TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism presented the Young Lawyers Section of the Orange County Bar Association the 2003 Professionalism Award for their program entitled "Afternoon in the Courthouse." The award was given during The Florida Bar’s Annual Meeting last Thursday, June 26, 2003. Receiving the award for the Young Lawyers Section of the Orange County Bar Association were attorneys Yvette Rodriguez Brown and Nicholas Shannin.

"Afternoon in the Courthouse" is intended to provide insight into local judicial practices and procedures and is open to all lawyers, summer clerks and legal assistants. Speakers include judges who work in different areas of the law, from criminal to family, county to circuit. The seminar concludes with a presentation by the Court Administrator and a tour of the courthouse. Participants receive CLE credits, including ethics credit, for this seminar.

This program offers area lawyers a way to spend an afternoon with local judges learning the "in’s and out’s" of the local courthouse and the various divisions. There is also the opportunity to ask questions of the judges and see a mock presentation of an ethical dilemma that lawyers face throughout their practice.

The Professionalism Award is intended to encourage those bar associations, judicial organizations, or law schools with projects aimed at encouraging professionalism among attorneys. The criteria for evaluation include:

• Overall quality of the program

• The ability to replicate the program by other interested groups

• Likelihood of continuation of the program

• Substantive strength of the program in the area of professionalism

• Success of the program

• Number of attorneys directly and indirectly involved or affected

• Uniqueness, creativity, or other distinguishing and/or particularly meritorious feature of the program

The Florida Bar Center for Professionalism solicits and coordinates the award nominees for The Florida Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism.

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[Updated: 07-01-2005 ]