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Informed Voters Project
FLORIDAASSOCIATIONWOMEN
LAWYERSfor
INFORMED VOTER PROJECT
Additional Features:
● Florida’s Women Judges: Profiles in Leadership ● Retention and Advancement of Women Lawyers
FAWL NOVEMBER 2014
JournalA Publication of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers
FAWL EVENTS7 2014 Annual Gala8-9 2014 Leadership Retreat
FEATURES11-12 Retention and Advancement
15 FAWL’S Informed Voters Project16 Justice Barbara Pariente
FAWL LEADERSHIPpage
2 President’s Message3 Executive Board of Directors4 Letter from the Editor5 FAWL Committee Chairs
FLORIDA’SWOMEN JUDGES
JUDICIAL CIRCUITS:page
18 1st Judge Jan Shackelford18 2nd Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson19 3rd Judge Leandra G. Johnson20 4th Judge Karen Cole21 5th Judge Lisa Herndon21 6th Judge Patrice Moore22 7th JudgeMargaretW.Hudson22 8th JudgeMary Day Coker23 9th JudgeMargaret H. Schreiber24 10th Judge EllenMasters24 11th Judge LisaWelsh25 12th Judge Rochelle Curley25 13th Judge Lisa Campbell26 14th Judge ShonnaYoung Gay27 15th Judge Lucy Chernow Brown27 16th Judge Ruth Becker28 17th JudgeMily Powell29 18th Judge Lisa Davidson29 19th Judge ElizabethMetzger30 20th Judge Leigh Frizzell Hayes
FAWLMEMBERSHIP
32 Chapter Listing with Presidents33 Member and Chapter Benefits34 Mattie Belle Davis Society
FAWLJournalNOVEMBER 2014
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I am honored and inspired to be the StateFAWL President for 2014-2015. We havealready had our first signature event for theyear, the FAWL Leadership Retreat held thispast September at the beautiful Eau PalmBeach Resort. Thanks to our new ExecutiveDirector, JenniferMahoney, the weekend wasa smashing success. Workshop presenterCammie Hauser, Certified Practice Advisorwith Atticus, led andmotivated more than 35FAWL leaders from across the state toincrease collaborative relationships andimprove FAWL’s organizational systems.
Save the date for our next events: the upcomingState FAWL meeting in January, held inconjunction with The Florida Bar’s wintermeeting in Orlando; and our Annual LobbyDaysmeetingwhichwill be held in Tallahasseein early March. Registration information forthese events will soon be found on our webpage atwww.FAWL.org.
Thanks to FAWL’s previous leadership, ourorganization has grown tremendously, nearlydoubling our membership in the past fewyears. We proudly welcomed two newchapters recently: Pasco County WomenLawyers and Florida Coastal Law School. Ialso extend appreciation and congratulationstoour existing chapters, forwithout their qualityprograms and chapter leadership, FAWLcould not continue to grow as an association.With the rapid expansion of our organization,it is more important than ever to develop asolid plan that will allow us to effectivelymanage 33 chapters and more than 3,000members.
This yearwe are concentrating on streamliningoperational systems and creating long andshort-term strategic planning goals. Ournewly developed strategic planning committee,in collaborationwith thegovernance committee,will investigate best practices for sustainabilityas current and future leaders move in and outof various positions. The results of theseimproved systems will insure better ways forFAWL to serve the needs of our chapterswhile working together to further ourmission
of gender equality in the legal profession, thejudiciary, and the community at large.
Thanks to our fantastic DevelopmentCommittee, comprised of a member fromeach chapter so that we can collaborate onstate and local sponsorships, we havealready met our goal for the year for annualsponsorships, as well as exceeding our goalfor journal advertisement sales. TakingFAWL to the next level directly correlateswith the Development Committee’s successesin order to better serve the members andfurther our mission. FAWL is the place to beand the savvy sponsors know it!
Although women have come a long way in ourprofession, the statistics make clear that wehave far to go in equality of leadership suchas in positions as managing partners andjudges. A committee vital to FAWL’smission, the dynamic Member Advancementand Placement Committee (MAP), is hard atwork encouraging and supporting FAWLmembers to seek leadership positions in TheFlorida Bar, judicial positions, and communityleadership roles. It is for this very reason thatFAWL exists and we are so grateful for all ofourmembers, leaders, and supporters. Pleasevisit www.FAWL.org to learn about theamazing people that lead and support ourorganization.
Robin BreskyFAWL President
Taking FAWL to the Next Level
OUR MISSION
To actively promote gender equality and the leadership rolesof FAWL’s members in the legal profession, judiciary andcommunity at large. To achieve these goals, FAWL willuphold the highest standard of integrity, honor and courtesyin the legal profession, promote reform in law, and facilitateadministration of justice.
FLORIDAASSOCIATIONWOMEN
LAWYERSfor
Florida Assocation forWomen Lawyers, Inc.
P.O. Box 3228Lantana, FL 33462-3228
FOLLOWUS ONSOCIALMEDIA
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PRESIDENTRobin BreskyLaw Offices of Robin Bresky6111 Broken Sound Parkway NWBoca Raton, FL 33487561-994-6273 Fax: 561–[email protected]
JOURNAL EDITORStephanie Harriett-WartenbergEmerald Coast Estate Law7552 Navarre Parkway, Suite 35Navarre, FL [email protected]
PRESIDENT ELECTKristin NorseKynes Markman & Felman, PA100 S. Ashley Drive Suite 1300Tampa, FL 33602813-229-1118 Fax: [email protected]
LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORJennifer Sullivan DavisGuilday, Schwartz, Simpson, West,Hatch & Lowe, P.A.1983 Centre Pointe Blvd, Suite 200Tallahassee, Florida 32308850-701-4335 Fax: [email protected]
PAST-PRESIDENTBrittany MaxeyMaxey Law Offices, PLLC15500 Roosevelt Blvd. Suite 305Clearwater, FL 33760727-230-4949 Fax: [email protected]
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORLeora B. FreireRichman Greer, P.A.One Clearlake Center250 Australian Ave. S. Suite 1504West Palm Beach, FL [email protected]
TREASURERRobyn FeatherstonFeatherston Law FirmP.O. Box 12084St. Petersburg, FL [email protected]
P.R.DIRECTORStefanie MoonS. C. Moon Law1408 S. Andrew AvenueFort Lauderdale, FL 33316954-530-7182 Fax: [email protected]
SECRETARYKimHastingsBrennan, Manna & Diamond, PL3301 Bonita Beach Rd, #100Bonita Springs, FL [email protected]
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORJennifer MahoneyFAWLP.O. Box 3228Lantana, FL [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORJennifer Shoaf RichardsonCreed & Gowdy, P.A.865 May StreetJacksonville, FL [email protected]
2014 - 2015 FAWL Executive Officers
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - November 2014STEPHANIE WARTENBERG, ESQ.
The Florida Association forWomen Lawyers strives to assist and uplift its membership, both women and men,into greater areas of personal and professional development. FAWL’s efforts, in that regard, include advocatingfor its members to obtain and grow into positions of leadership in the law and in local communities. To thatend, FAWL hopes to develop each member and each chapter throughout the State and would encourage allof its membership to join FAWL in developing greater opportunities for women lawyers.
“Inspiration” is a critical component of FAWL’s duties and this issueattempts to reach that goal by featuring women Judges who preside overcases and controversies throughout the State of Florida. These honorablewomen were formerly legal practitioners, who then rose to represent theindependence and objectivity of “Lady Justice,” carefully balancing thescales of the judicial system in her hands. In fact, you may notice thatthis judicial issue has the happy coincidence of supporting the unveilingof FAWL’s new logo, which includes Lady Justice!
Importantly, I would like to thank all of the sponsors and authors who made this issue possible.Most especially,I would like to thank FAWL’s Development Committee for obtaining a great number of sponsorships andExecutive Director, Jennifer Mahoney, for crafting such a beautiful issue that we can cherish in the years to come.
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I told my mom I didn’t know how much she
loved me un�l I heard her recording.
AWARDS: Sherril Colombo
COMMUNICATIONS/ PR: Stefanie Moon
DEVELOPMENT/ MATTIE BELLE DAVIS: Laurie Thompson
GOVERNANCE: Kristin Norse
INFORMED VOTERS PROJECT: Yelizaveta (Liz) Herman & Megan Hodson
JOURNAL: Caroline Johnson Levine
LOBBY DAYS: Nancy Stuparich & Jessica Leigh
MEMBER ADVANCEMENT PROMOTION (MAP)
Brittany Maxey
MEMBERSHIP: Katherine Yanes
MENTORING: Lindsay Harrison & Emily Criste
STRATEGIC PLANNING Sarah Cortvriend
YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION Kate Mesic
Committees are the heart and soul of FAWL. For your endless
passion to move FAWL’s mission forward, we thank you!
2014-2015 Committee Chairs 2014-2015 Commmittee Chairs
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1951-52 Anna Brenner Meyers 1985-86 Judge Mary Jane Nettles Henderson
1952-53 Mary L. Esarey 1986-87 Diane M. Van Ness
1953-54 Esther A. Poppell 1987-88 Judge Maura T. Smith
1954-55 Rebecca Bowles Hawkins 1988-89 Andrea Smith Hillyer
1955-56 Margaret Deaton 1989-90 Edith G. Osman
1956-57 Edith Mellvaine James 1990-91 Ava K. Doppelt
1957-58 Judge Mattie Belle Davis 1991-92 Leslie Reicin Stein
1958-59 Judge Mildred S. Akerman 1992-93 Mary V. Brennan
1959-60 Judge Anne E’ Deleacon Fenyvessy 1993-94 Virginia A. Daire
1960-61 Lavona R. Zuckerman 1994-95 Caryn Goldenberg Carvo
1961-62 Virginia Ann Jordan Church 1995-96 Tonia Yazgi
1962-63 Helen Tanos Hope 1996-97 Sharon Bleier Glickman
1963-64 Dorothea M.B. Vermorel 1997-98 Jennifer R. Coberly
1964-65 Josephine Howard Stafford 1998-99 U.S. Rep. Katherine A. Castor
1965-66 Phyllis Shampanier 1999-00 Jeanmarie Whalen
1966-67 Ann B. Miller Yandre 2000-01 Barbara A. Eagan
1967-68 Adele T. Weaver 2001-02 Susan W. Fox
1968-69 Delphene C. Strickland 2002-03 Siobhan H. Shea
1969-70 Ruth Fleet Thurman 2003-04 Dinita L. James
1970-71 Judge Frances Ann Jamieson 2004-05 Magistrate Deborah Magid
1971-72 Judge Winifred J. Sharp 2005-06 Judge June C. McKinney
1972-74 Claire K. Cates Luten 2006-07 Wendy S. Loquasto
1974-76 Judge Judith A. Brechner 2007-08 Sherri L. Johnson
1976-78 Elizabeth Athanasakos 2008-09 Rebecca H. Steele
1978-80 Irene Redstone 2009-10 Tasha K. Dickinson
1980-81 Linda Carol Singer 2010-11 Gigi Rollini
1981-82 Debbie Malinsky Orshefsky 2011-12 Susan R. Healy
1982-83 Debra Weiss Goodstone 2012-13 Laura Wendall
1983-84 Marjorie Bekaert Thomas 2013-14 Brittany Maxey
1984-85 Judge Gill A. Freeman
FAWL Past Presidents
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Honoring Leaders in the Law June 25, 2014
Gaylord Palms Resort | Orlando, FL
FAWL EVENTS
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September 2014 FAWL Leadership Retreat
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Attended by more than 35 members representing 26 chapters, the FAWL Leadership Retreat - Palm Beach was smashing success!
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www.facebook.com/davidcpratherwpb
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MEMBERS OF FAWL for their ongoing dedication and commitment
to promoting women’s legal rights and the advancement of women in the legal profession.
DAVID C. PRATHERClark Fountain La Vista Prather Keen & Littky-Rubin
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In recent years, manylaw firms have experi-enced growing chal-lenges in retainingwomen lawyers. Theissue is that womenlawyers are now join-ing firms in near equalnumbers to men, how-ever, many women
leave before they can ascend to equity partnership,firm management, or other positions of seniority. Aprimary reason for leaving is that many womenstruggle with balancing their families, the rigors ofpracticing law, and the financial requirements oftheir firms.
So how do we resolve the issue of women leavingtheir firms in far greater numbers than men? First,we need to acknowledge the need for reasonable, flex-ible schedules as an option for working parents.Second, we need a model for flexible schedules thatproperly balances the interests of employers and em-ployees. The model should recognize that there arecertain core requirements that a flexible work ar-rangement must have to be successful for both thefirm and the lawyer.
What is the Added Value for Law Firms?Law firms unquestionably invest substantialresources in training associates. Mentoring less expe-rienced lawyers and teaching them necessary skillstakes time, money and commitment. These effortsare expended with the expectation that the firm willreap the long-term benefits of an accomplished part-ner and contributor for many years. When atalented and well-trained lawyer leaves the firm atthe ascension arc of her career due to parenting con-cerns, the firm misses out on the full value of itsinvestment. Further, in terms of lateral hiring needs,there is a rich talent pool of women lawyers, oftenwith unique expertise and training, willing to workon a flexible schedule for firms without the expenseof full-time benefits, salary demands, and otherresources. These attorneys are a valuable option forfirms dealing with fluctuating hiring needs and theebb and flow of billable hour workloads.
In addition, many clients now require gender, ethnicand cultural diversity for the client to consider hiringthe firm. Large law firms know this and value diver-sity in their hiring because they know that manycorporate clients will not retain them otherwise.Smaller firms, however, often treat diverse hiring onmore of a case-by-case basis. Indeed, client require-ments are more incentive for firms to considerflexible scheduling in an effort to retain women law-yers.
What Makes a Flexible Work ArrangementSuccessful?ProfitabilityIf a law firm cannot be profitable, it will not lastlong. Similarly, if a lawyer is not profitable for thefirm, the lawyer will not last long. It is, therefore,important that the firm and lawyer be realistic andreasonable as to what the financial demands andoverhead will be for the flex-time lawyer. Sometimesthis analysis results in a lower billable hour require-ment for the lawyer and, likewise, results in a prorata reduction in salary and benefits. On occasion,the analysis leads to a reduction in staffing, officespace, or other resources that are otherwise appor-tioned to the lawyer. And while there are a varietyof factors that go into the analysis, a key to success isthat the firm and lawyer agree to clear guidelines andexpectations (preferably in writing) for thearrangement to be mutually beneficial and workable.
ReliabilityMeeting the needs of work and family is a balancingact that often seems like a game of tug-of-war. Thelinchpin when it comes to the work side of the equa-tion is to take responsibility for making the flexiblearrangement work. As a flex-time attorney, this in-cludes taking responsibility for the quality of one’swork, meeting deadlines, and meeting expectationsof those who are relying upon the attorney.
Additionally, good organization and communicationskills are critical. Demonstrating that the attorney isreliable and will deliver results is essential to asuccessful flex-time arrangement. The attorney mustbe proactive in taking responsibility for her fate andimage at the firm.
KEEPING THE BEST OF THE BESTFlexible Scheduling: Improving Retention and Advancement of Women Lawyers
by Adam Rabin
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Accessibility
The attorney should create an arrangement where her firm can reach her when out of the office. The attorney should be clear that when she has certain hours during which she will be unavailable, she should let her colleagues know. At minimum, the attorney should let her assistant know. It is frustrating for the attorney’s supervisor, co-workers, staff, and opposing counsel when they need to reach the attorney and can-not find her with no expectation as to when they might hear from her. The attorney should create reasonable boundaries for her flex-time arrangement, yet make it clear to her colleagues that if she is temporarily unavailable, she will call or e-mail back promptly when she becomes available.
The same certainly applies for clients. The attorney should let clients know that, at certain times, the at-torney will be unavailable and will return the client’s call or e-mail the client “this evening” or “tomorrow morning.” Few clients want to think of their lawyer as “part-time” so the lawyer should compensate for her flexibility with accessibility.
Allocation
When working on a flexible schedule, the attorney is operating with finite resources in terms of time. Accomplishing the highest quality work product with a reduced-hours arrangement presents challenges. Proper time management is imperative. The attorney needs to be careful about diluting her limited time on administrative committees and non-billable endeav-ors. She must be disciplined in focusing on the “real” work and furthering the trust of those who are relying upon her to deliver. The ancillary activities are fine if the attorney can handle them, but they are not worth it if they will dilute the attorney’s work-quality or reliability.
Applaud Firms That Have Been Successful With Flexible Work Arrangements In the last decade, many firms have changed their views and policies regarding flexible work schedules. In the early 2000s, most large and small firms handled these arrangements on a case-by-case basis. Usually, the firm only would allow the arrangement if the law-yer had already proven her value to the firm in a full-time, non-flex position.
In recent years, the landscape has changed vastly.
Many large firms have written flex-time policies, including specifics on how such an arrangement af-fects the partner track, billable hours, and benefit packages. Smaller firms often lack written policies, yet may be more inclined to permit such an arrange-ment because they have less bureaucracy and over-head than large firms.
The point is that the culture has progressed significantly over the last decade to allow for flexible schedules. Many firms previously were loath to pro-mote that they allowed such arrangements to other employees because they did want not to set a precedent. Today, the culture of allowing flexible schedules for lawyers has changed for the better and those firms allowing them should be lauded and pro-moted. The more these firms are held in high regard for their progress, the more likely others will follow.
Conclusion
The culture of allowing flex- ible schedules for lawyers is far better today than it was in the past. With the continuing problem that women are not advancing to equity partnership and firm management in large part because of the difficulty of family-work balance, fostering a workable paradigm for the firms and employees gradually may help curb this problem. The key is that bar and firm leaders – women and men alike – jointly work to promote these arrangements and publicly laud the firms that embrace them.
Adam Rabin is as past president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and is the Co-Director of Programming for the Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL. He is a found-ing shareholder of McCabe Rabin, P.A. in West Palm Beach and practices in business, securities and whistleblower litigation. Adam’s wife, Jennifer, is an attorney who has had a flex-time arrangement with her firm for more than 10 years.
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THE TAMPA BAY CHAPTER OF THE FEDERAL BAR ASSOCIATION
IN COOPERATION WITH STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW * THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS * THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION * THE GEORGE EDGECOMB
BAR ASSOCIATION * THE HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS * THE PINELLAS COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS
SSTAYING IN THE GAME: WOMEN, LEADERSHIP AND THE LAW
JANUARY 29, 2015 | 11:45 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. THE UNIVERSITY CLUB OF TAMPA
JOIN FEDERAL JUDGES AND LAWYER LEADERS TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES IN RETAINING FEMALE TALENT AND WHAT FIRMS,
ORGANIZATIONS, LAW SCHOOLS AND LAWYERS CAN DO SO THAT MORE WOMEN LAWYERS “SSTAY IN THE GAME.”
FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME
INVOLVED, PLEASE CONTACT ERIN JACKSON AT [email protected] OR
KATHERINE EARLE YANES AT [email protected]
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BILL SCHIFINOof Burr & Forman LLP
Throughout his career, Bill has advocated the advancement of
is proud to support the Florida Association for Women Lawyers
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FAWL is excited to partner with the Informed Voters Project (IVP), a nationwide effort focused on educat-ing voters about the importance of having fair and impartial courts. In Florida, the IVP is led by Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente and Linda Leali of Linda Leali, P.A. in Miami. FAWL is committed to promoting the IVP, which is one of this year’s top priorities. Toward that end, we established the FAWL IVP Committee, which is co-chaired by Liz Herman of Rosenbaum Mollengarden, PLLC and Megan Hodson of Schwartz White. Liz is also a mem-ber of the Palm Beach County Chapter and Law Re-lated Education Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, where she was instrumental in presenting dozens of civics presentations in her county.
This year, the IVP Committee has been busy reach-ing out to each of our thirty-three local chapters to familiarize them with the IVP mission and secure an IVP Chair from each local chapter. Thank you to all the Chapters that have already responded! Each IVP Chair is in charge of reaching out to civics groups in their community and offering the IVP presentations, as well as coordinating with the IVP Committee, to ensure successful state-wide IVP efforts.
We are extremely proud to share the progress of the Palm Beach County and the Jacksonville Chapters in promoting the IVP in their communities. In Palm
Beach County, Ron D. Herman of Herman Law, P.A. gave a well-received IVP presentation to the Neil S. Hirsch Boys and Girls Club of Wellington. Also, Fif-teenth Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Gillen informed and motivated local seniors at the Palm Beach Gar-den’s Seniors Club, Speaker’s Corner Series. In Jack-sonville, Lisa A. Dasher of Jacksonville Family Mediation gave a successful presentation to an audi-ence of over thirty people at the Democratic Women’s Convention. The Jacksonville Chapter is further applauded for its goal of giving two IVP presentations per month!
FAWL IS TAKING THE LEAD INFORMED VOTERS PROJECT
GET Involved Today!
FAWL’s IVP Committee has many ideas and updates to share with the local IVP Chairs, who will work with their local chapters in bringing the IVP to the communities through-out Florida. Be on the lookout for announce-ments on another IVP training webinar. We look forward to training more of our members to become IVP presenters and join our statewide efforts of promoting the Informed Voters Project. For more information, please visit http://ivp.nawj.org/ or contact your IVP Committee Co-Chairs, Liz Herman at [email protected] or Megan Hodson at [email protected].
Liz Herman practices commercial and construction litigation with Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC. She is the Co-Chair of FAWL Informed Voters Project Committee and is currently serving on the Newsletter and Publicity Committee of the Palm Beach County FAWL. Liz has been reappointed as the 2014-15 Chair of the Law Related Education Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association
Ron D. Herman
FAWL IS TAKING THE LEAD
INFORMED VOTERS PROJECT
Get Involved Today!
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Justice Barbara Pariente graduated summa cum laude from BostonUniversity and graduated 5th in her law school class at George Washing-ton Law School. She began her legal career as a clerk with DistrictCourt Judge Norman C. Roettger, Jr., in the Southern District of FL.After her clerkship ended, Justice Pariente joined the law firm of Cone,Wagner, and Nugent in Palm Beach, where she became a partner. For18 years, she practiced as an AV rated, Board Certified civil trial lawyerand served on the Board of Palm Beach County’s Legal Aid Society.
In 1993, Justice Pariente was appointed to the Fourth District Court ofAppeal and to the Florida Supreme Court in 1997. From 2004 to 2006,Justice Pariente served as Chief Justice of that Court. Judge RosemaryBarkett had been the first woman Chief Justice of the Florida SupremeCourt and she was an important mentor and friend to Justice Pariente.
Justice Pariente’s life of service to children and families has includedher work with The Florida Bar’s Commission on the Legal Needs ofChildren and she has mentored students through Take Stock in Chil-dren, a program which helps disadvantaged children earn a collegescholarship.
Her advice to women in the legal profession is that “women have every ability to succeed in the legal profession,however, sometimes women are less likely to promote themselves and it is up to you to make sure yourcolleagues and your superiors are aware of your accomplishments and successes. Don’t be afraid to promoteyourself and to network within and outside of the legal profession. Get involved with your community in civicorganizations, with pro bono legal services and with initiatives that make a difference. Be proud that you are alawyer, you have earned it.
Also, the path to becoming a justice began with hard work and striving to do my best every day of my life. Iembraced the legal profession’s belief that what makes our democracy great is a separate branch of governmentdevoted to protecting the rights of every citizen before the courts. So how do you become a justice? You doyour best; you become involved; you ensure that you embrace the highest ethics; you strive to make a differ-ence; you develop a reputation for integrity and hard work and professionalism. Justice Quince and I are at theend of our judicial careers as mandatory retirement is age 70. So we need you!!”
Author’s note: In the Spring of 2014, while I was President of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association,I had the privilege of hosting Florida Supreme Court Justice Pariente, as our chapter was fortunate to be thefirst of the FAWL chapters to hold a training on the Informed Voters Project. The project seeks to informvoters and citizens of the critical role of a fair and impartial judiciary in our democracy. I would urge all of youto visit http://ivp.nawj.org/ to learn more about the Informed Voters Project.
Kate Mesic, Esquire practices criminal, business, landlord tenant, and contract law at the Law Offices of Kate Mesic, P.A.She is the immediate Past President of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association and is the JWLA State Chapter Rep-resentative, a 2013 Up & Coming Entrepreneur of the Year and a Avvo Superb rated attorney.
Florida Supreme Court
JUSTICE BARBARA PARIENTE
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The Florida Association for Women Lawyers labors tirelessly to assist and en-courage its membership to reach for greater heights in the hope that the legal profession and its lawyers can grow in leadership and generosity, in order to en-hance their local communities and The Florida Bar. FAWL provides its mem-bers with the opportunity to work on its committees to develop additional knowledge and leadership skills. Further, the MAP Committee is charged with promoting and advancing its members to leadership positions around the State.
As part of FAWL’s mission to inspire women lawyers, FAWL has chosen to feature women judges around the State of Florida in its Journal (one from each judicial circuit). These women judges provide examples of women law-yers who grew in their knowledge and influence in the legal profession and attained positions of leadership in the judiciary. Some of these judges were elected and some were appointed. Importantly, all of the judges were willing to take the risk to attempt to rise to another level of legal practice and also po-tentially face defeat. It is FAWL’s objective that you will read and enjoy this issue, however, it is much more important that you may be inspired by it to have the courage to reach for that brass ring on the carousel of life!
It is with much regret that FAWL could not feature all of the women Judges throughout the State, however, space limitations can oftentimes drive results in the creation of this wonderful Journal. In the following pages, it is FAWL’s pleasure to introduce you to these accomplished women judges.
Florida Judicial Circuits SPOTLIGHTING WOMEN JUDGES
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First Judicial Circuit Judge Jan Shackelford
The First Judicial Cir-cuit is honored to have The Honorable Jan Shackelford serving as one of its Circuit Court Judges. Judge Shackel-ford has been a resident of Florida for more than half of her life and be-fore settling down in Florida, she lived in several different states as a self-proclaimed “Air Force brat,” one title she holds amongst
many admirable titles. She is married to Gregory Brock and has two step-children.
After graduating in 1988 from FSU College of Law, Judge Shackelford briefly practiced insurance defense law in Jacksonville and then headed to Pensacola to serve in the State Attorney’s Office, handling misde-meanor and felony cases. Subsequently, she joined Shell, Fleming, Davis & Menge as an Associate, later becoming a Partner, and again practiced insurance defense as well as general litigation.
A natural decision-maker and a woman who thrives on taking charge, Judge Shackelford enjoys handling complicated issues and making rulings on matters that impact the Escambia County community. When not on the bench, she enjoys jogging, biking, playing the piano and trumpet, spending time with her rescue cats, and singing in her church choir.
Judge Shackelford credits the staff attorneys, court administration, court clerks, court security and judicial assistants for making her job easier. After completing her service on the bench, Judge Shackel-ford plans to continue her education by taking college classes of interest, namely in Psychology and English Literature, and plans to work with rescue animals and hopes to find time to clean out her closets!
Submitted by Andrea Lyons, President of the Northwest Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and practices with Emmanu-el, Sheppard & Condon, P.A.
Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson was elected to serve as a Leon Coun-ty Judge in November, 2008 and she presides over both criminal and civil matters. Judge Ash-enafi Richardson is a 1991 graduate of the Florida State University College of Law. She be-gan her practice at the Anti-Trust Section of the Attorney General’s Of-
fice and at Fowler, White, Gillen, Boggs, Villareal & Banker, P.A., before serving as in-house counsel with the Florida Education Association (FEA),
She and her husband, City-Commissioner Elect Curtis Richardson, strive to instill in their two daughters, their core values of altruism, public service and mak-ing a difference in the community. Judge Ashenafi Richardson has served as a shining example of the family’s credo, earning numerous awards, including: 2007 President’s Volunteer Service Award, Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism; 2005 Distinguished Leadership Award, Leadership Tallahassee; 2001 The
Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, Second Judicial Circuit; 2004 Public Service Award, National Forum for Black Public Administrators; 1998 The Florida Bar, Most Outstanding Young Law-yer, Young Lawyers Division.
Hard work and community service are the hallmarks of Judge Ashenafi Richardson’s life. She was the first African-American President of the Tallahassee Women Lawyer’s Association and the Tallahassee Bar Association, and is the first elected Ethiopian-American judge. Since taking the bench, she has been appointed to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, the Judicial Management Council, the Florida Court Education Council, the Mediation Training Review Board, and she serves as a member of the Advanced Judicial College teaching faculty. She credits her FAWL friends and col-leagues with providing a supportive community that has helped her excel.
Second Judicial Circuit Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson
Submitted by Trudy E. Innes Richardson, on behalf of the Tallahassee Women Lawyers Association, and practices with Guilday, Schwartz, Simpson, West, Hatch & Lowe,
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Judge Leandra G. Johnson manages crimi-nal and civil dockets as a Cir-cuit Court judge in Columbia County and has a deep respect for the law and our judicial sys-tem, which she endeavors to instill in those
who appear in her court. Her recognition of the importance that each case holds to the in-volved parties explains why attorneys and liti-gants have great respect for her.
With 24 years of legal experience before taking the bench, Judge Johnson has walked in the shoes of many attorneys appearing before her. Judge Johnson began her legal career as a prosecutor and after 17 years, transitioned to private practice for 7 years, where she gained broad experience in civil litigation and family law. Judge Johnson was appointed to the cir-cuit bench in December, 2005 and remains the only female circuit judge in the Third Judicial Circuit.
Shortly after taking the bench, Judge Johnson was appointed Family Law Administrative Judge, a position she held until being elected in 2011 for a two-year term as Chief Judge for the Third Judicial Circuit. In addition to her case assignments, she oversees the foreclosure initiative in her circuit. She also serves on the Statewide Commission on Trial Court Perfor-mance and Accountability and the Select Com-mittee on Justice Teaching. Her love of the law is exceeded only by her love of family, including her husband of over 40 years, her two sons and the highlight of her life - her four grandchildren.
Submitted by Rebecca Vaccariello, Board of Directors and FAWL Chapter Representative for the Collier County Women’s Bar Association and practices with Salvatori, Wood, Buckel, Carmichael & Lottes.
Third Judicial Circuit Judge Leandra G. Johnson
Reserve your advertising space in the Spring FAWL Journal today! Produced bi-annually, the FAWL Journal is distributed to more than 25,000 members of the Florida Bar, including FAWL members, judges, elected officials, law students and other legal professionals.
Email Jennifer Mahoney at [email protected] for advertising rates, bundles and deadlines.
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Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Karen Cole
Circuit Judge Karen Cole has been a jurist for over 16 years for Duval County, Florida. Prior to becoming a jurist, Judge Cole exceled as an attorney in private practice and as a member of the legal community by serving as President of the Jacksonville Bar Association, President of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court and President of the Florida Family Law American Inn of Court.
To follow in Judge Cole’s footsteps and become a jurist, she believes that attorneys should always do more than the minimum required and become the best at what they do. Judge Cole believes that lawyers should choose volunteer activities in which they have a genuine interest and seek out and create projects that make their hearts sing.
When asked what unexpected challenge Judge Cole has faced in her long tenure as a judge in Duval County, she cited to the overall condition of the former Duval
County Courthouse. She stated that you really have to love your career to work in a space with river rats in the walls and ceilings, mold, mildew, asbestos, and inadequate space for staff and court administration. However, Judge Cole believes that the new Duval County Courthouse is both functional, ele-gant, and it will last through the decades.
When appearing in court, she recommends that attorneys should be pleasant, low key, and reasonable in all areas. Communication, politeness, and extending profes-sional courtesies to opposing counsel, witnesses, and the Court are essential.
Submitted by Catherine Michaud, on behalf of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Associa-tion and practices with Quintairos, Prieto, Wood, & Boyer, P.A.
SAVE THE DATES: SAVE THE DATES!
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Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Patrice Moore
Submitted by Marcelana Anthony on behalf of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, and practices with Old Republic National Title Insurance Company.
Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon
The Honorable Lisa Herndon is the quintessential public servant. Her distin-guished career began in criminal prosecution, where her passion led her to work with arguably the most difficult cases in the justice system: sex crimes against children. Judge Herndon was drawn to the bench by the desire to make a posi-tive impact in her community. At present, Judge Herndon presides over cases in civil litigation, with a primary focus on family law.
Judge Herndon suggests that family law litigation is highly emotional and fraught with challenges. Though the equitable powers of a civil court afford her great discretion in fashioning appropriate remedies for the cases brought before her, she is occasionally challenged by cases that probe the limits of the law. The law is a blunt, imperfect tool which may not perfectly reach the complex contours of intimate family life. When seemingly intractable situations arise, Judge Herndon combines her crea-
tivity, discretion and equitable powers to resolve the situation and protect the chil-dren involved in the case.
In her years on the bench, Judge Herndon has been guided by a simple but power-ful polestar: ethics. She asserts that “integrity is the key for any woman lawyer who wants to be a judge.” Because an attorney’s reputation can be powerful or easy to ruin, Judge Herndon advises aspiring female jurists to ensure that their reputations reflect a commitment to professionalism, hard work, and ethical con-duct. Submitted by Christian Chessman on behalf of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers at the University of Florida and is a First Year Law Student at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
Judge Patrice Moore, Circuit Judge of the Unified Family Court in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, knew from the time she was in middle school that she wanted to become a lawyer. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Judge Moore always had a desire to help others and make sure that people were treated fairly regardless of race, sex, religion or economic status.
Judge Moore attended Florida Memorial University for her undergraduate degree and attended law school at Stetson University College of Law. After graduating from law school, Judge Moore worked for the Turner Law Group, assisting in employment discrimination cases. Later, Judge Moore joined the Public Defender’s Office for the Sixth Judicial Circuit where she specialized in mental health, direct filed and cross over cases.
Judge Moore advises women lawyers to have confi-dence and to know that they are just as capable as any of their male colleagues and states “I have been lucky enough to work with some of the best lawyers in the circuit and a great number of them are women.” For Judge Moore, a lawyer should be prepared, provide competent representation for clients, and help court dockets run smoothly. As for advice to women lawyers thinking of seeking the bench, Judge Moore encourages women to have confidence and “go for it!” Judge Moore feels that “there is no limit to what women can do. My prayer is that as women, we recognize our potential and know that there is no job too big for us.”
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Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Mary Day Coker
What you first notice about Judge Mary Day Coker is her energy, she radiates it. You cannot help but feel, in her presence, that things are going to happen. She is keenly aware of what is going on around her and she is genuinely interested in others.
Before being appointed to the Eighth Judicial Circuit bench by Governor Charlie Crist in 2010, Judge Coker had served as an Alachua County Court Judge for six years. Her experience included several years as an Alachua County Assistant State Attorney, a nine year partnership at Scruggs and Carmichael and an internship in the British House of Commons, before attending Georgetown University Law Center.
Regarding the challenge of moving from the role of advocate to that of Judge, she be-lieves that as an attorney, she came to the courtroom with an outcome in mind and a
plan of how to get there. As a Judge, she realized, she was there to listen. The importance of listening is para-mount to her and she shared a favorite quote from a mentor: “No one ever got in trouble from listening too much.”
When asked about her most meaningful achievement, Judge Coker was clear that her legal efforts and volunteer work in championing children’s causes were the most fulfilling for her, both professionally and personally. Judge Coker’s advice to young women considering a career in law: “Take the time to work in the world in some way, before law school, to establish a context from which to learn. Then, go for it!”
Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Margaret W. Hudson
Judge Margaret W. Hudson joined to the judiciary in 2006 and has presided over civil, juvenile, dependency and drug court cases. She currently presides over a felony divi-sion at the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand.
When asked if it was her ultimate career goal to become a judge, Judge Hudson chuckled and stated that at the ripe age of four, she already knew that she was going to be a jurist one day. It was at this age that Judge Hudson turned over her wagon filled with blocks and transformed it into her bench, imagined that her toy hammer was a gavel, and began conducting court in her living room. There was no deterring her after her announcement of her future career goals.
When asked what advice she has for female attorneys who may one day want to follow Judge Hudson’s path to the
bench, she stated that they should shoot for the stars. Being singular in your prac-tice area and networking with a single professional organization is not going to help you become a judge; instead, you need to broaden your exposure to multiple practice areas and expand your base support group. She recommends that you “do something every day that scares you” (a quote that she attributes to Eleanor Roosevelt) includ-ing speaking on legal topics when asked. Judge Hudson believes that you should be seen being in command of a subject matter and you also want to be perceived as hav-ing the right demeanor for a judge.
Submitted by Catherine Michaud, on behalf of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association and practices with Quintairos, Prieto, Wood, & Boyer, P.A.
Submitted by Jeanne Caulfield, President-Elect of the Clara Gehan Women Lawyer’s Association and is a Circuit Family Mediator and Beverly Graper, Director of the 8th Judicial Circuit ADR/Mediation Program.
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Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge Margaret H. Schreiber
Judge Margaret H. Schreiber was appointed as a Circuit Judge in 2011 and is currently assigned to the Civil Division of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. She previ-ously served in the Criminal Division, where she presided over more than 60 jury trials. Prior to her appointment, she was an AV rated shareholder with Lowndes, Drosdick, Dostor, Kantor and Reed, P.A., practicing in the area of complex civil and construction litigation. Judge Schreiber’s interest in the judi-ciary stemmed from clerking for Chief Judge Phillip A. Hubbart at the Third District Court of Appeal, where she observed how judges view legal issues and glean the law from the arguments of counsel. When she became a certified Circuit Civil mediator, she realized that her breadth of legal experience provided great perspective.
To women interested in serving in the judiciary, Judge Schreiber believes that they should (1) focus on developing their legal skills and (2) become involved in the community through legal and charitable organizations. Public service is of paramount importance for the judiciary and Judge Schreiber has served as President of the Cen-tral Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Editor of the Orange County Bar Asso-ciation’s The Briefs magazine, and on many legal and community boards and organi-zations. Some challenges Judge Schreiber faced upon appointment were quickly learning a new area of law, in which she never practiced, and developing a sentencing philosophy within the broad guidelines of the law. Judge Schreiber loves her position and, most of all, being able to be an active participant in protecting the integrity of the justice system.
Submitted by Cindy Campbell, on behalf of the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers and is a Third Year Law Stu-dent at the Florida A & M University.
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Circuit Judge Lisa S. Walsh presides over civil cases in the 11th Judicial Circuit. She is a graduate of North-western University and the University of Miami, School of Law. Judge Walsh began her career as an Assistant Public Defender as a trial and appellate attorney. In private practice, she re-ceived an “AV Preeminent”
rating from Martindale-Hubbell and was honored in Super Lawyers and Florida Trend Legal Elite. Judge Walsh was initially appointed to the County Court while serving as the President of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida of Association for Women Lawyers (“MDFAWL”). Judge Walsh has also served as an Associate Judge on the Fourth District Court of Appeal, as well as a trial skills instructor at the Florida Judicial College for new judges and a
member of the faculty at the Advanced Judicial Col-lege.
Judge Walsh is very active in the National Associa-tion of Women Judges where she serves as President-elect. In that capacity she will be leading the organ- ization’s Biennial joint conference with the Interna-tional Association of Women Judges. She also serves as a frequent speaker for the organization in conjunc-tion with its Informed Voters, Fair Judges project which is dedicated to preserving a fair and impartial judiciary for which project the Florida Association of Women Lawyers serves a project partner. Judge Walsh was a member of the Florida Bar Criminal Executive Council and the Ap-pellate Rules Commit-tee and has mentored for Educate Tomorrow and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Tenth Judicial Circuit Judge Ellen Masters Tenth Circuit Court Judge
Ellen Masters’ deep appre-ciation for her community and the law, combined with her preparedness and practical sensibility, has earned her a reputation as a thorough and fair jurist. A Michigan native, she moved to Lakeland at the age of 3 and Judge Mas-ters met her husband while working at the
Lakeland What-A-Burger. Judge Masters graduated college and law school cum laude, while starting a family - she and her husband have two sons.
Judge Masters practiced law for 10 years before de-molishing an old house in downtown Lakeland to build her law office. Her varied experience includes arguing successfully before the Florida Clemency Board for a client to serving on the Florida Supreme Court’s Commission on Trial Court Performance and Accountability, evincing that Judge Masters has re-
peatedly proven that she is not only intelligent, but resourceful. In 1999, she was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush as a County Court Judge with a criminal docket and in 2002, she was reelected as County Court Judge and subsequently appointed by the Governor as a Circuit Civil Judge. Judge Masters has been on the bench for 15 years and has served in nearly every division in the courthouse and is presently assigned to the court’s Probate Division.
Judge Masters believes in serving her hometown community and on a statewide basis, and is the type of judge we all wish to appear before: dedicat-ed, intelligent, and with an enduring commitment for the law, her family, and her community.
Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge Lisa Walsh
Submitted by Immediate Past President Sherrill Colombo of Littler Mendelson, P.C. and Leadership Committee Chair Linda Leali of Linda Leali, P.A., of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.
Submitted by Rebecca Vaccariello, Board of Directors and FAWL Chapter Representative for the Collier County Wom-en’s Bar Association and practices with Salvatori, Wood, Buckel, Carmichael & Lottes.
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Judge Curley gradu-ated from the Uni-versity of Oklaho-ma College of Law. In 1993, she moved to Florida and be-gan her legal career as a prosecutor for the Office of the State Attorney in Bradenton. Subse-quently, she trans-ferred to the Sara-sota office, where
she served as a felony prosecutor until 2001. She also has experience as a civil litigator, as she was staff counsel for Allstate until 2004 and then repre-sented plaintiffs in personal injury suits working with the law firm of Shapiro, Goldman & Babboni. In November of 2006, she was elected to the bench and has served in both the Family and Criminal divisions of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.
For Judge Rochelle Curley, making decisions that positively affect families is one of the most reward-ing aspects of her job. Currently assigned to the Family Law division, Judge Curley makes critical rulings impacting the lives of children and their parents daily. While she acknowledges that being faced with broken families and people who are at the lowest points in their lives, can occasionally be both physically and mentally exhausting, she feels privileged to be able to serve those families. Although Judge Curley understands the im-portance of efficiency in the legal system, she weighs the merits of each case carefully because she knows how critical her decisions are to the people who appear before her. She enjoys working with the lawyers in the Twelfth Circuit because they are passionate ad-vocates for their clients and yet are able to main-tain professional rela-tionships with each other and the Court.
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Judge Rochelle Curley
Judge Campbell grew up in Tampa and she graduated cum laude from Howard Univer- sity and attended law school at the University of Miami. Judge Lisa Campbell is currently assigned to the Felony Circuit Criminal
Division.
Judge Campbell waited until she felt that she had the background, experience, and tempera-ment necessary to become a judge. While Judge Campbell has recognized the different challenges facing female judges in other Circuits or States, she has not faced those problems in the 13th Circuit. Thanks to women who have paved the way, along with the mentorship of seasoned Judges such as Judge Claudia Isom, Judge Campbell feels that not only are more women becoming judges, they are being treated with equal respect.
Judge Campbell feels that networking and devel-oping research and writing skills are the key to not only preparing to become a judge, but also to enhancing a person's skills as a lawyer. One chal-lenge she has faced is learning to balance being efficient with not sacrificing meaningful time for the litigants. A necessary characteristic to com-bat that challenge is patience, which she believes is critical when a judge may be reviewing the same or similar issues all day every day, and one must remember and appreciate that a person's court date is his or her opportunity to be heard. Judge Campbell has enjoyed her time on the bench, particularly in the way that it has helped her learn, evolve, and create, as well as make a mean-ingful contribution to her community.
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Lisa Campbell
Submitted by Patricia D. Crauwels, President of the Sarasota County Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and practices with Matthews Eastmore
Submitted by Ashley Rector, on behalf of the Hills-borough Association for Women Lawyers and practices with the Todd Foster Law Group.
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Shonna Young Gay is the only female Judge in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit and is a native of Panama City. Over the years, when asked what she wanted to do with her life, she always said “I want to be a Judge.” After graduating from Cumberland School of Law, she felt it was extremely important for her to be well versed in as many areas of the law as possible. She practiced law for 17 years before taking the bench and has a background in criminal, civil, family law and dependency. In addition, she previously served as a civil traffic Hear-ing Officer.
Judge Gay has found the judges in her Circuit to be a very supportive unit, where they all work together for the good of the Cir-cuit. It is Judge Gay’s goal to make people feel com-fortable in her court, where “every person feels like they have the right to be heard.” She maintains an
open door policy with the staff and attorneys in her Circuit and often invites the local attorneys to brown bag luncheons for an informational exchange.
Judge Gay has been married to her high school sweetheart for twenty years and has two daughters, ages 17 and 11. Judge Gay believes that the skills she developed as a wife and mother have been a tremendous asset to the demands of serving on the ju-diciary and that she is “the luckiest person in the world to have a loving supportive family and a job that I love, where I can make a difference every day.”
Submitted by Stephanie Wartenberg, Editor of the FAWL Journal and on behalf of the Northwest Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and practices with Emerald Coast Estate Law.
Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Shonna Young Gay
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Monroe County Judge and Acting Circuit Judge Ruth Becker was a microbiolo-gist working in Boston in the early 1970s and was inspired to pursue a legal ca-reer. After law school, she initially moved to Palm Beach County for her first legal position. However, after a vacation in the Florida Keys, Judge Becker accepted a position as an assistant public defender and moved to Key West. In 1990, she was elected as a County Court Judge and has presided over Drug Court since 1995.
Judge Becker’s science background informs her personal and professional life, which includes her commitment to physical fitness, distance running, and a healthy lifestyle, and her work in court: defendants who appear before her in Drug Court in Marathon are routinely required to engage in an exercise plan as a condition of proba-
tion. Judge Becker wants to break the cycle of addiction for defendants who appear in her court, recognizing that brain chemicals released during exercise are a natural way to feel good without drugs. She also walks the walk, right along with the drug court participants when her schedule allows: by heading out for a run following Fri-day morning drug court hearings with the drug court participants. The participants are not required to keep up with her, but are required to at least walk the distance as well. When Judge Becker is not working or running, she also enjoys spending time in the Keys with her husband.
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Lucy Chernow Brown Judge Lucy Chernow Brown credits the variety of her pre-judicial experiences as her
most valuable asset in creatively meeting the demands of life as a Circuit Judge. At the age of 16, she entered the world of work as an elevator operator in a resort hotel on Montauk Point, Long Island. The best part of that job was meeting interesting people, in particular Terry, the man with whom she fell in love and has happily shared 42 years of married life. The couple has two wonderful daughters, great sons-in-law and three grandchildren, all beautiful, funny and true geniuses.
Judge Brown graduated from the University of Rochester and she earned her Mas-ter’s degree from Columbia University, and then proceeded to teach high school so-cial studies before landing a teaching job in a prison. Subsequently, Lucy and Terry relocated to Florida in 1974.
Judge Brown promptly became a State of Florida Pa-role and Probation Officer, supervising convicted felons and conducting investiga-tions for the court and the Florida Parole Commission. She attended Nova Univer-sity Law School and after graduating magna cum laude, she became an Assistant State Attorney, an Assistant City Attorney for West Palm Beach, and then prac-ticed as a civil lawyer, until becoming a Circuit Judge in January, 1991. Judge Brown has served in the civil, criminal, probate and family divisions of the court and is looking forward to a career as a mediator, after her retirement on December 31, 2014. Judge Brown’s varied experiences have given her a unique perspective when making decisions that affect people’s lives, when facing each challenging day on the bench.
Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Ruth Becker
Submitted by Rebecca Vaccariello, Board of Directors and FAWL Chapter Representative for the Collier County Women’s Bar Association and practices with Salvatori, Wood, Buckel, Carmichael & Lottes.
Submitted on behalf of the Palm Beach County Florida Association for Women Lawyers, President Nicole Hessen, with Wender, Hedler, & Hessen,
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Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Judge Mily Powell The Honorable Judge Mily Powell is a Circuit Court judge in the 17th Judicial
Circuit of Florida. Judge Powell, a mother of two, has both trial and appellate experience in criminal defense and workers compensation claims at the state and federal levels. Judge Powell first took the bench in 1995 as a judge of workers compensation claims. Joining the judiciary appealed to Judge Powell because of its unique vantage point, which allows her to explore cases from all sides. She further enjoys exposure to the current trends in the law.
Judge Powell has a sizeable caseload, which may be a double-edged sword and she identifies the immense number of cases as her biggest challenge since taking the bench. Currently, she has approximately 2,300 active cases on her docket, which all demand individual attention. In response, Judge Powell has cultivated the skill of compartmentalizing each case, giving every litigant her full attention.
Judge Powell acknowledges her fortune to have familial support while practicing law, raising a
family, and ultimately taking the bench. She recommends that aspiring female jurists also attempt to draw on support systems to maintain a healthy work/life balance. She believes that ensuring time for personal and familial growth is inte-gral to a successful and happy career. Judge Powell suggests that drawing on sup-port networks - such as extended family, significant others, and parents can smooth the seemingly forced choice between personal and professional develop-ment. The Honorable Judge Mily Powell provides a successful example for all aspiring female jurists.
Submitted by Christian Chessman on behalf of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers at the University of Florida and is a First Year Law Student at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
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Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Lisa Davidson Judge Lisa Davidson graduated from Duke Law School in 1977 and has been a long-
time supporter and member of the Brevard County Association for Women Lawyers. She began her career as a public defender in Broward County and she wanted to be-come a judge to make a difference. In 1994, she was the first female judge appointed by a Governor in Brevard County.
After working with a domestic violence victim, Judge Davidson worked to make the “private” issues of domestic violence “public.” She gave free legal advice at the Women’s Center and Chaired the new Florida Family Law Subcommittee on Domes-tic Violence. She was asked to sit on the Commission on Minimum Standards for Bat-terers’ Intervention and founded Brevard County’s Domestic Violence Task Force. As Chair of this task force, she created a visitation center at the Salvation Army and provided cell phones to victims.
Judge Davidson’s work with domestic violence exceeded her goal of making a difference and the real impact is seen on a door in her office. It is completely covered with photos of children she has helped in her judicial career and has maintained contact with. She has received numerous awards for children’s advocacy, including the William E. Gladstone Award, a statewide award for judicial leadership and service to Florida’s children and recognition by the Brevard County Commissioners for her work on children’s issues.
Judge Davidson’s favorite poem is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. She has taken that road, by bringing domestic violence issues to the forefront and providing advocacy for children.
Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger
Submitted by Heather Wallace-Bridwell, Vice President of Martin County FAWL and practices with Peterson Bernard.
Submitted by Wendy Fisher, Director of Special Events for the Brevard County Association for Women Lawyers and practices with the Law Office of Steven Lulich, P.A.
Judge Elizabeth Metzger was appointed to the Circuit Court bench for the 19th Judi-cial Circuit in 2006. In her tenure as judge, she has been assigned to all of the divi-sions within the 19th Judicial Circuit, including civil, probate, guardianship, family law, and juvenile dependency. She currently presides over felony cases. She serves on the Florida Supreme Court Standard Jury Instructions Committee (Civil) and also serves as the Mentor for new judges in the 19th Judicial Circuit. She is a member of the Martin County Chapter of FAWL and has participated in a Judicial Panel hosted by the Chapter. She has also sworn in Martin County FAWL’s officers for the last two years. She has earned a much deserved reputation in the 19th Judicial Circuit of being fair and impartial, well prepared, and having an excellent judicial demeanor.
Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Metzger was in private civil practice and was the first female partner in the law firm of Peterson Bernard. She was
the top female graduate of Nova Southeastern University Center for the Study of Law, class of 1990. As an undergraduate, she attended Villanova University on a full swimming scholarship and she was inducted into the Villanova Athletic Hall of Fame for her swimming accomplishments. She remains athletic and is currently training for a half marathon. She is married to Brad Larsen and has three children: Erik (20), Colin (16), and Matthew (13) and her oldest son, Erik, is now a student at Wake Forest University.
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Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judge Leigh Frizzell Hayes The Honorable Leigh Frizzell Hayes earned her law degree from Emory Universi-
ty Law School. She served as a senior staff attorney for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, and was later appointed as a Hearing Officer for child support and visita-tion cases. Currently, she presides over civil cases in County Court for Lee County and was recently certified as a Judicial Nominating Commission nominee for a Circuit Court vacancy.
When Judge Hayes first took the bench in January, 1997, she was the only female County Judge in Lee County. Judge Hayes is a member of the Florida Bar, the Georgia Bar, and the District of Columbia Bar. She is active in her community and was twice appointed to the Health and Human Services Board, where she served as Vice-Chair of the Children and Families/Aging and Adult committee and she was previously a volunteer Guardian Ad Li-tem. Judge Hayes is also an Elder in her church.
She believes that it is important for women attorneys to be respected in our com-munities and she advises that to achieve this goal, we must work hard, be compe-tent, well-prepared, and go out of our way to do the right thing. Judge Hayes proudly notes that we have come a long way already. Thirty-six percent of The Florida Bar members are women and four of the eight County Judges in Lee Coun-ty are women.
Submitted by Theresa Daniels, President of the Lee County Association for Women Lawyers and practices with Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice, & Purtz, P.A.
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Barry Woman Lawyers: Kyara Herard
Brevard County Assoc. for Woman Lawyers: Emily Criste
Broward County Woman Lawyers: Ninowtzka Mier
Central Florida Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Ashley Winship
Clara Gehan Assoc. for Women Lawyers: John Ciminillo
Collier County Women’s Bar Association: Kimberly Dillon
FAMUWomen’s Law Caucus: Katia Wilson
FAWL at Stetson: Ellen Bunzey
FAWL at the University of Florida: Cristina L. Delgado
Florida Coastal School of Law: Krisanne Bentley
Florida International University: Amber Kornreich
Florida State University: Caitlin Powell
Hillsborough Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Deborah C. Blews
Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association: Susannah Collins
Lee County Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Theresa Daniels
Manatee County FAWL: Terri Cromley
Marion County FAWL: Lane Jennings
Martin County: Preethi Sekharan
Miami Dade FAWL: Deborah Baker
Northwest Florida Chapter- Pensacola: Andrea Lyons
Nova Law Center Chapter: Lauren Taylor Clifton
Palm Bch County Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Nicole Hessen
Pinellas County Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Jennifer LynnCodding
Sarasota FAWL: Patricia Crauwels
South Palm Beach County FAWL: Leorah Greenman
St, Thomas Law School Chapter: Katrina Acosta
Tallahassee Women Lawyers: Jessica Leigh
Third Circuit FAWL: Laura Fouraker-Gardner
U of M School of Law, Miami Law Women: Kim Slaven
Thomas Cooley Law School: Zerin Taher
Volusia/Flagler Assoc. for Women Lawyers: Ann Phillips
Women Lawyers of Pasco County: Jenny Sieg
Thank you for your tireless commitment to empoweringyour members, creating better communities, and dedica-tion to FAWL’s mission.
FAWL CHAPTERSChapter Presidents
FLORIDAASSOCIATIONWOMEN
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� Support and Sustain chapters by providing re-sources for administration of membership andideas for chapter programs, chapter developmentgrants to build or maintain membership, and otherassistance to pave the way for successful chaptersin all areas of the State.
� Strengthen chapters and the connections betweenthem through the exchange of best practices dur-ing live events, quarterly regional calls for chapterleadership, and monthly board meetings
� Monetary Awards and statewide recognition tochapters for Outstanding Programming, Outstand-ing Chapter, and Membership Recruitment
� Publication and Promotion of chapter eventsand local CLE programs through the FAWL E-newsletter, website, social media, and on-lineFAWL calendar, as well as financial assistance todefray CLE recording costs.
� Recognition of chapters and their membersthrough FAWL Leaders in the Law Awards basedon nominations from chapters, as well as partner-ing with chapters to support nominations of mem-bers for prestigious statewide awards
� Collaboration with FAWL and other FAWLchapters to hold seminars, symposiums, and men-toring events with statewide impact
� Advocacy with chapters to support chapter mem-bers for appointments to Bar Committees, JNCs,and Judicial and State government positions
� Lobbying in Tallahassee to draw statewide atten-tion to local issues for women in the professionand connecting chapters with their local legisla-tors.
� Young Lawyers initiatives statewide and advoca-cy for FAWL chapters with young lawyers pro-gramming in front of the Young Lawyers Divi-sion Board of Governors. Collaboration with lawstudent chapters on mentoring projects and net-working opportunities statewide.
� Advocacy for members who seek appoint-ment to Bar Committees and JudicialNominating Commissions (JNC) with thebenefit of institutional knowledge on themost effective means of supporting appli-cants for these statewide positions
� Recognition of member’s professionalaccomplishments in statewide E-Newsletter and through social media, aswell as eligibility for prestigious awards
� Leadership Opportunities and Develop-ment for members at the statewide levelthrough FAWL Committees and the Exec-utive Board
� Publication Opportunities in substantiveareas of the law through contribution tothe FAWL Journal
� Representation on The Florida Bar Boardof Governors, The Florida Bar YoungLawyers Division Board of Governors, theNational Conference of Women’s Bar As-sociations, and the National Association ofWomen Lawyers
� Connect with over 3,000 fellow membersand develop statewide referral network atFAWL signature events, such as the Annu-al Meeting, Leadership Retreat, Mid-YearMeeting, and Lobby Days
� Mentoring in practice areas statewide
� Championing non-partisan issues im-portant to women and women lawyers andproviding members access to local repre-sentatives and bringing the issues to theforefront in Tallahassee
� Access to statewide database of FAWLmembership, free on-line continuing legaleducation library, publications and re-sources for professional development
FAWL - The Value of Membership
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Mattie Belle Davis Society
Take an extra step toward helping to achieveFAWL’s mission by joining The Mattie Belle Da-vis Society. FAWL established the Mattie BelleDavis Society in 2004 to honor Judge Davis, afounding member of FAWL at its inception in1951, and who remained active in FAWL untilher death fifty-three years later. She inspires usall with her life-long commitment to equal oppor-tunity, justice and the success of women in thelaw. The Society was created in her honor toallow its members to have a more direct contri-bution to satisfying FAWL’s mission and initia-tives.
The Mattie Belle Davis Society is composed ofleaders within our membership, who each recog-nize the importance of FAWL’s mission, andhave voluntarily agreed to take this extra step toensure that we, as an organization, move closer to reaching our goals. While all FAWL members are crucial toour success, the members of this Society have volunteered to commit to our cause at a higher level, by providingadditional support which generously enhances the benefits that FAWL can provide to members, chapters, aswell as on a state wide level.
The contributions from this Society help ensure:
· Increasing FAWL legislative presence in Tallahassee, including funding assistance to FAWL lobbyinginitiatives and FAWL Lobby Days;
· Assuring FAWL participation and involvement in The Florida Bar Board of Governors;
· Assuring FAWL visibility and participation at state-wide meetings of The Florida Bar;
· Supporting the presence and participation of FAWL chapters at state-wide planning events;
· Membership and representation with the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations and Nation-al Association for Women Lawyers;
· Providing unique state-wide member benefits, such as the extensive library of complementary CLEavailable our members through the FAWL website.
As the costs of these important FAWL initiatives increase, FAWL needs you to help and take that extra stepwith us. Join Now! Included with your membership in the Society you will receive a printed copy of the FAWLJournal, with your name and practice area listed in the Spring FAWL Journal. For additional recognition, yourname, with a link to your firm, will be listed on a page on FAWL’s website dedicated to the Mattie Belle DavisSociety.
An annual membership in the Mattie Belle Davis Society costs only $100 annually and may be paid to FAWL atthe time of your general membership renewal. Simply send your check for $100 to FAWL with your renewalform. If you have already renewed for the year, consider joining now!
It’s a small task with a huge impact. Please take that extra step! Join now!
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Daytona Beach:386-253-1560
O U R O F F I C E S
linkedin.com/company/upchurch-watson-white-&-max www.facebook.com/UWWMMediation @UWWMmediation
M E D I AT I O N | A R B I T R AT I O N | E - D I S C O V E RY | S P E C I A L M A S T E R S | C O N S U LTA N T SSolely Focused on Conflict Resolution in Florida, Alabama and Nationwide
CALL TOLL FREE: 800-863-1462 | READ MORE & SCHEDULE: WWW.UWW-ADR.COM
Plantation:954-423-8856
West Palm Beach/Boca Raton:561-533-7553
O U R M E D I ATO R S
Upchurch Watson White & Maxserves all of Florida, our locations or yours.
Kimberly SandsKimberly is
Upchurch Watson White & Max’s
newest principal and the first
woman to become a partner in the
firm.
A. Michelle JerniganA shareholder with UWWM, Michelle has been a trail-blazer among the state’s mediators since she launched her ADR career in 1987.
Judith A. BassA trial attorney
for 25 years and full-time
mediator with 3,000 mediations
in the past 12 years, Judy delights in facilitating settlement
efforts.
K. Judith LaneKnown for her negotiation skills as a litigator, Judi joined Upchurch Watson White & Max as a mediator/arbitrator this fall.
