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.
2019 – 2020 Committee Chairs
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Chair: Rosine M. Plank-Brumback (561)625-9275 | RPlankBrum@gmail.com
Promotes the use of ADR to lawyers, businesses, and the public by sponsoring programs which enhance ADR skills.
Appellate Practice
Chair(s): Tracy Segal (561) 653-5000 | Tracy.Segal@Akerman.com; Melanie D. Surber (561) 837-5016 | Melanie.DaleSurber@MyFloridaLegal.com
Bankruptcy Law CLE
Chair: Nadine White-Boyd (561) 508-3042 | Nadine@WBLawPA.com
Business Litigation CLE
Chair: Nina C. Schmidt (954) 728-1280| Nina.Schmidt@LewisBrisbois.com; Daria Pustilnik (954) 643-1226 | DPustilnik@Shutts.com
Circuit Civil Practice
Chair(s): Amy S. Levenberg Terwilleger (561) 650-0658 | Aterwilleger@Gunster.com; William B. Lewis (561) 227-5858 | WLewis@ForThePeople.com
Community Assn. Law CLE
Chair(s): Brennan E. Grogan (561) 999-9925 | BGrogan@JSLLawgroup.com; John R. Sheppard Jr. (561) 844-3600 | JRS@FCohenLaw.com
Committee for Diversity and Inclusion
Chair(s): Jean M. Middleton (561)301-0111 | Jean.Middleton@PalmBeachSchools.org; Denise A. Mutamba (561) 655-8944 | DMutamba@LegalAidPBC.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: William J. Cea (561) 655-5444 | WCea@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: Ron D. Herman (561) 720-2417 | RHerman@RHLawFL.com
Elder Law Affairs Committee
Chair(s): Tequisha Y. Myles (561) 655-8944 | TMyles@LegalAidPBC.org; Heather B. Samuels (561) 733-4242 | 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.
Estate | Probate Law CLE
Chair(s): Peter J. Forman (561) 998-7847 | PForman@FloridaTax.com; Conner R. Kempe (561) 747-7300 | ConnerKempe@JCKempe.com
Family Law CLE
Chair: Livia Chaykin (561) 515-5655 | Livia@ChaykinLaw.com;
Guardianship Education Committee
Chair: Rebecca G. Doane (561) 656-0200 | RGDoane@DoaneLaw.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 (561) 650-7900 | BerryB@GTLaw.com; Roger W. Feicht (561) 650-0729 | RFecht@gunster.com
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: Andrew S. Kwan (561) 835-0900 | kwan@beasleylaw.net
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(s): Kelsey C. Burke (561) 655-1990 | KBurke@ForYourRights.com; Kathryn L. Perrin (561) 721-0600 | Kathryn@KitroserLaw.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: Bradley S. A. Avakian (561) 246-3866 | Brad@KirkGrantham.com
Works on programs to raise awareness in the community about illiteracy.
Local & Gov’t Land Use
Chair: Liz B. Herman (561) 355-3965 | LHerman@PBCGov.org
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(s): Nichole J. Segal (561) 721-0400 | NJS@FLAppellateLaw.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: Linda S. Wells (561) 276-1008| LWells@HHK.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: Peter R. Hunt (561) 625-8400 | PHunt@Labovick.com
Probate|Guardianship
Chair: Jamison C. Evert (561) 655-1980 | JEvert@Gunster.com
Professionalism Committee
Chair(s): Patricia A. Leonard (561) 835-8500 | PLeonard@Shutts.com; Catherine M. Kozol (561) 688-3173 | KozolC@PBSO.org
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(s): Jared N. Quartell (561) 627-7707 | JQuartell@QuartellLaw.com
Securities Law CLE
Chair: Evan H. Frederick (561) 227-5858 | EFrederick@ForThePeople.com
Small Claims Court Clinics Committee
Chair: Lloyd A. Comiter (561) 883-7806 | 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(s): Matthew N. Thibaut (561) 585-0000 | MThibaut@htattorneys.com; Kenneth N. Johnson (561) 624-8202 | KJohnson@KMJLawGroup.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: Joshua H. Marks (561) 319-8070 | Joshua.Houss.Marks@Gmail.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.
Transaction Law Committee
Chair: Jeffrey H. Marcus (610) 812-7212 | Jeff@MarcusLawOffice.com
Unified Family Practice
Chair(s): J. Harley Toufanian (561) 835-0707 | HToufanian@ToufanianLaw.com; Robin J. Scher (561) 626-5640 | RJS@FLAFamilyLawFirm.com
Worker’s Compensation
Chair: Alicia A. George (561) 275-2990 (ext. 143) | AGeorge@WylandTadros.com
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.
