This year, as in every other, we produced our Marital and Family Law Review Course, a comprehensive survey review course that is co-presented with the AAML, Florida Chapter. The course sold out this year with more than 1,600 attendees thanks to the help of our many talented speakers. The section generously offered 12 scholarships for selected individuals to attend the program. These scholarships assisted attorneys --- who without financial assistance could not attend --- and also paid for the education of our hearing officers and magistrates.  

 

We had a very busy and productive legislative session in Tallahassee. Our Legislative Committee, as well as its general members and other volunteers, worked tirelessly to promote legislation ending underage marriage, and defeat bills that would harm Florida's families. Committee members and our supporters ensured that the "Kaaa Fix bill" became law. While our Legislative Committee worked to address law changes, our Continuing Legal Education Committee produced courses throughout the year for our members on a range of topics including parenting plans, domestic violence, tax, enforcement of equitable distribution and a family law legislative update.

 

The section was a proud platinum-level sponsor for The Florida Bar Diversity & Inclusion Committee's Path to Inclusion Symposium. We also sponsored the FLAFCC organization, as well as doubled our funding for the Koziak Mentoring Picnic. The section once again made a charitable donation to The Florida Bar Foundation of $75,000 for continued support of the Children's Legal Services Grant Program.

 

Finally, our ad hoc Bounds of Advocacy Committee completed a full-scale revision of the "Bounds of Advocacy." The "Bounds" originally was adapted from the AAML and published by the section in 2004. This year, the Bounds of Advocacy was updated to reflect changes in the law, ethics and technology. I am excited to announce that the section generously underwrote the cost of printing the publication for our members, and the electronic version of the Bounds of Advocacy is available on our website.

 

I was very blessed this year to have worked with some incredibly dedicated individuals who worked tirelessly to promote this year's theme of appropriate advocacy. At the annual awards and installation luncheon on June 13 at the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, we will get to thank the many supporters and talented volunteers whose hard work made this year a success. I hope that you will join us to learn more about those individuals who made a difference. During the annual luncheon, which is held in conjunction with The Florida Bar Annual Convention, I also look forward to recognizing and congratulating the new board certified attorneys in the area of Marital and Family law, and swearing in our new and returning Executive Council and Executive Committee members. 

 

I am sincerely thankful for having had the opportunity to serve as chair, and I am so very grateful to all of those who assisted with the section this year --- trustees, Executive Council, Executive Committee, the AAML, Florida Chapter, committee leadership, bar staff, including our talented and enthusiastic program administrator, as well as many at-large members. I am equally grateful to my family and my staff who graciously helped me take on this responsibility. It has been an incredible experience for which I will be forever grateful. With enthusiasm, I look forward to passing the gavel to Abigail Beebe as chair for the 2018-2019 bar year. I have no doubt that the section will be well served by her leadership and efforts in the coming year.