... And I am here to help!(President's Page)

• Author: Downs, Mayanne

Let me tell you about Jo Litchford. Jody graduated at the top of her class from the University of Virginia Law School, the daughter of a prominent local lawyer. Having practiced law for over 30 years, she can answer questions off the top of her head in about three dozen areas of law. Renowned for her integrity and legendary institutional knowledge at her workplace, she has a passion for doing the right thing. While raising three fine sons, Jody has been an ever-present volunteer in too many community organizations to mention. Oh, and in her spare time, she started a charter school, based on the notion that education can and should teach character as well as knowledge.

Then there's Tom Cardwell, a lawyer of national reputation, counsel to the banking industry for decades, and the former managing partner of a major firm with offices scattered throughout the country. In his current job, Tom devotes considerable brain power and a lifetime of leadership and policy experience to making sure that fundamental financial principles are followed. His work will affect every single Floridian--whether they know it or not.

I'm also reminded of Kris Davenport, an appellate lawyer with a gift for crafting the most complex concepts into easily digested small bites, writing with a clarity that makes reading effortless and the point she's making the only possible conclusion. Kris helps make our state a safer place to live.

Marion Radsen springs to mind. A lawyer of such unparalleled respect among peers, his name pops up so often and in such a wide array of legal subjects that you wonder if there is more than one fellow by that name.

And Elizabeth Tarbert's legal mind and skills are so sharp they could almost cut you.

Jody, Tom, Kris, Marion, and Elizabeth could all make a lot more money than they do. A lot. So they have that in common. What else do they have in common?

They're government lawyers, making up 16 percent of the Bar's members. Jody Litchford is the City of Orlando's deputy city attorney. Tom Cardwell left private practice to become the commissioner of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Kris Davenport handles criminal appellate matters for Florida's attorney general's office. Marion Radsen is the longtime city attorney for the City of Gainesville. And Elizabeth Tarbert is ethics and advertising counsel for The Florida Bar (not what we typically think of as a government lawyer, but one nonetheless).

The Florida Bar's City, County and Local...