Daily Record Financial News &
Monday, April 18, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 111 • Two Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Photos by Fran Ruchalski
Report by CSX seen as positive
Ten new lawyers stand and take the Oath of Attorney from U.S. Middle District Judge Timothy Corrigan on Friday.
Getting their day in court New attorneys share smiles, sense of relief INSIDE:
Juggling families, making the trip to the Florida Supreme Court, sharing the day with loved ones. Several attorneys, including Kimberly Jones, above, recall the day they were officially sworn in to The Florida Bar to begin their legal careers. Pages A10-12
By David Chapman, Staff Writer After years of studying and preparation, this was it. The Florida Bar exam — the mother lode of all tests — was behind them. Now, it was just a matter of 10 young professionals raising their right hand and reciting an oath administered by U.S. Middle District Judge Timothy Corrigan. Some kept a serious face. Others allowed a smile. But when it was all done, they had made it. They were attorneys. “I’ve wanted to do this since I was little,” said Brittani Melvin. “Always,” said her smiling father, Patrick Dalmas. Melvin moved from Chicago to attend Florida Coastal School of Law. It’s where her father originally came from before moving to Jacksonville. It was here where she pursued her dream of practicing public interest law to help people. Dalmas said the family always had a strong sense of helping others through public union leadership and law. “It’s something she’s always wanted,” he said. “She’s going to be great.” Not far away, Jerrod Williams is posing for pictures with his family near the seal of the U.S. Middle District Court. His wife and youngest son are here along with his parents and extended family. “It’s pretty big, especially for my family,” he said. He’s the first one in his family to graduate from college, let Swearing-in continued on Page A-9
On hand to see Jerrod Williams take the oath were his wife, Tonya, and 4-monthold son, Cash.
CSX Corp. reported lower first-quarter earnings and a drop in revenue that was even bigger than analysts were expecting, but investors were pleased overall with the Jacksonville-based railroad company’s report. CSX’s stock rose $1.04 to $26.03 Wednesday after the earnings report. Analysts said they were encouraged by CSX’s efforts to manage the business in the face of lower freight volumes, particularly a sharp drop in coal shipments. “The conference call reaffirmed that management is focused on using efficiency gains to help offset continued volume headwinds,” RBC Capital Markets analyst John Barnes said in a research note. The company said it expects efficiency gains, or cost cuts, of about $250 million this year, up from previous expectations of $200 million. “The stock reacted positively to earnings largely due to CSX’s commitment to reducing headcount further and achieving $50 million more in additional savings this year,” Cowen and Co. analyst Jason Seidl said in his research note. CSX has cut jobs in the past year and while investors may interpret the additional efficiencies to mean additional job cuts, company officials said last week they expect the headcount to remain stable in the second quarter. “The bulk of the efficiency gains are expected to be driven by initiatives in increasing train length, right-sizing the coal network and technological automation that will help reduce headcount,” said Robert W. Baird analyst Benjamin Hartford in his report. Hartford attributed the stock gains Wednesday “more to the move in broader transports and industrials in today’s trading than investor reaction to CSX’s results in particular.” Basch continued on Page A-7
‘Most deserving person’ wins Bar foundation honor By Max Marbut Staff Writer “I can’t believe it — I mean, of course I can believe it –– but I can’t believe it,” said Duval County Judge Lester Bass on Friday when he learned Kevin Gay will he recognized by The Florida Bar Foundation. Gay, founder and CEO of Operation New Hope, will receive the Medal of Honor, the foundation’s highest award for a non-lawyer. It will be presented June 16 at the foundation’s 40th annual reception and dinner at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. The award recognizes some-
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one who is not an attorney, but has made a contribution to the improvement of the administration of justice. “Kevin is certainly a person who is worthy of the honor. His heart is truly there and I think he’s the most deserving person,” said Bass, who has served on Operation New Hope’s board of directors for four years. Gay founded Operation New Hope in 1999 to help rebuild Jacksonville’s challenged communities and give felons an opportunity to upon release from incarceration transition home and lead productive lives. Gay could not be reached for
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comment about the award. His faith-based nonprofit includes development of affordable and workforce housing focused on the re-integration of ex-offenders. In 2003, President George W. Bush selected Operation New Hope as the pilot site for Ready4Work, a prisoner re-entry program that has since been introduced in 16 U.S. cities. Participants enroll in a career development training course where they learn employment and life skills with the help of a case manager. While recidivism rates in the U.S. are nearly 70 percent in the
three years after a prisoner is released, Jacksonville’s program has a 35 percent rate. The nonprofit has assisted more than 3,700 ex-offenders return to their communities and the workforce. In addition, Operation New Hope has built or restored nearly 80 homes in East Jacksonville and Springfield. “Kevin has demonstrated both great commitment and success in providing aid to those in our legal system who need it the most,” said Jacksonville attorney William Sheppard in a news release. Award continued on Page A-2
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