Marks Gray Attorneys Participate in JALA Estate Intake Night

Six Attorneys and Staff from Marks Gray help the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Group further their Pro-Bono efforts

Pictured L to R: Michael Bittner, Jared Wilkerson, Michael Kendall,
Crystal Broughan, Lisa Grosskruger-Edler, and Ed Birk at the JALA night

Marks Gray was proud to support JALA on Tuesday, October 11th at their Estate Intake Planning evening. This month JALA is hosting several community events to support and bring awareness to the  National Pro-Bono Celebration Week being held October 23 - 29, 2016 throughout Northeast Florida. For more information about upcoming Legal Aid events, please visit their website. 

2016 FLORIDA LAW ALLIANCE TRUCKING AND TRANSPORTATION CLAIMS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN JACKSONVILLE

Marks Gray, P.A. Shareholder and Transportation Attorney L. Johnson Sarber, III.to host conference on behalf of the Florida Law Alliance

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Join members of the Florida Law Alliance on Thursday, November 10, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Waterfront in Jacksonville, Florida, as they present the 2016 Trucking and Transportation Claims Conference.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Critical Aspects of Accident Investigation, First Response Teams, and Evidence Preservation
• Correctly Calculating Past and Future Medical Costs
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations, including Distracted Drivers and Fatigue
• Ethical Considerations for Jury Pools and Jury Selection
• Settlement Strategies and ADR Selection

Online registration will begin in September 2016. In the interim, please click here to download the save-the-date flyer.

About Florida Law Alliance

FLA is a group of independent law firms practicing throughout Florida that has combined their knowledge, efforts, and resources. The goal is to increase efficiency, lower costs, expand the scope and improve the quality of legal services each firm provides to its own clients. The member firms of the Florida Law Alliance are better able to serve the interests of their clients because of the statewide geographical reach, cumulative expertise in both general and specialized practice areas, and local community knowledge and legal credibility before a specific court or another decision-making body. The Florida Law Alliance is not a partnership. Each member law firm is a separate entity that performs its own work independently for its clients and is solely responsible for the quality of its work. No member law firm accepts responsibility for another firm’s work.

About L. Johnson “Johnny” Sarber, III.

Johnny Sarber’s practice focuses on civil trial defense, primarily in areas of transportation law including tractor-trailer, heavy truck, passenger bus, school bus and other common carrier and commercial motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and law enforcement defense. Mr. Sarber has been with Marks Gray since 1997 and now serves on the firm’s management committee. He is a member of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association (President 2011-2012), Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (current Board Director), Defense Research Institute, Trucking Industry Defense Association, and Transportation Lawyers Association, and is a founding member of the Florida Law Alliance. 

"Stairway to Heaven" - A Case Study on Copyright Infringement

Intellectual Property Law Updates 

by Crystal T, Broughan, Intellectual Property Law Attorney 

Led Zeppelin fans were pleased to hear that a California jury in a copyright infringement case issued a verdict that the Defendants, members of the Led Zeppelin band and others, did not commit copyright infringement when they wrote and performed the musical composition “Stairway to Heaven”.  The exact question answered by the jury on the verdict form was, “Do you find by a preponderance of the evidence that original elements of the musical composition Taurus are extrinsically substantially similar to Stairway to Heaven?”  The jury marked “No” on the verdict form.

Robert Plant, former frontman for Led Zeppelin
Photo Courtesy of Big Stock 2016

                The Plaintiff in the case was the Trustee for the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust.  Randy Craig (a/k/a Randy California) was the founding member of the rock band, Spirit.  Randy California wrote a song entitled “Taurus” which was included on Spirit’s self-titled album in 1968 and performed throughout the country.  Randy California drowned off the coast of Hawaii in 1997.  The Trust was established after his death by his mother.  The Trustee of the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust is Michael Skidmore, the Plaintiff. 

                The Plaintiff alleged that the elements of copyright infringement were established because the Led Zeppelin band had access to the musical composition by having close interaction with the band Spirit and performing as an opening act for Spirit. Plaintiff claimed that to a reasonable observer, the iconic notes, melodies and chord progressions of “Stairway to Heaven” were almost identical to “Taurus” therefore there was a substantially similar element between the two compositions. 

                James Page and Robert Plant, members of Led Zeppelin, are listed as the writers of the song “Stairway to Heaven” which was released in 1971 and a copyright registration was issued by the US Copyright Office in 1972.  The Led Zeppelin band toured the country in 1968 and opened for the band Spirit.   The Defendants claimed many affirmative defenses in response to the Amended Complaint filed with the court including, “Stairway to Heaven” was an independent creation, de minimis infringement, fair use, unreasonable delay in the assertion of the claim and prejudice as a result of the delay, and statute of limitations. 

                According to the court record, the jury listened to recordings of both musical compositions and reviewed the original sheet music that was filed with the US Copyright Office.  Defendants James Page and Robert Plant both testified as to events that took place more than 40 years ago based on what they could remember.  Experts in musicology testified for the Plaintiff and the Defendants.  There were arguments over protected and unprotected elements of the composition.   Two years of attorney arguments, three days of witness testimony and presentation of evidence led to a Jury Verdict for the Defendants.  Now Plaintiff will have to battle in court when Defendants demand that the Plaintiff pay all of their attorneys’ fees.

                The case was filed in May 2014, forty-six years after the creation of “Taurus”, forty-three years after “Stairway to Heaven” was released and seventeen years after the death of Randy California.  The case went to a jury trial in June 2016 and lasted three days.  If Randy California considered “Stairway to Heaven” to be an infringement of his musical composition, “Taurus” why was a copyright infringement case filed sixteen years after he passed on?  

Special Assistance and Research from Marks Gray Summer Associate Austin K. Sherman

Crystal Broughan is an intellectual property law attorney with Marks Gray, P.A.  If you would like to learn more about Marks Gray’s intellectual property law services please contact Ms. Broughan at cbroughan@marksgray.com or 904-807-2180.

Ten Attorneys Named to the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers List and Two Named to 2016 Florida Rising Stars List

Marks Gray Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars 

We are pleased to announce that ten attorneys from Mark Gray, P.A. have been selected to the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of attorneys in Florida. Two of our attorneys were named to the 2016 Florida Rising Stars List.

The Marks Gray Attorneys on the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list and their categories of selection are as follows:

                                Jeptha F. Barbour, Personal Injury General: Defense

                                Jill F. Bechtold, General Litigation

                                Edward L. Birk, Communications

                                Giselle Carson, Immigration: Business

                                William M. Corley, Personal Injury Products: Defense

                                John R. Crawford, Estate Planning & Probate

                                Susan S. Erdelyi, Employment & Labor

                                Frederick H. Kent, III, Real Estate

                                Nicholas V. Pulignano, Jr., Business Litigation

                                Gerald W. Weedon, Business Litigation

The Marks Gray Attorneys on the 2016 Florida Rising Stars list and their categories of selection are as follows:

                                Meagan L. Logan, Civil Litigation: Defense

                                Heath L. Vickers, Civil Litigation: Defense

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a research-driven, peer influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Attorneys are selected from more than 70 practice areas and all firm sizes, assuring a credible and relevant annual list.

The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes:

• Peer nominations
• Independent research by Super Lawyers
• Evaluations from a highly credentialed panel of attorneys

The objective of Super Lawyers is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys to be used as a resource for both referring attorneys and consumers seeking legal counsel.

The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country, as well as the Florida Super Lawyers Digital Magazine.

Please join us in congratulating all of the attorneys on their selections. For more information about Super Lawyers, go to SuperLawyers.com.

Immigration FAQs answered by Giselle Carson

Shareholder Giselle Carson Answers the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Immigration process and filings 

In an effort to assist you and save you time during the Immigration process, the Marks Gray Immigration Team has compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions on immigration topics. For more detailed information about any of these subject, please contact the Marks Gray team. 

• FAQ: National Visa Center Processing
• Alternatives to Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions
• Document Retention for Employers
• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
• General Instructions for Consular Processing
• H-1B Preparation - Staying Ahead of the Game
• Labor Certification Process:The First Step to an Employment Based "Green Card"
• Perm Recruitment
• Student Options for Visa Extensions 

For the full list of FAQs, visit Giselle's Immigration site. 

The Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act: Thoughts for Employers and Business Owners

In May 2016, President Obama signed into law the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA or Act).  The Act brings the federal protection of trade secrets on par with corresponding laws that apply to the other pillars of intellectual property, copyrights, patents, and trademarks.  

What is a trade secret –   The Act broadly defines “trade secret”:

(3) the term “trade secret” means all forms and types of financial, business, scientific, technical, economic, or engineering information, including patterns, plans, compilations, program devices, formulas, designs, prototypes, methods, techniques, processes, procedures, programs, or codes, whether tangible or intangible, and whether or how stored, compiled, or memorialized physically, electronically, graphically, photographically, or in writing if—

                (A) the owner thereof has taken reasonable measures to keep such information             secret; and

                (B) the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential,    from not being                 generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by another                 person who can obtain economic value from the disclosure or use of the information;

18 U.S.C. § 1839(3)

What it does - The Act amends several sections of Title 18 of the United States Code and specifically section 1836 to allow a federal right to action for a party that claims to be the victim of trade secret misappropriation.   Prior to the passage of DTSA, the only federal remedy for the theft of trade secrets was a criminal action brought under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 (EEA).  There were no federal civil remedies for misappropriations of trade secrets.  A Party could seek civil remedies in some states such as Florida, that adopted the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) in 1988.[1]   However, not every state adopted the UTSA. 

Protection for whistleblowers - The Act includes a provision to protect whistleblowers who reveal that a business is engaging in or has engaged in (knowingly or unknowingly) the misappropriation of trade secrets.  The whistleblower provision also grants immunity, on both the federal and state level, for the disclosure of a trade secret if the disclosure:

                (A) is made

(i) In confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and;

(ii) Solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or

(B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.

18 U.S.C. § 1833 as amended by § 7(b)(1) of DTSA.

Anti-retaliation provision – The Act has an anti-retaliation provision that is geared at stopping a business from retaliating against an employee who brings to light the business’s misappropriation of trade secrets.  Like the whistleblower immunity, but not as broad, the Act permits an employee, who is reporting an employer’s suspected violation of trade secret law, to disclose the trade secret to her attorney and use the trade secret information in related litigation.  However, the disclosure must be filed under seal and cannot be disclosed to third parties without a court order.[2]

Required notifications to employees – Under the DTSA, the two above-mentioned provisions, and the rights provided by them, must be communicated to the employee by the employer.  This notification provision of the Act extends to independent contractors as well.[3]  The Act provides that notice can be effectuated by inserting specific language into employee contracts (or agreements) or by inserting the language in the business’ policies and placing a cross-reference to the policy in revised employee and contractor contracts (or agreements).[4] 

Lack of penalties –There are no express penalties for a business if it fails to comply with the notice requirements.  The Act does provide that, if an employer fails to comply with the notice requirement and does not communicate the anti-retaliation or whistleblower protection to its employees, the employer may not be awarded attorney’s fees or exemplary damages in an action for trade secret misappropriation against an employee.[5] 

Ex parte seizures –The DTSA contains an ex parte seizure provision.  The ex parte seizure provision allows a party to seize the assets of a competitor if the party can show a court that there has been a misappropriation of a trade secret.  This type of injunctive relief will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances where a court clearly finds that granting the seizure outweighs the harm to the third party subject to the seizure.[6]  Accordingly, the party seeking the injunction has a high burden of proof before a court allows the seizure of another business’s assets.

What does this mean for you as an employer -

-          Update employment, non-disclosure, proprietary information, invention assignment and other agreements and policies that govern the use of a trade secret or confidential information to ensure compliance with the DTSA;

-          If you do not have existing policies regarding trade secret information then establish such policies;

-           Consult with your intellectual property or employment attorney to ensure that your business is or will soon be in compliance with the Act’s various provisions.  The mandatory notification provisions should be addressed as soon as possible. 

The Act is a significant development in the realm of intellectual property.  Trade secrets give a business a competitive edge.  Whether it is the recipe to a food chain’s secret sauce or the client list of a hedge fund; trade secrets, and the protection of them, can be the determining factor in the success of a business.  Accordingly, this Act will impact the trade secret practices of local, national, and international businesses alike.

Crystal Broughan is an intellectual property law attorney with Marks Gray, P.A.  If you would like to learn more about Marks Gray’s intellectual property law services please contact Ms. Broughan at cbroughan@marksgray.com or 904-807-2180.

Special Assistance from Dion K. Bass, Marks Gray Summer Law Clerk - 2016

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[1] Fla. Stat. §688.004 (2015).

[2] 18 U.S.C. § 1833 as amended by § 7(b)(2) of DTSA.

[3] Id. as amended by § 7(b)(4) of DTSA.

[4] Id. as amended by § 7(b)(3) of DTSA.

[5] Id. at § 7(b)(3)(C) of DTSA.

[6] 18 U.S.C. § 1836 as amended by § 2(b)(2) of DTSA.

June 2016 Immigration Bulletin is Out!

Summer Fun and Success Story: A Green Card for an Athlete

June 2016 Immigration Bulletin

by Giselle Carson

Hello, and Welcome to our June Immigration Update! 

 

In this edition, I review the milestones of the H-1B FY17 and future processing, provide tips for employers’ compliance with the new STEM OPT training plan, review the options for updating your address with USCIS and much more.  

I also share one of our recent success stories and encourage you to kick off the Summer supporting our foreign athletes.  While Jacksonville may not be home to notable immigrants like baseball star Albert Pujols, tennis sensation Anna Kournikova, or basketball giant Yao Ming, we have our own mix of remarkable athletes who've migrated to our great city.  Some of the most recent additions come to us to join our professional soccer team, the Jacksonville Armada, and our Baseball team, the Suns.  I hope that you get a chance to experience the excitement of these games and support our athletes.  

To stay updated on current immigration issues and read more client success stories we invite you to subscribe to our blog.

 

Thank you for your readership, support, and referrals.

 

Cheers!

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Are You Trying to Understand the New STEM OPT Rules? I have Tips for You!

Employers, foreign students, and schools are looking for best practices to complete the new Form I-983, Training Plan. With this in mind, I have published a White Paper to assist. The paper provides examples to complete the training program goals and objectives and measure the training effectiveness and outlines key provisions of the 24-month STEM extension.

To read the paper in its entirety and download a copy, click here. 

 

H-1B FY17 Cap Updates

As per our prior updates which we link to below, USCIS completed the H-1B Cap Random Lottery Selection Process April 9^th, 2016.

Original Article about FY17 Cap Posted Here.

Below is an outline of key events during this process and what to expect for the remainder of this process: 

April 12 - We started receiving the first receipt notices via email from USCIS Premium Processing (PP) about the selected cases.

Original Article regarding completed lottery posted here.

April 21 – We started receiving receipt notices for the cases that were filed using regular processing.

May 2 – USCIS issued a notice indicating that it had completed the data entry for all petitions and we stopped receiving receipt notices.

Original Article Here. 

May 10 to August 8 - The 17-Month STEM OPT extension applications submission.

STEM OPT Extension Update and articles regarding limited filing opportunity original posting here.

May 12 – USCIS started adjudicating Premium Processing (PP) filed petitions.

Information on PP petitions and delayed timeline associated with them here.

May 27 – Our PP filed petitions had all been adjudicated.

June to September – USCIS will return cases not selected in the lottery with uncashed filing fee checks.

June to September 30 – USCIS will process and adjudicate regularly filed cases.

Last year, most cases were adjudicated by September 30.  However, some cases that received requests for additional evidence (RFE) were still awaiting a decision in early October.

We will update our clients with pending petitions that were filed using regular processing as we receive more information from USCIS.

 

 

Notifying USCIS of Address Change

You must notify USCIS of your address changes in one of the following ways:

1. Online: USCIS Online Change of Address (recommended)*

1. By mail: Download Form AR-11 and Instructions (PDF, 1 page - 370 KB) or

1. By calling 1-800-375-5283.  If you call, you will still need to complete and submit the AR-11 form noted above. 

 

How soon after my move should I notify USCIS of my new address?

Most non-U.S. citizens must notify USCIS of a new address within 10 days of moving.

U.S. Citizens are required to notify USCIS of a change of address if they have previously submitted a Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, on behalf of someone who has become a permanent resident. If you have previously submitted a Form I-864 for someone who immigrated to the U.S., and that sponsorship agreement is still in force, you must complete a Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address, within 30 days of the change in address.

 

Is changing my address with the post office enough?

No. If you only change your address with the post office, you may not receive important notices about your case.   U.S. Postal Service does not forward most USCIS correspondence. 

Do I have to submit a change of address for every pending application or petition?

Yes. To ensure that all USCIS correspondence is sent to your current address, you must submit a change of address for every pending application and/or petition that you have with USCIS. 

 

Where can I find additional information about reporting an address change to USCIS?

Additional details can be found at:  How Do I Report a Change of Address to USCIS?

 

High Demand for EB-1 Visas to Force Cut-Off Date

Because employers and foreign nationals are looking for alternatives to the H-1B cap, the Department of State (DOS) and USCIS have advised that there has been a significant high demand for visas in the EB-1 category.  DOS has said that should the demand continue to remain at the same rate, some form of “corrective action” would be necessary before the close of the fiscal year to regulate worldwide visa numbers. This may require the establishment of a cutoff date or other form of regulation.

Read full blog post here.
 

June Visa Bulletin: EB-2 & EB-3 Retrogression

The demand for the EB-2 employment-based category is also very high.  As a result of the ongoing high demand for visa numbers for EB-2 India and lack of access numbers from EB-2 worldwide which could have been used for India, the EB-2 India final action date retrogressed to October 1, 2004. The DOS expects that the EB-2 India cutoff date will advance slowly for the rest of the fiscal year, at a pace similar to the EB-3 advancement.

Similarly, the EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based for China final action cutoff date have retrogressed to January 1, 2010. The cutoff dates for EB-2 and EB-3 are expected to remain unchanged for the remainder of the fiscal year, therefore, applicants will have no incentive to downgrade from EB-2 to EB-3.

Full blog post here.

 

Success Story: EB-1 Extraordinary Ability Approval for Professional Soccer Player 

Pro L, an Argentinian professional soccer player, came to our office for help obtaining a Green Card based on his “Extraordinary Ability” (an EB-1, I-140 petition) as a soccer player.

We met and reviewed his entire professional career. We carefully organized and identified evidence of his extraordinary roles, sharp and crisp skills under pressure, and employment with distinguished teams. We selected and included evidence of the wins of his teams in sought after championships as a result of his performance.  We also incorporated evidence of the major media coverage he received for his contributions including appearances on ESPN, interviews, and newspaper articles. The filing also contained evidence as to how Pro L’s work as an athlete benefits the ongoing growth of soccer in the U.S.

USCIS agreed with us and his I-140 petition was approved. I’m honored to work with athletes of extraordinary talent and their teams. As a marathoner and Ironman triathlete, I’m inspired by the accomplishments and discipline of these athletes. Despite multiples accolades, Pro L and his family are amazingly friendly and down-to-earth.   We look forward to his ongoing contributions to our country.

Congratulations to Pro L and his family!  

You can view the original newsletter by clicking this link. 

Alison H. Sausaman named the 2016 Michael K. Reese Quality of Life Award Recipient

The Florida Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Divisions Selects Alison H. Sausaman as the 2016 Michael K. Reese Award Recipient

Associate Attorney Alison H. Sausaman

We are thrilled to announce that Associate Attorney Alison H. Sausaman has been named The Florida Bar Association Young Lawyers Division recipient of the 2016 Michael K. Reese Quality of Life Award. The Michael K. Reese Quality of Life Award is bestowed upon the person and/or entity that, through humanitarian respect, advances balance and fulfillment in lawyers’ lives by redefining current work habits and schedules to provide more flexibility and a more meaningful existence. She will receive her award at the Florida Bar Annual Convention in June.

Congratulations, Ms. Sausaman!

May 2016 Immigration Bulletin is Out!

Shareholder and Immigration Attorney Giselle Carson released her May 2016 Immigration Bulletin - Running on Passion - on Tuesday. 

Hello, and Welcome to our May Immigration Update! As you might know, the stressful and uncertain H-1B lottery process is almost complete and we are grateful to have been able to help many of our clients navigate this process, obtain FY17 cap-subject H-1Bs and strategize alternatives.  This newsletter contains updates on the process and options. Additionally, our team and I have continued to be very involved in the Jacksonville Bar Association and other community activities. As a result, I was selected for a First Coast Success Profile - Running On Passion. You can read more about this profile and other events in this bulletin. Some of you might be in the process of planning a summer vacation or time off.  I wish you happy planning and fun times.     To stay updated on current immigration issues, we invite you to subscribe to our blog.  Thank you for your readership, support and referrals.   Cheers! To read the full article, click here.

Giselle Carson's feature in First Coast Success is on stands now!

The Jacksonville Financial News and Daily Record's First Coast Success feature on Giselle Carson is available now

Cover page of the April 25th Edition of the
Jacksonville Financial News and Daily Record

We are proud to have Giselle Carson as a Shareholder at Marks Gray! Today the Jacksonville News and Daily record published their latest First Coast Success story which highlights Giselle's accomplishments. To read the online version visit the Daily Record website or download the digital version of the print article here. The audio recording of the interview will be featured on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross and available for replay here.

Giselle Carson to be Featured on First Coast Success, April 25 Edition

Marks Gray Shareholder Giselle Carson’s feature will be in print and radio on April 25

Shareholder Giselle Carson

We're thrilled to announce that Marks Gray Shareholder, Giselle Carson, will be the latest accomplished local business leader to be featured in the Jacksonville Daily Record and First Coast Connect's First Coast Success Story. Her journey to Jacksonville will be profiled in print and on radio on April 25th. Check the Marks Gray blog for more information and to read/hear Giselle's interview. 

Congratulations, Ms. Carson!

Jacksonville Bar Bulletin: The Power to Transform

Have you given back to the community recently? Marks Gray Shareholder and Jacksonville Bar Association President, Giselle Carson, discusses the influence of community service in her April 2016 Bar Bulletin. 

On stands now!

Marks Gray Shareholder and the Jacksonville
Bar Association President, Giselle Carson

Monday, April 4, 12:33 PM EDT

By Giselle Carson, The Jacksonville Bar Association president

In 1848, primarily through the giving of Joshua Bates, a Bostonian merchant and banker, the Boston Public Library was founded. This is the oldest free public city library in the world and the first to allow its patrons to borrow books. Prior to its founding, libraries were opened only to a select few. The founding of the BPL transformed the lives of many who otherwise might not have had access to reading materials.

In 1851, a group of citizens led by retired Boston sea Capt. Thomas Valentine Sullivan noticed a need to create a safe gathering place for sailors and merchants, and founded the first YMCA in the U.S. They were inspired by the London YMCA, which was established in 1844. As a result, YMCAs continue to transform and improve the mind, body and spirit of individuals and families in communities across the country.

In 1897, a group of visionary attorneys formed The Jacksonville Bar Association to maintain the honor and dignity of our profession, regulate the practice and promote improvements in the law and its administration, and cultivate professional ethics and social ties among the members. Since its inception, the JBA has been positively transforming and making a meaningful difference for our members and community.

As I reflect on my tenure as president, one of my measures of success is how our organization continues to give back and positively impact our community and members.

Every day, our members donate their time, energy, expertise and money to make an impact, share expertise, learn new skills, strengthen our community, meet others and improve health.

Making an impact

Our Young Lawyers Section is all about making an impact. Under the leadership of Lindsay Tygart with Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., and Christian George with Akerman LLP, our YLS events are making a lasting difference in our community.

The charity golf tourney, poker tournament and Chili-Cook Off (chaired by Alexandria Hill with Gray Robinson) raised over $37,000, which was donated to the JT Townsend Foundation, K9s for Warriors and Community Connections.

Additionally, under the leadership of Amanda Thomas with Driver, McAfee, Peek & Hawthorne, P.L., Michael Lockamy with the Bedell Firm and Ryan Hyde with Thames, Markey & Heekin, P.A., the YLS, in partnership with the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, hosted its Holidays in January and donated 20 bicycles and other gifts to children identified by Family Support Services.

These are just a few examples of how our YLS is transforming our community.

Sharing expertise

We all have skills that can benefit others. Our Pro Bono Committee, under the leadership of Kathy Para with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and Laura Boeckman with the Office of the Attorney General, has conducted more than 10 Ask-A-Lawyer and Advance Directive for Seniors events, where 15 to 50 residents are helped at each meeting. Our members share their time and expertise at Saturday clinics with community members to help draft estate planning documents and answer questions relating to contracts, family law, foreclosure, employment, probate and other areas of law.

Learning new skills

Interested in learning what it takes for a U.S. legal permanent resident to become a U.S. citizen? Why not volunteer for the Law Day Committee’s Citizenship Day? Our Law Day Committee, under the leadership of Emily O’Leary with Foley & Lardner LLP and John Wallace with Moseley, Prichard, Parrish, Knight & Jones, have many outstanding Law Day celebratory events, including Citizenship Day, a swearing-in ceremony for new U.S. citizens, a poster contest with students from local elementary schools and an art supply and toiletries drive to benefit local schools and Downtown Ecumenical Services.

At Citizenship Day on April 9, more than 100 legal immigrants will receive assistance with completing the U.S. Naturalization Application. Several pro bono attorneys, paralegals and law students will work as teams in shifts to bring this amazing event to life. It is not too late to participate in Citizenship Day — contact Kathy Para for information on getting involved.

Strengthening our community

Under the leadership of Shea Moser with Moseley, Prichard, Parrish, Knight & Jones and Tony Zebouni with Regan, Whelan, Zebouni & Atwood, our Community Outreach section is making our community stronger, healthier and happier. Last December, our Senior Holiday Project Committee, under the leadership of Alessandro Apolito with Brennan, Manna & Diamond, LLC, and John C.W. Cherneski with Milam, Howard, Nicandri, Dees & Gillam, P.A., and in collaboration with Meals On Wheels and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, granted the holiday wishes of about 400 seniors. These citizens benefited from our members’ donations of blankets, clothing, food, and even more important — cheerful and warm visits during the holiday season.

On April 28, under the leadership of Cyndy Trimmer with Ansbacher Law, Megan Kelberman with Gunster and Jessica Mathis with Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy & Ford P.A., the eighth annual celebration of Rendezvous on the River will take place.

This is the fifth consecutive year the proceeds from this event will benefit Dreams Come True, a local charity. As in years past, the event will raise money to bring hope and joy to one First Coast child battling a life-threatening illness.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for Rendezvous on the River.

If you are looking to give a donation and/or would like to help give back to a worthwhile cause, we urge you to consider donating to this event.

You may contribute by contacting Cyndy, Megan, Jessica or the JBA.

Meeting others

Looking to broaden your network? Giving back and being engaged, even if electronically, is a great way to connect with others. During the fall, the JBA launched our Social Media Campaign, which was coordinated by our very own JBA staff, Carla Ortiz-Ramos and Julia McCormack, to promote the electronic connections of our members. As a result, over $5,000 was presented by the JBA to JALA to raise awareness of both organizations.

Improving health

I could not speak about transforming lives and giving back, and not speak about its beneficial impact on health. Research shows that doing something positive for others stimulates the release of endorphins. Many people report a “high” from volunteering, similar to the positive feeling that results from exercise. Volunteering is not only an excellent way to help others feel better, but it makes us physically healthier, lowers our stress and helps us live happier more fulfilled lives.

I am especially thankful to Alison H. Sausaman with Marks Gray, P.A. and County Judge Eleni Derke for giving their time and energy to improve the health and serenity of our members through our Tuesday Walk and Talk events held every other week at 5:30 p.m. and Yoga for Legal Warriors. I hear the last Yoga for Legal Warriors created a very positive buzz in the Duval County Courthouse. I hope to see many of you at our next session on April 29.

I am grateful and thankful for our sections, committees and individual members that, much like the visionaries who founded the BPL and YMCA, work tirelessly to make an impact and transform lives in our community every day.

Giselle Carson is president of The Jacksonville Bar Association and an attorney at Marks Gray.