A Publication of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. FAWL Journal. Fall

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1 A Publication of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers FAWL Journal Fall

2 FAWL Journal Bi-Annual Journal of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.- Eleanor Roosevelt IN THIS ISSUE Fall 2011 President s Message... 4 FAWL Executive Officers... 5 FAWL Past Presidents... 8 History of The Mattie Belle Davis Society FAWL Mattie Belle Davis Society Members FAWL Chapter Presidents FAWL Winter Calendar FAWL 2012 Lobby Days FAWL State Office Renew your Membership Today! Features Leadership in a Firm: Kimberly L. Johnson, of Quarles & Brady... 6 Leadership among Young Lawyers: Paige Greenlee, of Akerman Senterfitt... 7 Leadership in The Florida Bar: Mayanne Downs, of King, Blackwell, Downs & Zehnder... 9 Leadership in the Community: The Florida Bar President s 2011 Pro Bono Service Award. 10 Leadership in Business: Alexa Sherr Hartley, of Premier Leadership Coaching, LLC Leadership in Public Office: The 2012 Project Special Features Scenes from FAWL s 2011 Midyear Meeting Florida Trend s Florida Legal Elite

3 JOURNAL EDITOR Brittany J. Maxey Patent Attorney Maxey Law Offices, PLLC Roosevelt Office Center Roosevelt Boulevard Suite 305 Clearwater, Florida (t) (f)

4 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE BY SUSAN R. HEALY, VERNON HEALY LEADERSHIP: PASS IT ON What is the most important quality of leadership? That question kept coming to me during the events of the past couple of months, prompted by my trip to Philadelphia and tour of Independence Hall, accounts of Mattie Belle Davis mentoring of women lawyers and speculation about whether Apple can survive the death of its founder. I concluded that one of the most important qualities of leadership and perhaps the only quality that really matters in the long run may be the ability to grow new leaders. While it remains to be seen whether Steve Jobs had that skill, the founding fathers certainly understood that it was crucial to ensure that new generations of leaders would follow. Similarly, sixty years after the founding mothers started FAWL, Judge Mattie Belle Davis continues to inspire us through the examples set by the women lawyers that she mentored. In reviewing materials in preparation for the September Mid-Year Mattie Belle Davis Society Reception, I read so many moving accounts from women lawyers who described how Judge Davis had encouraged them to succeed. Someone once said that we all stand upon the shoulders of others when we succeed at anything, and I think that cannot be more true than in the case of Mattie Belle Davis and women in the legal profession. - The Hon. Rosemary Barkett, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. I learned that behind that grave countenance was a warm caring person who did so much to help me and so many others become better lawyers. She blazed a trail for us. - The Honorable Janet Reno, former United States Attorney General. Today FAWL remains committed to Judge Davis mission. FAWL s number one goal for this year is to help our members reach their full potential, to take the inspiration we have received from the leaders of our profession and to pass it on. To that end, we are posting videos from the 2011 Women s Leadership Summit on the FAWL website, along with Alexa Sherr Hartley s presentation from the Mid-Year meeting, The Leadership Advantage: Sharpen Existing Skills and Master New Strengths. The Member Advancement and Placement ( MAP ) Committee has been working on analyzing the current administration s appointment process in order to better advise members who seek judicial and JNC appointments. The MAP Committee is also working with The 2012 Project to obtain training and other assistance for FAWL members who seek elective office. Thanks to the leadership and dedication of FAWL s Board, Committees and Executive Director, we have already made tremendous progress and we re only onethird of the way through the year! 4 This Journal is part of FAWL s continuing commitment to help our members reach their leadership goals. We hope that the articles in this Journal will inspire and challenge you, whether you are a student or new lawyer who may be a candidate for FAWL s newly formed Young Lawyers Section, whether you are a more experienced lawyer who is in a position to help establish a leadership training program for young lawyers, or whether you find yourself questioning if you are ready to explore a new opportunity (Hint: if you re asking the question, the answer is yes ). And when you find the inspiration that ignites your leadership potential, please remember to pass it on. shealy@vernonhealy.com Susan R. Healy Vernon Healy Fifth Third Center 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 200 Naples, FL Fax: Susan Healy is a member of the Collier County Women s Bar Association and is a founding partner of Vernon Healy who represents individuals and businesses in cases involving financial disputes. She has over 25 years experience practicing in civil, criminal and appellate courts and before arbitration panels.

5 Executive Officers FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS PRESIDENT Susan Healy Vernon Healy Fifth Third Center 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 200 Naples, FL Fax: PRESIDENT-ELECT Laura Wendell Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoriza Et Al 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Ste. 700 Coral Gables, FL Fax: DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Sabrina Ferris Greenberg Traurig, P.A. 333 Avenue of the Americas Suite 4400 Miami, FL Fax: JOURNAL EDITOR Brittany Maxey Maxey Law Offices, PLLC Roosevelt Blvd. Suite 305 Clearwater, FL Fax: TREASURER Robin Bresky Law Offices of Robin Bresky 7777 Glades Road Suite 205 Boca Raton, FL Fax: LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth Bib Willis 3160 Blairstone Court Tallahassee, FL Fax: SECRETARY Kristin Norse Kynes Markman & Felman, PA 100 S. Ashley Drive Suite 1300 Tampa, FL Fax: MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Samantha Schosberg Feuer Office of the State Attorney 1515 North Flagler Drive Suite 900 West Palm Beach, FL Fax: IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Gigi Rollini Holland & Knight LLP 315 South Calhoun Street Suite 600 Tallahassee, FL Fax: PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Mary Ann Etzler Miller Etzler, PL 429 S Keller Rd Ste 310 Orlando, FL Fax: maryann@milleretzlerlaw.com 5

6 LEADERSHIP IN A FIRM BY KIMBERLY LEACH JOHNSON, QUARLES & BRADY Quarles & Brady is a firm in which women occupy the highest ranks as a ma er of course. A full 40 percent of our leadership roles are held by women, including three who serve on our 12 person execu ve commi ee, and the managing partners at five of our seven U.S. offices are female. Meanwhile, from the outside, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum has placed Quarles on its ini al list of law firms qualifying for its new Gold Standard Cer fica on a designa on for firms that have integrated women in top leadership posi ons and compensated them well. To be sure, we re very proud of this cer fica on, but to rest our case on the numbers leaves the en re truth untold. As we achieved this level of gender parity through an ins tu onal commitment to diversity that we established in the 1990s, which has taken on its own momentum and is no longer a product of poli cal correctness or affirma ve ac on rather, our original conscious a en on to diversity and inclusion has opened the door to a true meritocracy at Quarles, where talent and hard work generate the results, regardless of the individual. We count heads in terms of gender, ethnicity, and other indicators of diversity because many socially responsible clients request it, but within the firm we only count on poten al and performance when measuring leadership. In short, women occupy significant leadership posi ons at Quarles because they have shown their quali es in an organiza on that honestly values them. Not that we allow leadership quali es to grow organically! The intensely compe ve nature of the market for corporate legal services now demands, as much as ever, skilled management of the firm s resources and teams. Moreover, in addi on to market pressures, we face the con nuing demographic challenge that all professional services firms confront we remain ever on the hunt for great talent in spite of the undula ons of the economy. In addi on, transforming poten al into leadership demands transi oning key client rela onships that our senior partners have developed with great skill and care over so many years. For all these reasons, we must con nue to iden fy, train, and place high performing individuals in posi ons where they can apply the advantages of effec ve management for our collec ve benefit. To that end, Quarles has built an extensive leadership training program for all of its up and coming a orneys. From numerous training programs to professional consultants, we work with our a orneys both singly and collec vely to build their leadership skills, beginning when they are junior level associates and con nuing throughout their careers. We also maintain an extensive mentoring program for all of our associates, pairing each of them, from their first day at the firm, with a partner who will guide them toward higher levels of responsibility while impar ng their own, special brands of experience and wisdom. 6 Women and a orneys of color are assigned a second mentor as well, whose responsibility is to help them overcome any obstacles they may endure, personal or professional, and ensure their best chance to rise to the top. Quarles further conducts group mentoring programs designed by the firm s Director of Diversity, Employee Rela ons and Corporate Social Responsibility. All of these ini a ves contribute to each associate s personal advancement, professional growth, and social integra on into the firm and firm culture. We might suggest that the only reason women don t occupy a clear majority of leadership roles at Quarles is that we haven t been such an open organiza on for a long enough period of me; however, the more sa sfying reality is that the balance of authority between women and men, and persons of color as well, will shi repeatedly over the years, governed by the comings and goings of the very best people for each job. That will always be the true measurement of leadership within the firm, and within the professional services industry, but at Quarles it s simply how we operate. Kimberly L. Johnson Quarles & Brady, LLP 1395 Panther Lane Suite 300 Naples, FL Fax: kimberly.johnson@quarles.com Kimberly Leach Johnson is a member of the Collier County Women s Bar Association and the Managing Partner for the Naples and Tampa offices of the national firm of Quarles & Brady LLP. She practices in the area of trusts & estates, and is Chair of the Naples office trusts & estates group.

7 LEADERSHIP AMONG YOUNG LAWYERS BY PAIGE GREENLEE, AKERMAN SENTERFITT We have all heard it, time and time again the youth are our future. The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division ("YLD") consists of over 21,000 lawyers, and if you take a close look at your local bar associations, you will probably notice a number of young lawyers who are active and involved. A primary purpose of the YLD is to encourage the interest and participation of our members in the purposes of The Florida Bar. One of the ways we do this is by motivating our members to get involved in bar sections, committees, and in their local bar affiliates. Having young lawyers involved in bar associations and within the sections and committees of The Florida Bar is mutually beneficial. For the young lawyers, it provides a way to get involved in providing service to our profession early in our careers something most of us will never give up once we have started it. It also provides the youngest members of our profession with networking opportunities and with mentors, whether through formal, mentoring programs or on an informal basis. Young lawyers offer fresh perspective and enthusiasm to organizations. Many young lawyers who get involved with providing service to the bar immediately upon entering the profession were leaders in law school organizations. They have experience in leadership and they have new ideas for fundraising, team building, and service projects. For all of the reasons mentioned above, I was extremely excited to hear that FAWL is committed to starting a Young Lawyers Division within their organization this year. Young lawyers also know what will interest other young lawyers and young lawyers often travel in "packs," so if your group can get one young lawyer involved, it is likely that his or her friends will follow! For all of the reasons mentioned above, I was extremely excited to hear that FAWL is committed to starting a Young Lawyers Division within their organization this year, and I am honored to be a part of it. 7 I would be happy to hear from anyone who has suggestions, thoughts, or who would like to be involved in this process. Paige Greenlee Akerman Senterfitt 401 E Jackson St. Ste 1700 Tampa, FL paige.greenlee@akerman.com Paige Greenlee is member of the HAWL Chapter and a commercial litigator with extensive experience representing clients in complex commercial litigation matters, including contracts, real estate, construction, and creditors rights. She has represented both creditors and trustees in bankruptcy matters, including adversary proceedings. She serves as the FAWL Young Lawyers Section Chair. Save the Date! Please make plans to join young lawyers from across the state at the Affiliate Outreach Conference Friday, January 20 through Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the Casa Monica Hotel, St. Augustine, Florida. For more information, contact Melanie Griffin at mgriffin@deanmead.com or Katherine Miller at katherine.miller@cobbcole.com.

8 Florida Association for Women Lawyers PAST PRESIDENTS: Anna Brenner Meyers Mary L. Esarey Esther A. Poppell Rebecca Bowles Hawkins Margaret Deaton Edith Mellvaine James Judge Mattie Belle Davis Judge Mildred S. Akerman Judge Anne E Deleacon Fenyvessy Lavona R. Zuckerman Virginia Ann Jordan Church Helen Tanos Hope Dorothea M.B. Vermorel Josephine Howard Stafford Phyllis Shampanier Ann B. Miller Yandre Adele T. Weaver Delphene C. Strickland Ruth Fleet Thurman Judge Frances Ann Jamieson Judge Winifred J. Sharp Claire K. Cates Luten Judge Judith A. Brechner Elizabeth Athanasakos Irene Redstone Linda Carol Singer Debbie Malinsky Orshefsky Debra Weiss Goodstone Marjorie Bekaert Thomas Judge Gill A. Freeman Judge Mary Jane Nettles Henderson Diane M. Van Ness Judge Maura T. Smith Andrea Smith Hillyer Edith G. Osman Ava K. Doppelt Leslie Reicin Stein Mary V. Brennan Virginia A. Daire Caryn Goldenberg Carvo Tonia Yazgi Sharon Bleier Glickman Jennifer R. Coberly U.S. Rep. Katherine A. Castor Jeanmarie Whalen Barbara A. Eagan Susan W. Fox Siobhan H. Shea Dinita L. James Magistrate Deborah Magid Judge June C. McKinney Wendy S. Loquasto Sherri L. Johnson Rebecca H. Steele Tasha K. Dickinson Gigi Rollini 8

9 LEADERSHIP IN THE FLORIDA BAR: W, E! BY MAYANNE DOWNS, KING, BLACKWELL, DOWNS & ZEHNDER, P.A. I recently completed ten years on The Florida Bar Board of Governors and a year as President of The Florida Bar, which was the culmination of many years of bar service. My bar service feels a lot like jogging: it feels so good when you stop. I loved my service to the bar, and the honor and privilege of serving as president, but I m very happy to get back to my life and practice. There are many ways to become involved in bar leadership from committee and section work, to the Board of Governors. Advice Join, Listen & WORK I sometimes tell people who call me about a position they want that the chances of moving up or obtaining a position without applying (or asking) are slim, indeed. Although there are some notable exceptions, mostly to move down the path of leadership requires the first steps of joining, learning and listening and working to establish your bona fides. What this meant for me is recognizing that there is a kind of apprenticeship or novitiate component for every organization. And it s important to listen and learn how that works at your local bar and on the committee or even statewide bar level. For the Board of Governors, there is an unwritten but important rule that no board member should talk at his or her first meeting. Believe me, you could wake me up at 2:00 am and I can tell you which board members did or didn t follow this rule, with the predictable consequences. So, figure out the unspoken protocols of the group you ve joined LISTEN --- and follow them. If it isn t immediately apparent to you how this works, ask. Chief among human qualities is the desire to help, to answer questions, and to provide information. There are few people in the world who won t help if you ask. Second, prove your bona fides by working, not talking. I ve never known of an organization who doesn t value and need workers. Become someone who is indispensable, who is the first name that comes to mind for those who need help. Learn to be a part of the group, but to stand out as someone who adds meaning and gravitas to your endeavors. Caution: Make Your Bones By Being Reliable For me, a central creed of involvement is to be involved. Really involved. Passionate, engaged, interested and attuned. As I think back through my ten years on the Board, I can mentally separate those who just showed up and those who engaged. I have always told my kids to engage in what they do on a molecular level. Dispassionate, sideline-watching is for those who report, not those who do. For my state bar work, that meant showing up early and staying late. Attending the Wednesday night dinner AND the Friday night dinner whenever I could, and being sure that while I was there, I was really there. I tried to seek people out, ask questions, get to know people, see what others thought about key issues in short, I engaged. As the single mother of kids still at home, I had to miss some meetings and social events, but believe me, when I was there, everyone knew it. Being really involved means that you are someone who can be counted on to be there, to do what you said you would, and a valuable part of the team. 9 Under promise and over deliver instead of the reverse, which is more common. Avoid making any commitment you can t be sure you ll meet. Monitor yourself so that you don t become one of those people who becomes known for being unreliable. Ready, set, go! You can, and should, allow yourself to imagine what you want and where you want to go in bar and leadership activities. The only limitation is on what you want and the commitment you re willing to make. My experience is that The Florida Bar, in particular, is dedicated to involving women at every level of activity and leadership. It s up to you: engage, commit and succeed. Good luck! mdowns@kbdzlaw.com Mayanne Downs King, Blackwell, Downs & Zehnder, P.A. 25 E. Pine Street Orlando, FL Mayanne Downs is the immediate past President of The Florida Bar, having served as the 61 st president and just the 4 th woman to serve as President of The Florida Bar. She is a past president of the Orange County Bar Association, the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association. She serves as City Attorney to The City of Orlando, having been appointed by Mayor Buddy Dyer in She is a member of CFAWL chapter and a partner in the firm of King, Blackwell, Downs & Zehnder, P.A.

10 LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY THE FLORIDA BAR PRESIDENT S 2011 PRO BONO SERVICE AWARD The Florida Bar President s Pro Bono Service Award was established in Its purpose is twofold: to further encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make such public service commitments, and to communicate to the public some sense of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees. This award recognizes individual lawyer service in each of Florida s specific judicial circuits. It is presented annually in conjunction with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award given by the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Elizabeth Bib Willis, Tallahassee Women Lawyers member and FAWL Legislative Director, and Valerie Erwin Prevatte, Northwest/Florida (Pensacola) Chapter 2011 President, were recognized with The Florida Bar President s 2011 Pro Bono Service Award at an awards ceremony held January 27, 2011 at the Florida Supreme Court Building, Tallahassee, Florida. Valerie Erwin Prevatte First Judicial Circuit Valerie Erwin Prevatte is the President of FAWL s Northwest Florida (Pensacola) Chapter and is a sole practitioner in Pensacola. Her primary area of practice is representation of criminal defendants. She has been a member of The Florida Bar since April 1997 and has worked both as a government attorney and at the Department of Children and Families. Valerie can be reached at 850/ or vep@prevattelaw.com. Pro bono service is a large part of Prevatte s charitable giving. In her last few years as a solo practitioner, she donated more than 200 hours primarily through Legal Services of North Florida s Private Attorney Involvement Program and the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association. Her cases included the defense of a teenager falsely accused of injuring an abusive caregiver. Her defense helped to expose the violent environment in which he lived, and he was acquitted of the felony charges. Aggravated assault and battery between siblings was another difficult, juvenile pro bono case she undertook. In a demeaning, cruel game, the sibling voted out of his household by his siblings, under the direction of their mother, tossed a ceramic piggy bank at one of his brothers. At trial, Prevatte was able to convince the judge to have the felony charges reduced, and to get the boy counseling. She also provided legal advice to the homeless and victims of Hurricane Ivan. Serving and educating youths is also important to Prevatte. Over the past eight years, she donated approximately 80 hours to teaching students about the perils of drunken driving and has worked with law enforcement and families of victims on DUI Awareness programs before high school proms and graduations. She exhibited her dedication to the cause by following and notifying police about a vehicle that was recklessly weaving for nearly an hour. Her testimony at trial led to a guilty plea of DUI. Prevatte also spends time mentoring new attorneys and aspiring attorneys by accompanying them to court proceedings and to networking opportunities. The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and America Inns of Court are among her numerous civic affiliations. 10

11 LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY THE FLORIDA BAR PRESIDENT S 2011 PRO BONO SERVICE AWARD Elizabeth Bib Willis Second Judicial Circuit Elizabeth Bib Willis is a member of Tallahassee Women Lawyers and FAWL s Legislative Director. Bib is a sole practitioner in Tallahassee practicing in the principal areas of child and family law, dependency, and guardianship. She has been a member of The Florida Bar since April Bib can be reached at bibwillis@comcast.net. Her pro bono contributions have come primarily through her work with Legal Services of North Florida, the Tallahassee Bar Association, and her private offices. These programs received more than 400 hours of her pro bono service, which totals regularly about 100 hours per year. Her pro bono work is composed of numerous difficult cases, including family law, dependency, and guardianship of incapacitated adults. She participates in Legal Services of North Florida s hotline program for the public, answering legal questions on topics such as dissolution of marriage, custody, bankruptcy, and probate. Her volunteer attorney work sometimes takes her as far as Marianna and Panama City. At the Tallahassee Bar Association, has greatly exceeded her TBA 30 hour per year requirement. In fact, in the past two years she has taken on at least nine separate cases through the program ranging from child custody and visitation to divorce. Helping young, single mothers obtain child support from uncooperative fathers, establishing and enforcing visitation schedules for fathers who have been excluded from their children s lives, and assisting women in leaving abusive marriages are top priorities. The position of court-appointed counsel for a number of children is also a part of her lengthy schedule. Her schedule has been composed of voluntary bar activities, such as past president of the Government Bar, Legislative Director of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, the Candidate s Forum Chair of Tallahassee Women Lawyers and a member of the Tallahassee Bar Association where she is currently assisting with the educational programming. Mentoring through Florida State University s College of Law and Tallahassee Women Lawyers is also important to her. Everyone who knows Bib knows she is forever rushing off to serve another pro bono client or to answer calls for the LSNF hotline. At any one time, she is court-appointed counsel for 3 or 4 children in dependency proceedings. She serves as court-appointed counsel for alleged incapacitated adults or individuals who are subject to Marchman Act proceedings. In her spare time Ms. Willis participates in Legal Services of North Florida Hotline Program and the Tallahassee Bar Foundation s pro bono service programs. At age 75, Bib Willis has practiced law for over 20 years, starting law school at age 50 after careers in journalism and state government. She is the mother of 4 and the grandmother of

12 LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS BY ALEXA SHERR HARTLEY, PREMIER LEADERSHIP COACHING, LLC Leadership: What is the Right Stuff? And do you have it? A Google search for leadership qualities yields over seven million results. To be sure, there are also as many opinions as to what makes a good leader. Still, a review of the literature does point to characteristics that are common among effective leaders. Specifically, most leaders demonstrate vision and passion. Further, they are strong decision makers and team builders. Before you spend any time wondering whether you have what it takes, it is important to understand each trait. In the context of leadership studies, they mean: Vision seeing things as they can be, rather than how they are. Passion encouraging others to dream, to be creative, to excel, to innovate, and to constantly improve. Decision Maker taking a well-considered position even when it is not expedient or personally beneficial. Team Builder - delegating responsibility to the team and letting the team run with it. Since our strength as leaders is contingent on the opinions of those whom we lead, the question is Do people think you are a good leader? Don t worry if your answer is I do not know. There are many leadership style assessments that allow you to evaluate your leadership skills. For instance, a 360-degree assessment (also known as multi-rater or multisource assessment) is an unparalleled way to get feedback about your capabilities from your subordinates, peers, supervisors, and external sources such as clients and vendors degree feedback is so effective that an estimated 90% of all Fortune 500 firms use it in some way. That said, undergoing a 360-assessment is not a particularly comfortable experience. We, lawyers, are used to giving our opinions and sharing our perspectives. We are comfortable critiquing. In the case of a 360- assessment, the roles are reversed. We admit that we too are subject to the opinions of others. We volunteer to be looked at with a critical eye. And, while this process is very valuable, it requires courage. The good news is that courage is also considered to be an essential quality of leadership. Alexa Sherr Hartley is a member of the Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL and an attorney and executive coach who works with professionals to achieve greater levels of success and career fulfillment. She helps attorneys build bigger books of business, create superstar teams by being more effective leaders and minimize wheel spinning by leveraging their communication styles. She can be reached via her Website: premierleadershipcoaching.com. 12

13 LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC OFFICE THE 2012 PROJECT The 2012 Project is a national, non-partisan campaign to increase the number of women in Congress and state legislators by taking advantage of the once -in-a-decade opportunities for women to increase their numbers in office in Following the 2010 census, every congressional and state legislative district in the country is being redrawn, and new and open seats will be created. Reapportionment creates opportunity, and research shows that women have more success winning open seats. Supporting members in their efforts to advance in our profession is central to FAWL's mission. FAWL and its Membership Advancement & Promotion (MAP) Committee stand ready to offer support to FAWL members in good standing who are seeking appointment to serve on the bench, one of Florida's Judicial Nominating Commissions, or a Florida Bar Committee. To this end, FAWL and its Membership Advancement & Promotion (MAP) Committee stand ready to offer support to FAWL members in good standing who are seeking appointment to serve on the bench, one of Florida's Judicial Nominating Commissions, or a Florida Bar Committee. While FAWL's Bylaws prohibit FAWL from "endorsing candidates for public office," FAWL encourages members in good standing who are running for an elected office to contact FAWL at admin@fawl.org so that FAWL may publicize your candidacy in its electronic publications. In addition to a brief bio, please include your photo, election date, and contact information for members desiring to personally support your campaign. Efforts by FAWL's MAP Committee are also underway to establish a mentoring program for FAWL members in good standing who are seeking to advance within our profession. If you have experience with the judicial, JNC or Bar appointment process, FAWL needs you! If you have experience with the judicial, JNC or Bar appointment process, FAWL needs you! We are actively enrolling FAWL members willing to serve as mentors to others new to the process. For more information about the MAP Committee, to seek assistance from the MAP Committee, or to serve as a MAP Committee member or mentor please contact: FAWL's Executive Director, Karen Howe, at admin@fawl.org or FAWL, or Gigi Rollini, Immediate Past President/MAP Committee Chair, at gigi.rollini@hklaw.com. 13

14 SCENES FROM FAWL S 2011 MIDYEAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 ORLANDO, FLORIDA The Leadership Advantage: Sharpen Existing Skills and Master New Strengths Florida Bar President, Scott Hawkins, and Florida Bar President Elect Gwynne Young, with FAWL Members CLE Presenter, Alexa Sherr Hartley, Attorney Premier Leadership Coaching, LLC Clara Gehan Chapter Representative, Kathryn Lancaster, Collier Chapter President, Kim Hastings and Broward County Women Lawyers Member, Lauren Dreilinger 14

15 SCENES FROM FAWL S 2011 MIDYEAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 ORLANDO, FLORIDA Broward Chapter Member, Eugene Pettis and FAWL Treasurer, Robin Bresky FAWL Journal Editor and Pinellas Chapter President, Brittany Maxey, Rhett Jones, and Pinellas Chapter Member, Fran Haasch From Left to Right: Clara Gehan Chapter Representative, Kathryn Lancaster, FAWL Executive Director, Karen Howe, Jacksonville Chapter President, Stephanie Harriett, Pinellas Chapter Member, Fran Haasch, Broward Chapter Representative, Stephanie Moon, FAWL Awards Chair and TWL Chapter Representative, Lindsey Lawton and FAWL Journal Editor and Pinellas Chapter President, Brittany Maxey 15

16 HISTORY OF THE MATTIE BELLE DAVIS SOCIETY FAWL established the Mattie Belle Davis Society in 2004 in honor of Judge Davis, to enable FAWL members to contribute directly to FAWL s key initiatives. Judge Davis, a founding member of FAWL, remained active in FAWL until her death fifty-three years later. Judge Davis inspires us all with her life-long commitment to equal opportunity, justice and the success of women in the law. Judge Mattie Belle Davis

17 MATTIE BELLE DAVIS SOCIETY MEMBERS Susan Healy FAWL PRESIDENT Vernon Healy Fifth Third Center 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 200 Naples, FL Fax: Laura Wendell FAWL PRESIDENT- ELECT Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoriza Et Al 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Ste. 700 Coral Gables, FL Fax: Robin Bresky FAWL TREASURER Law Offices of Robin Bresky 7777 Glades Road Suite 205 Boca Raton, FL Fax: Francoise M. Haasch Law Office of Fran Haasch 1275 Nebraska Avenue Palm Harbor, Florida Fax: Brittany Maxey FAWL JOURNAL EDITOR Maxey Law Offices, PLLC Roosevelt Blvd. Suite 305 Clearwater, FL Fax: Not Pictured: Nicholas Zurawskyj Student Member Florida International University FIU Women in Law Gigi Rollini FAWL IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Holland & Knight LLP 315 South Calhoun Street Suite 600 Tallahassee, FL Fax: Siobhan H. Shea FAWL President Society Member every year since Inaugural Year Siobhan Helen Shea Appellate Practice Post Office Box 2436 Palm Beach, Florida Sally Wise University of Miami School of Law Director of the Law Library and Professor of Law Post Office Box Coral Gables, Florida Fax: Stefanie C. Moon Broward County Women Lawyers Chapter Representative 350 E Las Olas Blvd. Suite 1000 Fort Lauderdale, FL Fax: smoon@bergersingerman.com Sabrina Ferris FAWL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Greenberg Traurig, P.A. 333 Avenue of the Americas Suite 4400 Miami, FL Fax: ferriss@gtlaw.com Not Pictured: Harvey Baxter Clara Gehan Association for Women Lawyers Treasurer Phone: hb964@hotmail.com 17

18 THANK YOU TO OUR 2011 MIDYEAR MEETING SPONSORS! Thank you to our CLE Sponsor: Thank you to our Association Partner Sponsors: Thank you to our In-Kind Sponsors: 18

19 FAWL CHAPTER PRESIDENTS BARRY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (Student Chapter) Ana Rodriguez BREVARD COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Tara Couture BROWARD COUNTY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Jacquelyn Suzan Holden CENTRAL FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Melanie Griffin CLARA GEHAN ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS (EIGHTH CIRCUIT) Susan Lindgard COLLIER COUNTY WOMEN S BAR ASSOCIATION Kim Hastings kmhastings@kmhlegal.com FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WOMEN IN LAW (Student Chapter) Aubrie Brake abrak001@fiu.edu FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN S LAW SYMPOSIUM (Student Chapter) Jessica Marlowe fsuwls@gmail.com HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Marielle Westerman mwesterman@wwzlegal.com JACKSONVILLE WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Stephanie Harriett Harriett@coj.net LEE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Brooke N. Bockemuehl brookebockemuehl@paveselaw.com MANATEE COUNTY FAWL Andrea M. Johnson amj@harlleebald.com MARION COUNTY FAWL Marianne Howanitz mh@ocalaaccidentlaw.com MARTIN COUNTY FAWL Nina L. Ferraro ninaferraro@yahoo.com MIAMI-DADE FAWL Alexandra Bach Lagos alogas@shb.com NORTHWEST FLORIDA CHAPTER PENSACOLA Valerie Prevatte vep@prevattelaw.com NOVA UNIVERSITY (Student Chapter) Tiffani Bishop bishopt@nsu.law.nova.edu PALM BEACH COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Sarah Cortvriend scortvriend@carltonfields.com PINELLAS COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Brittany Maxey b.maxey@maxeyiplaw.com SARASOTA FAWL Janella K. Liebovitz jliebovitzlaw@aol.com SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY FAWL Mindy Stein mstein@mindystein.com STETSON UNIVERSITY (Student Chapter) Jessilyn Thiboult jthiboul@law.stetson.edu ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY (Student Chapter) Stephanie Puente swilliams6@stu.edu TALLAHASSEE WOMEN LAWYERS Jennifer Sullivan Davis jen@guildaylaw.com THIRD CIRCUIT ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Laura Fouraker-Gardner lauraann@taxattorney.comcastbiz.net UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (Student Chapter) Amanda E. Finley amanda.finley@gmail.com UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (Student Chapter) Lana Naghshineh Aponte lanamaria16@mac.com VOLUSIA/FLAGLER ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Melissa Murphy melissa.murphy@cobbcole.com 19

20 Special Feature Florida Trend s Florida Legal Elite 2011 Florida Trend s annual edition of Florida Legal Elite recognizes a prestigious group of esteemed attorneys who exemplify a standard of excellence in their profession, and in so doing have been chosen by their peers as Florida Legal Elite Balloting began in October 2010 when Florida Trend invited in-state members of The Florida Bar to participate. Lawyers were asked to name attorneys whom they hold in the highest regard or would recommend to others as well as three Up and Coming Attorneys and Government/Non-Profit Attorneys. To be eligible for recognition as a Florida Legal Elite Hall of Fame member, an attorney must have been a Legal Elite winner at least seven years of the eight years Florida Trend has conducted the balloting. Up & Comers are those attorneys selected as a Florida Legal Elite who are under 40 years of age. The Florida Association for Women Lawyers congratulations 106 members recognized as Florida s Legal Elite 2011! 20 20