E d I T O r ’ S M E S S A g E J i m W i m s a t t – H a r r i s , H u n t & d e r r , P . A .
TistheseasontoBeGrateful … forProfessionalopportunities
Thisholidayseason , iwillbethinkingabouthowgrateful iamtopracticeinalocationwherewehavesuchanactive andinvolvedBarassociation .
As we move into the Holiday Season , our minds often turn to thoughts of gratitude . We think upon the events and activities of the past year , remembering those where someone showed us an extra kindness , or warmth . We also think about those events that occurred where we felt a special joy or learned something new .
In October , I was personally thankful for the collaboration that went into the presentation of the 25th Annual Bench Bar Conference . Just that title alone shows how lucky we are to practice in an area that has put on twenty-five conferences in which practitioners and the judiciary have come together for a day of education , celebration and comradery .
This year ’ s conference was packed full of panels covering everything from judges discussing the fine points of Florida ’ s adoption of the federal summary judgment standard to a session on how to be a better
conversationalist presented by members of the local Toastmasters club . There were sessions on both civil and criminal practice , as well as ethics and professionalism .
The conference commenced with both a review of the United States Supreme Court ’ s past term , as well as a preview of the term that is just starting . Stetson University Professor Louis J . Virelli , III , took great care to review not only the results of some of the major decisions that were handed down last year , but also the reasoning behind the opinions . The presentation on the rationales provided context that is often lacking in a cursory review of Supreme Court action .
I followed that presentation with a breakout session on the implementation of the federal summary judgment standard in the local courts . The three judges on the panel were able to provide concrete examples and advice to the practitioners in attendance to help navigate the change .
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