in this edition - tallahassee...
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February 2017 Published Quarterly The • Tallahassee
Bar Bulletin
Enhancing the Profession • Promoting Fellowship • Serving the Community
In This Edition
President’s Message
Richard B. Collins, 2016-17 TBA President
Perry & Young Attorneys at Law [email protected]
My term is coming to an end after our March meeting. I am truly pleased with how we have moved forward this year to implement positive changes and enhancements that will continue to improve our membership service. Our now-monthly Executive Committee meetings will help us to better plan for meetings and programs. We’ve been assisted by a very active Marketing and Membership Committee and by our communications consultant, who has done a great job helping us to create new options for membership growth. Member benefits also have been expanded!
The ever-popular TBA/LAF Chili Cook-Off was again a huge success thanks to the TBA Events Committee, the 16 teams who competed, the judges, the FSU College of Law volunteers, the event staff and everyone who attended! Our monthly CLE series—FREE for members—has been a big success. The January Constitutional Revision Commission lunch CLE headed by G.C. Murray Jr. drew a great crowd. Our February meeting was a combination of the annual Past Presidents Meeting and our popular Table of Eight. It provided CLE credit and had outstanding turnout. The highlight was the Thomas M. Ervin Jr. Distinguished Young Lawyer Award, which was presented to Jami Coleman. Helen Ervin was part of the presentation, and she gave a great speech as usual. The March 7 TBA meeting is the Annual Meeting/Elections and a panel discussion on the Ted Bundy case. See details below; this innovative program on the Bundy murder trial should be a hit! Finally, with our expanded board of three additional directors we have a great slate of officers and directors to move us forward this coming year. I would be remiss if I did not mention the awesome job our Executive Director has done to keep us on task and to make sure we operate and serve our membership well. Joann Gore is the heart and soul of our organization. Our meetings would not happen without her guidance and planning. Thanks, Joann! I am certain we will move forward with great leadership and have even greater programs and activities for the next administration. Sean Desmond will do a great job.
In closing, I challenge each of you to single out one potential new member and invite him or her to come to our next meeting and to consider joining the TBA. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your 2016-2017 TBA President.
~ Dick Collins
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2017-18 Slates of
TBA/YLS/LAF
Officers and Directors
Member News
Jami Coleman
Member Profile
News/Announcements
YLS News and Events
Member Benefits
Event Photos
LAF Mobile Law for All
@tallahasseebar now has more than 1,000 Twitter followers. Join the #lawtwitter fun!
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TBA, TBA YLS and LAF
2017-2018 Slates of Officers/Directors
Elections will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at the Capital City Country Club starting at 5 p.m. 2017 TBA dues MUST be paid to be eligible to vote by or on the March 7, 2017, TBA meeting.
Tallahassee Bar Association 2017-2018 Slate of Officers/Directors
Officers
Sean Desmond - President Eric Milles - President-Elect
Directors
Mutaqee Akbar Nick Bader Sidney Bigham Joseph Bodiford Jami Coleman Christine Graves G. C. Murray Jr. Jerry L. Rumph Jr. Nancy Daniels - Sr. Representative Chevonne Christian - YLS Representative
Tallahassee Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Legal Aid Foundation 2017-2018 2017-2018 Slate of Officers/Directors Slate of Officers/Directors
Officers
John Sawicki - Treasurer Greg Noonan - Treasurer-Elect Lo Bielby - Secretary
Ex-Officio: Richard Collins - Immediate Past President Linje Rivers - LAF Representative Larry Sellers and Melissa VanSickle The Florida Bar BOG Representatives
Erin Tilton - President Chevonne Christian - President-Elect Sarah Sandy - Treasurer Cayelan Loucks - Secretary Alyssa Willson - Immediate Past President
Tabitha Harnage Angie Huston Adam Komisar Michael Larson Ashely Lukis Ian MacDonald Mark Nonni Greg Pierson Craig Richards Carter Scott Kyle Sill
Law Student Reps: Mallory Neuman Allison Beattie Elise Berry
Directors
Officers Linje Rivers, President Brittany Dambly, President-Elect Michael Alao, Treasurer Secretary, TBD
Directors
Lynwood Arnold, Director Dr. Reginald Ellis, Director Kevin Forsthoefel, Director Will Hall, Director Monica Ross, Director Tom Schulte, Director Brandi Thomas, Director Caroline Arrant, Community Representative Lolia Fernandez, Student Representative Jami Coleman, Immediate Past President
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2017 TBA Elections by Absentee Ballot
BYLAWS OF THE TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC.
(Adopted December 1, 2015)
ARTICLE I NAME
This association shall be known as THE TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
Section 7. Voting. Every Regular, dues paying Emeritus, Associate and Judicial member of the association, in good standing, shall have the right and be entitled to one vote, in person, or by advance absentee ballot as provided herein, upon every proposal
including the election of officers, properly submitted to vote at any meeting of the association, except as set forth in Article XI.
A Regular, dues paying Emeritus, Associate or Judicial member who wishes to vote by absentee ballot must obtain a ballot from the Secretary of the association no less than 3 working days in advance of the meeting at which the vote is to be taken. At the
time the Regular, dues paying Emeritus, Associate or Judicial member obtains a ballot, he or she must sign a statement certifying that he or she will be out of the circuit or physically incapacitated for the meeting and will be unable to attend the meeting to vote for that reason. The ballot must be sealed in an unmarked envelope, and placed within another envelope on which the
Regular, dues paying Emeritus, Associate or Judicial member's name is written. The ballot must be returned to the Secretary no later than 5:00 p.m. of the day preceding the meeting. Before the absentee votes are counted at any meeting, the names on the
outside envelope shall be compared with the list of Regular, dues paying Emeritus, and Judicial members present at the meeting. If the Regular, dues paying Emeritus, Associate or Judicial member who submitted an absentee ballot is in attendance
at the meeting, his or her absentee ballot shall be discarded unopened.
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TBA on Feb. 7 hosted the annual Past Presidents Dinner at Capital City Country Club, and this great group of TBA leaders joined us. Thank you to each and every one of the Tallahassee Bar Association's former presidents. We appreciate your service to our organization and to the legal community.
L-R: Dean LeBeouf, Jimmy Judkins, Tom Powell, Judge Charles Francis, Dom Caparello, Bill Camper, Larry Simpson, Mike Glazer, Jim Messer, Stan Chapman, Jerome Novey, Larry Sellers, Terry Madigan and Bill Davis. Seated L-R: Linda Stalvey, Kelly Overstreet-Johnson, Sunita Smith and Kathy Maus.
Florida Division of Administrative Hearings Director and Chief Judge Robert S. Cohen received the 2016 TBA Lifetime Professionalism Award. The award is given to a lawyer, judge or law professor who is a TBA member and who for a period of at least 25 years has demonstrated professionalism and dedication to the legal profession and legal community through civil, community or legal service. Cohen was nominated by his colleague and close friend attorney Dean LeBoeuf. L-R: Dean LeBoeuf, Judge Cohen and TBA President Dick Collins.
The Tallahassee Bar Association recently selected Jami A. Coleman, a tax law associate at Viera Williams P.A., as this year’s recipient of the Thomas M. Ervin Jr. Distinguished Young Lawyer Award. The annual award honors a young lawyer who exemplifies the contributions that attorney Tom Ervin made to the legal profession, The Florida Bar and the Tallahassee Bar Association. L-R: Award presenter Linje Rivers, Jami A. Coleman and Darby Kerrigan Scott.
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Mark Holcomb and Bob Goldman have joined Dean, Mead & Dunbar’s tax department in the Tallahassee office. They bring over 70 years of combined experience handling complex state and local tax matters involving planning, compliance, litigation and legislation.
Martha Barnett, a retired Holland & Knight senior partner, participated in the Women's March on Washington and wrote a My View article for the Tallahassee Democrat, “Why I marched: for justice and the Constitution.”
Second Judicial Circuit Public Defender Nancy Daniels—Leon County’s longest-serving public defender—retired in December. Daniels was elected to the 2nd Circuit in 1990 and was the first woman to be elected public defender anywhere in Florida. The Florida Association of Women Lawyers honored her with the Rosemary Barkett Outstanding Achievement Award during The Florida Bar Annual Convention. (Photo: FSU College of Law)
Legal Aid Foundation of Tallahassee's Thunderdome program received a $1,500 grant from The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division during the YLD's annual Affiliate Outreach Conference in January. Tallahassee Bar Association Young Lawyers Section President Alyssa Willson presented the Thunderdome program’s AOC grant. The TBA YLS is a Diamond level sponsor of the Thunderdome program.
Submit your news! TBA posts member and firm news on our website, in our biweekly News Briefs, in the quarterly Bulletin and on our Facebook and Twitter profiles. Email [email protected].
Harkness Announces Retirement Florida Bar Executive Director John F. Harkness Jr. plans to step down after 37 years of running The Florida Bar. Harkness, 72, announced the news during the Bar Board of Governors’ January meeting in Tallahassee. The Florida Bar News reported that Harkness told the board, “Times change; people change. I’ve been doing this for 37 years. It’s been wonderful and it’s been challenging, but I think it’s time to entrust the future of the Bar to somebody else. “I’ll stay though the transition or whatever time it takes so it will be without a hiccup.” Harkness also said he would like to remain involved with the Bar through the upcoming Constitution Revision Commission process, which could last up to the November 2018 general election.
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Sponsor a Monthly TBA CLE for $100
Firm logo with CLE announcement in e-blasts TBA News Brief ads, social media and website posts Business card ad in TBA Bulletin TBA Website ad for one month
For more information, please email Joann Gore or call (850) 702-5008.
The Room Where It Happens: An Insider’s Look at the Constitutional Revision Committee CLE
Here are photos from the Tallahassee Bar Association's Jan. 27 one-hour lunch CLE moderated by Florida Justice Association Deputy General Counsel G.C. Murray Jr. The panel featured Talbot
“Sandy” D’Alemberte, Dr. Carol S. Weissert and Deborah Kearney. Learn more about the Constitution Revision Commission at www.floridabar.org/CRC. (Photos courtesy of G.C. Murray Jr.)
Panelists gather with Tallahassee Bar Association President Dick Collins and Florida Justice Association Executive Director Paul Jess.
(L-R: Sandy D’Alemberte, Dr. Carol Weissert, G.C. Murray Jr., Debbie Kearney,
Paul Jess and Dick Collins)
Special Thanks to Our CLE Sponsor
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TBA Member Profile: Jami A. Coleman
Our Bulletin profile this month is on Jami Aisha Coleman, a tax law associate at Viera Williams P.A. and this year’s recipient of TBA’s Thomas M. Ervin Jr. Distinguished Young Lawyer Award. Coleman earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State Univer-sity, a Juris Doctor degree from FSU College of Law and a Master of Law in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. At FSU, she was an editor of the Business Law Review, a member of the Mock Trial Team, competed in the Jessup International Moot Court Competition and served as the Sub-Regional Director IV of the Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association.
Coleman’s legal career includes work as a Drug Court Coordinator at the Seminole County Court-house under the supervision of now-retired Florida Supreme Court Justice James E. C. Perry, an intern-ship for Special Trial Judge John F. Dean at the Unit-ed States Tax Court and service as an attorney for the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at Legal Services of North Florida. As a LITC Attorney, Coleman assisted approximately 300 low-income taxpayers each year with tax controversies against the IRS. Coleman joined Viera Williams P.A. in 2013 as a full-time associate in tax law, probate matters, estate planning and business law. Coleman is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court and is pending admission to practice in New York. Her numerous community and Bar leadership roles include service as president of the Legal Aid Founda-tion of Tallahassee, a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend, Class III Fellow of the Wm. Reece Florida Bar Leadership Academy, associ-ate member of the William H. Stafford American Inns of Court and adjunct professor at Florida A&M University, where she teaches corporate and indi-vidual income tax in the School of Business and In-dustry. Coleman also is affiliated with the Tallahas-see Chamber of Commerce, the Women's Leader-ship Council of the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce and Business Network International.
She has served as a mentor for countless youth in Leon County public schools and for law students at Florida State University College of Law and Florida A&M University College of Law. She was recognized by the National Bar Association as a recipient of the 2016-2017 Top 40 Under 40 Nation's Best Advo-cates, and she received the distinguished award and recognition as the 2016 Nation's Best Advocate. However, Coleman maintains that her greatest ac-complishments are her two children, Ariel (13) and Khari (17).
What person or event influenced you to practice law and select your specific practice area(s)? As a child, adults would often tell me that I was going to be a lawyer. But it wasn’t until I saw the fictional character Claire Huxtable on the Cosby Show that I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer. For me, Claire was the epitome of integrity, grace and beauty. She was a mother and a wife, she spoke Spanish fluently and she was a family law attorney. I wanted to emulate her, so whenever I was asked about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say, “an attorney like Claire Huxtable.” It wasn’t until college that I knew the specific practice area in which I wanted to practice. During my first semester at FSU, I worked at the restaurant Chicago Loop on the weekends and evenings, as well
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TBA Member Profile: Jami A. Coleman Continued from page 9
The Tallahassee Bar Association presented the 2017 Thomas M. Ervin Jr. Distinguished Young Lawyer Award to Jami A.
Coleman of Viera Williams P.A. Jami is pictured with award presenter Linje Williams, 2016 Ervin award recipient Darby
Kerrigan Scott, Helen Ervin, TBA President Dick Collins and TBA President-Elect Sean Desmond.
an after-hours daycare. I was pregnant with my son during this time. During my second semester of my undergraduate year, Khari was born, and because I was so young and just beginning college, I found it necessary to continue working two and sometimes three jobs to support my son and myself. The following year, I decided to do my own tax return and when I did, I received a refund in an amount that was half of my annual earnings. I was confused but curious as to how I could receive more money back from the government than what I paid in. My curiosity led me to read more about the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and other refundable tax credits. My curiosity also led me to enroll in a Constitutional law class, where I learned more about the legality of the imposition of taxes. It was also during that time that I became certified to prepare tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Because of these experiences, I knew I wanted to be a tax lawyer. Although I knew I wanted to be a tax lawyer, I had no idea what a tax lawyer did. When I started my first year of law school at Florida A&M University College of Law, I met Professor Bullock, a black female tax attorney. I sought out more black female tax attorneys and became active in the Black Law Student Association and the National Black Law Student Association where I met Vanita Banks, Past President of the National Bar Association, who also had her LLM in Tax. It was important for me to seek out women who shared similarities with me so that I could appreciate what potential obstacles I would face in my goal of becoming a tax attorney, particularly because I did not have an accounting background. I was a political science major with a minor in Spanish. Other than the VITA experience, I had no real tax experience or background. After transferring to Florida State University College of Law, I met Professor Brian Galle, a graduate from Georgetown University Law Center’s Tax Program, and took all of his tax courses. He became a mentor and wrote a letter of recommendation for me to GULC, and shortly before graduation at FSU College of Law, I learned that I was accepted into the GULC Tax Program. While in D.C., I had the opportunity to intern and clerk for the U.S. Tax Court, but it wasn’t until I came back home to Tallahassee and began volunteering and working at Legal Services of North Florida that I knew what a tax attorney did. It was because of my experience at LSNF that I was sure about the type of law I wanted to practice. I enjoy helping people resolve their tax matters with the IRS and the Department of Revenue. My days are typically spent negotiating for taxpayers, individuals and businesses, resolving their tax disputes, removing levies or the threat of a levy, entering into an installment agreement, or providing tax education, counseling, and planning services. Ninety percent of my day revolves around tax law and I love it.
If you could have dinner with any lawyer from the past or the present, who would it be and why? Thurgood Marshall. I would ask him to share his thoughts on what strategies this generation could engage in to dismantle overt but legal racial, gender and religious discrimination and effectuate some radical change in our political system. I also would ask what he thinks today’s lawyers should be doing to improve civility in the profession and ensure equality within our society. What motivates you? I believe that each individual is specially equipped with gifts and talents that are unique to them, and that we are called to use those gifts and talents to help our neighbors become their best selves. In doing so, we are also able to reach our greatest potential. I believe that our talents are not just our own, but are intricately tied to someone else’s needs. Helping to make a difference in someone's life and using my talents to help them reach their potential is what motives me.
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News and Announcements
NEW! TBA Online Job Bank
The Tallahassee Bar Association welcomes job announcements that are relevant to our members and to lawyers in the Second Judicial Circuit. Please email your information to TBA Executive Director Joann Gore at [email protected] with supporting materials such as fliers; URLs and links to online content; contact
information, etc. Thank you for your interest in this legal community resource.
More TWL Dates to Save!
Mentor-Mentee Mixer
February 23, 2017 5:30-7 pm
Location TBA
March Table of 8 March 26, 2017
Hosted by Judge Lynn Quimby-
Pennock
Coffee Talk April 11, 2017 8:30-9:30 am
FSU Law School
Nominations are open for TBA’s annual Martha Barnett Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, established to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women lawyers from Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit. The award will honor an outstanding lawyer who has achieved professional
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News and Announcements
If you are interested in participating, please click here.
February 25, 2017
Nominations Due March 17 for Martha Barnett Women Lawyers of
Achievement Award
excellence and who has been an advocate or mentor for the advancement of other women lawyers. Leon County Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson received the inaugural Barnett Award in 2016. Forms are online. The nomination deadline is Friday, March 17. The 2017 award will be presented at the Tallahassee Bar Association’s April membership meeting, a joint event with the Tallahassee Women Lawyers. Nominees must be TBA members.
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YLS News & Events
This month’s YLS Docket Call is Feb. 23 from 6-9 p.m. at Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille.
Great photos from the Young Lawyers
Section January Docket Call. In the top
photo, TBA YLS President-Elect Erin Tilton
(far left) is pictured with event sponsors Josh
Bentley and Sam O’Cain of Northwestern
Mutual, Cayelan Loucks and Craig Richards.
The Young Lawyers Section hosts a monthly docket call and happy hour for
members to network — and ALL Tallahassee Bar Association members
are welcome! Join YLS on the last Thursday of the month, 6:00 p.m., at
Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille.
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ADVERTISE in the Bar Bulletin or TBA News Briefs and reach 750+ members of the Second Judicial Circuit legal community.
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Did You Know?
Robert M. Ervin Lawyers’ Commons Is Available to ALL Lawyers
The Commons is a great place to convene with colleagues during breaks in trials, rest between your downtown meetings or brew a cup of coffee to support Legal Aid Foundation. The space has several sitting areas; a work area with table and four chairs; and a mini kitchen complete with ice maker, microwave, sink and Keurig coffee maker. The Commons is located in the TBA/LAF Office Suite #108, Leon County Courthouse, 301 S. Monroe Street in Tallahassee. No reservations necessary. Come visit your Commons any time!
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TBA members may access exclusive discounts and incentives from these local vendors for services such as accounting, clothing, hotel reservations and
photography and fitness. Learn more at TallahasseeBar.org/benefits.
TBA Member Benefits Program - Save Now!
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Special Thanks to These
21st ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF
SPONSORS!
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Special Thanks to These
21st ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF
SPONSORS!
This year's "People’s Choice" award went to Coppins Monroe Adkins & Dincman
P.A. for Netflix and Chili.
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Congratulations to Our 21st ANNUAL CHILI COOK-OFF
WINNERS
"Most Magnificent Margarita" went to Rumberger Kirk Caldwell for Chili Encounters of the RKC Kind.
Florida State University College of Law Alumni won "Most Unusual Chili" for its amazing
Wild West Chili.
"Best 5-Alarm Chili" went to the First District Court Of Appeal Rogue One team.
The DOAH Hell Hath No Jury team won "Best Bedecked.”
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Tallahassee Bar Association, Tallahassee Women Lawyers and Tallahassee Barristers Association hosted a retirement celebration on Dec. 6 to honor retiring Florida Supreme Court Justice James E.C. Perry. He was presented with three legal novels for leisure reading. Here are some photos of the wonderful event, taken by TWL member Stephanie Hayes. Best wishes, Judge Perry, from your friends and colleagues in Tallahassee. L-R: Ronnie Barker, Jami Coleman, Justice Perry, Marva Williams and Ivory Avant.
Justice Perry’s Retirement Party
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