2024-2025
I am truly honored to step into the role of Chair for the Solo & Small Firm Section for the 2024-25 term. As a practitioner and mediator in Ocala, FL, I have developed a deep appreciation for the legal community and its impact on individuals and businesses alike. I am passionate about the legal profession and the wealth of resources The Florida Bar and its Sections can offer to its members to help them in their practice daily. This passion has driven me throughout my legal career, and I am eager to bring this enthusiasm to our Section.
Reflecting on the past achievements of our Section, I am immensely grateful for the dedicated work of our outgoing Chair, Cristina Alonso. Her leadership has significantly advanced our goals, creating numerous benefits and opportunities for our members. This year, we have a new Program Administrator, Gabrielle Hermesman who has already proven to be an incredible asset to our Section. I would also like to extend my thanks to the outstanding members of our Executive Council for their unwavering support, ideas and dedication.
As we embark on this new Bar year, we welcome a new Executive Council, with members from varied practice areas both in and out of state, including young lawyers. Our Section continues to grow at a record pace, due in part to the many benefits that we provide our membership.
Our Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs are robust and cutting-edge, with virtual seminars already scheduled on varied topics such as the use of artificial intelligence, avoiding ethical pitfalls and disciplinary actions, employment law issues, and mental health and wellness. The Section will continue to offer our members free one-credit Wednesday Wisdom Zoom webinars that are held live at lunchtime and remain available on demand on the Section’s members-only Facebook page. We are grateful to our CLE Committee Chair, Amanda Barton, and her committee for their hard work, as well as our CLE Program Consultant, Linda Calvert-Hanson, for helping to bring our section some of the best CLE programming in the nation.
We look forward to the virtual Annual Ethics and Professionalism Update seminar scheduled for October 25, 2024, which is being planned by Co-Chairs Bill Curphey and Amanda Barton, as well as the annual virtual TechUp Conference scheduled for March 7, 2025, which will provide valuable insights on technology and practice management and is being planned by Camara Williams and Michelle Gumula. Finally, our CLE Signature programs would not be complete without our annual live Florida Law Update that will take place at the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention in 2025 and is being planned by Chair Judge Jennifer K. Griffin. Be on the lookout later this year for the announcement of the schedule for our Destination CLE trip to Canada next Spring.
The growing use of artificial intelligence and its impact on solo and small firm practitioners has garnered the attention of our Technology Committee, which is led by Chair Liz McCausland. The committee will provide regular education and programming to our members on the use of technology in their practice and growing trends in practice management. We have also added Technology Thursdays, chaired by Zack Zuroweste, to our CLE lineup to focus on practical uses and best practices for technology for our members. This year’s technology and practice management education will focus on:
- Helping members use technology to efficiently run their practices.
- Maintaining a technology plan that aligns with their professional responsibilities.
- Making sure both they and their staff maintain technological competencies.
- Emerging technology and how to utilize it ethically in our members’ practices.
- Cybersecurity for our members and their practices.
The committee will also focus on assessing the technological needs of the Section and make recommendations as needed.
Additionally, we have added a new Communications Committee to our Executive Council, Chaired by Alicia Perez, who works with our PR and Marketing Consultant, Lisa Tipton. They have embarked on revamping our publication, The Link, into a magazine format called The Source; The Source will allow for easy reading and better showcase our incredible Section members and sponsors. Through our publications, website, annual convention, and grassroots communication, we aim to grow our membership and strengthen our collective voice. We represent nearly 2/3 of Florida’s attorneys, making our Section a pivotal part of Florida’s legal landscape. I encourage every solo and small firm practitioner to engage with our initiatives, share their insights, and contribute to our collective progress and growth as practitioners.
I am excited about the prospects for this year and am committed to serving our Section to the best of my ability. Please do not hesitate to reach out with your thoughts and ideas for advancing our shared goals. I look forward to collaborating with all of you and making this a year of remarkable achievements for our Section. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Chair.
Warm Regards,
Renée E. Thompson
Solo & Small Firm Section Chair 2024-25
