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Bench Bar conference committee Co-Chairs: JudgeThomasPalermo – 13thJudicialCircuitCourt & JudgeHeleneL. Daniel – 13thJudicialCircuitCourtthelawyersaroundyouarefuturejudges, adversaries, referral sources, potentialpartners, mentees, andmentors. relationships matter. cometoBenchBartoformandstrengthenthem.
Join us on October 22, 2026, for the HCBA’ s Bench Bar Conference at the Jw Marriott. This is one of the largest bench bar conferences in the State of Florida. Last year nearly 600 lawyers attended as did many of the judges of the 13th Judicial Circuit, who were joined by judges from the 6th Circuit, 2nd DCA, and even the Middle District of Florida. The day begins with Coffee with the Judges, followed by one of the largest membership luncheons of the year, and we end with a Judicial Reception.
This conference offers a rare peak into an enduring legal mystery: what do jurors think? If you try cases before juries, you will want to join one of the two“ View from the Box” sessions( civil or criminal), where real jurors from cases tried over the last year will address the attorneys and the judges. These sessions rank among the most
popular and valuable opportunities available to litigators.
Attendees get a full day of first-class CLE programs that, subject to Bar approval, can help satisfy Board certification, ethics, and technology CLE requirements. Offerings are organized among three major tracks— civil, criminal, and family— but this year, we are offering double the civil programming.
Beyond CLEs, Bench Bar is a chance to interact informally with other lawyers, legal professionals, and judges. The exchange of ideas has real benefits for everyone. Participation raises your professional profile and that of your firm, all while fostering greater civility within the Bar. The lawyers around you are future judges, adversaries, referral sources, potential partners, mentees, and mentors. Relationships matter. Come to Bench Bar to form and strengthen them. In the practice of law, as in life, success is often about showing up.
Why attend? The networking, insights, and CLE hours are practical reasons. Yet there is something more to it. As members of the Bar, our work intersects with every aspect of the human experience. We wrestle with the great ideas and toughest dilemmas. We belong to a learned and noble profession— and part of being in a profession is to profess, to claim openly. 250 years ago, our Nation’ s founders did exactly that in our Declaration of Independence. When lawyers and judges gather on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration, we help to remember and make real the truths they held to be self-evident.
We are looking forward to seeing you on October 22, starting at 7:30 a. m. at the JW Marriott in downtown Tampa! Register online now at www. hillsbar. com. Hope to see you there! n
Author: Judge Thomas Palermo – 13th Judicial Circuit Court
Have you cHanged LaW firms? do you need to update your contact information? go to your member profile at hillsbar. com.
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