The Palm Beach County Bar Association has 36 committees. Members are appointed to these committees each spring by the incoming President and their terms run from July 1 - June 30. New members can be appointed throughout the year.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Chair: W. Jay Hunston, Jr. (772) 223-5503
Promotes the use of ADR to lawyers, businesses and the public by sponsoring programs which enhance ADR skills.

Blood Bank Committee
Chair: Roger Hurd 627-1534
Coordinates our blood bank drives with the Palm Beach Blood Bank.

Client Relations Committee
Chair: Mark A. Greenberg 743-0099
Handles minor complaints from clients, mediates informally in an effort to assist clients, and works to avoid grievances against attorneys and promote better public relations.

Diversity and Gender Sensitivity Committee
Chair: Tanique Lee 687-1722
Addresses the issues of diversity, to encourage awareness of and sensivity to diversity issues raised by the practice of law and access to legal services. It will also continue to coordinate the Bar's Minority Initiative whereby minority students are placed in law firms and governmental agencies for internships.

Elder Law Affairs Committee
Chair: David R Schwartz 684-8900
Addresses the needs of the elderly such as crimes against the elderly, Alzheimer's, access to the Courts and educating the elderly. Also sponsors a CLE seminar for members of the Bar on elder law issues.

Guardianship Education Committee
Chair: Rebecca G. Doane 656-0200
Staffs guardianship education classes required for all wards to attend. The committee also works with the judiciary by reviewing the contents of the classes.

Historical Committee
Chair: D. Culver "Skip" Smith III 833-3772
Dedicated to preserving the history of the Palm Beach County legal profession, serving as the liaison to the County on projects such as the preservation of the old Palm Beach County Courthouse and writing articles of historical interest for the Bulletin.

Independence of the Judiciary and Bar Committee
Chair: Patricia A. Leonard 835-0900
Educates the public on the role of judges and lawyers as the third branch of government, and the need for an independent judiciary

Judicial Relations Committee
Chair: Adam T. Rabin 659-7878
Serves as liaison between the Bar and the Judiciary; plans, implements and coordinates programs for better understanding and relations between the Bench and Bar including the bi-annual judicial evaluation and the Bench/Bar Conference.

Law Week Committee
Chair: Maureen Martinez-Schwab 533-6700
Plans, organizes, promotes and coordinates the activities of Law Week 2007. These programs include conducting mock trials in the schools as well as providing various opportunities for the public such as free legal clinics, ask-a-lawyer and dial-a-lawyer programs.

Lawyers for Literacy
Chair: Cynthia C. Spall 650-0563
Works on programs to raise awareness in the community about illiteracy

Membership Committee
Chair: Sarah Levien Shullman 650-7200
Serves to build membership, welcomes new members and reviews and evaluates potential member benefit programs and services.

Professionalism Committee
Chair: Ryon M. McCabe 659-7878
Addresses ways to instill a sense of professionalism in Bar members; responds to negative publicity concerning the legal profession; reviews complaints referred to the Professionalism Council and conducts an annual CLE program on ethics and professionalism.

Quality of Life/Stress Management Committee
Chair: Kyle Michele Caparosa 845-8038
Promotes finding equilibrium between work, family and community involvement to maximize good health and minimize stress in one's career.

Small Claims Court Clinics Committee
Chair: Lloyd A. Comiter 883-7806
Presents monthly clinics for the public on small claims court procedures at locations throughout the county. Participants must have recent experience in small claims court matters in order to participate on this committee.

Solo Practitioner's Committee
Chair: Debra S. Block 361-6388
Provides an opportunity for solo practitioners to meet and network in an informal setting such as brown bag lunch meetings, pizza and beer seminars and happy hours to exchange information and assist each other with office practices and procedures

Special Needs of Children Committee
Chair: Joseph L. Ackerman, Jr. 241-0414
Handles projects that address the special needs of children, such as drug abuse, divorce and child advocacy.

The Continuing Legal Education Committees gives members an opportunity to interact with others practicing in similar areas of law. General committee meetings may be submitted for possible CLER credit from The Florida Bar. The function of each committee is to plan, organize and conduct at least one CLE program per fiscal year. Members are also asked to participate in the Speakers’ Bureau by addressing community organizations as requested.

Bankruptcy Law CLE: Chair: Julianne R. Frank 626-4700
Commercial and Business Litigation CLE: Chair: William C. Wright 514-0904
Community Association Law CLE: Chair: Michael J. Gelfand 655-6224
Construction Law CLE: Chair: Linda D. Agnant 832-5900
Employment / Labor Law CLE: Chair: Robyn S. Hankins 721-3890 & Joseph Santoro 655-1980
Estate & Probate Law CLE: Chair: Brian M. O'Connell 832-5900
Family Law CLE: Chair: Patricia Alexander 395-1510
Personal Injury / Wrongful Death Law CLE: Chair: Scott B. Smith 655-1990
Real Estate Law CLE: Chair: Steven D. Rubin 391-7992

Court Advisory and Practice Area Committees initiate and consider suggestions to improve the practice in their respective area. Members are also asked to participate in the Speakers’ Bureau by addressing community organizations as requested and assisting in the coordination of the agenda for the annual Bench Bar Conference.

Appellate Law Practice Chair: Kara Berard Rockenbach 640-0330 & Robin Bresky 994-6273
Circuit Court Civil Law Practice Chair: Joseph Ianno 659-7070
Criminal Law Practice Chair: Robert S. Gershman 684-8898
Probate & Guardianship Law Practice Chair: Michael D. Simon 650-0677
Unified Family Practice: Chair: Thomas J. Sasser 689-4378
Workers’ Compensation Law Practice Chair: Jane-Robin Wender 2727-9510