On June 6, Michael John Colitz, Jr., whose last known business address is in Largo, was suspended from the practice of law in Ohio for five years, with two years stayed, and will not be reinstated to the practice of law in Ohio until such time as he is reinstated to the practice of law by the U. S. Department of Commerce, U. S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to the Ohio Supreme Court.Colitz’ Ohio attorney registration number is 0027952.For more information, see the Ohio Supreme Court’s entry in Disciplinary Counsel v. Colitz, 99 Ohio St.3d 1216, 2003-Ohio-3302, at www.sconet.state.oh.us/ROD/documents.Tampa Bay Red Cross honors Stetson law Briefs The Fourth Annual Conference of the Florida Trial Court Staff Attorneys Association is set for October 9 – 10 at the Adam’s Mark Daytona Beach Resort.Attendees will earn CLE hours in areas that specifically apply to judicial staff attorney positions.On October 9, attendees also can mix and mingle with other staff attorneys at high rates of speed during a group outing to Daytona USA, home of NASCAR’s Daytona 500. The next day participants will enjoy a luncheon while participating in a panel discussion with other staff attorneys on the latest issues affecting the trial courts.The registration fee for the conference is $70 for members and $140 for nonmembers. Late fees apply to those who register after September 8.FAMU law establishes scholarship Florida Bar members should now have paid their annual Bar fees.The fee statements were mailed in late May. The fees were payable July 1 and are late after August 15.Members will receive one of two fee statements: one designed for active members and another for those who have elected inactive status. Annual fees are still $265. Inactive members pay $175. Eligible members may pay online at www.FLABAR.org.Under the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, fees postmarked after August 15 will be assessed a late fee.Gogel petitions for reinstatement Pursuant to Rule 3-7.10, Steven Werner Effman of Plantation has petitioned the Supreme Court for Florida Bar reinstatement.Effman was suspended for 91 days for engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships with clients which affected the attorney-client relationship.Any person having knowledge bearing upon Effman’s fitness or qualifications to resume the practice of law may contact Joel M. Klaits, Bar Counsel, The Florida Bar, 5900 North Andrews Ave., Ste. 835, Ft. Lauderdale 33309, telephone (954) 772-2245.Ohio suspends Colitz The Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission is accepting applications for two Capital Collateral Regional counsels appointed by the governor within the middle and southern regions of the state.The middle region consists of the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, 10th, 12th, 13th, and 18th judicial circuits; and the southern region consists of the 11th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 19th, and 20th judicial circuits.Applicants must indicate each regional office for which they are applying.Applicants must have been a member in good standing of The Florida Bar or a similar organization in another state for the preceding five years. Additionally, an applicant should meet the standards as set out in Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.112.Applications may be obtained from the Florida Bar Web site at www.flabar.org.Eleven copies of the completed application with attachments must be received by John E. Fisher, JNC chair, 20 N. Orange Ave., Ste. 1500, Orlando 32801-4624, no later than 5 p.m., September 2. Interviews will be conducted on September 18 in Orlando at the office of the chair.The Supreme Court JNC will recommend three qualified applicants to the governor for each appointment. Subject to Senate confirmation, each counsel will serve for a term of three years with an annual salary of $110,000. A description of duties can be found in F.S. §27.702. A person appointed as a regional counsel may not run for or accept appointment to any state office for two years following vacation of office.Bush makes more JNC appointments After a decade of rapid membership growth, the Labor and Employment Law Section is looking for new ways to serve members, and working to help members cope with changes in employment law.“We have revised our committee structure to provide better service to members,” said section Chair Cathy Beveridge.The section is examining all of its operations and CLE courses, she said, and that includes beginning a new membership directory.The council has also arranged to have all of its meetings right before CLE courses, with a reception after the seminar as a way to welcome members and get them involved in section activities.On CLE courses, Beveridge said the section has been following trends and working to keep members informed.Since September 11, there has been a change in cases involving discrimination based on national origin. Beveridge said people with Arabic backgrounds have been facing more discrimination and consequently bringing more cases.Another change is more lawyers are turning to state instead of federal courts for employment-based cases.“There are some real positives to going to state court as opposed to federal court, and vice versa,” she said. “The attorney has to decide which venue is best.”For more information about the section, contact its administrator Angela Froelich at (850) 561-5633.Miami PD goes international The Tampa Bay chapter of the American Red Cross awarded Stetson University College of Law a Good Neighbor Award at its recent annual meeting in Safety Harbor.The award was presented to organizations that “made a significant humanitarian contribution to the local community in support of the American Red Cross.” Stetson supported the Tampa Bay chapter’s Speakers Bureau by providing facilities, equipment, and staff support for its volunteer training session.“Stetson is proud to offer assistance to the American Red Cross,” said Dean Darby Dickerson, who is also a board member for the organization’s Tampa chapter. “Many Stetson students and professors have participated in chapter events.”Professor Richard Graves, instructor of legal research and writing, accepted the award on behalf of Stetson on June 26 at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.Labor and Employment Law Section works to better serve its members The Paralegal Association of Florida, Inc. has set its 27th Annual Seminar and Membership Meeting for September 12-13 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando.The seminar includes general and double-track sessions focusing on civil litigation and business entities. In addition, general sessions include Jennifer Eden, speaking on “Piercing the Corporate Veil” and “Drafting Asset/Purchase Agreements.”Double-track sessions offer a choice of topics on the civil litigation track of “Discovery and Litigation: Requests to Admit” and “Trial Documents: Jury Instructions;” Andrew Hament speaking on “Hiring and Firing Employees and Avoiding Legal Nightmares: An Overview of the Many Laws and Regulations Affecting Employment Relationships;” and James Fallace speaking on “Covenants Not to Compete.” The business entities track features Kenneth Norman speaking on “What are the Choices? LLP, LLC, FLP, C-Corp, S-Corp, GP or LP,” Frank A. Rodriguez speaking on “Liability and Asset Protection Strategies in Transactional Law,” Kenneth Gluckman speaking on “Buying/Selling/Merging,” and Robin A. Lloyd, Sr., speaking on “Drafting Closing Documents.”The event also offers for its certified legal assistant participants a “CLA Breakfast,” with a presentation by L. Scott Fairchild, Psy.D. Participants may also enjoy a Friday evening that includes admission to and a buffet dinner served in one of the several themed nightclubs at Pleasure Island.Association members may attend the PAF’s 27th Annual Membership Meeting, during which the 2003-2004 board will be elected. A membership forum will be held on September 13 at 1 p.m. where paralegal regulation and other issues concerning PAF members will be discussed.Seminar rates are $145 for PAF members and $160 for nonmembers, and include educational sessions, handout materials, two continental breakfasts, and one luncheon. The Paradise Island admission and restaurant buffet dinner, CLA Breakfast, and Installation Banquet are optional and charged separately.For more information call the Paralegal Association of Florida at (800) 433-4352 or visit its Web site at www.pafinc.org.Walker to lead Caribbean Bar August 15, 2003 Regular News
When Holly Marie Stutz entered the Florida A&M University College of Law in August 2002, she was pursuing a long-deferred dream to become an attorney. Now her family wants to help other students achieve that goal.Stutz, a member of the FAMU College of Law’s inaugural class and an employee in the 10th Circuit Public Defenders Office, passed away in December after a battle with cancer. Her family now has established the Holly Marie Stutz Memorial Scholarship Fund at the law school to benefit a part-time evening program student working for an agency that provides legal services to the indigent.The new scholarship fund was announced in July when the family presented its gift. James and Ann Stutz and Suzanne Dengler, Stutz’ sister, were in attendance, as well as Marion Moorman, the 10th Circuit public defender.“The fact that the scholarship benefits students who work for an agency that provides legal services to the indigent matches the law school’s core mission of serving the under served,” said Dean Percy R. Luney, Jr.Dean Luney described Stutz as a “standout” in the school’s inaugural class.Carlos Woody, president of the Student Bar Association, presented the Stutz family with a proclamation on behalf of the 2002 inaugural class.The first Holly Marie Stutz scholarship will be awarded this fall.Volunteer lawyers sought for tax work Because Miami-Dade County has the highest immigration rate in the country, many clients of the public defender’s office are not U.S. citizens.Miami-Dade Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer recently met with local consular officials from 20 countries to increase cooperation to improve indigent defense representation.One of the main concerns expressed by the consular officials was the need to locate their detained citizens who may be experiencing great distress or confusion because of cultural and language barriers.“Authorities do not always notify us when one of our citizens is detained and that is a disappointment,” one consular official said, according to Brummer’s office.Brummer responded that although consular notification is the responsibility of law enforcement, the public defender’s office for the 11th Circuit would implement a process for consular notification, upon the request of a detained foreign national.Other topics discussed included consular notification under the Vienna Convention, access to critical information about detainees’ home countries, and clients’ difficulty in understanding the American criminal justice system and its consequences, particularly deportation.Proposals were discussed, such as addressing several treaties that allow foreign nationals to serve their sentences in their home countries. If the defendant, the state, consulate, and governor agree that the sentence could be served abroad, Brummer said, Florida’s taxpayers would not have to pay the cost of incarceration or supervision, which can range from $17,000 to $27,000 per inmate.“Intercultural exchange for support of indigent defense goes beyond the scope of the criminal justice system,” Brummer said in a prepared statement.“It contributes to the attainment of social justice, civil stability, the rule of law, and the overall improvement of commerce and opportunities for development.”Participating in the meeting were consular officials from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad, Tobago, and Uruguay. Officials from Peru, Bolivia, Honduras, and Nicaragua are also participating in the program.For more information on the consular and public defense cooperation project, contact Sonia Slaughter, project coordinator, at (305) 545-1900 or Brummer by e-mail at pd@pdmiami.com.PAF sets 27th Annual Seminar for September 12-13 in Orlando The Caribbean Bar Association recently elected Dahlia A. Walker as its president for the 2003-2004 calendar year.Other new officers include Robert C.L. Vaughan, vice president; Alana Dasent, secretary; and Andre Hall, treasurer.“As an organization, the Caribbean Bar Association holds a unique position as a unifier of the Caribbean-American community in South Florida, and as an instrument of information, education, and empowerment to the community,” Walker said.“The Caribbean Bar is poised for continued growth in serving the needs of its members and the community at large,” said Marlon A. Hill, the immediate past president. “This new leadership team will provide a sense of promise, energy, and talent to the organization’s mission and vision.”The 11th Circuit’s Put Something Back program recently presented the Caribbean Bar Association its Voluntary Bar Association of the Year award for its presentation of a series of community forums and annual citizenship drives, which benefited thousands of economically disadvantaged residents.For more information about the CBA call (305) 548-3800, or visit www.caribbeanbar.org.Lawyers volunteer to help artists The Children’s Services Council of Broward County is leading an effort to promote the Earned Income Tax Credit and is seeking volunteers to help working families obtain the credit.VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program sponsored by the IRS, is looking for volunteers to help taxpayers with their returns.VITA assists individuals who have problems preparing their own returns and cannot afford professional assistance. VITA helps these people fill out basic tax returns, and answer tax questions. Assistance is provided at locations such as community centers, libraries, and churches.If you would like to become a volunteer contact Doris Kramer at (954) 423-7626. Pursuant to Rule 3-7.10, William A. Gogel of New York City has petitioned the Supreme Court for Florida Bar reinstatement.Gogel was suspended for 30 months as a result of a felony conviction. The suspension was effective October 16, 1997, the date he ceased practicing law due to his suspension in New York.Any persons having knowledge bearing upon Gogel’s fitness or qualifications to resume the practice of law should contact Edward Iturralde, Bar Counsel, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee 32399-0200; phone (850) 561-5786.Effman petitions for reinstatement South Florida’s ArtServe recently hosted an open house to spotlight the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts Program.More than 20 entertainment law attorneys, law students, and deans from the local law schools attended to learn more about the VLA program and the various ways they can volunteer their services.ArtServe’s coordinator, Andrew Leone, and VLA intern Aisha Salem of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, gave presentations describing the important role the VLA program plays in supporting artists and cultural organizations. Volunteer Meagan Adler of Florida Coastal School of Law also participated.The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts at ArtServe is one of 48 legal assistance programs operating in the United States that specifically addresses the legal issues concerning the arts and entertainment communities. The VLA’s mission is to strengthen the cultural community by providing pro bono and reduced-cost legal counseling to individual artists and nonprofit arts organizations. The VLA provides a legal referral program to artists and arts and cultural organizations from all creative disciplines including, among others, the visual arts, performing arts, music, literary arts, dance, film, and video. Requests for services often include issues related to contracts, copyright, and other intellectual property matters, and non-profit incorporation and compliance. Individuals and organizations are referred to attorneys who have agreed to take cases on a pro bono basis or for a reduced fee.For more information on the VLA program contact Andrew Leone at (954) 462-9191, ext. 319 or vla@artserve.org.Trial Court Staff Attorneys slate October conference Two CCRCs needed Gov Jeb Bush has made two more appointments to circuit judicial nominating commissions, based on nominations from The Florida Bar. He also made his final two direct appointments to two other circuit JNCs.At its May meeting, the Bar Board of Governors made nominations for 24 of the 26 JNCs, but sought more applications for the Third and 19th circuits before forwarding names to the governor. Under state law, the board nominates three attorneys for each seat.When Bush’s office made the appointments in late June, one direct appointment each in the Fifth and 12th circuits remained vacant.The governor’s office announced all those appointments last month. They were:• In the Third Circuit, Thomas W. Brown of Lake City. Others nominated by the Bar were S. Austin Peele of Lake City and George T. Reeves of Madison.• In the Fifth Circuit, Janice “J.J.” Dahl, a Clermont attorney.• In the 12th Circuit, Nicole A. Ryskamp, a Bradenton attorney.• In the 19th Circuit, James L.S. Bowdish of Jensen Beach. Others nominated by the Bar were Paul R. Berg of Ft. Pierce and Richard J. Dungey of Stuart.Bar fees are due Aug. 15
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