Rogers Towers attorney Adam Brandon recently returned from two weeks of reserve duty with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf. While in Bahrain, Brandon and the active-duty legal team met with Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John R. Ewers Jr., staff judge advocate to the commandant.
Closing argument competition at Florida Coastal
For the ninth year in a row, Spohrer & Dodd held a closing argument competition at Florida Coastal School of Law with the student winners receiving cash scholarships from the firm.
The competition was held in the law school’s courtroom and the top eight students from the school’s mock trial team competed for the chance to win.
Taking first place honors was Zachary Register. Nathan Watters was the second-place winner and in third place was Jamesha Mitchell.
The Florida Coastal School of Law Mock Trial Team is a group of law students trained in the art of trial-level litigation. Acceptance on the team is based on the student’s ability and talent. Each of the team members is trained on proper courtroom demeanor, presentation abilities and legal reasoning. The mock team trial members also represent Florida Coastal in mock trial competitions with students from law schools across the nation.
Jacksonville lawyer is suspended
Keirsten Klatch, 3334 Randall St., Jacksonville, was suspended for three years, effective retroactive to June 16, following a March 9 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2011)
Further, upon reinstatement, Klatch will be on probation for three years.
Without his permission, Klatch borrowed money she was holding in trust for a client who was serving prison time. She met him when she was a paralegal. At the time, Klatch was admitted to practice in New York and had passed The Florida Bar exam but had not yet been admitted.
Over the years, she made disbursements as instructed by the client.
The client subsequently filed a complaint with the Bar, saying he’d lost touch with Klatch, and he had no idea about the status of his money. Klatch replaced all the borrowed funds. (Case No. SC16-882)
Shutts & Bowen enters Jacksonville
Commercial law firm Shutts & Bowen opened its eighth office with the addition of five attorneys from the Jacksonville office of Gillis Way & Campbell.
Joining Shutts & Bowen in Jacksonville are H. Timothy Gillis, who was named managing partner, partner Jason E. Campbell, partner Catrina H. Markwalter, of counsel Sue VanLeeuwen and associate Morgan Foster.
Established in 1910, Shutts & Bowen also has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
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