2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORTS of Sections and Divisions of The Florida Bar.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Established in 2010, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of The Florida Bar (ADR section) serves members of The Florida Bar who practice mediation and arbitration, as well as lawyers who practice before mediators and arbitrators, and members of The Florida Bar who are interested in alternative dispute resolution. In addition, because many ADR section members are also Florida Supreme Court certified mediators, who are therefore subject to regulation by the Dispute Resolution Center (DRC), the ADR section serves these members by offering courses which may also satisfy some mediation certification requirements or Continuing Mediator Education (CME).

It is an objective of the section to represent the interests of all of its members while serving as an indispensable authoritative voice in the substantive area of dispute resolution in Florida.

In a few short years, the ADR section has gone from a period in which the ADR section experienced an operating budget deficit to a time in which the ADR section has generated operating surpluses sufficient to build a substantial reserve. The ADR section accomplished this by imposing a measure of fiscal discipline, implementing a program to recruit new members and offering a robust slate of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs.

* Collaboration--The ADR section seeks to increase collaboration, communication, and connection between it, the DRC, the Supreme Court Committee on ADR Rules and Policy, and all other sections of The Florida Bar. To that end, the ADR section is actively engaged in efforts to enhance dialogue with these groups on all levels and to cross-promote and co-sponsor events.

* Mentoring Academies--Florida attorneys are encouraged to mentor other practitioners. In order to meet this aspirational goal, the ADR section has created two signature programs, a Mediation Mentoring Academy, the first of which was held in 2019, and an Arbitration Advocacy Institute, the first of which was held in 2020. The inaugural programs for both academies were well attended and well-received. The section held its second Mediation Mentoring Academy on February 24 and 25, 2023, in Tampa, which was planned and executed by a planning committee lead by section Past Chair Chris Magee and ADR section executive council member John Salmon. The ADR section postponed this event in 2021 and 2022 as a result of the pandemic and Hurricane Ian.

* Continuing Legal Education--Through the efforts of the ADR section's CLE Committee Co-chairs, section Past Chair Kim Torres and ADR section executive council member Hadas Stagman, and the ADR section CLE Committee as a whole, the ADR section maintains a robust roster of educational programs. Many of the ADR section's CLE offerings have a dual purpose, providing CLE credits to members of The Florida Bar, as well as providing CME credits to ADR section members who are also certified mediators. During the pandemic, the ADR section added courses providing technology training for practitioners working remotely, as well as courses providing training for remote mediations.

In addition, the ADR section's Arbitration Committee, chaired by Patricia Thompson, created a new monthly virtual program to facilitate dialogue among arbitrators--the Arbitrator Forum. The Arbitrator's Forum is an open discussion of topics of interest to those interested in field of arbitration.

Finally, the ADR section collaborated with the Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar to co-host the Bar's first statewide, "Litigator Mediator Forum." This effort was spearheaded by ADR section executive council member Harold Oehler. The Florida Bar selected this program as a President's Showcase Program for the 2022 Florida Bar Annual Convention. The Litigator Mediator Forum not only provided continuing legal education on mediation advocacy skills and ethics but also provided Florida trial lawyers and mediators a long-needed platform to exchange ideas for improving mediation. The ADR section is now hosting various Litigator Mediator Forum events around the state.

* Communications--The ADR section communicates with its members and with the public through four different methods: 1) Flabaradr.com--the section's website, which provides up-to-date information on section events and news; 2) Common Ground--the section's biannual newsletter that showcases scholarly articles on ADR-related topics; 3) News and Tips--the section's monthly email newsletter, which provides announcements, updates, and time-sensitive information; and 4) social media--the section's regular and frequent communications on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

* Membership Recruitment and Retention--ADR section Chair-Elect and membership Chair Christy Foley has spearheaded the ADR section's efforts to expand its membership. The ADR section's membership efforts have had a dual focus of adding new members and retaining existing members. The ADR section also implemented a "free dues" period for new members of The Florida Bar to encourage interest in the ADR section early in these new lawyers' legal careers. The ADR section intends to continue to market itself through programming directed to lawyers who wish to improve their skills during mediation or arbitration.

* Community Outreach--To celebrate Mediation Week, during the month of October, the ADR section held a number of Mediation Week Celebration events throughout Florida. The events were designed to friend-raise and draw attention to the ADR section and its mission of serving members of The Florida Bar who practice mediation and arbitration, as well as lawyers who practice before mediators and arbitrators.

* Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion--In June 2021, the section approved the creation of a Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. In December 2021 and 2022, the committee conducted a statistical analysis of Florida mediators and section members to assess diversity based on available data. As a result, the committee has begun a campaign to raise awareness of steps that can be taken to increase diversity in neutral selection as well as diversity the available pool or experienced neutrals.

* Budget and Sponsorships--The ADR section is a relatively new section of The Florida Bar. To improve the ADR section's financial footing, for the past few years, the ADR section's executive council focused on its budget. By increasing its membership, providing cost-effective, quality continuing legal education programs, and employing fiscal responsibility, the ADR section has been able to achieve operating budget surpluses during the last few years. The section's budget surpluses have augmented the ADR section's reserves, providing financial stability for the ADR section.

* Proposed Legislation and Rules Revisions--The ADR section has commented upon numerous proposed changes that impact alternative dispute resolution rules or policies. For example, after surveying its membership regarding the continued use of communication technology or online/remote mediations, the ADR section filed comment with the Florida Supreme Court supporting the continued use of technology to facilitate online and remote mediations and presented its position during oral argument before the court. The ADR section similarly commented upon proposed changes in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida regarding the use of technology for remote mediations. In addition, the ADR section commented upon the proposed changes to Part I and Part II of the Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators, as initiated by the Supreme Court Committee on ADR Rules and Policy. Finally, the ADR section filed a comprehensive comment with the Florida Supreme Court as to those portions of the JMC Workgroup Final Report on Improved Resolution of Civil Cases that would have impacted alternative dispute resolution processes. The ADR section participated in oral argument as well.

* Strategic Planning--The ADR section has assembled a Strategic Planning Committee to update the section's strategic plan. This committee, headed by ADR section executive council member John Salmon is developing a plan that will serve as a guide to implement the section's long-range goals. As a first step, the ADR section commissioned a membership survey to ascertain the wants and needs of the section's members to guide this process.

KATHLEEN MCLEROY, Chair

Animal Law

The Animal Law Section (ALS) of The Florida Bar had another successful year of promoting the practice of animal law, providing unique opportunities and benefits to our members, and promoting animal welfare initiatives across the state.

We started the year off at the annual meeting in June with the seminar, "Animal Law Update: Manatees, Turtles, and Panthers, Oh My!" It was well attended by a live audience and was also recorded. Also, this year marked the return of the "World-Famous Puppy Pit." Countless attorneys and judges, and their families, stopped by to cuddle with adoptable puppies and learn about the section. Thank you to all the sponsors and people who came by to visit with the adoptable dogs. We are currently planning for our annual seminar in Boca Raton along with a Puppy Pit for conference attendees.

The section has also continued to provide opportunities for learning about animal law through webinars. In September, the Equine Committee offered a free webinar, "Shining Light on Horse Sales in the Sunshine Sate--Understanding Florida Administrative Code 5H-26," that was presented by section members Kimbrell Hines and Jason Sherman. In October, the Wildlife Committee hosted a webinar, "The Missing Link for a Reconnected World: The Prospect and Promise of an International Convention For Animal Protection." This April, the section intends to host a free webinar regarding plant-based food labelling for members of the section, members of the Young Lawyers Division, and law students. Additionally, in May, the...