Committees

The Palm Beach County Bar Association has several 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. Sign up for a committee.

2021–2022 Committee Chairs

Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee

Chair: Kenyetta Alexander | Kenyetta@osherowpllc.com

Promotes the use of ADR to lawyers, businesses, and the public by sponsoring programs that enhance ADR skills.

Appellate Practice

Chair(s): Steve Brotman | Steven.Brotman@lockelord.com; Scott Edwards | Scott@scottjedwards.com

Bankruptcy Law CLE

Chair(s): Nadine White-Boyd | Nadine@wblawpa.com; Joshua Lanphear | jlanphear@slp.law

Business Litigation CLE

Chair(s): Kristin Vivo | KVivo@kristinvivolaw.com; Sheena Smith | Sheena.Smith@csklegal.com

Circuit Civil Practice

Chair(s): Amy S. Levenberg Terwilleger | ATerwilleger@gunster.com; Michael Kugler | MHK@searcylaw.com

Community Assn. Law CLE

Chair: Scott Wortman | Scott@sjwlawgroup.com

Committee for Diversity and Inclusion

Chair(s): Andrea Lewis | ALewis@searcylaw.com; Victoria Mesa-Estrada | Victoria.Mesa@splcenter.org

Promotes principles of diversity and inclusion as set out in the Corporation’s Anti-Discrimination Policy; and implements or continues programs designed to increase the diversity of the Corporation’s membership and the local legal community.

Construction Law Committee

Chair: Mark Stempler | MStempler@beckerlawyers.com

Comprised of attorneys dedicated to the practice of construction law, the Committee’s focus is on promoting legal education through its annual CLE Seminar. The Committee is also planning activities geared towards greater exposure for the practice area within the local community.

Criminal Law CLE

Chair(s): Ron Herman | RHerman@rhlawfl.com; Ilana Marcus | IMarcus@pd15.state.fl.us

Elder Law Affairs Committee

Chair(s): Tequisha Myles | TMyles@legalaidpbc.org; Heather Samuels | HSamuels@solkoff.com

Addresses the needs of the elderly such as crimes against the elderly, Alzheimer’s, access to the Courts, and educating the elderly. Also sponsors two CLE seminars for members of the Bar on elder law issues.

Employment Law CLE

Chair: Kenneth Rehns | KRehns@warddamon.com

Estate | Probate Law CLE

Chair(s): Mallorye Cunningham | MCunninghamLawOffice@gmail.com; Allison Sabocik | Allison@bfmlaw.com

Family Law CLE

Chair: C. Debra Welch | CDW@thewelchlawfirm.com

Guardianship Education Committee

Chair(s): Rebecca G. Doane | RGDoane@doanelaw.com; Frank Pilotte | FPilotte@murphyreid.com

Staffs guardianship education classes required for all wards to attend. The committee also works with the judiciary by reviewing the contents of the classes.

Judicial Relations Committee

Chair(s): Bridget A. Berry | BerryB@gtlaw.com; Jean Marie Middleton | Jean.Middleton@palmbeachschools.org

Serves as liaison between the Bar and the Judiciary; it plans, implements, and coordinates programs for better relations between the Bench and Bar, including the annual Bench Bar Conference, Judicial Lunch seminar series, judicial relations spokespersons who conduct in-person meetings with the judges, and the bi-annual judicial evaluations administered by the PBCBA.

Law Related Education Committee

Chair: John Webber | JCW@bclmr.com

Works to promote effective community, law-related education programs for adults and students in Palm Beach County, with an emphasis on respect for the legal system and civics education. The committee seeks to maintain and enhance the cooperative efforts of attorneys and educators in the field of law-related education in Palm Beach County. This committee may include ex officio members who are not members of the Bar but have an interest in promoting the committee’s goals and objectives.

Law Week Committee

Chair: Kelsey C. Burke | Kelsey@injurytrialattorneys.com

Plans, organizes, promotes, and coordinates the activities of Law Week. These programs include conducting mock trials in the schools as well as providing various opportunities for the public such as mock trials and speakers in the schools and dial-a-lawyer programs for the public.

Lawyers for Literacy

Chair(s): Bradley Avakian | BAvakian@ciklinlubitz.com; Jessica Latour | Latour@bobolaw.com

Dedicated to promoting literacy and a love of reading in our Palm Beach County communities.

Lawyer Referral Service Committee

Lawyer Referral Service Committee will serve as an advisory committee to the operations of the Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service program

Local & Gov’t Land Use

Chair: David Tolces | DTolces@wsh-law.com

Local Government & Land Use Committee will be made up of city, county and other local government lawyers practicing land use law and private sector attorneys representing and practicing before local governments and agencies. The committee will provide relevant CLE’s and networking opportunities.

Membership Committee

Chair: Casey McGowan | CMCGowan@carltonfields.com

The membership committee is tasked with implementing, promoting, and supporting the new “You’ve Been Served Initiative” which is designed to highlight the positive community services provided by Palm Beach County Bar Association Lawyers. This committee will also work to retain members and recruit new members to the organization.

Paralegal Committee

Chair: Olga Patterson | OAP@searcylaw.com

The Paralegal Committee seeks to foster and promote the Paralegal Profession. This will be accomplished thru the advancement of educational standards for the experienced paralegal as well as the incoming new paralegals. The opportunity will be provided by educational seminars relative to the advanced Certified/Registered Paralegal along with the ethical obligations of all paralegals. The Paralegal Committee will provide member networking opportunities in similar areas of law. It is our goal to provide continuing legal education and ethical programs for the advanced and incoming paralegals to our profession.

PI | Wrongful Death CLE

Chair(s): Jennifer Dinetz | JDinetz@clarkfountain.com; Katie Kiziah | KKiziah@searcylaw.com

Probate | Guardianship

Chair(s): Mitchell Kitroser | Mitch@kitroserlaw.com; Kathryn Lewis | Kathryn@kitroserlaw.com

Professionalism Committee

Chair(s): Kalinthia Dillard | KDillard1@pbcgov.org; Johnathan Galler | JGaller@floridatax.com

Addresses ways to instill a sense of professionalism in Bar members; responds to negative publicity concerning the legal profession; sponsors a breakfast for newly admitted attorneys; reviews complaints referred to the Professionalism Council and manages the Bar’s mentor program.

Real Estate CLE

Chair: Deborah Boyd | DBoyd@catic.com

Securities Law CLE

Chair: Jared Levy | JLevy@forthepeople.com

Small Claims Court Clinics Committee

Chair: Lloyd A. Comiter | LComiter@comiterlaw.com

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 & Small Firm Practitioner’s Committee

Chair: Gemma Torcivia | GTorcivia@tgjustice.com

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.

Technology Committee

Chair: Chioma Deere | Chioma@deere-law.com

Seeks to improve the practice of law and law firm marketing through the use of technology. Conducts several seminars to help educate the members on the fast-paced changes in legal technology.

PALM BEACH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

Where Your Membership Counts