Imagine that you’ve graduated from law school with honors and aced the Bar. Your practice is going great. You’ve taken depositions, handled mediations, even argued a motion for summary judgment. You are active in the Bar and have handled a pro bono case. Figuring that you’ve seen just about everything there is to see, you feel competent about your abilities.
Then, one day, as you’re going through your mail you come across a motion for sanctions directed at you. What should you do?
Or, co-counsel proposes entering into a settlement agreement where you agree not to prosecute similar cases against the defendant. Are you allowed to do that? You’ve never encountered the situation and have no idea what to do, how to do it, or whether it’s even legal and ethical.
Many of us have experienced similar situations where we don’t know what to do or we would feel more comfortable if we could first discuss our course of action with a more seasoned attorney. If you practice with lawyers like Joe Milton, Rut Liles, or Justice Ehrlich you could walk down the hall to discuss the matter.
With the creation of the Mentoring Program, now everyone practicing in the 4th Judicial Circuit has access to the best lawyers in the area. Lawyers such as Joe Milton and Rut Liles have graciously made themselves available to other lawyers. They can answer tough questions whether substantive, procedural, ethical, or personal. All of the mentors are carefully screened and are among the most respected and talented in their respective areas of practice.
If you’re a young lawyer or someone who has recently changed your area of practice, Mentors are available to you. And, the best part: these lawyers, who normally bill upwards of $300 an hour, are free. So if you want the benefit of the most successful lawyers around or if you know someone who would, please contact the Mentor Program Committee at [email protected] or go to the Jacksonville Bar Association website at www.jaxbar.org.