FAWL JOURNAL. Billable Hours or Home for Dinner? inside. A Publication of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers SEE PAGE 3 AUTUMN 2008

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1 FAWL JOURNAL A Publication of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers ESTABLISHED IN 1951 AUTUMN 2008 Billable Hours or Home for Dinner? 2008 Best Law Firms Meet the Chapter Presidents Exclusive Retail Discounts The Economy and Your Practice Chapter News Midyear CLE: The Battle Against Bias Cultural Awareness and the Practice of Law inside SEE PAGE 3

2 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS P.O. BOX TALLAHASSEE, FL / VISIT US ON THE WEB AT FOR MEMBERSHIP AND ADVERTISING INFORMATION. FAWL OFFICERS CHAPTER PRESIDENTS Rebecca H. Steele / President rsteele@aclufl.org Tasha K. Dickinson / President-Elect tdickinson@jones-foster.com Sharon M. Hanlon / Secretary sharon@zelmanandhanlon.com Susan R. Healy / Treasurer shealy@vernonhealy.com Harvey Baxter / Legislative Director baxter@gator.net Gigi Rollini / Membership Director gigi.rollini@hklaw.com Robin Bresky / Journal Editor rbresky@bellsouth.net Laura K. Wendell / Development Director lwendell@wsh-law.com C. Kim Banister / Public Information Director kimb@clsmf.org Sherri L. Johnson / Immediate Past President sjohnson@dentjohnson.com Patricia H. Stephens / Executive Director admin@fawl.org BARRY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Karen Greene / greeneke@bucmail.barry.edu BROWARD COUNTY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Jodi Cohen / jcohen@rra-law.com CENTRAL FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Keersten Martinez / kmartinez@fisherlawfirm.com WOMEN S BAR OF CITRUS AND HERNANDO Courtney D. Durham / cdrewdurham@yahoo.com CLARA GEHAN ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Michelle Farkas / mlf220@yahoo.com COLLIER COUNTY WOMENS BAR ASSOCIATION Starling N. Hendriks / snh2@ntrs.com HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Kristin A. Norse / krisnorse@msn.com JACKSONVILLE WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Anita Pryor / Pryor@TerrellHogan.com LEE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Noelle M. Melanson / nm@corporationcounsel.com MANATEE COUNTY FAWL Audrey B. Faust / audreyf@lancasterlawyers.com MARION COUNTY FAWL Vanessa Thomas / vthomas@fhm-law.com MIAMI LAW WOMEN, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Tamara Savin tamarasavin@gmail.com MIAMI-DADE FAWL Stacey Koch / skoch@shb.com NORTHWEST FLORIDA / PENSACOLA CHAPTER Andrea Renee Preston / rpreston@eversprestonlaw.com NOVA LAW CENTER CHAPTER Palmer Bailey Calabrese calabresep@nsu.law.nova.edu PALM BEACH COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Kimberly Rommel-Enright / kenright@legalaidpbc.org SARASOTA FAWL Jennie Lascelle Famiglio / brenda@snyderlawoffice.com SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY CHAPTER Holly M. O Neill / honeill@mandolaw.com ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL CHAPTER Lauren Hagopian / lhagopian@stu.edu FAWL AT STETSON Jennnifer M. Milam jmilam@law.stetson.edu TALLAHASSEE WOMEN LAWYERS Kimberly A. Driggers / kdriggers@tallahasseeattorneys.com ARTICLE SUBMISSION: We encourage authors and members to submit articles through FAWL s Journal Editor, Robin Bresky, at rbresky@bellsouth.net, or contact the Association offi ce as referenced on this page. April 1 is the deadline for the spring issue. FAWL AT U of F Jennifer Cohen jennifer.cohen41@gmail.com VOLUSIA/FLAGLER C. Kim Banister / kimb@clsmf.org 2 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

3 2008 Best Law Firms for Women The legal profession is in a work/life crisis, with 78% of associates leaving law firms by their fifth year and nearly half of women lawyers leaving the profession at some point in their careers. The question is whether law firms will ever abandon their traditional practices to meet today s rising female workforce demands? They might have to, according to a special report in the August / September issue of Working Mother magazine. Produced in partnership with Flex-Time Lawyers, the report names the Best Law Firms for Women and examines the challenges and opportunities afforded to female lawyers. In order to effect change, Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers partnered for the second year in a row to name the Best Law Firms for Women, which recognizes firms that have instituted female and family-friendly benefits. In 2008, 30% more applications were received, signifying the increased importance that law firms are placing on attracting and retaining women. The good news is that some firms are making headway. This year s winners are redefining the standards of success and creating workplaces that encourage the retention and advancement of women. Among the current programs in place at the winning firms: 98% of winning firms host networking groups Billable Hours or Home for Dinner? Firms Face Gender Challenges as Nearly Half of New Attorneys are Women for female lawyers; 68% offer mentoring for senior female associates; and 62% offer management training for women. The 2008 Best Law Firms for Women are making progress and understanding the need to move in a new direction, said Deborah Epstein Henry, President of Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. For example, we are seeing increases in our numbers of female equity partners an average of 19% this year, versus 16% last year. As the numbers increase, we anticipate other law firms will take notice and competition will drive more creative ways to enhance work/life balance and improve the status of women in the profession. Bringing the balancing act of female lawyers to its pages, Working Mother examined a new breed of part-time partners, a small but growing trend at law firms. Although women make up only 18% of equity and non-equity partners today, 100% of the winning firms allowed reduced-hour lawyers to be elevated to at least nonequity partnership, which is becoming a critical recruitment and retention tool. THE LIST: The 50 winning firms were chosen based on their scored responses. Firms were evaluated on their workforce profile, family-friendly benefits and policies, flexibility, leadership, compensation, advancement of women and retention of women, among other factors. For a copy of the survey factsheet and a listing of the firms, link to the Working Mother website at: com/web?service=vpage/2907. An application is included for firms interested in applying for next year. e FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

4 Meet the Chapter Presidents BARRY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Karen Greene graduated cum laude from Harvard University (Extension School) in 1999 with a bachelor s degree in natural science. She is a second-year law student at Barry University School of Law in Orlando. In addition to serving as WLA president, she is a member of the Barry Law Review and the George C. Young First Central Florida American Inn of Court. She is treasurer of the Environmental Law Society. She also serves on the board of Friends of the Wekiva River and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Orange County. BROWARD COUNTY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Jodi N. Cohen is a member of the Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler and received her juris doctorate in While at the University of Miami School of Law, she served as Articles and Comments Editor of the Business Law Review and won in the Moot Court Negotiations Competition. She specializes in employment and labor litigation and commercial litigation. Her practice includes but is not limited to non-compete, breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful termination and unfair competition. She represents employers and employees who are trying to enforce or be released from non-compete, non-solicitation and/or non-disclosure provisions within employment agreements. She was a finalist in the 2005 South Florida Business Journal in the employment and labor division and a finalist in the 2006 South Florida Business Journal Up and Comers. CENTRAL FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Keersten Heskin Martinez was born in Fargo, North Dakota and grew up in Syracuse New York. She attended undergrad at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. She majored in aviation management and flight technology and earned her license as a commercial pilot. She graduated from the University of Florida College of Law in Since then she has practiced with Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley & Dunlap, P.A., and has been a shareholder with the firm since She practices primarily in the area of family law, but also does ERISA litigation. She recently received her AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. She is married to Greg Martinez. They have a two daughters, Isabella and Gabrielle. CLARA GEHAN ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Michelle L. Farkas is an associate attorney at Cynthia Stump Swanson, P.A., a Gainesville firm that specializes in family law, adoption and probate areas of law. She received her bachelor s degree in 2000 and her law degree in 2003 from the University of Florida. She is a member of the Eighth Judicial Bar Association, the James C. Adkins, Jr. American Inn of Court, and the Family Law and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law sections of The Florida Bar. She was recognized in 2008 by Three Rivers Legal Services in connection with the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association for providing dedicated pro bono services to the Gainesville area. In addition to participating in the legal community, she remains very involved in Gainesville s charitable community, serving as an active member of the Rotary Club of Gainesville. She lives in Alachua. WOMEN S BAR OF CITRUS AND HERNANDO Courtney D. Durham graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas in 1998, and made her way home to Connecticut where she was admitted to that state s bar in She clerked for judges of the Connecticut Superior Court in Litchfield County until she went into private practice representing mortgage service companies and commercial and residential real estate developers. She worked under contract with Konica as it merged with Minolta. Upon relocating to Inverness and being admitted to The Florida Bar in 2004, she worked for VanNess & VanNess, P.A. before going solo in 2005 representing the Guardian Ad Litem program and clients in family law. Today, Courtney D. Durham, P.A. represents clients with issues related to construction, business, family, and consumer law, as well as estate planning. She contributes to her community not only as a professional, but has served as a Girl Scout leader, on air news reader for the blind and Guardian Ad Litem volunteer. She is a member of the Florida Bar Journal Editorial Board and the Citrus-Hernando Inn of Court. COLLIER COUNTY WOMEN S BAR ASSOCIATION Starling N. Hendriks, Vice President, Personal Trust Administration, joined Northern Trust in In her position, she is responsible for management and administration of a variety of trusts, as well as working with clients on estate planning issues. Prior to joining Northern, she was an attorney practicing in the Naples area for approximately five years and specialized in commercial and trust and estates litigation. She is a native of Orlando, and earned her bachelor of arts in English from Rollins College and her juris doctorate, cum laude, from Stetson University College of Law. She is a board member of the Collier County Women s Bar Association, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, and she is also a trustee and member of the Board of Directors for Youth Haven. 4 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

5 HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Kristin A. Norse is a staff attorney for Judge Chris W. Altenbernd of the Second District Court of Appeal. In 1992, she received her bachelor s degree cum laude in English from Boston University, and her juris doctorate from Boston University School of Law. She became a member of The Florida Bar in 1992 and enjoyed private practice from 1992 through 1999, practicing in various areas of law including civil litigation, family law, probate and guardianship law, and appellate practice. In 1999, she joined Judge Altenbernd s office as a career staff attorney, and supervises the court s internship program for students of Stetson University College of Law. In addition to her position on the Board of the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers, she is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Ferguson-White Inn of Court. She is a member of the Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar and serves as a co-editor of that section s submissions to The Florida Bar Journal. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Powerstories Theatre. She is married to Jeffrey Grabel, an attorney with Bay Area Legal Services in Dade City. They have one daughter, Callista. JACKSONVILLE WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Anita Pryor is a lawyer and registered nurse. She graduated from Texas Christian University in 1976 with a degree in nursing and went on to get her master s in nursing from the University of Alabama Birmingham in She was a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist for several years and taught nursing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She then went on to get her law degree from Florida State University in 1988 and has been with Terrell Hogan in Jacksonville since For 18 years, she has been a trial attorney representing cancer victims exposed to asbestoscontaining products. While in law school, she was president of the Moot Court Team and associate editor of the Journal of Land Use & Environmental Law. She has been awarded an AV rating by Martindale-Hubble. She is a member of the Florida Justice Association and Jacksonville Bar Association, and former member of the Inns of Court. She served as president-elect of JWLA in and treasurer in Away from the office, She is devoted to her two sons, Seth, age 17, and Riley, age 10, and her husband, Rob Johnson. LEE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS Noelle M. Melanson, an attorney with Phoenix Law PA and has been practicing law in Fort Myers since She received her undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University and her juris doctorate from Florida State University. She is actively involved in the local community. She serves as a member on the Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee for the 20th Judicial Circuit, a member of the planning committee for the Cattle Baron Ball fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society and most recently graduated from Leadership Lee County. Her practice includes general real estate matters; property acquisition and development; construction and permanent financing; commercial leasing, title insurance, general business matters and probate matters. Phoenix Law PA has eight attorneys with offices in Fort Myers and Naples, and two offices in the Detroit suburbs of Livonia and Taylor, Michigan. MANATEE COUNTY FAWL Audrey B. Faust graduated from Florida State University in 2001 with a bachelor s degree in humanities. She earned her juris doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in Before joining Lancaster & Eure, she worked for a workers compensation firm in West Palm Beach and was a Dean s fellow and research assistant for a corporations professor at St. Thomas University. She is a member of the Florida, District of Columbia, Sarasota and Manatee County Bar Associations. She is also a member of the Sarasota and Manatee County Florida Associations for Women Lawyers, Young Lawyers Division of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida Workers Advocates, and has been published in the National Bar Association newsletter. She has spoken before the National Alliance of Mental Illnesses on Social Security law and is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant s Representatives. She is a member of the Young Professionals Group of Sarasota. She also serves as vice president-president elect on the Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyer s Division Board of Directors. She has participated in various Sarasota Young Lawyers community service events, including the Back to School program for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarasota, the Landlord-Tenant Law Community Workshop, and Holidays in July. MARION COUNTY FAWL Vanessa Thomas began practicing law as a plaintiffs attorney in Birmingham, Alabama before returning home to Ocala to practice in the field of eminent domain. She graduated from Stetson University with a bachelor of arts and attended Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, where she received her law degree. She decided when she was in the second grade that she would be an attorney and later realized her passion was protecting property rights after watching her father try numerous eminent domain cases. She also focuses on community service through her historical commission work and is excited about helping the Marion County Chapter of FAWL motivate its members to reach out and get more attorneys involved. FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

6 MIAMI-DADE FAWL Stacey Koch s practice focuses on the defense of national products liability and complex litigation cases. She has represented manufacturers in federal and state courts in Florida and Puerto Rico. She has extensive litigation experience in pretrial and trial work including case coordination, discovery and motion practice, fact investigation, taking and defending lay and expert depositions. Before becoming Miami-Dade FAWL s president, she served as a director, treasurer, secretary and president-elect. She chaired Miami-Dade FAWL s Women Making History event in March of 2005 honoring Florida s second female Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Pariente, and moderating an April 2008 panel discussion on Domestic Violence Awareness in the Workplace and in the Haitian community. She recently completed the American Bar Association Tort Trial Insurance Practices Section s Leadership Academy, and will serve as chair of the ABA TIPS Section s Law in Public Service Committee for She is a mentor with Educate Tomorrow, a not-for-profit organization that helps disadvantaged youth aging out of foster care finish high school, enroll in college and training programs, find housing and jobs, and apply for educational and social assistance. She has completed six marathons on two continents. She earned her B.A. in political science with honors from the University of Florida and her juris doctorate magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. NORTHWEST FLORIDA CHAPTER (PENSACOLA) A. Renee Preston is a founding shareholder with Evers & Preston, PL. She limits her practice to personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, family law and estate planning & probate. Mrs. Preston is currently licensed to practice law before all Florida state courts and the U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida and U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida. She is a member of the American Inns of Court, Florida Bar Association, and Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association. Additionally, she is the president of the Northwest Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She also is a youth director for Ensley First Baptist Church. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW Palmer Calabrese is a third year law student at Nova Southeastern University s Shepard Broad Law Center. She joined her school s FAWL chapter during her first year at NSU and has been active in providing leadership and direction to the organization since becoming a member. After a short lapse in activity, NSU s chapter has been reorganized with a renewed sense of energy, focusing on providing its members with personal and professional support as they embark on their legal careers. Born in Akron, Ohio, she lived in Sydney, Australia as a child but has spent most of her life in the South Florida area. She attended high school at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, where she majored in visual arts. She graduated cum laude from Boston University with a bachelor s in history. Since beginning her law school career, she has been involved with a wide array of public interest activities and student organizations, including post-katrina volunteer work, work with Women In Distress, the founding of a Criminal Law Society at the NSU Law Center, participation with NSU s chapter of Lambda Legal, and her recent selection to participate in a National Invitational Mock Trial Competition. She looks forward to her term as NSU s FAWL President. PALM BEACH COUNTY FAWL Kimberly Rommel- Enright is the supervising attorney of the pro bono department at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. She has been an attorney with the Legal Aid Society since 1992 and has been in the pro bono department since In addition to her duties as the pro bono coordinator, she handles select adoption, custody and guardianship cases. Prior to working in the pro bono department, she was the supervising attorney for Project Permanent Placement and the Ryan White Project, where she handled many types of family cases including dissolution, adoption, custody, paternity and guardianship. She earned her bachelor of arts with honors from Florida Atlantic University and her juris doctorate cum laude from Nova Southeastern School of Law. She has lectured on HIV/AIDS issues, permanency planning, family law and pro bono work. She is also the co-editor of the publication Someone to Watch Over Me: A Parent s Planning Guide. She is involved in The Palm Beach County Bar Association (Law Week Committee); The North County Section of the Palm Beach County Bar Association; The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar; the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association; the Palm Beach County HIV CARE Council; Bob Carter s Actor s Workshop and Repertory Company; and Girl Scouts of Palm Glades Council. She lives in Jupiter with her husband, two daughters and two dogs. SARASOTA FAWL Jennie Lascelle Famiglio is a native of Sarasota. She received her A.B., cum laude, from Harvard and her law degree from Georgetown. She began her legal career in Tampa as an estate planning attorney with Fowler White Boggs Banker, P.A., and returned home to Sarasota in 2004 to work as the Chief Operating Officer of Copytalk, an information technology company based in Sarasota. She serves on the Board of Directors of the All- Star Children s Foundation, the Arts Council of Sarasota County, and the New College Library Association and is an active member of her local Harvard Schools Committee. She and her husband, Mark, live on Siesta Key with their twin daughters, Bryn and Camilla. SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY FAWL Holly M. O Neill is a member of the prestigious boutique trusts and estates law firm of Miller & O Neill, P.L. Her practice includes estate planning and structuring, probate and 6 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

7 trust administration, taxation, probate, trust and fiduciary litigation, elder law, guardianship, charitable foundations and public charities. After earning her B.A. cum laude in 1991 from the University of Maryland, juris doctorate in 1996 from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and an LL.M., Taxation in 1999 at Georgetown University, she was admitted to bar associations in Maryland, District of Columbia and Florida. She is a member of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association; Palm Beach County Bar Association; The Florida Bar (member, Sections on Elder Law, Real Property, Probate, Trust Law, Tax Law, Charitable Organizations and Philanthropic Planning Committee); Maryland State Bar Association (member, Sections on Estate and Trust Law, Taxation, Elder Law); District of Columbia Bar (member, Sections on Estate, Trust and Probate Law; Taxation); American Bar Association (member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section); National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; South Palm Beach County Florida Association of Women Lawyers (secretary, ; treasurer, ); Boca Raton Tax Institute; and Greater Boca Raton Estate Planning Council. She has held positions as executive editor, Catholic University Law Review and associate, Moot Court Association. TALLAHASSEE WOMEN LAWYERS Kimberly A. Driggers is a magna cum laude graduate of Rollins College, and received her juris doctorate from the Florida State University College of Law in While in law school, she represented FSU on the Moot Court team. She practices with Brooks, LeBoeuf, Bennett, Foster & Gwartney, PA., a Tallahassee-based civil litigation and criminal defense firm, with attorneys licensed in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. Formerly the managing attorney of the Tallahassee office of The Nation Law Firm, an Orlando-based personal injury, insurance litigation law firm, she has over 14 years of experience in both defense and plaintiff litigation in personal injury, personal injury protection (PIP), class action, and first party insurance litigation. She is also a member of The Florida Bar, Tallahassee Bar Association, William H. Stafford American Inns of Court, and the Florida Justice Association subcommittee on automobile insurance. She was recently asked by the Florida Chiropractic Association to serve as assistant general counsel to its nearly 4,000 members. She concentrates her practice in the areas of first party work including insurance claims, personal injury protection (PIP) claims, all types of insurance disputes and wrongful death. She is married with two children. FAWL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Jennifer Cohen of Miami is a joint-degree student pursuing a law degree and a masters of arts in public affairs at the University of Florida. She is a founding member and first president of FAWL at UF. Prior to her involvement with the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, she was actively involved in student government as the chair of the Election Commission and as the sole student representative for the UF Senate Petitions Committee. Additionally, she has been an active member of Phi Mu sorority, Order of Omega and Florida Blue Key, where she serves as the vice-president of Membership and advisor for the Speakers Bureau Speech and Debate Tournament. VOLUSIA/FLAGLER ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS C. Kim Banister is the leader for the family law unit for Volusia, Flagler, Putnam, Osceola, Brevard and Seminole counties for Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. She graduated from the George Mason University, B.A. in anthropology and the University of Nebraska Lincoln, M.A. in anthropology and a minor in museum studies. She received her law degree from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. A member of Florida Association of Women Lawyers since 2005, she has served as a board member, vice-president and president for the Volusia/Flagler Association for Women Lawyers. e FAWL is especially proud to recognize its annual sponsors: The Westlaw booth during the June annual meeting in Boca Raton. Annual sponsors receive recognition at all FAWL events, recognition on the FAWL website and in the FAWL Journal, and complimentary registration to ticketed events. For additional information on sponsorship opportunities, contact the FAWL offi ce at 850/ or refer to the association s website. FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

8 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FAWL s Exclusive Retail Discounts by Sherri L. Johnson With the holidays fast approaching, members are encouraged to take advantage of FAWL s exclusive discounts with many popular online retailers and other service providers. FAWL member benefits providers are specifically selected for the desirability of their products to our members and companies are only recognized as FAWL member benefits providers if they agree to give our members a substantial discount not available to attorneys in general (or that is greater than the discount offered to attorneys in general). So, whether you are looking for holiday gifts for your colleagues and clients or products and services for your law office or practice, your FAWL membership can prove to be quite a deal this season. To access the complimentary online CLE, members must first log in with their member ID and password. Your member ID and password are included on your mailing label with this copy of the FAWL Journal or ed to you from the log-in entry point. FOOD & WINE NEW!! Home Bistro is offering a 10% discount on orders of $75 or more placed before December 31st. To receive this discount, go to their website at www. homebistro.com and use the promotional code WMNLAW10 when ordering online or by phone. Home Bistro provides chef-prepared, home-delivered meals. Using only the freshest ingredients, the appetizers, soups, main courses and desserts are cooked to perfection in Home Bistro s kitchen, flash frozen and vacuum sealed to preserve freshness and taste, then delivered to customers homes in specially-designed packaging. California Wine Club is offering a 15% discount on all wine clubs and other merchandise. To receive this discount, go to their website at www. cawineclub.com and enter the promotional code FAWL at checkout. Wine shipments are regularly $34.95 and include two bottles of award-winning wine hand selected by the club owners. You can choose to receive shipments monthly, every other month or quarterly. Women & Wine is offering a 10% discount on all of their wine clubs, a free gift with your third wine club shipment and free shipping on all cases of wine. To receive this discount, go to their website at and enter the source code FL08 at check-out. Wine club shipments normally range from $ including tax and shipping, and include two selections per shipment plus recipes and tasting notes. CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES NEW!! Korchmar Leather is offering an 18% discount on all merchandise. To receive the discount, go their website at and enter the discount code FAWL at check-out. Korchmar sells fine leather briefcases, attaches, totes and luggage. BUSINESS SERVICES NEW!! MarketYourLawPractice.com announces a limited time offer of $750 for an annual subscription less than $65 per month for personalized marketing guidance and expertise. To receive the discount, visit com and use the promotional code BA-FAWL. MarketYourLawPractice. com, a virtual marketing coach, is an interactive tool designed by legal marketing experts who understand the unique challenges that lawyers face. The site offers a wealth of marketing tools, assessments, tip sheets, templates and other resources to grow your business. Affiniscape offers our members discounted credit card processing services. To receive the discounted FAWL rates, call 1 / 800 / ext.6974 or visit the Member Information section of the FAWL website at LAWYER GIFTS & DÉCOR For Counsel is offering a 10% discount on all merchandise. To receive this discount, go to their website at and enter the source code FAWL at check-out. For Counsel offers a diverse assortment of products and gifts for lawyers, paralegals, and other professionals, ranging from the traditional to humorous. Law Gallery is offering a 10% discount on all merchandise. To receive this discount, go to their website at com and enter the discount code FAWL2261 at check-out. Law Gallery offers museum-quality art reproductions for the legal community. Prints can be ordered framed or unframed. To access the complimentary online CLE, members must fi rst log-in with their member ID and password. Your member ID and password are included on your mailing label with this copy of the FAWL Journal. 8 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

9 CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION Lorman Education Services is offering a 15% discount on its continuing legal education seminars and teleconferences. To receive this discount, you must register for Lorman s CLE seminars through the link on the FAWL website at www. fawl.org and mention the discount code and priority code listed therein. FAWL is also pleased to offer free online CLEs that can be downloaded from the FAWL website to your computer or MP3 player. To take advantage of FAWL s free online CLEs, visit the FAWL website at Lessons Learned: Perspectives from a Supreme Court Justice, featuring Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente. Sponsored by Tallahassee Women Lawyers and recorded live on February 20, One hour General CLER credit valid through July 20, Order Your Official FAWL Lapel Pin T he official FAWL lapel pin made its debut at the June Annual Meeting. The pins are available now for sale to chapters for $10 each. The minimum order is five pins. To order pins for your chapter, contact Pat Stephens at admin@fawl. org. The new lapel pins make great gifts for incoming or outgoing officers, speakers, award recipients, and other honorees, so chapters may want to order pins now for their installation or other end-of-year events. e The Economy and your Law Practice by John Sailer, BARD Marketing Turn on the nightly news and chances are the lead story is the economy, and the endless speculation about whether we are, or are not, in a recession. Obviously, with the banking industry meltdown, the weak dollar and the housing market not yet hitting bottom, the question of whether we are technically in a recession is really academic. The real question (for this audience) is, What does the current economic state actually mean for the boutique and mid-sized law firms that desperately need to invest in the growth of their practices? A lot of wisdom can be found by listening to Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, and the world s second richest man. In a recent interview, Mr. Buffett said the possibility that the U.S. economy will go into recession will make no difference in how he runs his Berkshire Hathaway empire. We don t spend any time talking about where the economy is going. We have a basic belief that the country will do very well over time. I point this out, because the propensity of many law firms (and other privately-owned businesses) is to make investment decisions based on the economy at that specific point in time, and make these decisions using emotions. The market is performing poorly and my phones aren t ringing. I can t possibly afford to spend money on marketing. I ll focus on marketing when the economy picks back up. Unfortunately, this thinking can actually lead to an even more dramatic downward spiral. In most markets across Florida, competition among law firms continues to grow, and the successful firms over the long term will be the ones who have aggressively built their brands and focused on growth, regardless of the economy. These firms, like Warren Buffett, don t stop marketing because of a slow economy. They understand that recessions bring opportunity. While other law firms may be in retreat mode, successful firms use the opportunity to redouble their efforts, build their brand, and ultimately pick up new clients and new market share market share that was vacated by those firms in retreat. I m not saying it s easy, but Mr. Buffett didn t build his empire by only investing when the economy was growing. You need to stick with your plan. Perhaps, you focus a little more on lower cost marketing initiatives, such as PR, blogs, e-newsletters, etc., but you can t stop your marketing efforts. As an added bonus, since everyone is feeling the same pinch that you are, you may even be able to find some deals and pay lower costs for some of your marketing efforts, because right now, everyone is willing to negotiate. When the market does turn around, you ll be far ahead of those firms who elected to sit this recession out. e Beyond All Reasonable Doubt Marketing is a strategic marketing and advertising fi rm focused on helping law fi rms develop their brand and competitive differentiators, and leverage integrated marketing to make the phones ring. For more information, contact Beyond All Reasonable Doubt Marketing at 561 / , at info@bardmarketing.com, or visit our website at FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

10 Perspective from the Back of the Room by Pat Stephens, Executive Director FAWL members will soon see a new face behind the registration desk and in the back of the room at upcoming meetings. As I make plans for retirement in March, FAWL s Search Committee is evaluating some exciting options to grow the association. I personally feel that FAWL is well placed to expand present staffing. With that, the Search Committee offers a position description on this page and welcomes recommendations for candidates. For me, a good indicator of how an organization is doing is reflected in comments from members. We ve been granted permission to publish several communications that have come into the FAWL office within the last six months and share them here: MEMBER QUOTES RE: FAWL LAW SCHOOL CHAPTER MEETING, NOV. 13 Ladies, The Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers has graciously been mentoring the the Stetson Law FAWL chapter for a couple of years now. As the outgoing president of Stetson FAWL, I cannot stress enough the benefit this relationship has been for the students (both present students and recent grads). I applaud FAWL and HAWL for all you have done for us! Thank you, Jennifer N. Milam, President FAWL at Stetson Stetson University College of Law RE: DON T MISS THE MARTHA BARNETT FREE ONLINE CLE Hello, I listened to the balancing act course and really enjoyed it. It inspired me to feel confident enough to apply for a lawyer job after taking a break being a public librarian. THANKS! Nadia Ingram, Youth Librarian Selby Public Library, Sarasota WHAT FAWL MEANS TO ME I have met some of my closest friends through FAWL. More than a chance to network, FAWL gives its members the opportunity to develop personally and professionally with other lawyers and judges. FAWL s members represent a diverse array of legal professionals who are gracefully balancing many of the same issues facing women in the legal community and in our day to day lives. Siobhan Helene Shea State FAWL President POSITION POSTING: The Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL) seeks a contractor to serve as its Executive Director. The candidate will serve as a liaison to all local FAWL chapters statewide and will provide administrative support to the state board of directors. The candidate will also be solely responsible for membership maintenance, banking, fi nancial / government reporting, meeting coordination and website support on behalf of the organization. This is a part-time position, the hours are fl exible and the candidate will work from their home offi ce. The starting salary will be in the low $30s. Interested persons who have experience with the above matters should send their resume to admin@fawl.org. e More than a chance to network, FAWL gives its members the opportunity to develop personally and professionally with other lawyers and judges. 10 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

11 Matte Belle Davis Society We wish to commend the following members of the Mattie Belle Davis Society for their contribution this past year to state FAWL through an established membership level honoring the late Judge Davis and her extraordinary lifelong commitment to FAWL and the women lawyers of Florida. C. Kim Banister Harvey Baxter Tasha K. Dickinson Sherri Johnson Gigi Rollini Rebecca H. Steele Kimberly D. Webb Laura Wendell Membership in the society begins at $100 and is separate from regular dues. Access the FAWL website to join, or forward payment to: FAWL, P.O. Box 15998, Tallahassee, FL We also take this opportunity to profile three Mattie Belle Davis Society members in order to recognize their contribution and continued support to the Association: Harvey E. Baxter serves as FAWL s Legislative Director, the first male member of the Executive Board of FAWL. An active member of FAWL since the mid 1980s, he was President of the Clara Gehan Association for Women Lawyers in He is a judicial hearing officer for the Eighth Judicial Circuit in Baker, Bradford and Union counties, having previously practiced for 25 years in Gainesville, primarily focusing on family law.a resident of Gainesville since the second grade, he graduated from Vanderbilt University in He served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years, later earning a Masters in History from the University of Colorado before earning his J.D. from the University of Florida in He is a member of the Rotary Club of Baker County, the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association, and The Florida Bar Family Law Section. Tasha K. Dickinson serves on the Executive Board of FAWL as President Elect. An active member of FAWL since 2000, she served for many years as Chapter Representative and Board Member for the Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL. Last year, she served as Public Relations Director of FAWL on a statewide basis. Born and raised in North Carolina, she earned her B.A. in1994 and her J.D. in 1997 from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She moved to Florida in 1998, and for the last eleven years has practiced in the area of wills, trusts and estates, with a special emphasis on tax-related matters. She currently practices with the law firm of Jones, Foster, Johnston & Stubbs in West Palm Beach. In addition to her commitment to FAWL, she serves on The Florida Bar s Probate Rules Committee and the Board of Directors for the Junior League of the Palm Beaches. Kimberly D. Webb serves as Chapter Representative for the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, where she has been an active FAWL member since She was President of CFAWL in , having previously served in various FAWL leadership positions. Growing up in Paragould, Arkansas, she earned her B.A. in 1995 and her J.D. in 1998 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, after which she served as a law clerk to Judge Judith Rogers of the Arkansas Court of Appeals and to Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber of the Arkansas Supreme Court. Kimberly moved to Orlando in 2001, where she now works for Littler Mendelson, P.C., representing public and private employers in virtually all areas of employment law. In addition to her litigation practice before federal, state, appellate and administrative tribunals, Kimberly advises employers throughout the State on a variety of employment matters, including training and investigations related to sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. e FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

12 CHAPTER NEWS NATIONAL AWARDS: BROWARD COUNTY WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS, TALLAHASSEE WOMEN LAWYERS AND STATE FAWL Contibutor: Tara Rao, Public Relations/ Publicity Committee of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Broward County Women Lawyers Association (BCWLA), Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL) and Tallahassee Women Lawyers (TWL) carried away the awards at the National Conference of Women s Bar Associations ( NCWBA ) this summer. State FAWL also won the Public Service Award for the statewide Breakfast and Books program, a mentoring program for girls at risk originated by the Palm Beach County Association for Women Lawyers. The awards were presented at a lunch hosted by the NCWBA in conjunction with the 2008 Annual Women s Bar Leadership Summit on Friday, August 8, 2008 in New York City, New York. BCWLA was recognized for its local Breakfast and Books program. HAWL was presented a new award, the 2008 Outstanding Member Program Award for its Path to the Judiciary program. The NCWBA presents the award to those women s bar associations that are focused on providing training and other great benefits to their members and attorneys. The HAWL program helped to encourage women attorneys to pursue careers in the judiciary. It included two one-hour continuing legal education sessions, entitled Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Becoming a State Judge and How to Join the Federal Judiciary, which were attended by a total of 170 people. HAWL also hosted a judicial reception in conjunction with the program that was well attended by members of the local and federal judiciary. Tallahassee Women Lawyers was also recognized with a new award for the Women s Professional Empowerment CLE Series, The series, shared with (From left) BCWLA members Judge Stacy Ross, a former board Member, PACE board member, and Breakfast & Books volunteer, Tonja Haddad Coleman, immediate past president, and Jacquelyn Holden, FAWL chapter representative. all FAWL members as free online CLE included former Florida Bar President Edith Osman; former ABA President Martha Barnett; former Florida Bar President Kelly Overstreet Johnson; Secretary of Florida s Department of Community Affairs Linda Loomis Shelley; Cari Lynn Roth, with Bryant Miller Olive; former Florida House of Representatives member Loranne Ausley and Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente. FAWL AT UF Submitted by Jennifer Cohen, President I am thrilled to report FAWL at UF s first meeting this semester was quite a success. It was held on September 10 as no classes are scheduled on Wednesdays at noon and this is a highly coveted time for many student organizations to convene. At least two other organizations, including Gators for Alternative Dispute Resolution (GADR) and Black Law Students Association (BALSA) held meetings this same date. To entice students to attend, BALSA served lunch to attendees. While these and other campus activities vied for students attention during this hour, FAWL at UF managed to gauge the interest of at least 22 students. Our chapter s executive board was extremely pleased with such an enthused response from students. The following day, we tabled at the student organization fair and also received a great response. On October 8, Rebecca O Neill, a member of the Clara Gehan Chapter and a general counsel with Shands Legal Services, participated on a panel of attorneys at our meeting for a short Q&A session. On October 22 we hosted a WestLaw training topic Looking for Ways to Distinguish Yourself at Your Next Interview, for all FAWL at UF members and WestLaw provided a pizza lunch. We also are offering opportunities for our members to be involved with volunteer opportunities through Dress for Success and Gainesville s Children s Home Society. HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS (HAWL) Submitted by Tara Rao, HAWL Public Relations Mentoring Program You have heard it a thousand times, They don t teach you that in law school! Thankfully, the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers is doing its part to give the inside information to students at Stetson University College of Law through its mentoring program. The mentoring program, established in 2005, matches female law students at Stetson with practicing female attorneys in the Tampa Bay Area. The mentors provide guidance on matters from general law school survival to 12 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

13 job searches, work/life balance and information on what the practice of law is like on the other side of the J.D. The mentoring program has been very successful; this year alone, 29 mentors and 27 mentees signed up to participate. In an effort to match prospective mentees with mentors with similar interests, the current chairs of the program, Vanessa Andros and Rachael Greenstein, set up an event modeled after Speed Dating. The event was held October 3 at the Chester H. Ferguson Law Center. The prospective mentees were given five minutes to speak with each of the prospective mentors. At the conclusion of the event, the attorneys and students anonymously ranked their top five picks. In years past, mentors and mentees were matched based on the student s stated area of interest. This year the speed mentoring provided an entirely new approach which gave the mentees the opportunity to meet with all participating attorneys. When asked why they switched to the new format, Rachael Greenstein said, We wanted to give them the opportunity to choose who they wanted to be paired up with. I think both the attorneys and students enjoyed the event because it gave them an opportunity to meet with each other to see if there was anyone specific with whom they connected with. I think everyone had a great time and I know a lot of the students, as well as the attorneys, are really excited about the program this year. One mentor, Deborah Larned Werner, said, I think it was the best ever Mentoring Event! (From left) Mary Scott, President-Elect of the JWLA, Linda Farrell and Anita Pryor, President of the JWLA. JACKSONVILLE WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Submitted by Anita Pryor and Ingrid Bethel The Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association (JWLA) hosted its annual Judicial Reception on June 5, The purpose for the event is two-fold. It provides an opportunity to honor the judiciary of the Jacksonville area community and recognize the woman lawyer of the year. This year s recipient for the JWLA s Woman Lawyer of the year is Linda Farrell, a shareholder with the law firm of Boyd Jenerette in Jacksonville practicing workers compensation defense. The association continues to hold luncheon meetings at the River City Brewing Company with the October luncheon featuring guest speaker Doug Wilder, author of Wilder Success, who spoke on marketing for attorneys. JWLA also collected and donated children s costumes to Community Connections of Jacksonville, an organization that provides Halloween costumes to children who might not otherwise have one for a special Trick or Treat celebration hosted for the children by a local corporation on October 31. MIAMI-DADE FAWL Beginning the year on July 11 with Miami-Dade FAWL s (M-D FAWL) installation of officers by the Honorable Rosemary Barkett and the presentation of the Mattie Belle Davis Award to Judge Jacqueline Hogan Scola of the 11th Judicial Circuit, it has been a whirlwind of events. A look at the association s webpage on the state website and you ll see that Miami-Dade members have many Judge Jacqueline Hogan Scola (left) with Miami- Dade FAWL President Stacey Koch. options including networking events, CLE and community service. M-D FAWL and the Miami Women s Chamber of Commerce co-sponsor several networking events a year which have included a book signing luncheon on October 3 featuring author Candace Bushnell, author of the New York Observer s Sex in the City column and the Work All Day Wine Down and Play, wine tasting event on October 16. October also brought an opportunity for members to attend a new member s only event, Lunch and Learn, on the topic, Hidden Assets: Finding More Business in your Law Firm s Client List. The association continued its presence at the 5th Annual Minority Mentoring Picnic for law students with a food booth on November 1. Another CLE on November 13, She s Her Own Boss: The Nuts and Bolts of Opening Your Own Law Practice, featured an impressive panel of women with personal experience: Melanie Damian of Damian & Valori, LLP; Cynthia Everett of Cynthia A. Everett, P.A.; Jacqueline Valdespino of Valdespino & Associates and Miami- Dade FAWL Board FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

14 CHAPTER NEWS Catherine F. Pelham, Vice-President of BNY Mellon. Joining the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Collier County Women s Bar Association, Miami-Dade FAWL has added Table for 8, a unique dinner opportunity for members to interact in a small group, either at a member s home or local restaurant. PALM BEACH COUNTY CHAPTER OF FAWL PRESENTS SECOND ANNUAL JUSTICE BARBARA PARIENTE AWARD (From left) Meenu Sasser, Immediate Past President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and presenter of the award to Ms. Burns; Patience Burns; Kimberly Rommel-Enright, current President of the Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL. The Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL was pleased to present Patience Burns, Executive Director of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, with their Annual Justice Barbara Pariente Award on June 11, The Justice Barbara Pariente Award is given annually by PBC FAWL to an individual or organization who has demonstrated a commitment to promoting women in the Palm Beach County legal community. The recipient of the award will have actively promoted the cause of women in the legal profession through their efforts, innovation, and leadership. The award was named in honor of Justice Pariente who not only exemplifies the qualities and attributes associated with the honor but who is a founding Mother of the Chapter. TALLAHASSEE WOMEN LAWYERS At the July 14, 2008 Tallahassee Women Lawyers General Membership meeting, Florida Association for Women Lawyers and TWL past president the Honorable June McKinney, inducted Kimberly A. Driggers, the 28th president. TWL has grown from its original group of 36 founders to include up to 200 members. Before unveiling Ms. Driggers platform, complete with logo, Pursuing a Healthy Balance between Self, Family & Career, Judge McKinney introduced her as proactive, highly-organized multi-tasker who is respected among her professional peers, while offering humorous personal insights about the married, mother of two. As FAWL s Capitol Chapter, the association offers an impressive list of dinner programs throughout the year. Included on their calendar for are: August 13, Samantha Sam Strickland, an award winning brand specialist and former producer of Florida USA pageants; September 10, The Honorable Alex Sink, Florida s chief financial officer, Department of Financial Services who oversees 3000 employees and a $300 million budget; January 14, Robin Hassler Thompson, program director of FSU s Center for the Advancement of Human Rights Victims of Huam Trafficking Project; February 11, Justice Peggy Quince, Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the first female African- American Chief Justice; March 11, Judi Craig, author of Women Attorneys Speak Out, and a master certified coach and senior practice advisor with Atticus; April 8, John G. Jay White, III, president of The Florida Bar and shareholder, director and partner in Richman Geer, P.A. and June 10, Professor Lawrence Kreiger, director of Externship at FSU College of Law and vice-chair of The Florida Bar Committee on Quality of Life and Career. We feel fortunate to have such a prominent list of speakers from inside and outside of our community! All these great speakers, along with the traditional TWL hosted events such as the 26th Annual Judicial Reception at The Historic Capitol on October 22nd; Legacy of Excellence; Breakfast & Books; the Chili Cook-Off; and our May luncheon CLEs, will make it a fantastic year. Phew. I m tired and the year has just begun! said President Driggers. e PROPOSED BY-LAW AMENDMENTS Pursuant to Article X of the FAWL Bylaws, members are hereby notified that the following amendments to the bylaws are proposed by the Board of Directors and will be voted on at the Midyear Meeting of Members in Miami on Friday, January 16, The purpose of the proposed amendments is to include accredited law schools in the description of local chapters. To be adopted, these amendments require approval of 2/3 of the members present at the Midyear Meeting. ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP Section 6. Local Chapters: Members residing in a given county or other regional area or attending an accredited law school shall be encouraged to form a chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Upon application of five (5) members and provided the chapter shall submit By-Laws consistent with the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of this Association; the Board of Directors may issue a charter to the local chapter. e 14 Autumn 2008 FAWL JOURNAL

15 MEMBER NEWS Janeia Daniels and C.J. Weinman have joined the faculty of Florida State University s College of Law. Ms. Daniels is the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and C.J. Weinman is a professor of Legal Research and Writing. Many of you may remember Ms. Weinman Weinman as FAWL s Journal editor for Another FSU law school faculty member, Stephanie Willams, Assistant Dean for Development, has been appointed as the vice-chair of The Florida Bar s Committee on Professionalism. Rhea F. Law, CEO and chairman of the Board of Fowler White Boggs Banker, has been inducted into Stetson University College of Law s Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held October 11 at the law school s Gulfport campus. She graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1979 and concentrates her practice in the area of acquisition, permitting, environmental representation, land use and zoning matters. Veronica S. Prostko has taken the position as director of the MacDonald Training Center and James Ranch in Plant City, after almost four years with the Byrd Alzheimer s Institute. The MacDonald Training Center is a leader and innovator in service to people with developmental disabilities based in Tampa. I am very proud of what the [Byrd Alzheimer s] Institute has accomplished to date in Alzheimer s research, education and outreach and sincerely hope that each of you will continue to support its scientific endeavors, she said. Twyla Sketchley was presented the Smith- Williams Service Center Foundation s Distinguished Woman Award for her service to senior citizens of the Smith- Williams Center and community. She also has been appointed to serve on the Florida Probate Rules Committee for the term. She is a Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law attorney. As managing attorney for The Sketchley Law Firm, P.A., she handles a variety of elder law matters, including long term care cost planning, lifetime planning, family issues, guardianship and incapacity planning, resident s rights and estate planning and probate. She is newsletter editor for Tallahassee Women Lawyers and secretary of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section. Michelle Suskauer, Palm Beach County Association for Women Lawyers past president, was elected president-elect of the Palm Beach County Bar Association. She initiated the Breakfast and Books mentoring program for juvenile offenders, recognized by the Governor s Office, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. She is certified as a criminal trial attorney by The Florida Bar and practices criminal defense law in the Suskauer Law Firm. She is on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County and a legal analyst regularly appearing on CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, NBC and CNBC. Surrounded by members of the Sarasota Bar Association s Young Lawyers Division, Sherri Johnson poses at The Florida Bar s Annual Meeting in Boca Raton. She was the recipient of the Lynn Futch Most Productive Young Lawyer Award given to a young lawyer who is not a member of The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors, who has worked most diligently in the past year in Bar activities and/or law related public activities and who has an excellent reputation for legal abilities and integrity. She was president of FAWL in and serves as chair of the association s Nominating and Member Benefits Committees. She is also president-elect of the Sarasota County Bar Association. e PROUD PARENTS: Congratulations to Chasity and Jason O Steen on the birth of their son, Jackson Porter O Steen, who arrived amidst Tropical Storm Fay on August 22, Ms. O Steen served as president of Tallahassee Women Lawyers ( ). Also to Tallahassee Women Lawyers member Joy Tootle, on the birth of Jameson Tootle, born on June 30, As well as Keersten Martinez, president of the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, on the arrival of their 2nd daughter, Gabrielle Giana Martinez, born on October 7, e JUDICIAL RACES: The Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers is pleased to announce that the following members were elected to the bench on Tuesday, August 26, 2008! Congratulations are extended to: Abby Cynamon, Past President, Miami-Dade FAWL; Marcia Caballero; Stacy Glick; Hon. Norma Shepard Lindsey; Hon. Bernard Shapiro and Maria Sampedro Iglesias who was unopposed. Tallahassee Women Lawyers also extended recognition to TWL board member, Judge Angela Dempsey, in her Group 16 Circuit judge victory and past TWL President Nina Ashenafi elected to Leon County Court s Seat Five. e MEMBER NEWS? Tell FAWL about it! Send your news of interest to fawl@fawl.org. FAWL JOURNAL Autumn

16 CALENDAR Friday, January 16, :00 Noon 2:00 p.m. FAWL MIDYEAR MEETING Miami - Marriott Courtyard 200 SE Second Street, Miami T he Battle Against Bias: Cultural Awareness and the Practice of Law, a CLE luncheon cosponsored with the Asian Pacific Bar, Miami-Dade FAWL, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida, South Asian Bar Association of Florida and the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter National Bar Association. The CLE will address the problems associated with communications among those from diverse cultural backgrounds. The presentation will explore the reasons for issues we face and the implications of our failure to communicate effectively in our personal and professional lives. Finally, the program will offer potential solutions that may assist us in maximizing our effectiveness professionally and, more generally, increase our respect for those having backgrounds different from our own. CLE credit is anticipated at 1.5 hours to include professionalism and ethics hours. Registration is available through the FAWL website at at $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers. All members of the sponsoring organizations are eligible to register at the member rate. We are grateful to Littler Mendelson, P.C., and Major, Lindsey & Africa for underwriting assistance. Littler Mendelson, P.C., is the nation s largest employment and labor law firm. Major, Lindsey & Africa is a global attorney search firm committed to creating communities that engage the strengths and values of a diverse workforce, for their support of this program. Visit their websites at and 2:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING The CLE and Board of Directors meeting will be held at the Miami Marriott Courtyard, 200 SE Second Street, located in downtown Miami across the street from The Florida Bar s Midyear Meeting at the downtown Miami Hyatt Regency. A block of rooms at the reduced rate of $169 per night has been set aside for FAWL members. Call the Marriott at 305 / prior to December 15, 2009 to ensure the rate. e Florida Association for Women Lawyers P.O. Box 15998, Tallahassee, FL / Visit us on the web at PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Tallahassee, FL Permit No. 391