diagnosed physical or psychiatric condition which is acute or catastrophic in nature, a chronic illness, or a repeated intermittent illness due to a persisting medical problem that confines the student to home or the hospital and restricts activities for an extended period of time. To qualify for hospital homebound services, a student must be:

1. Expected to be absent from school due to a physical or psychiatric condition for at least 15 consecutive school days due to a chronic condition;

2. Confined to home or hospital;

3. Able to participate in and benefit from an instructional program;

4. Under medical care for illness or injury that is acute, catastrophic or chronic in nature; and

5. Able to receive instructional services without endangering the health and safety of the instructor or other students with whom the instructor may come in contact.5

Both PPEC and Hospital Homebound provide invaluable services that help our children to thrive and reach important educational milestones as they mature and grow into adulthood. Fortunately, education doesn’t necessarily have to stop at the high school level for non-traditional learners. Higher education paths are available to youth right here in Central Florida. For instance, Beacon Col lege in Leesburg, Florida, is an accredited college offering fouryear degrees designed around the needs of students with diag nosed learning disabilities.6

Knowledge is power, and by relying on partnerships, GALs can help youth with special needs harness their power!

For more information, please contact Mexcye Roberts at mrob erts@legalaidocba.org. For more information on becoming a financial donor or helping with our fundraising efforts, please contact Donna Haynes, Development Director, dhaynes@le galaidocba.org, or by calling 407-515-1850.

Mexcye Roberts, Esq., is a Guardian ad Litem staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of the OCBA. She has been a member of the OCBA since 2014.

1§ 39.001 (1)(a), Fla. Stat. (2022).

2§ 39.001(4), Fla. Stat. (2022).

3Children First, Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care, https://childrenfirst.com/ppec (last visited Oct. 3, 2022).

4Harris, Angie, Lunch & Learn: Special Needs: Positive Pathways & Possibilities, Or lando, FL(June 21, 2022).

5Theis, E, Gaymer-Callaway, M., * Williams, G., Lunch & Learn: Hospital Home bound (June 21, 2022).

6Beacon College, www.beaconcollege.edu (last visited Oct. 3, 2022).

Almost two decades of great memories and impactful contributions made through our annual Breakfast of Champions Fundraising Event! You can be a part of the Legal Aid Society’s history by sponsoring our largest fundraising event of the year! The 15th Annual Breakfast of Champions is virtual, and the benefits of sponsorship are vast. This is your opportunity to gain great exposure for yourself or your business as our audience includes viewers throughout the nation. The program will be televised via Orange TV, and its affiliates, and will also be viewable through Zoom & Facebook. Visit Legal Aid Society – Acceptiva to learn more!

to write a blog or come up with social media posts is always a challenge. Artifi cial intelligence (“AI”) can help with that. In fact, this article was written with assistance from AI using software from Copysmith. ai (other examples include Jasper and Writesonic).

AI copywriting tools can speed up writing copy for your blog, social media, or even an article for The Briefs. To get started, sim ply type an introductory paragraph and click a but ton to rewrite the text, add to it, or enhance it. Want to write a blog but not sure where to start? Just type in a few keywords and Copysmith.ai will instantly generate blog ideas for you. Click another button to generate text, and in a few minutes, you’ve got a blog post.

Conclusion

The key to a successful law practice, like any other business, is effective mar keting. No matter how busy you are, you can never ever stop marketing. But there are only so many hours in the day, and you’ve got a lot of other legal work you need to be doing. Au tomation can help. Yes, it will require doing some research, learning how to use the available tools, and putting in the time to set up your systems. Howev er, the payoff is more time, more clients, and less stress. As automation technology continues to evolve, it will get easier and easier to use, but don’t wait for tomor row, start today.

C. Todd Smith, Esq., is a plaintiff’s personal injury law yer at C. Todd Smith Law. He currently serves as co-chair of the Technology Committee. He has been a member of the OCBA since 2002.

The Space You Need –When and Where You Need It

Discover a turnkey workspace that adapts to the needs of your firm

Nov. 1, 2022

IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL

Nov. 15, 2022

IN-PERSON &

Dec. 6, 2022

13, 2022

–1:30

SAVE UP TO 30% ON MEETING ROOM SPACE

Ideal for in-person and virtual depositions, arbitrations & war rooms. *

Secure wireless Internet and secure

concierge

OFFICE SPACE WHEN YOU NEED IT

Our TeamHub plan offers a secure, dedicated space with flexible terms for firms of any size.

Team Approach:

County Family Dependency Drug Court

for Undocumented Youth in

Care

into

I love LawPay! I’m not sure why I waited so long to get it set up.

The Legal Practice Productivity Solution

LEAP ensures law firm success with state-of-the-art practice management, legal accounting, document automation, and legal publishing in one cloud-based solution for all common areas of law.

Book your demo today. 844-702-LEAP | leap.us/florida

be a continuing part of service delivery for most businesses, including law firms. Rather than driving around from one meeting to another, you can have as many meetings as your schedule permits from your own safe space. Think ahead and have a designated area, though it does not necessarily have to be a conference room. professional and creative. You also need a strong Internet connection and a good webcam, microphone (Bluetooth-enabled or not), and good lighting.

Above and beyond all of those essentials, you need to prac tice with the videoconferencing tools to work in advance on problems because issues will almost certainly arise. Virtually meeting “face-to-face” can make a world of difference, and others’ impressions of you over the internet are as important as face-to-face impressions.

10. IT Support

You cannot and are not expected to know all about technol ogy and the various devices used to bring that technology into your office. You will need help and someone who can solve the tech problem now and not next week. Research and interview IT personnel, find one that you feel you can work with, but always be familiar with the systems in your office.

ETHICAL DUTY

On September 29, 2016, the Supreme Court of Florida amended Rule 4-1.1 (Competence), Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, es sentially adopting the “duty of technological competence,” making Florida the 25th state to adopt this duty. As the Comment to Rule 4-1.1 notes, one critical component of the Rule is, “To maintain

the requisite knowledge and skill, a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, engage in continuing study and education, including an understanding of the benefits and risks associated with the use of technology . . . .” (Emphasis added). Even more significantly, Florida became the first state to make a technology Continuing Legal Education course mandatory in also amending Rule 6-10.3(b) (Minimum Continuing Legal Education Standards).

As time moves forward, technology seems to be exponentially evolving at an unimaginable speed and now functioning in legal practice as the new norm. Not only should you consider the use of such tech solutions for your law firm but also be mindful of our recent ethical obligations to maintain pace with the use of tech nology in an appropriate way consistent with the needs of your practice and the norms of our legal community. Without naming specific tools by competitive company offerings which you can re search and compare as best suited to your firm’s needs and budget, I wanted you to have a well-rounded vision of what areas to think about when improving your practice to make you more produc tive, profitable, and pleased.

Kimberly Soto, Esq., is the owner and managing attorney at The Soto Law Office, P.A., a general practice law firm with over 10 years of experience in matters related to real estate, probate, estate planning, guardianship, and business law. Kimberly is currently co-chair of the Solo and Small Firm Committee. She has been an OCBA member since 2012.

Tiffany D. Thompson-Disler, Esq., the owner of Thompson Family Firm, P.A., a family law firm with over 8 years’ experience in contested and uncon tested matters related to all areas of family law. Tiffany is currently co-chair of the Solo and Small Firm Committee. She has been an OCBA member since 2017.

ParalegalPost

Nancy L. Jordahl, ACP, FRP, FCP

Let Me Introduce You to Introductions

When you attended school, you probably did not think that you would need to know how to introduce someone as a skill in your legal toolkit. I have been a paralegal for many years now and surprisingly, this is a skill that I frequently rely on. Here are some practical tips to help you out the next time that you need to introduce someone.

Do not procrastinate putting to gether your introduction. As soon as you know that it is going to be your responsibility to introduce a speaker, start drafting what you will say. An introduction that is obviously thrown together five minutes before the speech is scheduled to start is unprofes sional and reflects poorly on you.

The very first step when introducing someone is to reach out to them. Establish a rapport with the person and ask them to provide you with a short biography. It is always helpful to give that person as much notice as possible so that they can create, find, update, or otherwise edit their biography.

Once you have the person’s biography in hand, do not stop there. Use the biography as a guideline for you to prepare an introduc tion. Do not just read straight from the biography as your intro duction. A lot of times, the biography contains extra information that is not relevant for the reason at hand for the introduction. Simply take the highlights from the biography that may be rele vant to the audience. Carefully review the biography and delete the filler that is not as relevant. Common information to include or “must-knows” are the person’s current occupation or area of expertise, education, and awards. The audience will want to know why the person you are introducing is qualified to speak on that particular subject.

If the person does not have a biography already prepared, you are not out of luck. Investigate the person online to see what kind of information you can find out. Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, may contain information that you can use to prepare a great introduction. You may also find that the person you are introducing has a preexisting introduction that can be modified for the purpose of your event.

Personalize the introduction to humanize the person but be care ful. Do not make the introduction 100% about business, but keep whatever you say polished and on topic. Keep in mind that an in troduction is not the proper platform for you to test out your new

comedy routine. Also, be cautious about referencing the speaker’s family unless you have cleared that with the speaker first. Concen trate on letting the audience know why this speaker’s topic is of interest to them.

Keep the introduction short. It should not last longer than one minute. Practice your introduction out loud in front of a mirror before you actually do the introduction live in front of the audi ence. Practice the timing of your introduction more than once so that you know you are not going to go over the time allotted for the introduction.

Confirm that you have the proper pronunciation for every single word in your introduction. Know how to pronounce law firm names and universities/colleges. Most importantly, know how to properly pronounce the person’s name. It can be helpful to write it out phonetically. For example, if the person you are going to introduce is named Qi, you can write out a note to yourself that says “her first name is pronounced Che like cheese” to provide yourself a reference.

Be at the location where you are going to be introducing the speaker at least 15 minutes early. If you are in an unfamiliar lo cation, give yourself plenty of time to find the room. If you are introducing someone on Zoom, make sure you are online and connected early and that your video and audio are turned on and working correctly.

Before you introduce the speaker, provide your name and title. Speak clearly and confidently. Stand (or sit) up straight through out the introduction. After you have introduced the speaker, have a smooth transition over to them like “Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Ms. Jones.”

Make sure to convey your respect for the speaker and your en thusiasm about the topic. You will help to set the tone from the beginning so that the audience sincerely wants to hear what the person has to say.

These introduction tips are intended to lead you to the top and not give you a devil of a time. As the Rolling Stones sang in “Sym pathy for the Devil” - “Please allow me to introduce myself/I’m a man of wealth and taste…”

Nancy L. Jordahl, ACP, FRP, FCP, is a litigation paralegal at Weinberg, Wheeler, Hudgins, Gunn & Dial, LLC providing support on construction liti gation, product liability, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith and insur ance defense cases. She has been a paralegal member of the OCBA since 2010 and currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Paralegal Section.

mynpp.com/ocba

Member Benefit!

Remote Online Notarization

The OCBA offers members a remote notarization service (small administrative fee applies). OCBA staff will guide you through the process and manage the identity verification and video conference components of each transaction, as well as a record-keeping as legally required.

The Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) encourages all members to use the services of these vendors, who provide quality products and services and are supporters of the OCBA. Many businesses on the list offer special promotions or discounts to help you grow your practice.

To become a Preferred Vendor , contact our Advertising & Sponsorship Department.

•Legal Support Services•

Clio – The most widely-used, cloud-based practice management system in the world • OCBA members in good standing receive a 10 percent lifetime discount on the monthly subscription fee | Clio.com/OCBA.

DocuSign NPP – Members are eligible to receive special pricing starting at 10% off new or additional subsriptions. Custom pricing and rebates available for subscriptions that meet or exceed annual spend requirement. Enroll with NPP and start saving today!

•Professional Services•

DISCO (NYSE: LAW) – provides a cloud-native, artificial intelligencepowered legal solution that simplifies ediscovery, legal document review and case management for enterprises, law firms, legal services providers and governments. Our scalable, integrated solution enables legal departments to easily collect, process and review enterprise data that is relevant or potentially relevant to legal matters. | www.cdisco.com/raise- the-bar.

Draft n Craft – a leading alternate legal service provider supporting attorneys, law firms, and in-house legal departments. Our legal and paralegal support services include – Legal Drafting, Legal Research, Deposition Summary, Medical Records Summary, Contract Lifecycle Management, Multiple Data-Intensive Paralegal Services, and more. OCBA members will get a special 15% discount on the total invoice value of the project. Write us at info@draftncraft.com or call us at +1.646.367.6958 & 6975.

FirmPro – by C&R Insurance Services, LLC helps protect law firms with 1-9 attorneys and offers a discounted rate to attorneys averaging less than 26 billable hours per week. With 17 years of experience, we bring our knowledge and access to Hudson Insurance Group (rated an “A” Excellent admitted carrier) to Florida attorneys. To get a quote, please visit: www.insuringlawyers.com/ get-insurance-quote.

Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company – Created by The Florida Bar, Florida Lawyers Mutual provides high-quality professional liability insurance to help protect Florida lawyers and their clients, while providing personal service that no one can match. • 800-633-6458

Serendipity Labs – Upscale Work Environments Designed for Your New Worklife: – Serendipity Labs Flex Office Space and Coworking was created to help you access professional workspaces with the flexibility your business needs today, all supported by on-site hospitality teams. Serendipity Labs has always been committed to delivering trusted, safe and welcoming workspaces. Our enhanced service and focus on privacy will help you get your team back together and in a trusted and secure environment just down the street from the Orange County Clerk of Courts. Click for room rental savings: | https://bit.ly/SerendipityLabsOrlandoSpaces

National Purchasing Partners – NPP is a member benefit provider of The Orange County Bar Association, Florida, and helps members reduce costs with exclusive pricing through a variety of brands used by millions of businesses nationwide. Visit mynpp.com/association/ocba/

The businesses listed herein (the “Vendors”) are not affiliated with the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) and shall not under any circumstances be deemed to have any authority to act on behalf of the OCBA. The OCBA does not make, and expressly disclaims, any warranty, representation, responsibility, or guarantee as to (a) the quality or suitability of the Vendors, their products, or services, and (b) the duration or validity of any discount or other promotion offered by any of the Vendors.

Learn

The best things in life are free...

Like our conference rooms and online hosting.

When you need expert, convenient, cost-effective deposition and transcription services, you can trust Milestone Reporting. We have locations throughout Florida to meet your logistical demands. And since 2020, we’ve taken over 100,000 remote depositions across Florida and nationwide. Beyond great service, you’ll get:

laptop for virtual depositions

Is your firm part of the 100% Club? Firms with two or more attorneys and 100% membership in the OCBA can belong! If you believe your firm is eligible, please call the Membership Department at 407-422-4551, ext. 225.

20 or More Members

Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell P.A. Shutts & Bowen, LLP

Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, et al. Winderweedle, Haines, et al.

10-19 Members

Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter, LLC Fisher Rushmer

Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.

Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin

McDonald Toole Wiggins, P.A. Stovash, Case & Tingley

2-9 Members

Anderson & Ferrin, Attorneys at Law, P.A.

Artemis Family Law Group, PLLC Aust Law Firm

Barrister Law Firm, P.A. Barry Miller Law Carr Law Firm, P.A.

Compass Law

Culbertson Law Group

Davey Law Group, P.A.

Debra Wilkinson Botwin, LLC

DeCiccio & Johnson

Dellecker Wilson King McKenna Ruffier & Sos, LLP

Divine & Estes, P.A.

Fassett, Anthony & Taylor, P.A

Flammia Elder Law Firm

Forward Law Firm P.A.

Gasdick Stanton Early, P.A. GoodBlatt – Leo

Green Family Law, P.A.

Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm Attorneys at Law Harris Harris Bauerle Lopez

Hilyard, Bogan & Palmer, P.A. Hornsby Law

Infocus Family Law Firm, P.L. Jill S. Schwartz & Associates, P.A. Keating & Schlitt, P.A.

King, Blackwell, Zehnder & Wermuth, P.A. Korshak & Associates, P.A. Kosto & Rotella, P.A.

Law Offices of Brent C. Miller, P.A. Law Offices of Horwitz & Citro, P.A. Lebron Law PLLC

Marcus & Myers, P.A. McMichen, Cinami & Demps PLLC

McShane & McShane Law Firm, P.A. Meenakshi A. Hirani, P.A. Men’s Divorce Law Firm

Morgan, White-Davis & Martinez, P.A. Murphy & Berglund, PLLC N. Diane Holmes, P.A.

O’Mara Law Group Page & Eichenblatt, P.A. Perez LaSure, LLC

Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group Sawyer & Sawyer, P.A. Schwam-Wilcox & Associates SeifertMiller, LLC

Shannin Law Firm, P.A. Stovash, Case & Tingley

Tangel-Rodriguez & Associates

The Aikin Family Law Group

The Arnold Law Group

The Brennan Law Firm

The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller

The Fighter Law Firm, P.A.

The Law Office of Michael L. Dear, PLLC

The Llabona Law Group

The Marks Law Firm, P.A.

The Skambis Law Firm

Warner & Warner, P.L.

West Family Law Group

Wieland & DeLattre, P.A. Wilson McCoy, P.A. Wooten Kimbrough, P.A. Yergey & Yergey, P.A.

YLS September Luncheon

YLS at the Rage Room

Young Lawyers SectionNews

YLS on the Move

YLShas not slowed down one bit these last few months!

At our September Luncheon, Former C.O.O. of the Orlando City Soccer, Fred Pollastri gave an engaging presentation on his experience as a Brazil licensed attorney and his role in bringing Orlando City to the MLS. Thank you Fred Pollastri!

On October 12, 2022, YLS held its first CLE of the year on the topic Adulting: Money after Law School Ends and the Real World Takes Over. Thank you to Ever shore Financial on this engaging presentation!

On October 13, 2022, YLS partnered with the CFAWL to host the Pink and Purple Party at the Robinson Room. In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the event benefited Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation and Harbor House of Central Flori da, a domestic violence shelter. Thank you to all the attendees, sponsors, and donors. Your contributions will make a difference in someone’s life! Thank you to committee chairs James Davis and Eloisa Pino for making this event a success!

On October 15, 2022, YLS held its annual Gator Bus Trip to Gainesville to watch the Florida Gators battle it out with the LSU Tigers! Before heading over to the Swamp, attendees joined the UF Law students to tailgate and an opportunity for networking. Thank you to committee chairs Andrew Kelly, Samantha Du ran, and Shane Horton for their amazing job in putting this event together!

On October 21, 2022, YLS hosted its Mentoring Luncheon to kick-off this year’s YLS Mentoring Program. At the luncheon law schools students met their attorney mentors and began planning their mentoring year. The attorneys will take their mentees under their wing and show them the ins and outs of the practice of law.

On October 26, 2022, YLS hosted its annual Halloween Party at the Salvation Army. YLS gave each child a costume. The chil dren enjoyed their new costumes and were entertained by the Big Bad Wolf Mock Trial. Thank you to committee chairs Kenway Wong, Brooklyn Rapchik-Gaughen, and Katrina Mosciki for organizing this awesome event!

We would like to thank Jenny Brown for her years of hard work and dedication to YLS. We will miss you Jenny and wish you the best on your future endeavors!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates! If you attend any of our events, tag us @ocbayls and #togetherwegofar.

Upcoming events:

11/10/2022 – Joint Luncheon with Paul C. Perkins – Passion vs. Paycheck Panel

11/10/2022 – Lip Sync for Lungs 11/17/2022 – CLE & Happy Hour: Mediation Rules and Ethics Pop Quiz presented by Mediator David Henry 12/07/2022 – Holiday Party

Vaughn G.S. Glinton, Esq., is an attorney with Jackson Lewis P.C., where he practices employment law. He has been a member of OCBA since 2017.

YLS ready for battle

Vaughn Glinton, Esq.

YLS smashing and crashing

Bowling Night

Sponsors:

Josh Hollis, Kate Hollis, Jessica Travis, Ursla Gallagher

Rolling With My Homies – 1st Place

SA09

Split More Than Pins

Spare Their Heir

Mark Crockett / LexisNexis

Voluntary BarNews

SideBar

Our Central Florida voluntary bar associations have a lot to be thankful for this season. Here is a glimpse of some of the amazing events that they hosted.

The Federal Bar Association, Orlando Chapter

Then on September 22, 2022, HBACF celebrated Hispanic mem bers of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court Judiciary in the Jury Assem bly Room.

The Paul C. Perkins Bar Association

On September 8, 2022, the Paul C. Perkins Bar Association (PCPBA) hosted a General Body Meeting which featured Men tal Health Counselor Schellie Fanfan. The meeting was aimed at helping attendees free themselves from the prison of perfection ism.

Alena V. Baker, Esq.

On September 22, 2022, The Federal Bar Association, Orlando Chapter (FBA) Board members, Jeremy Bloor, Jill Davis, and Pat rick Brackins spoke to Blankner Elementary School 5th graders for Constitution Day.

Then on September 30, the FBA hosted a luncheon titled: An Interview with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Federal Defender’s Office. The luncheon was moderated by the Honorable Embry J. Kidd and featured Michael Felicetta, Chief of the Criminal Division of the Orlando U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as Nicole Mouakar who is the Supervisor of the Orlando Division of the Office of the Federal Defender.

The Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association

On October 12, 2022, GOAABA hosted a Halloween Happy Hour at Cocktails & Screams.

The Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida

On September 9, 2022, the Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida (HBACF) teamed up with the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers and kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with a Latina Leaders Summit. The event featured: HBACF Past Pres idents Cindy Bonilla, Penelope Perez-Kelly, and Kimberly Lopez; Special Assistant to Mayor Demings, Lilla Torres; and the Honor able Judge Gisela Laurent and Judge Tarlika Nunez-Navarro.

Then on September 13, 2022, PCPBA hosted a social at The Monroe. This was the perfect opportunity for members to con nect and find out what is in store for the year with PCPBA.

The Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers

On September 9, 2022, the Central Florida Association for Wom en Lawyers (CFAWL) teamed up with the HBA and hosted a Lati na Leaders Summit. CFAWL wishes to thank the panelists for sharing their words of wisdom and advice on overcoming hurdles.

Then on September 20, CFAWL members came out in full bloom and enjoyed an amazing night creating beautiful succulent ar rangements at Bombs Blooms.

The Central Florida Gay and Lesbian Law Association

The Central Florida Gay and Lesbian Law Association (CFGALLA) held a social at Bites & Bubbles on September 12, 2022.

Alena V. Baker, Esq., of Alena Baker Criminal Defense, P.A., is a solo practi tioner who practices primarily in the area of criminal law throughout Cen tral Florida. She has been a member of the OCBA since 2011 and is a board member of the Criminal Law Committee of the OCBA.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW Category! Place advertising on new partnerships, employee promotions, and thank you listings to exemplary employees, assistants, paralegals, etc.

Contact Ursla Gallagher to place your ad today! 407-422-4551, Ext. 244 or urslag@ocbanet.org.

EMPLOYMENT

BUSY COMMERCIAL LIT IGATION PRACTICE with a national AV-rated firm is looking for 1-3 year associ ate to join our team. Experi ence with drafting pleasing, motions, and discovery are essential. Maynard Cooper & Gale offers both a competi tive salary and great benefits in a congenial working en vironment. resume, writing sample, and salary require ments should be submitted to jpainter@maynardcooper. com

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Great opportunity for advancement for an attorney with excellent writing skills. You will have the ability to participate in and manage a caseload to prepare for trial and also to use your research and writing skills to prepare for trial and also to use your research and writing skills to prepare briefs at the trial and appellate level. Interesting issues, fast-paced environment, excellent com pensation, great people to work with. Send your resume ASAP to mheaberlin@go belflakes.com.

DOWNTOWN ORLANDO LAW OFFICE SEEKING A 5+ YEAR FULL-TIME LITIGA

TION PARALEGAL with ex perience in insurance defense and/or plaintiff’s personal in jury litigation. Benefits and salary are based on experi ence. E-mail your resume to: dianna@vasko.net

DOWNTOWN ORLANDO LAW FIRM seeking a BI In surance Defense trial parale gal. Starting salary of $95,000 annually with a $5,000 signing bonus. All applications will be kept confidential. Please send resumes to mheaber lin@gobelflakes.com.

ESTABLISHED DOWN TOWN ORLANDO LAW FIRM IS SEEKING AN ATTORNEY WITH 5+ YEARS OF LITIGATION EXPERI ENCE with the ability to manage a case load. Federal Court experience is a plus. Candidate must have strong research skills and be an ex cellent writer. Our compen sation package will exceed expectations for the right candidate. Please send re sume to mheaberlin@go belflakes.com.

EXPERIENCED COMMERCIAL LITIGATION ATTORNEY wanted for established Orlando firm with 13 Central Florida offices. Seeking ex perienced Florida licensed attorney – Construction law experience a plus – Excellent analytical and writing ability a must. 4-8 years experience preferred. Outstanding op portunity to join growing law firm. Great team envi ronment. Competitive salary and benefits. Email resume to mary@boginmunns.com

EXPERIENCED LITIGATION ATTORNEY for plaintiff’s personal injury and first party insurance law firm located in Altamonte Springs. Growing dynamic law firm seeks attor ney with minimum 2 years’

experience in the courtroom. Will be responsible for han dling a caseload assigned by the firm, as well as de veloping their own clients. Attorney will be responsible for client sign-ups, initiating litigation, taking depositions, attending hearings, prepar ing for and presenting at me diation and trying cases. This is a unique opportunity to advance and grow a practice within a practice. Candidate must be a self-starter, moti vated, enthusiastic, and cre ative. We like out-of-the-box thinking when approaching our cases. Salary has unlim ited potential because the position is a combination of base pay plus a percentage of fees recovered. The firm offers health insurance, dis ability insurance, dental, optical and life insurance. 401(k) and profit sharing is also included. Candidate should submit a resume, and cover letter to jbridg es@brehnelaw.com .

FAST-PACED INSURANCE DEFENSE FIRM LOCATED IN MAITLAND, FL is search ing for a Legal Assistant. The firm handles first-party property/liability coverage issues. Insurance defense and strong litigation expe rience preferred. Experience with calendaring, schedul ing of depositions, and court reporters as needed. and fol low up as it relates to discov ery matters Experience with E-Filing software and proce dures. Familiarity and com pliance with judicial orders Please send resumes: jmc callister@rocklawpa.com.

GROWING ORLANDO AV RATED CIVIL LITIGATION FIRM SEEKING TWO AT TORNEYS one with 2-5 years experience and one with 5 to 10 years experience. Prior

trial experience is a plus. Ex cellent salary and benefits. Please send resume in con fidence to Gary@vasko.net.

INSURANCE DEFENSE

FIRM handling first-party property/liability coverage issues, PIP, and contractual/ tort litigation seeks attor neys for statewide practice. Insurance defense experi ence preferred. Email/Fax/ Mail resume to Office Man ager jmccallister@rocklaw pa.com, (407) 647-9966, The Rock Law Group, P.A., 1760 Fennell St., Maitland, Florida 32751.

SEEKING HEALTH ATTOR NEY. SMALL BOUTIQUE FIRM IN NORTHEAST OR LANDO – suburb seeks at torney for transactional or litigation healthcare work. Send resume and cover let ter to: SSmith@TheHealth LawFirm.com or fax: (407) 331-3030

FOR SALE OR RENT

CLASS A OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT – located in the heart of downtown Orlando at the Plaza building. Furnished for attorneys and assistants. All of fice amenities included. Great views with balcony. Call 407999-9955 or email inquiries to jsherris@sherrislegal.com or receptionist@sherrislegal. com.

MAITLAND OFFICE BUILD ING FOR SALE: – 8 offices, conference room, reception area, kitchen, 3 bathrooms. Gated parking for 11+ ve hicles. furniture optional. $789K, Terri E. Labrie, Realtor, https://bit.ly/BuildingVirtu alTour Tiger Real Estate, LLC 321-427-3345.

NOVEMBER

1 Professionalism Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

LAS Lunchtime Training

A Team Approach: Orange County Family Dependency Drug Court

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center with Virtual Option

2

Business Law Committee Seminar

Inside Business Court

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

3 Immigration Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

4 Estate, Trust & Guardianship Committee MAJOR CLE

What We Learned From 2022 and How to Prepare for 2023

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. OCBA Center

8 Immigration Committee Seminar

Updates to EB-5 and Alternatives to Immigrant Investment

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

9 Lawyers Literary Society Committee Meeting

Sophocles, Antigone 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

10 YLS & Paul C. Perkins Luncheon

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Citrus Club

Criminal Law Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER

Social Security Committee Seminar

Social Security Caselaw Update and Preserving Issues for Appeal

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual Health & Wellness and Technology Committee Seminar

Wellness, Nutrition, and Technology for Busy Professionals

3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. OCBA Center

YLS Lip Sync for Lungs

5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sak Comedy Club

11 OCBA Virtual Tech Fair

Sponsored by Leap, iWorkspaces, Huseby, and Our Family Wizard

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

15 LAS Lunchtime Training

Advocating for Undocumented Youth in Foster Care

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center with Virtual Option

Solo & Small Firm Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

16 Elder Law Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

Appellate Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

17 Legal Aid Society Breakfast of Champions

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Virtual

ADR Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

Judicial Relations Committee Meeting

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Judicial Conference Room (23rd Floor) with virtual option

YLS Board Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

Civil Rights Committee Meeting

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Virtual

23-25

OCBA Office Closed

29 Diversity & Inclusion Committee Meeting

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Virtual

30 Health & Wellness Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

DECEMBER

Immigration Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

Professionalism Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

LAS Lunchtime Training Naturalization – The Requirements, the Process, Pros, Cons, and Tips!

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

YLS Holiday Party

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Dubsdred

Criminal Law Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

Social Security Committee Meeting

How to Use Skilltran’s Job Browser Pro

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

13 LAS Lunchtime Training Transitioning to Adulthood

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

14 Lawyers Literary Society Committee Meeting

Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

15

ADR Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

Civil Rights Committee Meeting

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Virtual

19 Labor and Employment Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

20 Solo & Small Firm Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

21 Elder Law Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Virtual

Appellate Committee Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. OCBA Center

26-30

OCBA Office Closed

Please note that live OCBA and Legal Aid seminars and events may be offered virtually, prerecorded, postponed, or cancelled. Please follow the most current news in the OCBA’s weekly newsletter eblast and on the OCBA and LAS websites and social media.

Nancy Weber • Hon. Heather Pinder Rodriguez • Lori Caldwell-Carr Juna Pulayya • Lorna Truett • Andrew Windle Hon. Tesha Ballou • Susan Staggs • Mark O’Mara