The D.W. Perkins Bar Association Foundation hosted a private screening at the AMC Regency 24 Theater for about 300 middle and high school students. They watched “Marshall,” a biographical documentary about Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice.
Sponsors included Duval County Public Schools, 5000 Role Models, former Jacksonville Jaguar Rashean Mathis, The Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section’s Ribault Future Lawyers group, Jacksonville Justice Association, Jacksonville Federal Bar Association and the A. Philip Randolph Institute Jacksonville Chapter.
The Catholic Lawyers Guild invites members of the legal, law enforcement and government communities to the 28th annual Red Mass at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Downtown at 121 E. Duval St.
The Red Mass originated in Paris in the 13th century as a way to bring together government and the law to seek spiritual guidance. Within 100 years, it had become a tradition in England and Italy.
In England, the bench and Bar attended the mass and, like the celebrant, wore red robes. Another belief relative to the term “Red Mass” is that the color signifies the willingness to defend truth and justice at the risk of shedding one’s blood.
Bishop Felipe Estevez from the Diocese of St. Augustine will preside.
Florida Coastal School of Law’s Moot Court teams traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia on Oct. 13 and 14 to compete in Regent Law School’s 17th annual Leroy R. Hassell Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition.
Twenty-three teams from across the U.S. competed in the event, named in memory of the former Virginia Supreme Court chief justice.
Florida Coastal’s teams were Jesus Goatache, Vivian Gonzalez and Vilerka Bilbao; and Catherine Supliski, Xavier Romero and Christina Saad.
The team of Goatache, Gonzalez and Bilbao advanced into the final round and won the championship. The team also won the second-best respondent’s brief and Gonzalez won best oralist. In addition, Supliski received the second-best oralist award.
The nonprofit Southern Legal Counsel marked 40 years of service with an event Oct. 23 that celebrated its work and impact on society.
Morris Dees, a pioneer in civil rights law and co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, gave the keynote address on using the law to combat hate and bring lasting positive change.
The event was sponsored by the Spohrer Dodd law firm.
“Morris Dees has an incredible story to tell and is just an inspiration to all of us who either work directly with or provide pro bono services to help those in need of civil legal representation,” said Spohrer Dodd Senior Partner and CEO Robert Spohrer.
Dees was recognized for his accomplishments that include defense of civil rights in the 1960s in Alabama, his landmark legal victories and his dedication to ensuring legal services to the poor and underprivileged.
Founded in 1977, Southern Legal Counsel is focused on public interest law. It is committed to the ideal of equal justice for all and the attainment of basic human and civil rights for Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.
Spohrer has served on the board of directors for the Southern Legal Counsel since 2010.
The Florida Bar board of governors is seeking applicants for a seat on the state Supreme Court’s Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee for a term beginning March 1 and ending June 30, 2022.
The 12-member committee annually renders 20-25 written advisory opinions to inquiring judges and judicial candidates regarding application of the Code of Judicial Conduct to specific instances of contemplated judicial and nonjudicial conduct. It meets once a year at The Florida Bar’s annual convention and attendance is strongly encouraged.
The majority of the committee’s work, however, is undertaken via email and phone conferencing. The committee is responsible for judicial campaign conduct forums scheduled in election years.
The board also is seeking applicants for The Florida Bar Foundation board of directors: two lawyers to serve three-year terms, beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2021.
The 33-member board administers Florida’s Interest on Trust Accounts program. Directors shall be members of the foundation during their term.
Attorneys interested in applying for the vacancies may download the Application for Special Appointment and review the “Expectations for Service of Board Members” at floridabar.org, or call (850) 561-5757 to obtain the documents. Completed applications must be submitted no later than the close of business Dec. 11.
