May 27 Wednesday Wisdom Zoom Webinar, 12-1 p.m. Free CLE. Join us for “Stay Sane—Practice Better” by Solo & Small Firm Section Chair Lee E. “Pete” Muschott to learn about the art of relaxation and the benefits it can have for your practice. Pete Muschott has devoted much time and energy to the study and practice of relaxation since he started practicing law. He finds that relaxation becomes more and more important as his practice matures. Hear pro tips from an attorney who says this about the importance of mental health and wellness for lawyers: “I have survived 45 years in the practice of law with my marriage intact, reasonably good relationships with my daughters and grandchildren, and my addictions limited to black coffee and things with two wheels that make a lot of noise. Also, and perhaps most important, I am still having a good time practicing law.”

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Do yourself a favor and register for this important wellness CLE. Course number 3845. Approved for 1.0 General; 1.0 Mental Illness CLE credit. REGISTER NOW

Whether you’re learning a new practice area or keeping your practice on the cutting edge, Florida Law Update 2020 is an incredible CLE opportunity. 8.0 hours of credit. Solo & Small Firm Section members register at a discount.

Florida Law Update will provide statutory updates for the following areas: Business and Litigation Law, Labor and Employment Law, Animal Law, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, Criminal Law, and Real Property Law. Approved for 8.0 hours of CLE credit, 1.0 each in Business Litigation, Criminal Appellate, Criminal Trial, Elder Law, Labor and Employment, Marital & Family Law, Real Estate, and Wills, Trusts & Estates. Course number 3353.  REGISTER NOW

Special thanks to Program Chair Peggy Hoyt for her hard work in recruiting an excellent group of presenters and producing another outstanding CLE event.

On Friday, June 19, the Solo & Small Firm Section will host its first-ever virtual Annual and Executive Council meetings on Zoom. Section members: Please join us from 1 – 3:30 PM for the meetings to learn more about section business, get to know your EC members and learn how you can get involved. Registration details will be emailed to you prior to the meetings.

Section members: Join us on Friday, June 19 at 4 PM for the section’s first-ever virtual networking happy hour! The Summer Solstice starts on June 20, so our theme is “Celebrate Summer.” Theme participation is optional, of course, but if you want to have some fun with it, you can dress “summer” and toast with your favorite summer-time beverage. This is an excellent networking opportunity and might become a regular section event! Registration details will be emailed to you prior to the event.

July 8, 12-1 PM Wednesday Wisdom free CLE on Zoom. Registration is open to all; reserve your spot quickly. REGISTER NOW. Approved for 1.0 General, 1.0 Bias Elimination CLE Course No. 4048. Special thank you to section annual sponsor LexHelper.

Join the SSF Section for this important webinar to learn more about ways to invoke change within our diverse communities both professionally and personally. Topics will range from implicit bias, racial injustice, having uncomfortable conversations, ways to make a difference and much more. We ALL can play a part in being the change we want to see to achieve equality!

• Moderator Jacina Haston, Solo & Small Firm Section Chair-Elect; Senior Assistant County Attorney, Pinellas County; former director of The Florida Bar Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism.
• LaShawnda Jackson, Partner, Rumberger l Kirk; first African-American president of the Orange County Bar Association; immediate past president of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association.
• Camara Williams, Partner, Smith & Williams Trial Group; community organizer.
• Shenika “Nik” Harris, LGBTQ Consumer Advocate, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services; attorney; activist; speaker.
• Diriki Geuka, Assistant County Attorney, Pinellas County, representing county agencies including the Office of Human Rights; former federal staff attorney.

Tuesday, Aug. 18 live InReach webinar by Nora Riva Bergman of Real Life Practice. Join Nora as she shares lessons from her upcoming book, 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Boost wellness. Build resilience. Yes, you can. The statistics are clear. Lawyers are challenged with depression, stress, anxiety, and alcohol abuse at levels much higher than the general public. But there are things we can do to increase our happiness quotient and avoid burnout. In this interactive webinar, you’ll learn why happiness, wellness, and resilience are essential to your health, your wellbeing, and your effectiveness as a lawyer. And you’ll learn things you can do right now to get happy and stay happy. Course number 4013. Approved for 1.0 General, 1.0 Mental Illness Awareness CLE. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER NOW

Nora Riva Bergman is a law firm coach and author. She is the founder of Real Life Practice and a certified Atticus Practice Advisor. A licensed attorney since 1992, Nora brings a deep understanding of the practice and business of law to her work with lawyers and law firms across the country. She has practiced as an employment law attorney and certified mediator and has served as an adjunct professor at both Stetson University College of Law and the University of South Florida. Nora is a graduate of Villanova University’s Lean Six Sigma Program. She is the author of 50 Lessons for Lawyers: Earn More – Stress Less – Be Awesome and 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers – From Women Lawyers.

Contact:

• 866-662-0993
• nora@atticusadvantage.com
• nora@reallifepractice.com

Aug. 26, 12 – 1 PM Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar, free CLE for Solo & Small Firm Section members, by Joy Lutz of Aligned CPA, LLC. “Power Your Firm by Understanding Your Numbers: From Financial Statements and Budgets to Goal Setting.” Learn how your financials can help you make better decisions, get a hold on your cash flow and use metrics to achieve your goals. CLE approval pending. REGISTER NOW.

Joy Lutz is a CPA, certified tax coach, and owner of Aligned CPA, LLC in Lake City, FL, where she helps solo and small law firms with accounting, tax prep and planning, and advisory services. Joy is a certified Tax Coach with the American Institute of Certified Tax Planners and was named a top “40 Under 40” CPA in the accounting profession for 2015 by the CPA Practice Advisor, as well as earning the Small Business of the Year award in 2016 by the Lake City‐Columbia County Chamber of Commerce.

She is involved in many organizations and has held leadership positions with the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Ronald McDonald House, Happy House and Altrusa.

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 12 – 1 PM live InReach webinar by Chelsie M. Lamie. Are you working too much? Answering the same questions from staff day after day? Do you get frustrated that in the time it takes you to explain something for the umpteenth time, you could have just done it yourself? You can’t run (or scale) a law firm without Processes & Procedures.  Join attorney Chelsie M. Lamie, who has built a seven-figure virtual law firm in under four years, by creating and implementing processes and procedures to maximize the production of her team while minimizing redundancy and maintaining an incredible work/life balance. Course number 4061. Approved for 1.0 General CLE. Section members register for only $50. REGISTER NOW

Chelsie Lamie is a former claims adjuster and insurance defense attorney turned personal injury attorney. For the past twelve years she has exclusively represented the injured.     In 2016, Chelsie opened her own brick and mortar PI firm.  Just two years later, she closed her brick and mortar office, moved her family to Mexico and took her law firm virtual.  One week each month she returns to Florida to attend her in person litigation appointments.  The remainder of the month she runs her practice from Mexico.   In its first year of going virtual, Chelsie’s firm’s revenue grew from six figures to seven figures.  She is passionate about law firm culture and processes & procedures that allows her to live her best life.  Her hobbies include scuba diving, hang gliding and international travel.  Chelsie has recently returned from visiting her 62nd country with her husband of 19 years, David, and their two sons, Michael (6) and Henry (4).

Sept. 23 Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar by Michael Stewart of Wells Fargo. Free CLE for Solo & Small Firm Section members. In this webinar, Mr. Stewart a Wells Fargo Private Wealth Financial Advisor, will discuss retirement plans for law firms and their various features. Course number 4139. Approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. REGISTER NOW

Michael Stewart joined Wells Fargo Advisors in 2006. He is the Private Wealth Financial Advisor, Managing Director-Investments, Fundamental Choice Portfolio Manager for clients and acts as the lead portfolio strategist for the team. The team uses a comprehensive approach to investment planning. Portfolios are implemented by utilizing an open architecture structure. Combined with Wells Fargo Advisors’ vast resources, the team customizes solutions for each client. Michael has his MBA in Financial Planning from the University of Miami. Previous to joining Wells Fargo Advisors, Michael was the National Portfolio Analyst at Mellon Private Wealth Management in Philadelphia.  After attaining his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Miami, Michael worked for Tew Cardenas, LLP where part of his role was evaluating securities arbitration cases.  Michael lives in Fort Lauderdale with his wife Jennifer.

Live GoToWebinar. Registrants have 90-day access. The Solo Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar is pleased to announce its 2020 Annual Ethics Program – Legal Ethics in a Changing World. This virtual conference will explore the impact of working from home and the virtual practice of law has on our ethical obligations and legal community. Join us for a look into ethical leadership and innovation, video conferencing risk management, ethics and the new normal and maintaining legal decorum in the courtroom. We will also reflect on how COVID -19 has impacted both the physical and mental health of our legal community. Section members register for only $185. 5.0 CLE credits, all of which may be applied toward Ethics. Course number 4115.  REGISTER NOW

8:00 AM – 8:10 AM
Welcome
Peggy Hoyt, Program Chair

8:10 AM – 9:00 AM
Leadership, Innovation and the “New Normal”
Teresa Schmid, Chicago, IL

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Video Conferencing Risk Management Considerations
Joanna L. Storey, San Francisco, CA

9:50 AM – 10:05 AM
Break

10:05 AM – 10:55 AM
Ethics and Risk Management: What will the “New Normal” Look Like?
Karen Rubin, Cleveland, OH

10:55 AM – 11:45 AM
Maintaining Professional Decorum in the “New Normal”
Eugene Pettis, Ft. Lauderdale

11:45 AM – 12:35 PM
How the COVID-19 Pandemic has Impacted the Physical and Mental Health Florida’s Legal Community
Dr. Scott Weinstein, Pompano Beach