by Frank Lonegro
2001-02 President
As my tenure as YLS President comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the opportunity to represent you and to thank my board for their hard work and support. This year’s accomplishments could not have been achieved without the collective efforts of the YLS leadership and its members.
At the annual luncheon, you will be asked to fill four YLS Board vacancies. So that you can properly assess the candidates, I have included a short biography of each person. They are all exceptional people and I wish them each the best of luck in the election.
Geddes Anderson is an associate with the civil litigation law firm of Liles, Gavin, Costantino & Murphy. He attended the University of Florida for undergraduate and law school where he served as a Teaching Assistant for Appellate Advocacy, Defense Counsel for the University of Florida Student Honor Court, and a member of Florida Blue Key Honor Fraternity. After law school, he was an Assistant State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit before joining Liles, Gavin, Costantino & Murphy. He is a member of the Jacksonville Federal Bar Association and the Jacksonville Bar Association where he participated in the Young Lawyers Section’s Back to School Project 2001, served as a lecturer and committee member of Law School for the Public 2001, and served on the Law Week Committee 2002 where he implemented the Lawyer in the Mall Project. Presently, he is the chairman of the Public Relations/Recognition Subcommittee of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee and a trial judge for Teen Court, a diversion program for juvenile criminal defendants. He is married, has four-month-old daughter, and is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church.
Kevin Cook is an Associate at Bedell, Dittmar, DeVault, Pillans, & Coxe, PA, handling complex commercial litigation cases. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law, with High Honors, in May 2001 and was appointed to the Order of the Coif. Prior to law school and after graduating from the University of Alabama, Mr. Cook worked in the business world managing the majority of Xerox Corporation’s worldwide exporting. He has become active in the Jacksonville Bar Association as a member of the Mentoring Committee and participating in the Habijax house building project on behalf of the Young Lawyers. Kevin was recently selected to become an associate member of the Chester Bedell Inn of Court. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.
Mike Garfield was born in Portsmouth, Va. in 1970. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1992 and earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1997. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1997. As an associate at Moseley, Warren, Prichard & Parrish, Mike’s practice includes the handling of a variety of admiralty and maritime matters, with an emphasis on seaman personal injury defense. He practice also includes commercial litigation, insurance defense, environmental law, personal injury, and labor and employment litigation. Mike is an avid athlete who enjoys running, golf, and water sports. When not traveling or spending time with his wife, Shannon, he can often be found reading about military history and politics.
Michelle Kalil is an attorney in the repeat offender division with the Office of the Public Defender. Michelle is a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, and after graduating from Wolfson High School, she continued her education at the University of Florida where she received both her bachelors degree in political science and juris doctor. After graduating from law school in 1998, she began her career as an assistant public defender. While progressing through the Public Defender’s Office, Michelle has gained extensive trial experience. Outside of work, Michelle is active with the Duval County Teen Court program as well as the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
B.J. Millis is an associate with Smith Hulsey & Busey in the corporate/tax department. His primary practice areas are taxation, estate planning and public finance. He attended the Florida State University where he received a B.S. in Finance in 1995. He then attended the Florida State University College of Law and received his J.D. with high honors in 1998. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1998. After law school, he attended the University of Florida College of Law and received his LL.M. in taxation in 1999. He is currently a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association, the American Bar Association (tax and business law sections), the National Association of Bond Lawyers and JCCI Forward. Additionally, he has participated in Young Lawyers’ Section programs, including assisting with the bowling event of the Special Olympics. He is married to Jennifer Kolinski Millis, an attorney with Camerlengo and Driver, P.A. and who is expecting their first child in December.
Tatiana Salvador has recently joined the law firm of Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones and Gay, P.A. as an associate in the litigation department practicing in the areas of family law and personal injury. Prior to that she was employed as an Assistant State Attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit for 7 1/2 years. As an ASA, she prosecuted all crimes from misdemeanors to murders and earned the Trial Award for the attorney with the highest number of jury trials in one year. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1990 and her law degree from the University of Florida in 1993. Tatiana has been a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association since 1994 and has been involved in the following: Florida Bar’s Committee on Professionalism (2002-2005), Jacksonville Bar Association’s Committee on Professionalism (2000-present), Guest Lecturer and Instructor for the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Institute of Police Technology and Management (1997-2002) and the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court (1997-2000). Additionally, she has been appointed by Mayor John Delaney to be a member of the City of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Commission. She is married to fellow Bar member Julio Salvador and they have one child, Alex.
Jennifer Watson was born in Charleston, S.C. and was raised in Orange Park. She attended Florida State University where she received her B.S. degree in 1993. Following undergrad, Jennifer was a special agent for Florida’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco for two years. Jennifer then attended Florida Coastal School of Law where she received her law degree with high honors in 1999. Jennifer was the Student Bar Association president during the time the school received its provisional accreditation. As a result, she received the award for the most significant contribution to Florida Coastal School of Law in 1999. Prior to joining Ford & Harrison LLP, where she practices exclusively in labor and employment defense, Jennifer was an associate at Schutt Humphries, practicing in insurance defense. Jennifer was an active committee member for this year’s past Law Week Committee for the Jacksonville Bar and is a member of the American Bar Association, Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Jacksonville Defense Lawyers Association and the Jacksonville Women’s Lawyer’s Association.