Family Law Section.

AuthorBeebe, Abigail
PositionAnnual Reports of Sections and Divisions of the Florida Bar: 2018-2019

The theme for the 2018-2019 Bar year has been recalling why we began our service to The Florida Bar and working together in a healthy and professional way while trying to maintain our sanity and civility. This year, as a section, we have continued to aggressively promote not only the substantive and procedural mastery of family law, but the unique ethical and professional restraints inherent to our practice area, while at the same time promoting work-life balance and encouraging diversity across all areas of this profession and leadership within the Bar. It was an honor to serve this year as chair of the Family Law Section along with the other members of the executive committee: Amy Hamlin, chair-elect; Douglas Greenbaum, treasurer; Heather Apicella, secretary; and immediate past-chair, Nicole Geotz. We were so incredibly lucky this year to have the support of so many active, dedicated, and talented trustees who were always there to assist the section, along with so many hardworking, loyal, and dedicated executive council members, committee members, and committee leadership. They dedicated countless hours to the section's cause and never cease in their efforts to make this organization so great and able to ensure the families of the state of Florida are best served.

This year started with our fall meetings in conjunction with the sections biannual leadership retreat, at the gorgeous Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. This retreat, chaired by Trish Armstrong and Andrea Reid, was a grand slam on all fronts. This program is a section service and is intended to provide members with section leadership opportunities. Each program varies, but this year we welcomed not only Patricia McDougel, parliamentarian, to share some helpful Roberts Rules tips and advice specifically related to the sections bylaws and the structure of our executive council. We also were lucky to have our very own president of The Florida Bar, Michelle Suskauer, President-Elect John Stewart, and Past-President Gregory Coleman to share with the section membership some Board of Governors and Bar leadership information. In addition, there was a great legislative information session to provide great overview of the process, specifically in Florida. The section also awarded five members scholarships to attend this program.

In October, the section put on their boots and headed to Nashville, Tennessee for the annual out-of-state retreat held at the stunning Thompson Hotel. We received a...

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