THE DIPLOMATIC APPROACH PASSERETTI’S PRESIDENCY
Escambia-Santa
Member
Lawyer
lrs@esrba.com
Executive
Published quarterly by the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association as a service to its membership.
Articles appearing in The Summation are not to be construed as official expressions of the views of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association. Official positions are expressed only by formal resolutions adopted by a majority of the membership and will be so designated when published. Editorials are expressions of the opinion of the Editor.
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Summation Committee
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From the President
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President of the of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association (ESRBA). I am grateful and humbled by this opportunity. My service follows Ms. Christine Kelly’s term as president, and I am especially thankful for her guidance and leadership. She has passed the gavel to me following tremendous success for our local bar. This success is built significantly on her efforts but also the efforts of all the past presidents as well as Mr. Jeff Nall and Stephen Hayward who I also thank for each of their commitments to our success. I am pleased to report my term begins with every opportunity to continue to succeed. We are financially strong, our leadership is experienced and committed, and our membership is as strong as ever. My primary goal is to continue and build on the momentum of success our staff and previous presidents have established.
I have been a member of the executive counsel of the ESRBA for several years and otherwise engaged as a member since I started my career. I have seen firsthand the work that is invested in ensuring success. As president I intend to continue to develop our established systems to grow our organization. We have been blessed with many productive years. I would like to share with you my thoughts on my goals for the coming year.
First, I trust you will appreciate our continuing education programing has developed and grown over the years. I am proud of the results our Committee Chairs and Staff have achieved. I believe there is room for more growth and look forward to continuing the effort to make our CLE programing the first source, and cost-effective source, available to all our members to meet our professional requirements. Through program selection, marketing efforts, and volume of programing I hope to move our CLE programing forward so that the EscambiaSanta Rosa Bar can be a viable local option to meet all of our professional requirements.
Second, member engagement is important to me. In addition to CLE the ESRBA has a wide range of available programming your bar dues fund. With existing resources, I intend to review and communicate efficiently opportunities for social events, networking, and opportunities to engage through volunteering. While we deploy a wide range of opportunities in this regard, I recognize that a small proportion of our membership participate in many of our programs. I am sensitive to and understand professional commitments, however, I believe we are stronger with a robust and engaged membership and my goal is to identify programing that interests our membership as well as communicate opportunities to encourage participation.
Third, sponsorships have become an integral part of our budget. I am thankful to all of our sponsors and hope to grow the list of sponsors during my term. Our valued partners and sponsors assist us in deploying our programing at no cost or low cost without the need to burden our membership with increased dues. My goal is to assist in the effort of identifying long term sponsorship partners that future presidents can plan on to support their goals.
I am proud to be president as well as to have participated in the success ESRBA has earned. During my year I principally intend to maintain the momentum. I look forward to providing more continuing education, developing and communicating opportunities for engagement, as well as engaging our members and sponsors so that we can fund our growth.
Thank you all for your membership and participation. Thank you to our sponsors for incredible support. Thank you to all the previous presidents especially Ms. Kelly for setting the table to allow the organization to continue to succeed. Finally, thank you for your confidence in me to lead the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar over the next year. I look forward to another great year.
Sincerely,
Joe Passeretti
2024-2025 ESRBA Membership Renewal – Deadline Oct 15th
The ESRBA, founded in 1971, comprises approximately 600 members of the bench and bar of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and neighboring counties. Through its activities, the ESRBA serves both its members and the public by promoting the highest standards in the practice of law and the administration of justice.
The ESRBA’s mission is to provide outstanding service to its members, to assist them in serving the profession and the community, to make the association indispensable to the bench and bar, and to preserve and promote Escambia & Santa Rosa counties as a unique place to practice law in a culture of camaraderie, collegiality, competence, and mutual trust. We welcome input from all of our members on how we can better complete our mission.
Some of the benefits of membership are listing below, including some exciting upcoming events!
• Monthly Luncheons with guest speakers
• Annual Holiday Party, December 12th at Heritage Hall
• Lawyer Referral Service
• Court Access ID Badge
• Exclusive Partner Discounts and Benefits on good and services
• Live CLE Programs on Zoom and our Recorded Library
• News Direct from the Courts
• Annual Membership Directory
DEADLINE: October 15th, 2024
Please return your documents to the ESRBA office at 260 S. Tarragona Street, Suite 160, Pensacola, FL 32502, or email stephen@esrba.com. If you have questions about your membership status, please call Stephen Hayward at 850-434-8135 ext. 1.
Sincerely,
Jeff Nall Executive Director
The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
Executive Council
Officers
President Joe Passeretti
Vice President
Rebecca Gilliland
Secretary
Stephen Luongo
Treasurer
Rachel Thomas
Immediate Past President
Christine Kelly
Executive Council
Kristina Cook
Brenton Goodman
Patrick Jennings
Jessica Scholl
Alexis May
Michelle Nguyen
Shelby Savage
Andrew Spencer
Angela Trawick
Aaron Watson
Young Lawyer
Representative
Alex Messmore
Don’t forget that members save 40% on our ever expanding library of CLEs
Scan this QR code to check out our current selection of great CLE programming!
Stay current on everything going on with the
Escambia – Santa Rosa County Bar Association
Be sure to check out the ESRBA website for all upcoming events.
Announcements
Congratulations to ESRBA Foundation Past President and current Board Member, Shekka Drayton (Dutton Law Group) on being selected to represent the First Circuit on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Board of Governors.
The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division also awarded Haley VanFleteren (Moore, Hill & Westmoreland) the YLD Board Member Teamwork Award for her outstanding work this past year. Congrats Haley!
Congrats to the law firm of Taylor, Warren, Weidner, Hancock and Barnes on being named “Best Law Firm” by InWeekly, and a special congratulation for attorney Scott Barnes who was named “Best Attorney” in the same Best of the Coast issue of the InWeekly. ESRBA Board Member Aaron Watson (The Watson Firm) was runner up for the Best Attorney award
The law firm of Emmanuel Sheppard and Condon took home the honor of “Best Law Firm in Pensacola” in this year’s Best of Bay Community’s Choice Awards. Attorney Kerry Anne Schultz (Schultz Law Group) was also a finalist in the Best Attorney section.
Attorneys Jack Zoesch/Beggs & Lane (keyboards), Election Security Advisor David Stafford (drums), Dr. Sidney Rosenthal (lead guitar), Attorney Charlie Wiggins/Beggs & Lane (bass), and City Council Vice President Jared Moore (vocals and guitar). Performing at a Recent Bands on the Bayou show!
The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Foundation Board of Directors
Officers
President
D. Steve Traylor, Jr
Vice President
Jodi Dubose
Secretary & Treasurer
Cameron Gore
Directors
Jeremy Branning
Shekka Drayton
Heather Lindsay
Patrick Martin
Aaron McCurdy
Adrianna Spain
Warren Todd
Kasey Watson
John “Buz” Windham
Mikaela Ziko
Chris Kelly
ESRBA President Joe Passeretti
Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division Board of Directors
Officers
President
Alex Messmore
Vice President
Ander Schimek
Treasurer
Craig Wood
Secretary
Sara Davis
Directors
Brooke DiSalvo (Immediate Past President
Blake Radford
Rebecca Radd
Madison Stacey
Lexie Fuller
Will Hahn
Michelle Nguyen
Mitchell de Kozan
Kreg Jones
Gabe Mueller
Madison Leonard
Haley Hadden
Carllee Godwin
Sara Papantonio
Margaret Zinsel
News from the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
FDLE’s Automatic Sealing of Criminal History Records and the Impact on Court Records
Pam Childers
Criminal history records are non-judicial records maintained by criminal justice agencies. Criminal history records include details regarding arrests, charging documents, and criminal dispositions. Defendants can request a court to seal or expunge criminal history records. A court ordered expunction of a criminal history records results with the physical destruction of the information. On the other hand, sealing renders the record confidential and exempt under Florida’s public records laws.
A few years ago, in 2019, the Florida Legislature created an automatic sealing process for criminal history records held by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (“FDLE”). This automatic process, found in section 943.0595 of the Florida Statutes, allows for criminal history records to be sealed without a court order. Automatic sealing occurs if, for example, a charging document is dismissed for reasons other than incompetency. This 2019 law only applied to criminal history records held by the executive branch, specifically the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
But, that changed in 2023 when section 943.0595 was expanded to address court records in the custody of clerks of court. Under the 2023 amendment, FDLE must now notify clerk of courts after FDLE has sealed a criminal history record. Upon such notification, the statute provides that the clerk of court must keep the related court record in the case giving rise to the criminal history record confidential and exempt.
Despite this statutory change, the law did not immediately affect the confidentiality of court records. Clerks of court when acting in their capacity as an arm-of-the-court are under the exclusive control and supervision of the Florida Supreme Court. Under the separation of powers doctrine, court records in the custody of clerks of court can only be made confidential pursuant to rules handed down by the Florida Supreme Court.
While the Florida Supreme Court was not compelled to act in response to the statutory amendment it nevertheless did so. In response to the Legislature’s 2023 amendment, the Florida Supreme Court, on its own motion, initiated a rule change to address the confidentiality of criminal court records discussed in section 943.0595. Effective October 19, 2023, the Florida Supreme Court ordered an amendment to rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration. This rule amendment, found at 2.420(d)(1)(B)(xxiv), requires clerks of court to maintain, as confidential, court records in the case giving rise to FDLE’s sealing of a criminal history record.
A “court record” as defined in rule 2.420 is the contents of the court file, the progress docket, and any other records that document case activity. Thus, the effect of the rule change results in an automatic procedure whereby nearly the entire court file is made confidential when FDLE seals its corresponding criminal history record and then notifies the Clerk that it has done so. In operation, the Clerk is notified of FDLE’s sealing through a notice filed into the court record via the e-filing portal. In response to a proper e-filed notice, the Clerk is then required, by rule, to make the court records confidential in the case where the notice is e-filed.
Confidential court records, including the records made confidential by 2.420(d)(1)(B)(xxiv), can only be seen by those specified user roles as set forth in the Florida Supreme Court’s Access Security Matrix. For example, under the most recent matrix (version 14, June 2024) attorneys of record and Florida State Attorney’s Offices have access to view confidential court records held in felony and misdemeanor cases. Other users who do not have access to confidential court records may only be, in this situation, provided a case number. Those who believe they should have access to confidential records can either submit a request to amend the Florida Supreme Court Access Security Matrix or seek access to an individual case by following the procedure laid out in rule 2.420(j) of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration.
Links to documents referenced in this article are found in the QR codes below.
Authored by Codey Leigh, General Counsel, on behalf of Pam Childers, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Happy One Year Anniversary to Blake Radford
Phillip Warren, Partner Taylor Warren Weidner Hancock and Barnes
One year ago, Taylor, Warren, Weidner, Hancock and Barnes proudly welcomed a new associate attorney to the firm: Blake A. Radford . Like myself, and my partner Keith Weidner, Blake also served in the U.S.M.C. He also worked with the firm in years past as a paralegal. Building on his honor, commitment, and experience serving clients as a paralegal, in 2020 Blake decided to take his career to a new level by going to law school. In 2023, Blake graduated from Stetson University College of Law, passed the Florida Bar Exam, and gained admittance to the Florida State Bar. It was a big year for Blake, as was 2024.
In the year that has passed at TWWHB, Blake has assisted numerous clients— from intake to settlement to resolution of their claim—and has learned many lessons along the way. Blake has helped to draft critical briefs and motions for our clients. He has appeared and argued before our local judges, taken and defended depositions, and played a crucial role in mediations resulting in favorable outcomes for our clients. It has been a pleasure to watch Blake’s confidence and creativity grow as he continues to learn the nuances of Florida’s ever-changing laws and find his own persuasive style. In honor of his one-year anniversary, we asked Blake to answer a few interesting questions about his first year in practice. Please join us in congratulating Blake on an exciting first year of growth at the firm.
1. What was the most surprising or unexpected thing you discovered about the practice once you began?
The fact that trials last weeks rather than the few hours the TV shows suggest! Kidding. I was a paralegal before, so there wasn’t a lot that surprised me in terms of what goes into representing your clients, but the weight was something different. All of a sudden, you’re the one they’re asking for. You’re the one scheduled for phone calls. You’re calling opposing counsel. You’re at the hearings. You can know the case, the words to say, the arguments to make, all of that. But the weight of someone’s peace of mind is on your shoulders, and I don’t think you can ever prepare for that until you’re in it.
2. What have you found, in your first year, to be the most challenging part of practicing law?
Turning off my brain. You get into these cases, with these wonderful clients, who are having to live through things every hour of the day, and you just want to go, go, go. But you need to give your brain that break to rest and come back refreshed. I’ll find myself looking at case files after dinner and just telling myself I need to turn it off and relax so I can come back better. It’s not always easy to do.
3. What is the thing you have discovered you want to work and improve on the most?
That’s a long list, so I’ll pick the one I think is most unique. Refining my style and being comfortable with it. My mentors have always told me that it’ll grow over time, and I feel it starting to form. I find when I can apply their wisdom to what I naturally want to present as, the results come quicker, and arguments feel more natural. But it takes time, and confidence in what I’m doing.
4. What was your most rewarding experience?
Blame it on the south or the Marines, or both, but I call almost everyone Sir or Ma’am. I had this wonderful client who had asked me to just call him by his first name. I told him that would be difficult because it’s programmed into me to say Sir. So, we made a deal, I promised that on the day his case was over I’d call him by his first name. I remember calling and I used his first name, and before I could get anything else out, he shouted with joy and said “It’s finally over?” It was the best feeling in the world. To give that family peace of mind and that conclusion after so many years of worry. On my next call with him for admin purposes I did go right back to Sir, though.
5. What was your most embarrassing experience?
It was one of my first cases I was taking charge of. I got all prepped for a call with the client. We were going to go over strategy, where we were at. I learned the file front and back. I called them, and it was a fantastic call. They understood everything, asked their questions. I was feeling great. We get to the end of the call, about 30 minutes in, and they say “Well thank you
so much for calling us and taking the time. We just have one question. Who are you?” Turns out I forgot to introduce myself… that crushed my excitement pretty fast.
6. If there was one thing you could tell your one-year-ago self about his future, what would it be?
Have confidence. You are going to make mistakes, but you have mentors there to guide you. You aren’t going to know everything, but you know where to look to learn. You won’t win every fight, but you’ll win more than you expect. You’ve done a lot in your life that gives you experience, and the people you have looking out for you know what you can do better than you do. Trust them, trust yourself, and you’ll go far kid. (Also turning 30 isn’t entirely bad.)
7. What did you find you simply HAVE to have to get going for the day?
A cup of coffee. Caffeine is life blood for someone who isn’t naturally a morning person but is in a career where the morning is the time when things get done.
8. What are your top goals for year two? This is a hard one. As a career, there are a lot of things that I want to do, as a new attorney. However, at the end of the day those things would take time that my clients don’t currently have to wait, and I wouldn’t wish that for them. So instead, I think I’ll say this. I want more of those first-name phone calls that I had this year. Let’s say double the amount. I would like to double the people to which I can help give that peace of mind. And I would like to get to that goal by taking all the opportunities that come at me to accomplish it.
YLD Board Member, Blake Radford
THE DIPLOMATIC APPROACH: PASSERETTI’S PRESIDENCY
Shekka Drayton, Attorney Dutton Law Group
While it may be election season, the change of command for the Escambia - Santa Rosa Bar Association (ESRBA) leadership occurred in July during the annual Installation Banquet. With new leadership comes new energy, new ideas, and new initiatives. Joseph “Joe” Passeretti of Beggs & Lane will lead the Escambia Santa Rosa Bar Association for the next year.
President Passeretti joined the local bar in 2004 as a young lawyer. Twenty years later, he has risen through the ranks. President Passeretti previously served on the Executive Council as a member, Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President. He continues the legacy of service-oriented leadership like his predecessor, Immediate Past President Christine Kelly. His goals as President include enhancing communication with membership, expanding or adjusting programming, and increasing membership. Taken as a whole, his platform is centered on rallying support for members. Improving communication will better inform members of the resources and programs currently available. Furthermore, existing programing will be evaluated to ensure maximum reach and utility for members. His final goal is one consistently seen across presidencies, increasing membership. President Passeretti’s vision is to grow the Association and ensure its future success. Rebecca Gilliland of Beasley Allen is second in command, serving as Vice President. With its member centric platform, the Passeretti-Gilliland administration is sure to create a unified front.
As a Gulf Breeze native, Passeretti has called the Emerald Coast home his entire life. In fact, his
only time away was for college and law school. He graduated from Gulf Breeze High School, Huntingdon College, and The University of Miami School of Law, respectively. As a graduate of ’97, one could imagine that he still beams with Dolphin pride. Afterall, Gulf Breeze High School is where he met his loving wife, Jennifer Farquhar Passeretti. Passeretti asked his classmate to help him color a project in art class. She agreed. Time cured their art project into a beautiful life with their daughter, Lila, and cat Rachael - better known by Lila as “Kitty.” Aside from his coveted titles of husband and father, Passeretti is one of several Room Dads for his daughter’s class. His unwavering support of his daughter is likely
something he learned from his mother. Passeretti describes his mother as his number one fan. In many ways, his presidency reflects her love and support over the years. He also credits his wife for encouraging him to step out of his comfort zone. His family’s support is evident.
President Passeretti’s family values certainly influence his leadership style. For him, team work and collaboration are essential. He notes, “This is a team effort, and we succeed as a group. It is best for the organization to work collaboratively.
Trust Jeff [Nall]. He works hard, has the organization’s best in mind, and is up to speed on all angles.” Although he’s been a member since 2004, his involvement increased in 2018 thanks to encouragement from Past President Jodi Dubose (Stichter, Riedel, Blain, & Postler). He also extends gratitude to a Past President of both the ESRBA as well as The Florida Bar, the late Alan Bookman of Emmanuel, Sheppard, & Condon, for emphasizing the importance of service to the bar. President Passeretti leads by example, leaning into tasks and appropriately delegating responsibility to ensure success.
Passeretti deploys this same approach in his legal career. Although he describes himself as sincere, funny, and diplomatic, he is a fierce advocate in the courtroom. President Passeretti handles complex issue, multiple party litigation at the state, federal, and appellate level. Additionally, he has experience in alternative dispute resolution forums as well. As fate would have it, he moved
back and started working the weekend before Hurricane Ivan. “After the water receded and dust settled, I was a construction lawyer put to work on recovering money to build back from carriers and helping builders contract new work. I’ve been in construction ever since.” His commitment to his clients does not go unnoticed. He is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law. Under his trusted leadership, the ESRBA will build a stronger membership with a promising future.
Introverted by nature, President Passeretti now leads the ESRBA with the quiet confidence of a seasoned diplomat. With enthusiasm and gratitude, the ESRBA welcomes its new leader, Joseph “Joe” Passeretti.
The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association installs 2024-2025 leadership and presents awards
Jeff Nall, APR, CPRC, PCM, Executive Director of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association (ESRBA) recently held its annual installation banquet. Circuit Judge Gary Bergosh conducted the installation of the 2024-2025 Executive Council and Young Lawyers Division (YLD) officers and members. The association also recognized several of its members for their service to the profession and community.
Newly installed ESRBA executive council officers and members are Joe Passeretti, President; Rebecca Gilliland, Vice President; Stephen Luongo, Secretary; Rachel Thomas, Treasurer; Christine Kelly, Immediate Past President; members Kristina Cook, Brenton Goodman, Patrick Jennings, Jessica Scholl, Alexis Mays, Michelle Nguyen, Shelby Savage, Andrew Spencer, Angela Trawick, Aaron Watson, and YLD representative Alex Messmore.
The 2024 Judge Ross M. Goodman Civility and Professionalism Award was presented to Karen Sunnenberg. Established in 2021, the award is bestowed to an ESRBA member whose dedication to civility, professionalism, and ethics exemplifies the character, commitment to the profession and to the administration of justice of Judge Ross Goodman, the inaugural recipient.
The 2024 Michael A. Doubek Community Service Award was presented to Valerie Prevatte. The award is presented to a member or group of members of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association in recognition of volunteer service to the community.
Newly installed Young Lawyers Division officers and directors are Alex Messmore, president; Ander Schimek, vice president; Craig Wood, treasurer; Sara Davis, secretary, Brooke DiSalvo, Immediate Past President and directors Blake Radford, Rebecca Radd, Madison Stacey; Lexie Fuller, Will Hahn, Michelle Nguyen, Mitchell de Kozan, Kreg Jones, Gabe Mueller, Madison Leonard, Haley Hadden, Carllee Godwin, Sara Papantonio, and Margaret Zinsel.
Michelle Nguyen was recognized as the recipient of the 2024 Young Lawyers Division William S. Meador Award. The award is given each year to a young attorney who distinguishes themselves by their commitment to our community through charitable and civil service. The award was established in 2005 to honor the legacy left by William Meador of practicing law with integrity, sincerity and courtesy while recognizing his commitment of giving back to the community.
The 2024-2025 Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Foundation officers and directors were elected by the membership at the banquet. Newly elected officers are D. Steve Traylor, Jr., president; Jodi Dubose, vice president; and Cameron Gore, secretary/treasurer. New and returning directors are Jeremy Branning, Shekka Drayton, Heather Lindsay, Patrick Martin, Aaron McCurdy, Adrianna Spain, Warren Todd, Kasey Watson, John “Buz” Windham, Mikaela Ziko, Chris Kelly and ESRBA President Joe Passeretti.
The Foundation presented a special award to Stephen Echsner in recognition of his many years of service to the Foundation. Echsner served on the board of the Foundation for 24 years, including 17 years as president.
The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association is a nonprofit voluntary organization for attorneys and judges in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in Florida. The Association has approximately 600 members. Its mission is to provide outstanding service to its members, assist them in serving the profession and the community, make the association indispensable to the bench and bar and preserve and promote the two-county area as a unique place to practice law in a culture of camaraderie, collegiality, competence and mutual trust. For more information about the association or how to become a member, visit www.esrba.com.
Young Lawyer’s Division
by Alex Messmore, YLD President
What a privilege and an honor to be writing this as the YLD President for the 2024-2025 term. I have had the distinct privilege of watching our organization continue to grow and flourish over the past several years and would be remiss to not take the time to recognize the time and effort put into this organization by our previous leadership. From increasing our presence in the community under Michelle Nguyen to winning Small Affiliate of Year under Brooke DiSalvo, YLD only continues to get better.
So much of this growth and development is attributable to our members. This year, our Board of Directors boasts nineteen (yes, NINETEEN!!) members. Each member brings something special to the table and I am so very proud of each and every one of them. Committed to growing YLD’s presence in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, I am confident that this year is going to be one for the books.
Movie Night at the Saenger: A Glance at What is to Come:
Starting off the new term strong, our members worked tirelessly to put together Movie Night at the Saenger Theater. In partnership with the Florida Bar and Zarzaur Law, P.A, YLD was proud to present Erin Brockovich at the historic Saenger Movie Theater this past August. This event encapsulated our goal for this upcoming year: Community. An event open to the public, ESRBA and YLD members alike were able to connect not only with each other, but with members of our community.
Upcoming Events:
In the coming months, be on the lookout for even more opportunities to connect with YLD. Whether it be at the “Meet the Board” Happy Hour sponsored by Carver Darden, or the New Member Welcome Cruise sponsored by Levin Papantonio, the next few months are going to be full of exciting things for our YLD members.
If you are interested in learning more about YLD or becoming more involved, contact us on our Facebook page or reach out to any one of the outstanding attorneys on our Board of Directors. We look forward to yet another great year.
Need a Lawyer?
It is always a good idea to check with a lawyer before you make an important decision—whether you are buying a house, making a business deal, or settling a dispute. A short talk with a lawyer often tells you all you need to know—how serious a problem is, how to handle it swiftly and how to make sure it is settled for good.
Get Answers to Legal Questions Such As...
• Marriage, Divorce & Family Matters
• Business Problems
• Criminal Charges of Juvenile Hearings
• Wills, Trusts & Property of Decreased Relatives
• Tax Problems & Planning
• Credit or Collection Problems
• Corporation & Partnership Matters
• Real Estate Purchases, Sales or Disputes
• Consumer Problems
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• Injuries to Yourself or Family Members
• Property Damage
• Workers’ Compensation
• Job Discrimination or Employer/Employee Disputes
• Patents, Trademarks or Copyrights
• Wages & Benefits
• Social Security Disability
• Labor Law
With over 50 participating local attorneys experienced in many different areas of law, we can help you find an attorney to handle your case.
Your call is free. When you meet with your lawyer, there will be a small fee of $40.00 for the first half-hour consultation. Fees for additional services after the first half-hour are arranged between you and your lawyer.
We do not have attorneys who accept pro bono or contingency cases.
Sponsor Spotlight:
About Arcadia ICR
The Escambia – Santa Rosa Bar Association (ESRBA) proudly welcomes the following to our sponsorship team. Please take a moment to learn more about them and their products and services.
Arcadia ICR, LLC is a professional consulting firm that specializes in the testing, inspection, evaluation, and design of weather-tight buildings, both residential and commercial. Our primary focus is waterproofing as it relates to roofing, walls, and fenestrations. We keep current with industry trends and technical innovations while focusing on providing high-quality, cost-effective solutions for our clients. We strive to meet the specific needs of each client.
Arcadia ICR, LLC also provides third party quality assurance oversight of new construction and existing building remediation projects as well as forensic analysis of building envelope issues. In doing so, we are experienced in reviewing architectural plans, drawings, and specifications, bid and contract documents and provide assistance in bidding, contract awarding, administering and inspecting the remedial contract work in progress and at completion. Our thorough approach allows us to identify potential issues prior to and during new or remedial construction and, when warranted, to perform air-water infiltration testing to confirm the likely and actual effectiveness of the plan details or remedial work in progress. We specialize in both residential and commercial buildings and provide our clients with detailed, professional written reports that include our findings and recommendations. Our client base is comprised of commercial and residential building/home owners, property managers, architects, contractors, lenders, realtors, and homeowner associations.
In addition, Arcadia ICR LLC lends its expertise in construction related litigation matters to law firms, individual attorneys, and their clients during all phases of the legal process, including pre-litigation, discovery, and trial.
A Tradition of Excellence
Forensic engineering was still an emerging discipline in 1924 when veteran civil engineer Walter G. Haag founded his consulting company in Dallas, Texas, to appraise or value properties for a sale of the business. As his reputation grew, so did the forensic engineering field, and Mr. Haag began valuing properties after losses. By the time Mr. Haag retired from the company shortly before his death in 1956, forensic engineering was a full-fledged profession and Haag Engineering was ready to expand from North Texas to the world.
The man who set that expansion in motion was Charles W. Parish. A chemical engineer who came of age serving with the Army Air Force in the Pacific in World War II, Parish had come to work for Walter Haag in 1946. Taking over for his mentor 10 years later, he soon opened the company’s first satellite office, in Houston — just in time for Hurricane Carla.
In 1982, John Stewart, P.E., took over as president and has been a Haag engineer for 50 years (and still going). Justin Kestner, P.E., became Haag’s president in 2014. Haag has steadily grown its national presence, expanding from just our original location in Dallas to more than 23+ locations nationwide today.
For over 98 years, Haag’s purpose has been to find and communicate the facts. We are known for scientific rigor, precision, and clarity. Haag’s engineering and consulting professionals have become a vital resource for clients in the legal, insurance, EAC, manufacturing, and other sectors.
• Forensic Meteorology
• Forensic Architecture
• Product and Material Testing
• Fire Origin and Cause
Bottom Line
By: Heidi Ainsworth Yefremov, ACP, FRP NALA Liaison, Northwest Florida Paralegal Association
Northwest Florida Paralegal Association’s NALA Liaison, Heidi Yefremov, attended the 2024 NALA Conference in Louisville, KY in July on behalf of NWFPA. For those that are not familiar, NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) is The Paralegal Association and was established in 1975. NALA represents more than 15,000 paralegals as individual members or members of NALA Affiliated Associations.1 NWFPA has been a proud NALA Affiliate since 1981. NALA offers paralegals the opportunity to earn the Certified Paralegal and Advanced Certified Paralegal credential. Those paralegals that hold either of these designations are recognized as showing excellence in the paralegal profession. 2
The NALA Conference offered 33 CLE sessions on a variety of topics including criminal law, technology, motion practice, bankruptcy, pro bono, ADA compliance, AI, contract law, ethics, employment law, mediation and arbitration, selfdriving cars, mock trial competition, and a special track for review courses for the NALA Certified Paralegal exam. The NALA Conference
started with the keynote session presented by celebrated speaker, Iliana Oris Valiente, CPA, CA entitled, “Embracing the Future: Human-Centric AI for the Modern Paralegal.” With over 500 attendees in person along with another 500 attending virtually, the NALA Conference has historically been the largest gathering of paralegals and other legal professionals nationwide. A new feature this year was an add-on session at the end of the Conference for NALA Affiliate Association board members. The session provided extremely important information concerning “Growing and Strengthening Your NALA Affiliated Association” presented by Shelley Cadamy with the Cadamy Business Consulting. This full day session provided practical help for associations of all sizes including those newly affiliated with NALA and those that have been affiliated for decades.
One of the highlights of the NALA Conference is the Affiliate Showcase which NWFPA was proud to participate in again this year. The theme for NWFPA’s booth this year was “NWFPA: Helping Paralegals Get Their Ducks in a Row.” The Affiliate Showcase provides the opportunity for the Affiliated
1 See NALA’s website: https://nala.org/about-nala/.
2 See NALA’s website: https://nala.org/certification/.
Associations to highlight the work they have accomplished in the last year, and to network with other paralegals and board members.
The 2025 NALA Conference will take place in Atlantic City, NJ and one of the highlights next year will be celebrating NALA’s 50th anniversary.
For over 40 years, NWFPA has been the local paralegal association for the Northwest region of Florida with members ranging from Pensacola to Panama City and even having members from out of state as far away as New York. NWFPA’s members enjoy monthly meetings offering CLE hours on a variety of topics, and an annual seminar in the fall.
For us paralegals, it is imperative that we continue to learn in our profession, and there’s no better way to accomplish that than by being a part of a local paralegal association whose mission is to educate the local paralegal community. Along with that, encouragement and support to be active in the local paralegal association from the firm and attorney for whom a paralegal works is not only important but also key in ensuring that your paralegal maintains competency in their field...and that’s THE BOTTOM LINE.
THE ESRBA HAVE YOU JOINED
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2025
We want you to be a part of our Bar Association! We realize it is by choice that attorneys join voluntary bar associations like ours. We are committed to providing exceptional member service, relevant CLE content, an array of networking and community service opportunities and engaging monthly bar luncheons. In short, our goal is to provide value. We hope that you join us as a member this year!
Annual Membership Drive
September 1st - October 15th
