It ’ s hard to believe that we ’ re already a month into our 2021- 22 Bar year . Unfortunately , we are starting this year just as we did the 2020-21 year . We are still meeting and attending Court by Zoom . This obviously is not what any of us planned . The SCBA was gearing up to go back to in person meetings and we were all excited to actually see each other in person . That will have to wait a few more months until the Covid infection rates go down significantly .
We all receive a mountain of e-mails each day and it ’ s easy to just delete or ignore the ones that aren ’ t case-related , but I want to ask that you keep your eye out for some important upcoming e-mails from the SCBA . As I am sure you have seen over the last year , the SCBA has periodically surveyed our membership to determine our members ’ feelings on meeting in person . We want to meet the needs of our members while keeping everyone as safe as possible . We typically receive responses from around 150 of our 1,000 members . While we take the results of these surveys seriously , we would love to see responses from a larger percentage of our members to make sure that the survey results accurately represent the feelings of our membership . Please watch for the next survey regarding in person meetings and take a few minutes out of your
SCBA NEWS
2021 , starting another year in virtual reality
SCBA PRESIDENT ’ S COLUMN
Dana B . Keane , Esq . Law Office of Keane & Keane
day to respond . Your responses are incredibly helpful in giving the Board direction .
The second e-mail from the SCBA I want you to make sure you ’ re looking for is the semi-annual Judicial Evaluation . Judicial Evaluation chairs Neil Lyons and Michael Cowgill are hard at work putting this year ’ s evaluation together . It will be sent out in mid-October and you will have a month to complete the evaluation . The evaluation is an important tool for the Bar and judiciary to assess how our judges are performing . Please respond and evaluate the judges and magistrates in front of whom you ’ ve appeared in the last twenty-four months .
Third , please watch out for the SCBA weekly e-blasts . These e-mails announce upcoming section meetings and other important Bar events and Court updates . Our sections have planned an outstanding slate of seminars and CLE for the upcoming year . Many of the programs have appeal across a variety of practice areas , so consider attending meetings of sections other than the one you normally practice in .
On a different subject , I want to take this opportunity to recognize our past-president , Jennifer
Grosso , for her incredible leadership over the last year . Much of the work of the SCBA President is done behind the scenes so it may be hard for our members to understand what a truly outstanding job Jennifer has done under unprecedented and very trying circumstances . She navigated very delicate situations with diplomacy and grace . She kept our Association focused and active during a global pandemic . We could not have had a better leader during this difficult time , and I appreciate all of the sacrifices she made to keep the SCBA on the right track . Our incomparable executive director , Holly Lipps , also deserves kudos . I could devote an entire column to Holly and all she does to make the SCBA the best Bar Association in Florida and I still wouldn ’ t do her justice . Holly helped the SCBA seamlessly transition to Zoom meetings and connected us with programming offered by other bar associations around the state . She kept our membership up to date on the latest developments in the Covid world . Despite the chaos of the last year , Holly was always cool and calm . She is always there to listen and provide support . In sum , Holly is the best . I would also like to apologize to Holly in advance for all the stress I will inevitably cause her this coming year .
Finally , there ’ s one last e-mail I want you to watch for , the announcement of the new date
See PRESIDENT , Page 19
2021 judicial evaluations to be distributed
By NEIL LYONS Luhrsen Goldberg LLC and MICHAEL COWGILL Maglio Christopher & Toale PA Law Firm
It is again time for judicial evaluations , which provide important feedback to the judiciary and bar membership regarding the judicial services of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit . An electronic Judicial Evaluation will be distributed during the week of October 11 to all practicing attorneys in this Circuit . As in years prior , the Judicial Evaluation will include the following categories : Legal Knowledge , Integrity , Ethics , Impartiality , Judicial Temperament , Courtroom Administration , Preparedness , Timeliness of Decisions , Effective Decision Making , Punctuality , and Overall Evaluation . This year a new category will be added : Use of Technology .
Evaluations should only be submitted for those judicial members in front of whom the evaluator has appeared and should be limited to experiences within 24 months of the evaluation . It is important for all evaluators to complete their evaluations based upon their own experiences within the past 24 months to ensure a fair and accurate evaluation .
The deadline for completing the Judicial Evaluation is Friday , November 19 , 2021 . Upon completion , the results will be tabulated and the results with be released to the members of the SCBA .
THE DOCKET · OCTOBER 2021 5