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.

Friday, February 12 live GoToWebinar. “Virtually Irresistible:  Tech Tools and Strategies for Solo and Small Firms.” 8 A.M. – 12:55 P.M. $185 Section Members, $230 Non-Section Members, 5.0 General; 3.0 Technology CLE credits. Course number 4253. Registrants will have 90-day, on-demand access. REGISTER NOW

Don’t miss the all-new Solo & Small Firm Conference, featuring prestigious speakers and timely, engaging topics to benefit YOUR practice.

8–8:10 AM Welcome and introductions.

8:10–9 AM  Let’s Talk. Improving Team Building and Communication Skills in A Virtual World.   One of the challenges of the virtual world is learning how to work effectively as a team. In addition, working remotely adds new wrinkles to how we communicate – not only with the team but with clients. This session will provide strategies that will help you more fully engage your team and tips to improve your communication with both your team and with clients. Presented by Nora Bergman of Real Life Practice.

9–9:55 AM  Systems Thinking and Technology for Running The Lean Law Firm. While nearly every industry has jumped with both feet into the future, law firms have mostly failed to capitalize on the “science of industrial management.” No more. Learn how to transform your law firm using Lean methods and technologies pioneered by Toyota and relied upon by the world’s most profitable and highest performing companies from Dave Maxfield, lawyer and co-author of the ABA’s bestselling book,  “The Lean Law Firm.”

9:55–10:10 AM  Break

10:10–11:05 AM  Virtual Law Clerks and Contract Lawyers: Hiring, Training and Firing; Outsourcing. How do you find contract lawyers, integrate them into your practice, and provide sufficient oversight? What are the employment law considerations when hiring, training and firing law clerks and contract attorneys, particularly when working virtually?  How do you determine the appropriate rates? Presented by Kristin Tyler of LawClerk.

11:05 AM–12 PM  Law Firm Autopilot. Effectively leveraging technology and automating aspects of your practice will free you up to focus on meaningful work. Presented by “Ernie the Attorney” Ernie Svenson.

12–12:55 PM  How to Sustain and Grow a Solo and Small Firm Practice With the Use of Technology. A panel discussion with practitioners who have established successful solo and small firms will discuss their practice models and use of technology. Moderator: Cristina Alonso of Alonso Appeals. Panelists: April Martindale of Martindale Law, Camara Williams of Smith & Williams Trial Group, and Liz McCausland of Liz McCausland, P.A.

Join LAWCLERK Co-Founder Kristin Tyler on March 11 at noon for a free, introductory webinar on LAWCLERK. Want to start outsourcing? Not sure how to get started? Get answers here—it’s easier than you may think. Plus, Kristin will give an overview of LAWCLERK’s new partnership with the section.

Solo & Small Firm Section members now can earn rebates when they hire freelance attorneys through LAWCLERK—and the section will receive a share of the revenue for each member who signs up and uses an account. Sign up as a freelancer or create a hiring attorney account to connect with talented attorney freelancers from the section. The exclusive rebate and referral code is FLSSF-MEMBER. Get details.

LAWCLERK is where attorneys go to hire freelance lawyers. The company has built a nationwide network of over 3,400 freelance lawyers—called Lawclerks—who can help busy attorneys with research, any sort of written document, discovery, or other project-based written work. Don’t miss the March 11 webinar to learn how you can get started. REGISTER

June 10, 7:55 AM – 4:25 PM. Statutory updates in eight key areas of Florida law:  Business; Employment; Bankruptcy; Elder; Estate Planning; Criminal; Family and Construction. Approved for 8.0 General CLE credits and the following board certification credits:  1.0 Juvenile Law; 2.0 Business Litigation; 1.0 Civil Trial; 1 Construction Law; 1.0 Criminal Appellate; 1.0 Criminal Trial; 1.0 Elder Law; 1.0 Labor and Employment; 1.0 Wills,Trusts, & Estates; 0.5 Workers Compensation. Course number 4380. REGISTER

7:55 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Peggy Hoyt, Program Chair

8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
Business Law Update
Clay Roesch, Orlando

8:50 AM – 9:40 AM
Employment Law Update
Kevin Johnson, Tampa

9:40 AM – 10:30 AM
Bankruptcy
Kristina Feher, St. Petersburg

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM – 11:35 AM
Elder Law
Peggy Hoyt, Oviedo
Alex Douglas, Orlando

11:35 AM – 12:20 PM
Estate Planning
Peggy Hoyt, Oviedo
Alex Douglas, Orlando

12:20 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch

1:45 PM – 2:35 PM
Criminal Law
Brice Aikens, Orlando

2:35 PM – 3:25 PM
Personal Injury Law Update
James Gordon, Oviedo

3:25 PM – 3:35 PM
Break

3:35 PM – 4:25 PM
Construction Law
Patrick Neale, Naples

In consideration of the health of its members and staff, The Florida Bar Winter Meeting has changed to an all-virtual format. Solo & Small Firm Section Executive Council members will receive details about how to access the Executive Council meeting via Zoom.

“Pivoting Your Practice” was presented as a live GoToWebinar on Friday, February 11, 2022. Course number 5622 is available through The Florida Bar InReach catalog as an Online Seminar (on-demand) and Downloadable Audio (podcast) and will soon be available in CD and DVD formats.  It is approved for 1.0 Technology, 1.0 Mental Illness Awareness and 5.0 General CLE credits, 2.0 of which may be applied toward Ethics and 1.0 of which may be applied toward Professionalism. Visit the conference web page.

“Pivoting Your Law Practice: The Resilience & Grit You Need to Survive” is designed to meet the needs of lawyers who understand the importance of transforming their law practices to address the new demands of virtual and hybrid business models. Our diverse roster of experienced presenters will address topics such as technology transformations, working as outside counsel, managing stress with recovery, ethics of online payment systems and fee-sharing with nonlawyers and managing the ethics of law with second income streams.

Thank you to conference co-chairs Jacina Parson and Camara Williams.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

8:00 AM – 8:10 AM
Welcome by Solo & Small Firm Section Chair & Conference Co-Chair Jacina Parson and Conference Co-Chair Camara Williams with a welcome by Florida Bar President Michael Tanner.

8:10 AM – 9:00 AM
“The Transformation of Technology Usage, Adoption, and Expectations” by Ari Kaplan, Ari Kaplan Advisors of New York

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM “Bidding on Billions: Pro Tips for Working as Outside Counsel on Corporate Client Files”
Panel discussion moderated by Diriki T. Geuka, Associate, Townsend Lockett, LLC, of Atlanta
Panelists: Jennifer Branham, Director & Corporate Counsel, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. of Melbourne, FL, Shannon Finucane, Director of Legal Business Affairs, Hornets Sports and Entertainment of Charlotte, NC, D. Tennell Lockett, Managing Partner, Townsend & Lockett, LLC, of Atlanta

9:50 AM – 10:40 AM “How to Be Your Best Professional Self by Managing Stress With Recovery” by Rebecca Bandy, Director of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism The Florida Bar, Tallahassee

10:40 AM – 10:55 AM Break

10:55 AM – 11:45 AM “Ethically Accepting Payments via Online Apps and Fee-Sharing with Nonlawyers” by D. Culver (Skip) Smith, III, Culver Smith, III, PA, of West Palm Beach

11:45 AM – 12:35 PM “Ethical Aspects of Combining Lawyering by Day with Second Streams of Income”
Panel discussion moderated by Camara Williams, Smith and Williams Trial Group, PLLC, of Orlando
Panelists: Jordan Ostroff, President of LegalEase Marketing, & Managing Partner of Jordan Law of Orlando, Fl, Shannon A. Ligon, Attorney, Ligon Law Group, LLC d.b.a. PrettySMART Law | PrettySMART, LLC | Legacy Entertainment & Arts Foundation Inc. (L.E.A.F. Inc.) of Miami, Jacina Parson, Chair Solo & Small Firm Section, Senior Assistant County Attorney, Pinellas County Attorney’s Office, and Realtor, Coldwell Banker of Clearwater

Annual out-of-state long-range planning retreat for Solo & Small Firm Section Executive Council members.

Annual “Out-of-Country” CLE Trip

This year we are staying in the U.S. and visiting the big island of Hawaii and Oahu. Instead of going through a travel agent, you will make your own reservations directly with the hotels, airlines, and group tours (excursion details will be provided as they become available).

This page provides the trip schedule, activities, and hotel reservation links. When making your flight arrangements, don’t forget to include the flight from Hawaii to Oahu on June 1. Flight destinations are Kona International Airport and Honolulu International Airport.

Online reservation information for the group tours and airport transfers will be available soon. View the event brochure.

Details coming soon. This meeting takes place during The Florida Bar Annual Meeting.