By ADAM SHAPIRO , Esq . Shapiro | Delgado
With the new Bar year beginning September 1 , I sat down and interviewed the incoming Sarasota County Bar Association President , Dana Keane , Esq . of Keane & Keane . Dana is not only a second generation SCBA member , but she also a second generation SCBA President following in father , Gerald
Keane ’ s footsteps . As a longtime member SCBA and a two time Docket editor , Dana is well-prepared for her new endeavor . She has big plans for the new Bar year that will ( hopefully !) have far less Covid restrictions than the year prior . Check out her interview below !
Let ’ s start by introducing yourself and your reason for becoming a lawyer :
I ’ m a marital and family law attorney with the Law Offices of Keane & Keane . I was basically born into the legal profession . I started going to my father ’ s law office after school when I was in second or third grade and started working for him when I was nine making copies and being a courier . I got to experience the intricacies of a family law practice from a young age and watched my father help people through a difficult time . I knew very early on that I would be an attorney and follow in my father ’ s footsteps by helping people get through what is often the worst time of their lives .
Your father , Gerald Keane , was a past SCBA president , did that influence your decision to join the organization ?
When I returned to Sarasota to practice law , joining the SCBA was a given . It honestly baffles me that any attorneys opt not to join . The SCBA is the legal community in Sarasota and the best way for us to connect with our colleagues and the judiciary .
How has the SCBA changed from
SCBA NEWS
Interview with President Dana Keane
Adam Shapiro , Esq . Shapiro | Delgado
the time your father was president until now ?
In some ways , it ’ s the same . We are still the organization that connects and educates attorneys in Sarasota . Obviously , the ways we connect are different . Back in my father ’ s day , no one could have imagined conducting meetings and court by Zoom . If Covid happened back then , I think the SCBA would have come to a halt . While the sections were strong in the late ‘ 80s , our Bar activity is more section-focused now .
How has the SCBA helped advance your legal career ?
The SCBA has helped my legal career in so many ways . Through the SCBA , I have met so many colleagues who I call on regularly when an issue comes up in my cases that is outside of my scope of practice . I have a large network that I can refer my clients and friends to for non-family law related matters and I also get a lot of referrals from my SCBA colleagues . I get most of my CLE through SCBA meetings and the CLE library members can borrow for free . I don ’ t think I could run my practice effectively without my SCBA connections .
It looks like the world is slowly moving back to normal after the COVID-19 Pandemic , how do you expect this upcoming year to be
Fun facts about Dana
Biggest pet peeve : Lack of consideration for others
different for SCBA ?
I hope that we will get back to mostly in-person events . I know our members miss the networking at section meetings and the social events we normally host . The Delta variant and the accompanying rise in new Covid infections is causing the SCBA board to reevaluate . The safety of our members is our top priority so we will adjust as necessary to try to keep our members safe at our events . I hope that the Covid situation will allow us to have great events like the South County Division Sporting Clays Shoot , and we are aiming to reschedule the family picnic that was canceled last year .
What would you like to say to returning SCBA members about this upcoming year ?
We ’ re going to have another awesome year . I ’ ve seen the list of seminars the sections have planned and there is a lot of great programming scheduled . We ’ re going to continue to have fun general membership events . General membership meetings will not be substantive but , rather , just interesting , fun breaks from the workday .
What SCBA event do you most look forward to every year ?
I love the Sporting Clays Shoot , though I ’ m not a gun
See PRESIDENT , Page 13
Favorite quote : “ Much will be required of the person entrusted with much , and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more .” Luke 12:48
Personal motto : Service over self Morning person or night owl ? Total morning person Staying in or going out ? Staying in Favorite place on earth : Israel and Egypt Favorite meal : Indian and Thai Person you would most like to have dinner with : My grandmother Favorite concert of all time : Luke Bryan
THE DOCKET · SEPTEMBER 2021 5