Understand Your Rights. Solve Your Legal Problems
Workplace design expert Stuart Finnie delves into the current trends in the legal sector’s office priorities and offers his thoughts on how law firms may operate in years to come.
The legal workplace is on the cusp of a major transformation, with COVID-19 forcing even the most traditional of firms to reevaluate their ways of working.
The legal sector has always favoured the traditional workplace and has previously struggled to consider remote working as an option. Now, however, there is an acknowledgement that work can be done outside a physical workspace. In fact, a recent Unispace survey of some of the world’s largest employers found that more than half of employees (52%) expect their teams to return to the office by Q3 2021, but critically, not full-time.
In line with this thinking, firms are making changes. Freshfields and Linklaters have recently announced new agile working policies that will allow staff to work remotely up to 50% of the time, and Herbert Smith Freehills has announced that colleagues can work from home up to 40% of the time, even if all restrictions are eased.
But like any other sector, law firms must adapt and become more agile to address the ever-evolving needs of their teams and their clients. While many found themselves facing the challenge of working virtually over the past 18 months, new questions have now arisen surrounding the legal workplace of the future and ensuring that it is prime for the hybrid working world.
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Though a physical working space will still be a priority, the future legal workplace will need to balance competing desires for mobility, collaboration, and flexibility. With this in mind, it is not only the physical workspace that needs to adapt, but rather the entire legal sector ecosystem, and this boils down to the tools and processes that firms use.
For example, many of the traditional paper-based processes used by law firms are going through a digital transformation, meaning that there is less need to be surrounded by paper resources like case files at all times. Electronic signatures and document management systems are also supporting the move to more digital practices. As a result, the spaces once occupied by legal libraries are being repurposed for more casual lounge areas and other staff amenities.
The perceptions surrounding work and how it is carried out are also changing in the sector. The pre-pandemic status quo demanded heavy physical attendance and presenteeism during core business hours, but many firms are rising to the challenge of breaking with this tradition and giving their employees more flexibility.
Additionally, a large portion of what lawyers do is done in collaboration, whether that is with local or cross-border colleagues and clients. Therefore, understanding what collaboration means for the legal environment, as well as unique workflows, is a key priority and needs to be factored into workplace design. 2020 data from Acritas notes that seven in 10 lawyers say there are barriers to collaboration within their firms, and though the use of collaboration tools has almost doubled in law firms throughout the pandemic according to Bloomberg Law, there is still more to be done.
The spaces once occupied by legal libraries are being repurposed for more casual lounge areas and other staff amenities.
The question of how to support working relationships effectively, both in person and remotely, looms large. There must be a variety of team spaces that colleagues can benefit from both in-person and virtually, that allows them to share information amongst their teams efficiently.
The right equipment is also essential to helping make hybrid working effective. We are seeing new technologies such as portable monitors and Owl Video Conferencing Cameras introduced to address the needs of a hybrid team, supporting in-office and remote participants and ensuring everyone has a positive, collaborative experience when working together.
There is not yet a clear, universally agreed answer to the definition of hybrid working as it is a work in progress. Businesses need to trial, adapt and evolve with immediate, medium and long-term solutions requiring implementation at different points. Hybrid suggests variety, and this needs to be matched in the layout of a workspace. Businesses often believe that hybrid working and collaboration mean that an open-plan workplace will be best, but in reality, there should be a variety of different spaces available.
Additionally, by having this variety of options to use, firms can ensure they maintain a level of formality to the office and have different spaces available depending on the client and the purpose of the meeting.
That said, we are seeing a more general shift towards less formal client interactions – the pandemic and home working has changed the balance of interaction between work and home, with people being given new insights into their clients’ and colleagues’ lives through Zoom or Teams calls. The question remains whether clients will want the same level of formality that was evident pre-pandemic.
The question of how to support working relationships effectively, both in person and remotely, looms large.
The legal industry is also one that is prime for ‘learning from osmosis’, with associates often being paired with partners and other senior team members to shadow them and learn the ropes. Now, as firms adopt hybrid working practices, it is vital that more senior members of the team are still accessible and available to learn from.
While firms like Linklaters created around 600 online training sessions for trainee staff during the pandemic, in-person learning will still be crucial. Having a variety of workspaces available in the office can also help support in colleagues’ learning and development. By being exposed to more conversations, trainees are more likely to pick up knowledge by osmosis than compared to shadowing one partner. Anecdotally, it has been stated that younger team members have a higher likelihood of feeling more confident quickly if they are in a workspace that is open and fosters collaboration.
The workplace is no longer constrained by four walls but can exist almost anywhere. There is no longer a one size-fits-all approach. Spaces, tasks, experience and spend must all now focus on productive output, and the intent behind coming into the office.
Drawing people back to the workplace must be done carefully and sympathetically. Staff need to return to a space that supports their needs and workstyles, which requires an understanding of individual tasks and ways of working at all levels, from juniors through to managing partners.
Address: Devon House, 58-60 St Katharine's Way, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1JP
Telephone: +44 020 8125 4600
Stuart Finnie is a skilled architect and interior designer responsible for managing design operations across the EMEA region with global workplace creation experts Unispace.
When you serve such a polarised variety of clients, there is no option other than adapting the way you comport yourself to the kind of client business you are working with, and, specifically, to its organisational culture. Together with conducting legal background checks, we always try to learn as much as possible about each of our client’s field of activities and business environment. This helps us better understand the client’s individual needs and provide better service.
In order to properly conduct ourselves when working with various clients, we use the knowledge we have amassed over the years and adapt it to the kind of organisation we are representing. For example, when representing a multinational company, we always account for the organisational hierarchy and operate in complete accordance with it. On the other hand, when we represent a start-up, we often find ourselves working simultaneously with the management and with investor representatives. When we represent certain family-owned businesses we will be sensitive to the fact that, often, important decisions are also made by family members and not just by the CEO or the board.
Aside from this, the extensive regulation in Israel forces us to constantly learn and keep up with the regulations for the represented business’s specific sector. This is no simple task and requires time and resources, but this cannot be forgone if we want to provide excellent legal service.
In my experience, complex disputes that deal with large sums of money are not resolved as long as the parties are unwilling to compromise. Before appealing to the court and even after the beginning of court proceedings, when each party believes in its own righteousness and is sure of its victory, the parties are usually not yet ready for compromise. For this reason, the chances at this stage of achieving an agreed-upon settlement are low. We have had cases in which we were able to solve disputes at an early stage, even before petitioning the courts, but these were the exceptions. In our experience, the suitable time for compromise, as far as the two sides are concerned, is at a later stage of the judicial process – following massive discovery of documents, an attempt to reach a settlement at mediation, and submission of witnesses’ affidavits.
When you serve such a polarised variety of clients, there is no option other than adapting the way you comport yourself to the kind of client business you are working with.
At this late stage, many of the “cards” have been exposed, each party can assess their risks and prospects in the proceedings and there may be better chances of reaching a reasonable compromise.
After years of representing investors from Israel and abroad, we have learned that investors are always interested in product innovation and uniqueness at the company they are investing in and its chance of sweeping the market.
Having said that, it is just as important to investors to understand the personality and state of mind of the entrepreneurs at the companies they invest in. Investors inject companies with money for the sole purpose of seeing return on their investment. That is their only goal. Entrepreneurs do not always manage to get into the investors’ heads and comprehend this. Pointless stubbornness on the part of entrepreneurs during negotiation of investment terms and company operations of the kind that might reveal them as “problematic personalities” in the eyes of the investors, may result in investors backing out of their intentions to invest. I always tell entrepreneurs that they have the right to quarrel with their investor only once – just before the Exit.
LNA, of which we are members, has over 100 law practices scattered over the world. Most members’ are leading law firms with reputations and strong professional credentials in their countries in addition to ample experience working with international clients. The LNA Network holds professional conferences around three times a year. At these conferences we are exposed to, among other things, regulations and rulings from many countries and global developments affecting various legal specialties.
I always tell entrepreneurs that they have the right to quarrel with their investor only once – just before the Exit.
Being part of the LNA network enables us to obtain valuable information for our clients in Israel and abroad as well as the ability to refer any client in need of legal services in a certain country to the network’s law firms there. Usually, we are personally acquainted with the relevant lawyer abroad who will represent the referred client.
We are proud of the fact that in the winter of 2020, just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, our firm hosted the LNA European conference, which was held in Israel for the first time. The conference was a great success.
If the differences in various negotiation cultures could be classified, you could say that in general, business negotiations with people from European countries are more pertinent and less forceful in many cases than negotiations with Israeli businessmen, which often may deteriorate to pointless forceful conflict.
Occasionally, in these instances, pointless conflict during negotiation to settle a business dispute should be stopped quickly, even if this may convey weakness. I have in the past, during heated negotiations, asked for a recess to consult with my client and implore them to calm down or even concede on non-fundamental issues so that the achievement of compromise would not be hampered. This kind of intervention is not always welcomed by the client in the heat of the moment, but after de-escalation clients tend to appreciate it very much.
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By law, a director must always act solely in the interest of the company. Nevertheless, in practice this is not always so easily done. Often, directors are sure they need to act on behalf of whoever appointed them. Directors in Israel are appointed and serve on many occasions as part of a network of interests. Unfortunately, many directors are not aware of their great liability and immense legal exposure as directors.
In a company that our firm served as legal counsel, an interested party transaction was discussed by the board. During the board meeting, I stated my opinion that a fairness option should be received for the transaction and its terms before being brought to the board’s approval.
Most of the directors agreed with me, and the proposal was accepted. The director interested in the transaction, who had much influence at the company, was very angry with me and saw me as responsible for delaying the transaction. After time passed, he phoned me and apologised. He had read about a company that had approved a similar transaction without receiving such an opinion, and the directors were sued for tens of millions of dollars.
I believe that a significant proportion of the employers in the market have not yet internalised the enormous change made in Israel in this field. Over the past few years, we have seen a process of new and extensive legislation in labour law in Israel. Alongside rightful protection accorded to disempowered employee populations by the new laws, it is also evident that there is a trend of imposing an unreasonable and unjust burden on employers to the extent of “criminalisation” of a fundamental part of the labour laws.
Today, before making any managerial decision regarding an employee, every employer must check if it is even legal. Furthermore, there are the labour court rulings on the topic of employees’ right to organize, which must not be hindered. All this brings us to the realisation that this field has fundamentally changed from what it was just a few years ago, and employers today must consider their actions with much caution.
Today, before making any managerial decision regarding an employee, every employer must check if it is even legal.
It is very important to think together with the client, to understand what motivates them and their business considerations. However, when these conflict with the law, a lawyer must stand up to the client, even if he is an influential manager or businessman, and even if this may result in termination of representation. I have had such disagreement with clients. It is my experience that, in the long run, a client will appreciate a lawyer that has its back more than a lawyer that cuts corners.
Working with family-owned businesses is my baby. The inherent challenge and difficulty in a family-owned business of achieving success while preserving the family was what attracted me to this this topic many years ago. During the past seven years I have served as the Academic Director and lecturer at the Business and Family studies program initiated by the Bar Ilan University.
It is no easy task to be part of a family that owns a business, whether you work at the business or outside of it. The fear of disputes that may damage the business and family relations is ever-present, even when all seem well.
In this regard, I would advise to always have a binding written agreement between family members to settles relations and serve as a safeguard against conflicts that may hurt the family and do damage to the business; the earlier the better.
The fear of disputes that may damage the business and family relations is ever-present, even when all seem well.
The conduct in American companies is structured in a way that, to Israelis, may seem cumbersome at times. Many parties are involved in the organisation in almost all fundamental business occurrences and there is an orderly process of subject-learning and voicing of opinions by all parties, who are by definition of their roles in the organisation supposed to be involved in the finalisation of said business events. Additionally, the process of decision-making itself is orderly, as mandated by the organisation’s nature.
This kind of conduct is not common in Israeli companies, where decision-making is often done hastily by a small group of senior staff. It is noteworthy that today, the more that Israeli companies and tech-focused companies in particular start to interact with American businesses, the more they are quickly learning how to conduct business in the American style.
My mentor during my internship and in the early stages of the legal practice was the late Eli Zohar Adv., who apart from being a famous lawyer in Israel not only had excellent professional skills but was also blessed with praiseworthy personal attributes. Eli Zohar was definitely a lawyer deserving of the title “a lawyer and a gentleman”. I had the opportunity to work with him and learn from him not only during my internship, but also afterwards as I continued at the Seligman firm. I learned the art of litigation and cross-examining witnesses from Eli, as well as the obligation to respect the other party even when waging a fierce legal war. From attorneys Pinhas Rubin and Moriel Matalon, whom I worked beside at the Gornitzki firm, I learned how to engage in complex commercial transactions. The late Phillip Mandelker, whom I worked alongside at the Rosenman firm in New York, taught me a lot about commercial litigation in the US. I am grateful to all of my professional teachers for all they have taught me.
As one who began his legal practice in the largest firms in Israel and the US, I am well acquainted with the advantages and drawbacks of their services. A large firm is a brand name and has a relatively large array of professionals to offer clients, which provides a sense of security. However, large firms have high overhead costs which raise rates, and for this reason are not right for all clients. Another fundamental difference between large firms and small firms (like ours) is in the access to the senior partner involved in the case or transaction.
I often hear from clients that came from large firms that they felt “lost” in these large legal organisations, and that in the end the lawyer that worked with them had two or three years of experience. We do our best to make our experience and skills available to all our clients. I am involved in almost every case at our firm and clients have almost immediate access to me.
Business life entails many surprises and stressful events that require immediate action. Confrontational events like lawsuits or investigations, as well positive events like the maturing of company acquisition or sales negotiations, may create a sense of urgency in clients, requiring immediate consultation with a lawyer. I have found myself, more than once, when on my way home after a long day at work, redirecting to an urgent meeting with a client because of such developments. We emphasize availability and quick professional response for all our clients, small and large, and we know from our experience that our clients appreciate this very much, and that it is one of the most important issues for our clients.
A Hebrew version of this article originally appeared in TheMarker.
Moshe Kahn, Founder
Address: Amot Investments Tower, 7th Floor, 2 Weizmann St., Tel Aviv 6423902, Israel
Telephone: +972 3-691-4775
Fax: +972 3-691-4706
Email: mk@kahn.co.il
Moshe Kahn has more than 20 years of expertise as a business lawyer providing legal counseling and representation to local and foreign companies, including leading multinationals operating in Israel. He is also a member of key committees at the Israeli Bar Association, the author of many professional articles, and a regular organiser and speaker at conferences at the Bar Ilan University.
Moshe Kahn Advocates deal with an array of legal concerns including commercial law subjects, corporation law and commercial litigation, commercial contracts and international dealings, representation of employers in labour disputes, family-owned businesses and many more areas. Moshe Kahn Advocates is the Israel law firm of Legal Netlink Alliance, an internationally recognised organisation of independent law firms with more than 100 law offices located worldwide.
Below, Michelle Anthony-Desir describes the island’s unique draws and the regulations that should be considered for foreign buyers.
The property market on the island is currently more active than it has been for some years for a combination of reasons:
Saint Lucia has been and continues to be an attractive destination for second homeowners and property developers. Not only is it an English-speaking island, but it also enjoys good airlift from major hubs throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Of course, the island’s rich cultural heritage and the welcoming and friendly personality of its people are a major draw to the island, coupled with its natural beauty and topography.
A number of persons who have the flexibility to work from home now realise that “home’ in many cases could be the Caribbean.
The real estate offerings on the island are varied from unbuilt lots to standalone homes, villas and condominiums. Depending on individual taste, lifestyle and budget, there are suitable options for everyone.
First-time buyers are often caught up in the excitement of owning property. It is not uncommon for deposits to be paid without a written agreement or proper title searches being made, or for agreements which have not been appropriately vetted to be signed. In addition, appropriate inspections of buildings may not be carried out prior to completion of purchases or boundaries clearly demarcated and identified. It also goes without saying that the source of funding for any purchase must be confirmed before the acquisition process advances too far.
Whether a buyer has found a property on their own or through a realtor, it is imperative that he or she is armed with an experienced and reliable real estate attorney who will assist them with legal contracts and title searches and will advise on deposits and best practices on the island. It may also be necessary to have a licensed valuer and quantity surveyor on the team.
Foreign buyers should be aware that – save for one or two exceptions – they will be required to obtain an Aliens Landholding Licence to purchase property on the island.
Growing up I had visions of being an archaeologist and having amazing adventures. I quickly realised that the scope for such a career was limited in the Caribbean. While I had had the experience of being educated outside of the Caribbean in my earlier years, what I did know was that I wanted to live and work in my home country. Ultimately, my journey into law was influenced by my desire for a career that would allow me the freedom to chart my own path as well as to provide various avenues for the practice of law.
Athena Law was conceived on the idea that there had to be a better way to engage in the practice of law and to create and appreciate a different life experience. For me, Athena Law is part of my own personal journey to finding balance and focusing on aspects of the law that I really enjoy.
There are so many things I would like to do, but realistically speaking, time may not work in my favour. I would not describe it as a career goal, but the one thing I would love to do is to develop a podcast. I am working on a few concepts and ideally, I would want to launch it within the next twelve months.
Michelle Anthony-Desir, Founder
Address: 6 Brazil Street, Castries, Saint Lucia
Telephone: +1 758 452 5111
Email: mdesir@athenalawslu.com
Michelle Anthony-Desir
October marks the 25th anniversary of my call to the Bar in Saint Lucia. I am a fully trained West Indian attorney and I have practiced in Saint Lucia from the date of my call in 1996. My practice focuses on conveyancing, commercial and investment law and legacy planning.
At Athena Law our desire is to simplify complex legal journeys to make them more client-friendly and to create more efficient work flows and processes. The aim is that, through this type of collaboration, clients will feel more empowered to make decisions with clarity throughout the course of a legal matter.
Johansson sued Disney in July, accusing the company of breaching her contract by offering the film on its subscription streaming service Disney+ when the film was still playing in cinemas.
Johansson’s complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, argued that the dual-release of Black Widow had reduced her compensation which the actress said was to be based in part on box office revenue from an exclusive run in cinemas.
However, at the time, Disney countered that there was “no merit” to Johansson’s claims and asserted that it had complied with the terms of her contract. Disney also said that Johansson’s lawsuit showed “callous disregard” for audience safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released on Thursday, Alan Bergman, content chairman for Disney Studios, said, "I'm very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding Black Widow.”
Bergman went on to say that Disney was looking forward to working with Johansson on a number of upcoming projects, including plans for her to produce and star in a film based on Disney’s Tower of Terror theme park rides.
Johansson also said she was happy to have resolved her differences with Disney and was looking forward to future collaborations. "I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team,” her statement said.
Below, Kelly D Feig outlines the purpose of the Marchman Act and the aid it can provide to families.
The Marchman Act is a civil – not criminal – procedure. It is a Florida statute that enables families or friends to petition the court for mandatory assessment and treatment for someone who is abusing drugs or alcohol and has lost the ability to appreciate that they have a problem. The proceedings are confidential and are usually conducted as part of the mental health division of the court. I can help people residing outside of Florida as long as they are within the borders of the state when they are served.
The Marchman Act is primarily for chemical dependency and substance abuse. It is used for involuntary assessment and treatment with initial assessment order for up to five days and successive treatment orders of up to 90 days. This is different than the 72-hour hold many states have implemented primarily for mental illness when someone appears to be a danger to themselves or others.
Attorneys should be aware that this is a two-step process. The Marchman Act process begins by filing a Petition and Request for Assessment and Stabilisation (Detox) and/or Treatment. Once the court has reviewed this petition, either through an ex parte process (no hearing required) or an actual hearing before the court, a court order may be entered. The respondent may be court-ordered to immediately go to a facility that has been pre-determined for completion of the assessment/stabilisation/detox or be picked up by law enforcement and delivered by them to the nearest facility as ordered by the court for the assessment/stabilisation/detox. Following this, the treatment providers will render their assessment and make a recommendation for treatment to the court.
The Marchman Act is a civil – not criminal – procedure.
The client must understand that the attorney and the court officials cannot dictate the level of care and have no influence on the level or type of treatment the respondent will receive. The trained professionals base their treatment recommendation and the level of care based on the respondent’s needs. Typically, treatment is outpatient treatment, day-treatment, intensive outpatient treatment and/or residential treatment. It is the obligation of the client and the client’s attorney to enforce the order of the court upon the respondent.
The next step in the Marchman Act process is the filing of a Treatment Petition by the lawyer if one has not previously been filed and is warranted. Some counties in Florida require the assessment facility to file the second petition, so the lawyer should review the local rules in each county before filing. The court will review this petition and the treatment recommendation by the clinician to decide whether to order the respondent to comply with this recommendation. If the court orders treatment, the order will be in place for a minimum period of 90 days. Substance abuse treatment is either paid for privately (cash) or through pre-existing personal insurance plans. If neither the respondent nor the client has the ability to pay for treatment, the only treatment alternative is typically the use of a county or government-funded indigent program.
If a treatment order has been entered and the respondent is non-compliant in any way, the attorney should file a Rule to Show Cause with the court and bring the respondent before the judge for violating the court order and seek sanctions. Generally, if this occurs, the judge will have a hearing, and if proven, give the respondent one more opportunity to return to treatment and comply with the court order to avoid incarceration. Should the respondent yet again fail to comply with the court order they will be found in civil contempt and possibly incarcerated until they are ready to return to treatment.
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It is important to note that serving time for contempt does not invalidate the existence or duration of the original order for treatment. The respondent must continue treatment pursuant to the original order subsequent to being released from custody.
The client must further understand that, although the respondent is recommended at one particular level of care during the assessment, the clinicians may increase or decrease the level of care at any time. Often, a respondent, based on their participation (or lack thereof), may start at one level of care, but subsequently need a higher or lower level of care based upon their participation in the treatment process. This is not uncommon and should be expected. Prior to the end of the 90-day treatment period, should the respondent still meet Marchman Act criteria, based on a medical professional’s recommendation, an extension can be filed for up to an additional 90 days.
It is important that attorneys (or individuals petitioning) be aware of the deadlines for filing so that the court does not lose jurisdiction. Once jurisdiction is lost, the process must start from the beginning. One way to avoid this pitfall is review the statute and the local rules. Another action attorneys can take is setting a status conference every two-weeks (even if the respondent enters treatment voluntarily and there is no order) so the court maintains its jurisdiction.
It is curious. When I mention the Marchman Act to other attorneys, many have no idea what I am talking about and are surprised. I think that addiction is stigmatised as a sign of weakness, but this could not be further from the truth. The majority of those that overdose are regular people that were prescribed a very addicting medication. I began my journey into this area of the law out of necessity – I have a family member that suffers from addiction. As a family we tried everything from religion to geographical cures to equine therapy. At no point did anyone advise us about the Marchman Act. Even when I would call a treatment centre and express my desire to send my loved one and explained his unwillingness, no one suggested I had an option through the courts. Even after I became aware of the Marchman Act as an attorney, I feared exposing my loved one to the court system. Out of desperation and a very real fear of losing him, I finally filed my first petition.
When I mention the Marchman Act to other attorneys, many have no idea what I am talking about.
The statute has been a Godsend. While it is not a magic bullet, every day that a person is clean and sober is an opportunity for them to heal – and I believe everyone has the ability to heal.
Florida has personal jurisdiction over anyone within the borders of the state. The beauty of this act is that as long as someone steps foot in the State of Florida we can attempt to obtain jurisdiction for the purposes of getting them help through the Marchman Act. I suggest that anyone anywhere that fears their loved one has lost control over drugs and alcohol reach out to our firm to discuss their options and whether the Marchman Act is the answer for their family.
Kelly D Feig, Founder
The Law Office of Kelly D Feig, PA
Address: 2410 NE 10th Street, Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009
Telephone: (305) 979-2488
Email: kelly@kdflegal.com
Kelly D Feig
My name is Kelly Daniela Feig and I am a solo practitioner working in South Florida. I graduated from the University of Miami School of Law with honours in 2007 and have transitioned my practice to focus in the areas of probate (administration and litigation), guardianship, and mental health (specifically Marchman Acts). I do not regret leaving the big firms as my practice allows me to give zealous but personal and compassionate representation to my clients without worrying about billable hour requirements and firm politics. While the probate area of my practice deals with lives lost, the Marchman Act area of my practice affords me a role in saving lives; every day I get to help families and friends save the life of someone they care for and love and that is priceless.
Below, we hear insight from Steve Brooks on the causes of this surge in truck and other vehicular accidents in the Sunshine State. He also offers his advice for how victims of truck accidents should act immediately following the incident.
Yes, there has. Here in Florida, we saw a record number of traffic fatalities in 2019, according to the most recent data available. Even last year with decreased driving due to the pandemic, traffic deaths increased by 8% year over year.
Truck accident statistics are even more unsettling. The number of large trucks involved in fatal accidents recently increased over 4% in just one year’s time. Fatalities of those in crashes involving large trucks are up 36% from 2010, and injuries are up 96%.
Central Florida is intersected by I-4, which runs from Orlando to Tampa, and the incredibly busy I-75 runs from north to south. Both Highway 27 and Highway 41 crisscross through Central Florida as well. I consider this to be the centre of the state. That’s why Central Florida is nicknamed the “Heartland.”
Due to being in the middle of the state, Central Florida is a natural centre for warehousing, trucking and logistics. The Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center was recently developed near Winter Haven due to its geographic location. This is driving additional warehousing and logistic centres as the main “inland” port in the state. This development has been a boon for the local economy — but with the good comes the bad.
The highways that intersect Central Florida have the same number of lanes as they did seven or eight years ago. These same roads now must support the dramatic growth in truck traffic that comes with the increase in warehousing and logistics centres, on top of general population growth.
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This growth in truck traffic has also affected not only our highways, but our cities as well. People are moving to Central Florida in droves. In fact, the Winter Haven/Lakeland metro area is the second-fastest growing area in the country. Some of this is related to COVID-19 relocations, but a lot of it is related to job opportunities in the warehousing and logistics space, along with the construction industry.
This puts pressure on county and city infrastructure, so they, in turn, need to engage in substantial capital projects to keep up. It is simple math. An expanding workforce, coupled with heavy incoming population migration from other states, combined with significantly increased truck traffic travelling the same roads and highways equals more crashes.
During the initial breakout of COVID-19 in 2020, we saw a downturn in crashes because there were simply not many people driving. As we reopened in 2021, we have seen an increased number of crashes. This is due to multiple factors including huge migrations of people from the northeast and west, the rapidly growing logistics and warehousing industry, and post-pandemic reopening.
The highways that intersect Central Florida have the same number of lanes as they did seven or eight years ago.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), just ten states account for half of all fatal US truck crashes. Florida is one of those states, and it is why we are seeing twice the normal number of truck crash victims walking through our doors this year. While truck accidents are fewer, the effects can be even more detrimental than a car crash.
The scary thing about truck accidents is a simple matter of physics. When you crash an 80,000-pound semi-truck into a 4,000-pound car, the injuries will be more severe than an identical collision between two cars. This is especially concerning when you note that the truck driver is the least likely to die or be injured in a crash. Most of those who die in truck accidents are drivers of other vehicles.
I am not aware of any recent legislative actions, but I do know the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is studying this problem. There was an FDOT study published in 2019 titled “Large Truck Crash for Freight Mobility and Safety Enhancement in Florida.” This study covered a period between 2007 and 2016 and revealed there were 243,017 large truck crashes in Florida during the study period.
There were interesting findings from this study:
The study identified 7 high crash density locations. The highest density location was in Ft. Myers, followed by Bradenton, Lakeland, Sarasota, Naples and Auburndale. Several roads and intersections in Polk County combined to take the 7th spot. We help victims from all of these areas, so we have seen how this data becomes personal and affects their lives.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), just ten states account for half of all fatal US truck crashes.
There is an old saying in business: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Now that the state has some credible and revealing data, hopefully the legislature will fund the necessary infrastructure to relieve congestion and provide a safer platform to navigate our new warehouse and logistics economy here in Central Florida.
The country as a whole is gradually evolving away from in-person shopping and towards eCommerce. Amazon and other retailers have built huge logistics warehouses across the country to service our changing consumer appetite.
I believe some states in the south are seeing an even higher degree of this type of activity. Florida in particular has seen huge population migration in the last few years. Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are experiencing the same growing pains, to some extent. These states’ populations have exploded, primarily due to migration from northeast and western states. Many companies are relocating to these states because they have low to no income taxes and are generally non-union states. COVID-19 also accelerated the trend to relocate to warmer, low-tax southern states. Accompanying more population and more corporations will be increased truck traffic.
First, check yourself for injuries and call for medical attention if needed. Truck accidents often lead to severe injuries, so you will want to get taken care of as soon as possible. You also need to call the police to come out and write an accident report.
The country as a whole is gradually evolving away from in-person shopping and towards eCommerce.
While you wait for them to arrive, take photos of the accident scene, the vehicles, your injuries, and anything else that could be helpful in determining what happened. Get the information of others involved in the crash and write down contact information from witnesses. Contact your insurance company to report the accident, but do not give any recorded statements until you speak with an attorney, as these can be used against you.
Finally, contact a truck accident attorney as soon as you can. If they are on your case from the onset, they can get records, truck black box data, and evidence before anyone has a chance to destroy it. This can be critical in the fight to get you all the compensation you deserve.
Stephen K Brooks, Managing Partner
Address: 2002 5th Avenue, Unit 101, Tampa, FL 33605
Telephone: 1-800-LAW-3030
Email: steve@brookslawgroup.com
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Steve Brooks
I am the managing partner of Brooks Law Group in Tampa and Winter Haven, FL. For nearly 30 years, our practice has been devoted to “people problems” – personal injury, wrongful death, and Social Security Disability. I am a people-first lawyer dedicated to helping people get the legal representation they deserve.
Like any other business, you're going to need a law firm website to promote your law office online. It's the starting point for many companies, especially if you're new to the game. Without an online presence, it will be difficult for potential clients to get in touch with your law office or even learn about what services you can provide them. And once they do that research and find out how awesome you are, then all of a sudden there's no way for them to contact you.
Ensure that whatever law firm website template design is chosen by the company has a simple focus on sleekness and minimalism rather than being over-decorated or using unnecessary colours. Premium law firm web design agencies would say, you need to create a website that will accurately reflect your professionalism and your practice. This means that you create a transparent and easy-to-read page that has all the necessary information about you and your firm, and that always works fine without any hiccups.
Here's a list of things a good law firm website has to have:
Social media is a must-have tool for law firms. It’s necessary for law firm businesses to promote themselves today more than ever before, and social media is an excellent way of doing business online. With it becoming such a popular platform on the Internet, using it as part of your law firm promotions will allow you to reach out to potential clients who are looking for legal help.
You must be active and interact with your followers and potential clients. You must also ensure that you reply to any comments or questions on the platform you post something within a timely manner, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google+, Pinterest, or one of the other platforms available. If possible try having some fun with this by running contests and giveaways for law firms online prizes through them as well. Just make sure to follow all guidelines laid out by each specific site when doing so.
You can start promoting your law firm business today if you have an account set up on these popular sites: Facebook (by far most popular), Google+, YouTube (if videos are part of your marketing campaign), Instagram (great photo-sharing app for law firms) and Linked In (for law professionals). You can also promote your law practice by tweeting on Twitter, pinning photos and updates to Pinterest, sharing videos on Vine and YouTube, and subscribing to other accounts.
Email marketing has become a popular way to promote a business online. It is a great tool for promoting and reaching out to potential clients. With this type of program, law firms can build up an effective client list made up of loyal customers who have opted in through the proper channels so as not to violate any regulations with respect to spamming or being unsolicited emails.
This kind of targeted email campaign allows a law firm business owner who knows his or her audience well enough from having surveyed them beforehand will be able to target very specific markets based on demographics such as age, location, gender etcetera. They will also know what they are interested in due to being already familiar with your company and more than likely they will be more than happy to receive email updates on your law firm’s current promotions or new law-related services offered.
It's more likely for people to watch a video than reading through long blog posts. People are drawn to videos because it is more engaging than just reading text on a screen. It's good for law firms to utilise video marketing in order to effectively promote their business online. The best way would be having an explainer video, which can help people understand what your law firm does and why you do it. It's a great way for law firms to promote themselves and their business online.
You should have an active blog as part of your law firm's online presence. It is important to create one and post valuable content on it. The best law firms try to make their blogs as relevant and timely as possible because this will increase the likelihood that people will visit it, share its contents, and ultimately lead them back to the law firm website for more information.
A blog can also help you establish yourself as an authority in your field by sharing knowledge about legal issues with others who may not be familiar with everything that goes into practising law or working at a law firm. Your expertise could attract new clients looking for personalised service from someone they feel understands where they are coming from based on what you have shared through your blog posts on topics such as how much work law firms are doing these days, law firm marketing tips, how to succeed as a lawyer at any law firm, etc.
SEO is the staple of online marketing. It is the process of maximising the number of visitors to a particular website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in organic (non-paid) search results from major search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. Search engine optimisation has been proven to be one law firm marketing strategy that yields higher returns on investment compared to other forms of law firm marketing.
No business can succeed without an online presence and your first step towards success is creating the perfect website for your law firm. Make sure you have lots of social media accounts where you're active as well as a blog that utilises SEO techniques. Email marketing for targeted audiences and video creation is the way of the future so embrace it as quickly as you can. With these tips, you'll have an avalanche of clients coming your way.
Björn Frommer, at FROMMER LEGAL, combines the two in this discussion of legal tech and his modular cloud platform, JUNE.
The number of mass actions is increasing sharply – not just in Germany, but also throughout Europe. Yet most law firms are unable to cope with these complex challenges using their current digital tools.
This is due, on the one hand, to the fact that many legal tools are tailored to individual rather than mass proceedings, especially the typical legal software. And on the other hand, there are now numerous specific tools that can help with a wide range of issues. However, these do not usually work hand in hand. On the contrary, interface problems often arise and identical work steps have to be repeated multiple times in different environments, in addition to other issues.
You cannot afford to go through all that in mass proceedings. After all, a four-digit number of claims alone require tens of thousands of steps, and therefore thousands and thousands of precisely produced individual documents.
For law firms and legal departments, this represents a massive drain on human resources and, most importantly, time. The logical consequence of this is that, in addition to a lack of business efficiency, there is also an enormous cost pressure. Competitiveness is lost if one does not simplify and bundle operational processes in mass proceedings in an intelligent way.
What sounds obvious and simple is, however, a difficult problem to solve in legal implementation, especially if you have not already been able to gather a "mass" of experience ahead of time in order to translate it technologically.
Therefore, for me, the term "legal tech" has a deeper meaning than it appears to have in general legal jargon. I do not see legal tech as the mere digital handling of legal files. Legal tech has to be much more, namely intelligent and, most importantly, economical.
I do not see legal tech as the mere digital handling of legal files.
Yes, but it is easier said than done. We launched the modular cloud platform "JUNE" in 2020. It allows tens of thousands of legal processes to be handled comprehensively and efficiently. However, an intelligent platform like JUNE is not just created on the drawing board. We are, of course, also building on a wealth of experience that we have gained over many mass litigation projects.
At FROMMER LEGAL, we have specialised in precisely that – the management of large-scale legal projects. Here we have always relied on specific technologies. JUNE was nevertheless the start of something entirely new.
We translated all the wishes and visions from our almost 20 years of legal practice into reality. JUNE is thus based on our own experience and provides us with the best tool currently available for handling mass proceedings. I would say that we have been successful.
Today I am sure of one thing: you have to have walked a rocky path (sometimes even a wrong one) yourself to reach your goal. Shortcuts do not work in such complex projects, because otherwise the software would lack the crucial proximity to reality.
Every company that relies on software to deliver its services has the same problem: users lack the technical know-how, while IT service providers usually lack the specialist knowledge requirement that users are confronted with.
Finally, we lawyers lack the time and patience to take on this challenge. And by that, I do not mean programming the software ourselves, but rather dealing in depth with the countless possibilities, testing them, investigating them, acquiring them, on-boarding them, learning them, etc. The solution here is actually rather simple: we need IT specialists for the law firm's IT.
That is no longer questioned. Specialists are also necessary for the technological content. These could be either external legal tech consultants or internal staff units. Legal engineers, i.e. those who translate legal needs into technological requirement profiles, also bring the requisite knowledge. So, what has to be done? Law firms have to create new positions. It is that simple.
And to avoid any misunderstanding: lawyers do not have to become programmers. The technical implementation should and can be done by others. That we did it was in our case logical and consistent.
Law firms have to create new positions. It is that simple.
JUNE is not just a fusion of recycled programmes. At FROMMER LEGAL we have been writing our own programmes for decades, but for JUNE we pooled all our ideas and wishes and we started the whole development process from scratch on a completely clean slate.
The important thing here was that we did not just develop for ourselves, but for the market. That makes a big difference in terms of software architecture. Our previous law firm systems were obviously strongly tailored to our needs and built to be rather monolithic.
JUNE, on the other hand, is designed to meet a wide variety of needs and, above all, is modular. JUNE can be expanded. JUNE grows continuously. JUNE even allows the integration of third-party tools. We are therefore catering to the current trend of cloud-based technology – not static old-school software, but rather a dynamic linking of diverse applications under one roof.
For us, JUNE is the digital tool par excellence for handling mass proceedings and other large projects in law firms, legal departments or public authorities. Mass proceedings and litigation are on the rise, but, as I mentioned at the beginning, they generate an enormous amount of time and effort - and often only for a modest fee.
Not quite, but almost. JUNE is absolutely data-driven and thus takes over essential work steps, from digitisation and data capture to file management, deadline management and automated document creation.
The decisive factor here is the completely different way of dealing with the vast amounts of correspondence: the platform and its users do not work directly with this bulk, but with structured data, which is surprisingly easy. This is because every piece of correspondence is converted into essential core information and then into data. This, in turn, allows work steps to be automated and project-specific workflows to be established and maintains an overview of the overall project.
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Another new feature is that clients can access the platform directly and therefore benefit from complete transparency – a wish that comes up more and more often in large-scale projects. And because key figures mean everything in mass proceedings, reports are generated in real time.
Since we are also receiving enquiries from other countries, JUNE now has to become multilingual. This is an item on our roadmap.
Yes, absolutely. The word about the operational advantages of JUNE has now spread outside the legal sector. Insurance companies and public authorities are becoming interested in accessing the system. Recurring processes are not an exclusive legal phenomenon. Here, you need only provide precise information on the operational process during onboarding; the logic behind it remains the same.
No, I do not think so. A machine will not be able to take over the specific way we lawyers think in the foreseeable future. In any case, we should not try to remove the link between human and legal expertise.
A machine will not be able to take over the specific way we lawyers think in the foreseeable future.
Where ethical principles do not play a direct role, the machine must help to simply facilitate and accelerate work steps. It serves to ease the workload, but should certainly never be given a final decision on complex legal issues. The legal expertise will always remain with the lawyer, and that is a good thing.
Björn Frommer, CEO
Address: Goethestraße 49a, 80336 München, Germany
Telephone: +49 89 6931354
Björn Frommer is a lawyer and managing partner of FROMMER LEGAL and the CEO of JUNE GmbH. Developed using FROMMER LEGAL's expertise, JUNE is a modular cloud platform that supports law firms and legal departments in defending mass claims.
Julie Katz, a highly experienced intellectual property litigator, remarks on how she has witnessed this shift in attorney attitudes first-hand and offers her insights as to how and why it should be reversed.
I have observed and experienced a high level of incivility first hand in IP litigation, and I can only say that it makes an attorney’s job more difficult than it already is. We are engaged to advocate for our clients, which may require advocating zealously. What some attorneys seem to forget is that it is our client’s legal position for which we are fighting. When it gets personal, involving attacks that go beyond energetic representation, it does not advance the case for either party.
In fact, the entire tone of legal prose may be changing. Even emails or letters representing your views or those of your client have taken on increasing levels of edginess. Rather than taking issue with a position that opposing parties have staked out, many lawyers act as if the attorney on the other side is the target, attacking the advocate as “you” rather than parrying the position or the legal point of view.
When it gets personal, involving attacks that go beyond energetic representation, it does not advance the case for either party.
It has had an effect on several levels. Uncivil conduct by attorneys during litigation increases the cost of the litigation. When there is overt hostility between counsel, negotiation tends to bog down and resolution becomes more difficult and time-consuming. Time may have to be taken solely to address the incivility in a case, further increasing the overall cost for a client, particularly if they are being charged by the hour.
On another level, an attorney who brings overtly aggressive behaviour to the court may cast a dim light on their own client, causing them to be seen less favourably. This can also jeopardise the credibility of the witnesses for that party. In my opinion, it is not a risk worth taking. A client may want me to take an aggressive line in a case, and that may be warranted, but personal attacks and ill manners in court not only go beyond zealous advocacy, but will likely be remembered by the presiding judge.
The legal market is more competitive now, and attorneys who are naturally prone to win at any cost are perhaps feeling even greater pressure. Proper mentoring and training of young lawyers can sometimes take a backseat to the push for billable hour commitments. If you combine a lack of training with increased pressure, stress grows exponentially – and attorneys are not exactly known for dealing well with stress. So the profession as a whole suffers along with the art of being an attorney. Well-trained lawyers who normally pass on their skills to the next generation seem to be, unfortunately, falling by the wayside.
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Taking care of yourself mentally and emotionally is important. Mentorship is key. Training programs within law firms, within bar associations, and within other legal organisations can only improve civility in the IP profession. There is no better example of this than the America Inns of Court. Their mission is to inspire the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education and mentoring. If more attorneys participated in a meaningful way at this level, I believe that the entire profession – and by extension, our clients’ interests – would benefit. And maybe even help create a kinder world.
Julie A Katz, Founder
Address: 1711 N Hermitage Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60622
Telephone: (312) 857-3101
Email: julie@katzgroupllc.com
Julie Katz has over 30 years of experience in the intellectual property arena, working closely with clients on both litigation and prosecution across numerous technologies, industries and consumer markets. Her practice is focused on aligning her clients’ intellectual property portfolio with their overall business strategy by identifying, protecting and maximising their IP rights. With a deep understanding of IP law and enforcement strategies, a client-centred service philosophy and a history of successful litigation outcomes on high-profile infringement cases, Julie has earned the tactical and nuanced insight that allows her to rigorously protect her clients’ business interests.
This month we have the pleasure of speaking with two attorneys who have managed both. Melanie Damian and Tom Culmo of Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys speak with us on how their firms came to collaborate, the challenges they faced along the way, and the advice they have to give other lawyers who are considering joining their firms.
Damian & Valori LLP, a business litigation law firm, and Culmo Trial Attorneys, a plaintiff's personal injury law firm, joined forces to help victims of financial wrongdoing and those who have been victimised by the wrongful acts of others, leading to serious injury or death. The goal of the collaboration is to leverage Tom’s trial advocacy skills on the complex business cases and expand the services we can provide to our clients and referral sources. For example, Melanie’s sophisticated understanding of corporate management, finances and the internal workings of businesses from the Receivership practice provides a resource for Tom in his dealings with private corporations and potential fraud cases. At the same time, Tom’s thorough investigation skills and extensive trial experience help the firm in its preparation for mediations, depositions, and trial in complex business cases.
In addition, the two firms leverage each of our extended networks to benefit each of our respective practice areas and develop a robust network, and that has helped expand and grow the law firm and better serve our clients.
For several years leading up to the official announcement of our collaboration, our two firms regularly worked together on a variety of matters. From referrals to co-counselling on important cases, we had been naturally collaborating for several years. While an unusual collaboration, the synergies were immediately apparent in that the breadth of experience among the attorneys and expertise that is complementary and provides an opportunity to expand both firms’ practice areas.
Because the collaboration is unique, we had to consider first how it would work and how we would refer to our collaboration from a branding perspective. We ultimately settled on a dual brand and the process is ongoing. Working together was actually more natural than explaining the collaboration.
Because the collaboration is unique, we had to consider first how it would work and how we would refer to our collaboration from a branding perspective.
Just as we announced the collaboration in March 2020, the world shut down due to COVID-19. This presented a challenge to joining our firms because our lawyers were not able to work in close collaboration to understand and engage in brainstorming ideas as a team as well as they might have because of remote work. We also faced the challenge that we were unable to raise awareness and properly introduce the collaboration to our respective networks in traditional forums ,such as networking events and lunches.
To help address this challenge, we worked on new joint “Firm Values” remotely as a team. Also, when we were able, we reinstituted firm events and all-attorney lunches. We also developed a more comprehensive marketing and advertising strategy that would ensure our new firm brand and news of our collaboration was reaching potential referral sources and that our long-time friends and clients were aware of how we were working together. Our strategy included remote speaking, targeted sponsorship and ramping up our social media efforts to ensure we remained top of mind amongst our network of clients, who we know are active on social media.
In the year and half since we launched our collaboration, we have been able to expand our client base and increase the number of cases we have been working year over year. Having a more robust team behind both practices has allowed us to attract additional talent and grow each of our respective practices, as well as get involved in large antitrust cases – one of the goals of our collaboration.
In the year and half since we launched our collaboration, we have been able to expand our client base and increase the number of cases we have been working year over year.
Nothing has changed, but there has been growth and strengthening of all of our collective practice areas. Tom has jumped in to handle litigation cases in several of the receivership matters the firm is involved with and has teamed up with the other partners and associates on other business litigation and personal injury cases. It has all been very positive.
Make sure your values are aligned. Oftentimes, even if the business arrangements make sense, if the priorities or values are not aligned the collaboration will not make sense. For example, while law firms are certainly businesses if the one partner values profit over service and the other service over profit the collaboration won’t work. One early team activity was establishing our “Firm Values”. It helped us define and develop an understanding of who we are together and communicate it throughout the firm at every level. Our values are: Integrity, Graciousness, Ownership, Heart and Soul, Excellence, Loyalty and Persistence.
Melanie: I always wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember – inspired by Perry Mason and LA Law because I did not know any actual lawyers growing up. I had this idea that I should fight for other people. The only thing that would change over the years is the type of lawyer I would be (criminal, civil, international law). When I finally had the opportunity to work as a clerk in law school it was at a business litigation firm, Bailey Hunt Jones and Busto, that does not exist anymore. But I loved it so much, I knew I had found what I wanted to do.
Tom: As a lifelong athlete, I have always been drawn to competition. I always thought being a lawyer would allow me to pick a side and compete. When I took a trial advocacy class in law school, I knew I wanted to be a trial lawyer. I started doing insurance defence work and after a short time knew I wanted to represent regular people who needed someone to fight for them. I was fortunate to have met a great trial lawyer who I convinced to give me that opportunity. Don Russo, who was a mentor to many very successful young trial lawyers, hired me in 1992 and the rest is history.
Melanie: After eight years and more than 18,000 hours of working in a midsize law firm, although an incredibly good experience for me, I realised that the business model, was not sustainable for me in the long term. I realised that if I stayed, I would not have freedom to grow into the professional I wanted to become in either my work life or my personal life. So, in July 2004, I took the risk of starting a firm with Peter Valori. It was a slow process, and it took perseverance, many late hours, and many donated free services, but we built loyalty amongst our clients, and today I am proud of the firm we have built.
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Tom: My father and grandfather each had their own small businesses and being around them was a huge influence on me. Like them, after four great years with Don, I realised I wanted to have my own business and my own firm. I took the leap with only four clients and hit the ground running. I was again fortunate to have the friendship and mentoring of some great lawyers who helped me and had my back as I built my practice: Gene Kubicki, Mike Josephs, Lew Jack and Andy Haggard, to name a few.
We aim to continue what we have been doing and continue to build upon this new foundation. We all work really hard and enjoy what we do. Practicing law and engaging in the community with people you like, and respect is a privilege and a blessing. It is also a lot of fun.
Melanie Damian and Tom Culmo, Co-Founders and Partners
Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys
Address: 1000 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1020, Miami, Florida 33131
Telephone: +1 305-371-3960
Fax: +1 305-371-3965
Email: mdamian@dvllp.com | tom@culmotrialattorneys.com
Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys is an AV Rated business litigation and personal injury firm. The firm provides its clients with professional, high quality, experienced counselling, strategic advice and representation in litigating and resolving complicated business and corporate disputes, and personal injury matters. The firm also represents individuals and families who have been victimized by negligent conduct, defective products. The practice areas focus on hospital malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, product liability, and wrongful death cases.
Melanie Damian, co-founder of Damian & Valori LLP and partner of Damian & Valori LLP | Culmo Trial Attorneys, represents public and private companies and individuals in a variety of complex business and securities litigation. She has been appointed as an equity receiver in 19 federal court cases and 21 state court cases and regularly serves as court-appointed Federal Equity Receiver, Special Monitor, and Distribution Agent.
Ms Damian is a past chair of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar, President of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) Florida Chapter and is active in child advocacy. She is also the founder of two south Florida non for profits, Educate Tomorrow and SEED School of Miami that serve the educational needs of at-risk children.
Tom Culmo, founder of Culmo Trial Attorneys, practices in the areas of hospital malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, product defects, wrongful death, and commercial litigation matters. He is board certified as a specialist in civil trial practice by The Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has been lead counsel in over 100 jury trials, obtained jury verdicts in 25 different counties in Florida, and has successfully represented clients in claims against a large number of hospitals and hospital corporations.
Mr Culmo has received numerous professional acknowledgments throughout his career. He has been repeatedly included in The Best Lawyers in America, has received the “AV” pre-eminent rating from the Martindale Hubbell peer review directory, and is a member the American Board of Trial Advocates.
