by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
An unusual dedication to the preservation of America’s civil justice system took the Jacksonville chapter of the American Board of Trail Advocates from the Florida/Georgia game to the high seas and won the locals recognition as the national organization’s 2004 chapter of the year.
It won out over the other 95 chapters which are spread throughout the 50 states.
The local chapter won for its creativity in furthering ABOTA’s mission, which is to preserve and promote the constitutional right to a civil jury trial.
The chapter’s “Seminar at Sea” brought together the board’s national leaders on board the Carnival Miracle, one of the cruise ships sailing from Jacksonville, for a Florida Bar seminar.
The annual Florida/Georgia football game also became a learning opportunity as the chapter scheduled its Masters in Trial educational program for game day, Oct. 31. Whether it was the curriculum or the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party that served as the main attraction, more than 80 registrants attended.
Local members were forced to act quickly when a printing error led to the wrong case being included in the program materials. The ABOTA lawyers pushed ahead with the impromptu lesson and made sense of the case for attendees. The event raised nearly $4,000 for the national chapter.
The chapter was also cited for its local networking. Its December annual dinner and meeting invited all local federal and circuit judges. Judge Karen Cole received the Judge of the Year award at that dinner.
ABOTA is unique among legal advocacy groups, because its membership includes both plaintiff and defense attorneys as well as a judicial section.