The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit seeks applications from all highly qualified candidates for a fourteen-year appointment as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida at Orlando. The position will become available upon the retirement of Judge Karen S. Jennemann in February 2022.

Click HERE to view full notice.

Click HERE to access the application.

The Cynthia Henry Duval Diversity Award is given to a person or entity that respects and promotes diversity in the profession. The Award recognizes those who encourage more gender, racial, ethnic, religious, and other minority participation in law schools and the practice of law—in all areas of the law including private, corporate and public or government practices.  Individuals, law firms, and government offices are among past award recipients. Deadline: Friday, April 2, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

Please Apply Here

The BLS has a two-year Fellowship Program that is actively looking to promote diversity and inclusion within the Section.

The Fellowship Program is open to all members of the Florida Bar in good standing who satisfy the following criteria:

The Application is available online: https://flabizlaw.org/about-us/fellows

The Board of Governors is seeking applicants for the following vacancy to be filled during its May meeting:

Florida Board of Bar Examiners Vacancies: Lawyer applicants are being sought to fill one vacancy on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.  A joint screening committee of Florida Bar Board of Governors members and Board of Bar Examiners members will recommend three nominees for one lawyer vacancy at its May 21 meeting.  The nominations will then be forwarded to the Supreme Court to fill one five-year term commencing November 1 and expiring on October 31, 2026.

Attorney members must have been an active member of The Florida Bar for at least five years, maintain active membership while serving on the board, and be deemed qualified by the court to assess whether applicants meet the essential eligibility requirements for admission under the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar​.  Appointment or election to the bench at any level of the court system will disqualify any applicant. Law professors or trustees are ineligible.

Board members of the Bar Examiners must be able to attend approximately 10 meetings a year in various Florida locations.  Members should be willing and able to devote the equivalent of three to four days’ work a month, or up to 350 or more hours per year on board business, depending on committee assignments.  Actual travel expenses connected with the meetings and examinations are reimbursed.

The vacancy will occur on November 1 with the expiration of the term of Jane A. Rose of Lutz.

Persons interested in applying for this vacancy may click here to download the Application for Special Appointment or should call Bar headquarters at 850-561-5757, to obtain the application form.  Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee 32399-2300 or submitted via email to specialapptapp@floridabar.org  no later than the close of business on Monday, March 22.  Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application.  A joint committee of Florida Bar Board of Governors and Florida Board of Bar Examiners members will review all applications and may request telephone or personal interviews.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2021
CONTACT: Leslie H. Smith, lhsmith@floridabar.org
Communications
TELEPHONE: 850-561-5764

ABA House of Delegates:  Two lawyers to serve two-year terms commencing August 2021, at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting.  Applicants must also be ABA members.

Florida Legal Services, Inc. Board of Directors:  One lawyer to serve a three-year term commencing July 1, 2021.  This 15-member board provides judicial advocacy through co-counseling with local program attorneys and volunteer pro bono attorneys and provides legislative and administrative advocacy on policies impacting the legal rights of the poor, as well as providing civil legal assistance to indigent persons who would not otherwise have the means to obtain a lawyer.

Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc. Board of Directors:  Three lawyers and two non-lawyers to serve three-year terms commencing July 1, 2021. This 15-member Board assists the legal community in securing counseling and treatment for emotional and chemical dependency problems for lawyers.

Persons interested in applying for this vacancy may download the Application for Special Appointment or call Bar headquarters at 850-561-5757, to obtain the application form.  Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-2300 or submitted via e-mail to submitted via e-mail no later than the close of business on Friday, April 16, 2021.  Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application.  The Board of Governors will review all applications and may request telephone or personal interviews.

About The Florida Bar

Founded in 1949, The Florida Bar serves the legal profession for the protection and benefit of both the public and all Florida lawyers. As one of the nation’s largest mandatory bars, The Florida Bar fosters and upholds a high standard of integrity and competence within Florida’s legal profession as an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court.

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Citizens Advisory Committee

It’s time to nominate Floridians who are not lawyers to be considered for appointment to The Florida Bar Citizens Advisory Committee to replace current members whose terms will expire in June 2021.  These are single-term, three-year appointments to be made by President-elect Michael Tanner to begin serving on July 1, 2021. Only current and past members of the Board of Governors, past presidents, section chairs and current and former Citizens Advisory Committee members are eligible to submit nominations.

The committee (formerly known as the Citizens Forum) assists in facilitating two-way communication between Floridians and The Florida Bar to inform and educate the public about significant legal-justice issues and to gain understanding and support for the justice system. Visit www.floridabar.org/citizensadvisory<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.floridabar.org/citizensadvisory__;!!DUT_TFPxUQ!W2-klLygTy8WB_o6uOndsqVyMYEEZy8aNXJ-I7qnaQvVVYobVji-pLK-X_B8$> for the committee’s charter<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.floridabar.org/about/cmtes/cmte-cm462/citizens-advisory-committee-charter/__;!!DUT_TFPxUQ!W2-klLygTy8WB_o6uOndsqVyMYEEZy8aNXJ-I7qnaQvVVYobVji-pLSclbtQ$> and current member photos and biographies<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.floridabar.org/about/cmtes/cmtes008/__;!!DUT_TFPxUQ!W2-klLygTy8WB_o6uOndsqVyMYEEZy8aNXJ-I7qnaQvVVYobVji-pHrUzYgY$> and please share these links with possible nominees so they can review the information and recent meeting materials. 

There is no limit on the number of nominees you may submit. Please consider nominating people you know who represent the diversity of the citizens of Florida, including location of residence/geography, age, ethnicity, gender, and professional/work experience. These volunteers meet at least three times a year in conjunction with Board and other major Bar meetings and also as needed by Zoom/teleconference. Out-of-pocket travel expenses to attend meetings are reimbursed as per the guidelines here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www-media.floridabar.org/uploads/2021/02/CAC-reimbursement-form-2021.pdf__;!!DUT_TFPxUQ!W2-klLygTy8WB_o6uOndsqVyMYEEZy8aNXJ-I7qnaQvVVYobVji-pBn653nM$>.

Please use this link to complete the nomination form, attach the nominee’s current resume/CV, and submit: https://thefloridabar.wufoo.com/forms/2021-nomination-for-citizens-advisory-committee/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/thefloridabar.wufoo.com/forms/2021-nomination-for-citizens-advisory-committee/__;!!DUT_TFPxUQ!W2-klLygTy8WB_o6uOndsqVyMYEEZy8aNXJ-I7qnaQvVVYobVji-pLlsV3jw$>. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 1, 2021, at 5:30 p.m.  A confirmation receipt of your nominations will be sent by email.

If you or your nominees have any questions about the Citizens Advisory Committee or the nominating process, please call or email Francine Walker:  850-561-5762 / fwalker@floridabar.org<mailto:fwalker@floridabar.org>.

2021 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Gwendolyn Sawyer Cherry was born in Miami, Florida in 1923. For approximately 22 years, she taught in the Dade County (now Miami-Dade) Public Schools. She became a pioneer of the State of Florida's legal profession. She received her undergraduate degree from Florida Agricultural Mechanical University (“FAMU”). She later returned to FAMU to obtain her Juris Doctorate degree and serve as a professor at its law school. She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1965. She was the first Black woman to practice law in Dade County, Florida. She was one of the first nine attorneys who initially served at Legal Services of Greater Miami in 1966. In 1970, Ms. Cherry was elected as a state representative, becoming the first Black woman to serve as a legislator for the State of Florida.

The Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association (GSCBWLA), formerly the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division Dade County Chapter, was formed in 1985. The association's mission is to address the concerns of women lawyers as they relate to the social, economic, political and moral needs of the community.

The Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association is committed to investing in the future of the legal profession. This year we have scholarships available to current law students that will assist them in buying books for class or for bar review.

The 2021 Scholarship Application is now available for law students attending law school in Florida.

Requirements:

1.                 Must be enrolled in a law school in Florida.

2.                 Must complete the scholarship application and essay.

Winners of the GSCBWLA Book Awards will be notified on February 8, 2021 and publicly announced at the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association’s Virtual Scholarship, Awards & Installation Banquet in June of 2021.

Applications MUST be postmarked by Friday, January 29, 2021 to Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association at 6750 North Andrews Avenue, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale FL 33309 or sent via email to info@gscbwla.org.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the LDF launched the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program (MMSP). MMSP is an innovative scholarship program designed to produce a highly skilled cadre of racial justice attorneys committed to working in the American South.

In this watershed moment for our democracy, we believe it is time to take our effort expanding educational opportunities for African Americans to the next level.

Please watch this short video to learn more about the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program.<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FqrwSMT6hIZK7040KeAkuQAFXfbthT88>

This program is unique in that it addresses key factors that often deter African American students from pursuing their dream of becoming civil rights attorneys. MMSP will afford program participants:

  *   A full law school scholarship for tuition, room, board and incidentals — to alleviate the debt burden that can prevent future lawyers from pursuing a career in racial justice.
  *   Summer internships at LDF to begin their training as civil rights lawyers early in their law school careers.
  *   A two-year postgraduate fellowship at a national, regional, or local civil rights organization with a racial justice law practice in the South — to provide access to educational advancement and skill building, training, and preparation.
  *   Access to special LDF trainings.

In return, participants will commit to practicing civil rights law in pursuit of racial justice in the South for eight years following the conclusion of their fellowship.

It is LDF’s intent that the MMSP provide pathways to leadership, self-sufficiency, and socio-economic progress. Moreover, we aim to develop individuals who will become ambassadors and advocates for transformational change in African American communities, bringing increased and much-needed resources to the South.

MMSP is a critical and ambitious investment in building the pipeline for tomorrow’s civil rights leaders, another major step forward in LDF’s mission. The application deadline is February 16, 2021 at 5 PM EST.

APPLY HERE