Bar Committee Preference Forms Available Now |
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Good Morning FAWL Members,
The Membership Promotion and Advancement (“MAP”) Committee stands ready to provide informed support for active FAWL members applying for appointment to substantive Bar Committees. First, apply as directed below. Then, let your chapter leadership know you applied. The MAP Committee will take it from there as long as you have chapter support. Participating in a Bar Committee contributes to the improvement of the law and our profession and it is so important that women are well represented. If you are not sure where to start, we highly recommend service on your local grievance committee. You may also want to be involved in a Rules Committee where you have substantive knowledge.
Florida Bar Committee Preference Forms are now being accepted until January 15, 2021. The process is simple and can be completed online through your Florida Bar member portal.
1. Login to your Florida Bar member page.
2. Click on the “+” sign in the pink ribbon at the top of the page titled “Committee Preference Forms are being accepted now.”
3. In the dropdown, click on the red “submit your committee preference form.”
4. The link brings you directly to the application form where you can select your top three committee preferences.
Information on over 70 committees can be found on the Florida Bar’s home page under “About the Bar” by clicking on committees. If you are already a member of a committee, you can check if your term is expiring and you need to reapply by clicking on the committee page and checking your status.
All applications need to be in by January 15, 2021. President-elect Michael Tanner will make over 500 appointments to more than 70 committees and he wants to be sure he has a diverse group of lawyers from which to choose. Appointments to committees are made in the spring for terms starting July 1, 2021.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to MAP Committee Chair, Kyleen A. Hinkle, khinkle@mccumberdaniels.com for additional information.
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SB 196: Lactation Spaces in Courthouses |
On December 7, 2020, Senator Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, filed SB 196 which is FAWL’s first proposed legislation. FAWL will be championing this lactation room bill during the upcoming 2021 Florida legislative session.
“Women should not have to choose between their careers and their families. By providing them a safe space for their lactation needs, they won’t have too,” Florida Association for Women Lawyers President Kimberly Hosley said. “Additionally, this allows nursing mothers the opportunity to participate in the judicial process by serving on juries without concern for how it could impact their family choices. This is the right thing to do for the women of this state.”
The bill will require that each Florida courthouse has a dedicated lactation room, meaning a private, clean, and accessible space to nurse or pump breastmilk, for attorneys, jurors, courthouse staff and courthouse patrons. By providing breastfeeding mothers a clean and safe space, lactation rooms remove a barrier for women returning to the workplace.
The bill was filed recently by Senator Lori Berman, who calls the legislation an investment in the health and welfare of Florida’s working families that recognizes the health, economic impact and contribution of working mothers.
“As a longtime supporter of legislation that supports women, children, and families, I am proud to be the Senate sponsor of this common-sense legislation,” said Senator Berman.
The proposed lactation room legislation is in line with recent federal legislation. In July 2019, congress passed the Federal Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act of 2019 (H.R.866), which requires federal buildings that are open to the public and contain a public restroom to provide a lactation room, other than a bathroom, that is hygienic and is available for use by members of the public who are breastfeeding. Lactation rooms are also required in large and medium size airports. There are also lactation rooms currently in the state capitol.
If you would like to volunteer to help the FAWL Legislative Committee make calls to legislators as the bill goes through committees send an email to admin@fawl.org.
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FAWL Adopts Diversity CLE Policy |
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On November 13, 2020, FAWL unanimously adopted a CLE Diversity Policy. This policy applies to FAWL CLE programs with three or more panel participants, including the moderator. Effective January 1, 2021, the following guidelines will apply: (a) individual programs with faculty of three or four panel participants, including the moderator, will require at least 1 diverse member; (b) individual programs with faculty of five to eight panel participants, including the moderator, will require at least 2 diverse members; and (c) individual programs with faculty of nine or more panel participants, including the moderator, will require at least 3 diverse members. FAWL will not sponsor, co-sponsor, or seek CLE accreditation for any program failing to comply with this policy unless an exception or appeal is granted. A copy of the CLE Diversity Policy can be found here.
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Florida Supreme Court Ceremonial Session for the 19th Amendment Centennial |
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If you missed the Florida Supreme Court Ceremonial Session for the 19th Amendment Centennial, you can view it here.
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2021 FAWL Executive Committee Meeting
- Friday, January 22, 2021: 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm
2021 FAWL 5 Part Webinar Series: Taking the First Chair
Part 1: The First Chair
- Wednesday, January 27, 2021: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm; registration and details to follow.
2021 FAWL Lobby Days in Tallahassee
- Monday, March 22nd- Wednesday, March 24th; currently planned as an in-person event
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Thank You to Our FAWL Annual Sponsors!
PLATINUM LEVEL
GOLD LEVEL
SILVER LEVEL
Shuker & Dorris P.A.
The Orlando Law Group, P.L.
Your support is critical to FAWL's accomplishment of its mission.
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Thank you to our
New Friends of FAWL
J. Carter Anderson, Donna Eng,
Amy Farrior, Mark Hartig,
Abeer Abu Judeh, Gary Lesser,
H. Web Melton, and Jessica Thomas
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Please send your news and direct press inquiries to Public Relations Director Mariane Dorris and Executive Director Kari Hicks at news@fawl.org.
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You are receiving this message because you are a FAWL member or you requested to receive our emails. If you wish to update your contact preference or believe you received this email in error, please send an email to memberservices@fawl.org and we will update our records.
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Florida Association for Women Lawyers
P.O. Box 721264, Orlando, FL 32872
FEIN 59-2383909 A 501(c)(6) Not-For-Profit Organization
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