Free Wednesday Wisdom live Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Justin J. Klatsky, Valrico Law Group. Moderator: Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Suwanee County Judge. Course number 8416 is approved for 1 CLE, 1 Tax Law certification credit. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

As a solo practitioner or member of a small firm, you encounter tax issues every day, likely several times a day. This CLE is designed to give you tips and understanding from a tax attorney to help you navigate some of the most common situations that practitioners encounter including company formation, sale of business, most common notices from the IRS, and estate planning, now and looking toward the future.

Justin J. Klatsky is a tax lawyer and partner in the Valrico Law Group, practicing over 15 years in the areas of estate planning and administration, general business and corporate law, and tax law.  Justin earned his B.A with honors from the Johns Hopkins University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and he earned both his Juris Doctor (J.D.) with honors and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Florida College of Law.  While much of Justin’s practice is now transactional, he still handles tax controversy cases before the IRS and that perspective informs his other areas of practice.  He is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court.

Registration opens soon for “Ethical and Practical Realities of Guardianships” by Michelle Garcia Gilbert, Gilbert Garcia Group, P.A., Tampa, and moderated by Keiah Townsend, Clearwater. Course number and Ethics credit pending approval. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $55, with 90-day, on-demand access.

This webinar explores the critical aspects of establishing a guardianship. Michelle Garcia Gilbert will delve into the ethical considerations involved in ensuring the rights and best interests of the individual while navigating the legal process.  She also will address key practical issues such as financial management, healthcare decisions, and communication strategies.

Michelle Garcia Gilbert is admitted to the Florida Bar (1986), Washington, D.C. Bar (2020), Middle District of Florida (1988), Northern District of Florida (2005), Southern District of Florida (2006), U.S. Supreme Court (2000), and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (2003). She matriculated at the University of South Florida (B.A., 1982, cum laude), and the University of Notre Dame Law School (J.D., 1985).

Michelle is a member of the following Florida legal associations: Bay Area Real Estate Council (Board of Directors); Hillsborough County Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; Solo and Small Firm; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Military and Veterans Affairs Sections); The Florida Bar (Business Law; Elder Law; Prepaid Legal Services Committee (Chair); Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; Solo and Small Firm Section (Secretary, Executive Council); Solo and Small Firm Section Publications Committee Chair; and Standing Committee on Technology Section. Additionally, she is a member of the American Legal and Financial Network (Co-Chair, Women in Legal Leadership Editorial Sub-Committee) and Legal League 100 (Vice Chairperson, 2016-19; Advisory Council Member, 2014-19; Special Initiatives Working Group, 2017-present); the National Association of Default Professionals, Education Committee; and The Fund, Westcor and Doma Title Agent. Michelle is also a member of more than a dozen additional professional groups and organizations, including: The Association of European Attorneys, Commercial Collection Agencies of America, International Association of Commercial Collectors, among others.

She has managed the firm’s expansion into probate, estate planning, guardianship, commercial collections, and business law and litigation, and oversees Sapphire Title & Escrow Company, launched in 2015. Michelle places great value on serving her community and proudly supports various groups focused on bettering the lives of children, animals, seniors, and veterans, as well as those providing affordable legal services to the Florida community. Michelle volunteers with her parish, St. Lawrence Catholic Church and School, as well as with St. Joseph Elementary School, and she is an involved member of the Advisory Board for St. Peter Claver Elementary School.

Free Wednesday Wisdom live Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Katherine R. English, Pavese Law Firm, Fort Myers. Moderator: Jennifer Kurykendall Griffin, Suwannee County Judge. Course number 8419 is approved for 1 CLE. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed.

This CLE will give lawyers working with landowners tools to advise and support their clients in seeking and using conservation easements to support the landowners’ goals for themselves and their lands. In Florida, federal and state agencies, local governments, and non-government organizations have all embraced the purchase of conservation easements as an effective tool to protect Florida’s privately held wild lands and agricultural areas from further development. Conservation easement programs can be useful for landowners who want to retain ownership of their properties while liquidating some or most of the land’s equity for other investments, but they come with varying restrictions and management requirements that may or may not be compatible with the landowners’ goals. Knowledgeable landowners using conservation easement programs as part of their overall strategic plans for managing their property and funding other investments do very well. Unfortunately, there are traps for the unwary and underinformed which can foil the plans and expectations of those who proceed without an understanding of the limitations and requirements of the different conservation easement programs.

Katherine R. English joined Pavese Law Firm in 1994 and became a partner in the firm in 2000. Her practice concentrates on agricultural, environmental, and land use law with an emphasis on seeking and protecting entitlements for larger properties to maintain value and productivity. She has particular experience in working with companies involved in farming and land development. She practices before state and federal agencies in regard to environmental permits including water supply, water management and environmental compliance. She has worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Florida Water Management District, South Florida Water Management District, the Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. She also represents land owners before local governments in Southwest Florida in regard to land use and development authorizations.

Registration opens soon for the Annual Ethics & Professionalism Update 2024—Digital Dilemmas: Ethical and Professionalism Considerations for Attorneys in a Tech-Driven World. Live Zoom webinar. Program Chairs:  Bill Curphey and Amanda Barton. 5 credits (Ethics, Professionalism, Technology).

AGENDA & PRESENTERS

8:25 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Welcome
Program Chairs Bill Curphey and Amanda Barton

8:30 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.
Professionalism and Ethical Considerations for Attorneys
Scott Westheimer, Immediate Past President, The Florida Bar, and Partner, Syprett Meshad, P.A, Sarasota

9:20 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.
Ethical Perils of Communicating with Clients Using Text Messages
Peter A. Joy, Henry Hitchcock Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. This presentation addresses three separate but related doctrines: the legal rule for attorney-client privilege, the work-product protection, and the ethical duty of client confidentiality. Lawyers, judges, and lay people often conflate or confuse these doctrines because there is some overlap among them. By the end of the session, participants will have a better understanding of these doctrines and the ethical perils of communicating with clients using text messages and other forms of communications that could be subject to waiver of attorney-client privilege under various circumstances.

10:20 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
Ethical Trust Accounting – From Deposits to Disbursements
Debra J. Davis, Ethics Lawyer and CPA, Smith, Tozian, Daniel & Davis, P.A., Tampa, FL. This discussion of the ethical issues involved with lawyer trust accounts will provide practical tips to establish, manage and maintain a compliant trust account from deposits to disbursements.

11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Professionalism and Ethical Issues When Practicing Virtually, Including in Transactions that Cross State Lines.
Tim Chinaris, Professor Emeritus of Law at Belmont University College of Law, Nashville and Of Counsel, Smith Tozian Daniel Davis, P.A., Tampa, FL. The virtual practice of law raises a host of ethical and professionalism issues such as whether a Florida attorney could face potential unlicensed practice of law or malpractice liability issues raised by a party in another state when the Florida lawyer handles a virtual transaction across state lines or when Florida authorized in-house counsel advise their employers in handling business transactions in other states.  Ethical issues get complicated by the growth of “lead generators” that advertise nationally and parcel cases out to their “partners” in other states as well as the use of litigation funding companies.  This discussion will provide a stronger understanding of some of the ethical issues inherent in multi-state virtual practice situations.

12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
AI & Ethics: 2 Years Later
Jonathan Grabb, The Florida Bar Ethics Counsel, Tallahassee, FL. This program will discuss how the use of technology, generative artificial intelligence has changed the practice of law nearly two years after the public release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022. We’ll discuss both the positives (Florida Ethics Opinion 24-1, ethics guidance from other jurisdictions, and generative AI programs made for lawyers) and the negatives (hallucinations, deepfakes, and court sanctions). Generative AI is here to stay and this presentation is meant to give you a primer on what to watch whether you plan to use AI in your own practice or not.

Live InReach Zoom webinar by Vanessa Vasquez de Zara, Vasquez de Lara Law Group, Miami; and Elina Magaly Santana, Santana Rodriguez Law, P.A., Coral Gables. Moderator:  Megan Murray, Tampa.  Course number and CLE credit pending approval. Solo & Small Firm Section members register for only $55 with 90-day, on-demand access.

Join Vanessa Vasquez de Lara and Elina Magaly Santana for an insightful session on “5 Top Tips on Using AI to Be a Better Lawyer,” where we’ll delve into the latest advancements in technology to enhance your legal practice. Learn how AI can cost-effectively improve efficiency, uphold ethics and professionalism, and support personal well-being in the legal profession. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and stay ahead in the ever-evolving legal landscape.

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Scott W. Spradley, Flagler Beach. Moderator:  Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Suwannee County Judge. Course number and CLE credit pending approval. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. You will receive an email registration confirmation from “professionaldevelopment8zoom@floridabar.org.” If you do not receive the confirmation, please check your spam folder.

This webinar will detail the higher incidences of substance abuse among lawyers, and Identify signs and symptoms of substance abuse/dependence. Scott W. Spradley will discuss some of the alternative paths to recovery.

Scott W. Spradley is a member of the Florida Bar and is in his 36th year of practice, with the last 30 being primarily in the Bankruptcy arena and in Estate Planning. While at the GrayRobinson firm in Orlando, Scott founded that firm’s Bankruptcy Group in 1997. Scott now lives in Flagler Beach where he maintains his Bankruptcy Practice and where he has a growing Landscape and Seascape Photography business. In 2023, Scott was elected by the residents of Flagler Beach to serve as a City Commissioner, where Scott presently serves as Chairman of the Board. Scott’s greatest accomplishments are (with Susan Spradley) his 23-year-old daughter, Alyson Spradley, who is a recent graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, and his Continuous Sobriety, which currently stands at 14 years and 8 months. But who’s counting.

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* Jennifer Feld, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil mediator at Feld Legal, Tampa. Moderator: Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin. Course number and credit Pending approval. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. You will receive an email registration confirmation from “professionaldevelopment8zoom@floridabar.org.” If you do not receive the confirmation, please check your spam folder.

Join Jennifer Feld, mediator and former litigator, for a discussion of Florida HB 837, in particular the impact on bad faith insurance claim litigation and the safe harbors provided for insurers facing competing claims from multiple third parties, arising from a single occurrence. Learn how to navigate these claims and effectuate settlements before they are sent to the interpleader stage.

Jennifer Feld is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil mediator at Feld Legal. ​

Jennifer is AV-Preeminent Rated by Martindale Hubbell, Florida Trend Magazine Legal Elite 2019, and Florida’s Super Lawyers Rising Star for seven consecutive years, 2017-2024. In 2020, Ms. Feld was named among Tampa’s top 100 women in KNOW Tampa. Before she was a full-time neutral, Jennifer litigated for over a decade and was a partner at a multi-state firm.

Jennifer is an advocate in and out of the courtroom. Her experiences as a mother and a trial attorney have made her a pioneer for parental leave and lactation space awareness, and she has published a number of articles on these topics.  Her work has been published in the Daily Business Review, the St. Pete Paraclete, and recognized by Fox13 News, Law.com, the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, and Above the Law.  Many of Jennifer’s works have been featured in professional publications and she frequently speaks on emerging topics at industry events.

As a devotee to community service, Jennifer is the President of the Board of TJFS, which provides a food bank, financial and social wellness services to those in need in Tampa Bay.  She is also sits on the UF Law Alumni Council. Jennifer holds a position on Statewide FAWL (Florida Association for Women Lawyers), as well as the Hillsborough Chapter.  Recently, Jennifer opened a 501(c)(3) non-profit, The FAWL Support Organization, to support the mission of FAWL.

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Jennifer is the proud mother of two boys, Kameron (6) and Micah (4) and spouse to fellow attorney, Eric Feld.

Free Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinar for Solo & Small Firm Section members* by Joy Lutz, CPA and Certified Tax Coach, Aligned CPA, LLC, Lake City. Course number and CLE credit pending approval. Moderator: Judge Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin. REGISTER

*Registration will be approved when section membership is confirmed. You will receive an email confirmation of your registration from “professionaldevelopment8zoom@floridabar.org.” If you do not receive the confirmation, please check your spam folder.

DESCRIPTION: Learn how your financials can help you make better decisions, get a hold on your cash flow and use metrics to achieve your goals. Presented by Joy Lutz, 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 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.