by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Hank Coxe won’t be passing the gavel to Frank Angones — his successor as president of the Florida Bar — in Boca Raton this week. But, Jacksonville will still have a strong legal presence at this week’s Florida Bar Annual Convention.
In addition to dozens of attorneys who will attend for various meetings, the golf and beach and social activities, three area attorneys will be at the meetings for very specific reasons.
Bob Spohrer of Spohrer & Dodd will be there on behalf of his firm to accept an award from the Bar for “Excellence in the Promotion of Board Certification.” The award was recently established by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education and will be presented to Spohrer at a Board Certified Lawyers Reception Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The award recognizes excellence and creativity by a Florida Bar board certified lawyer or law firm in advancing the public’s knowledge and appreciation for legal board certification.
Spohrer was certified in Civil Trial in 1983, Aviation Law in 1996 and is a member of the Bar’s Aviation Law Committee. His areas of practice include aviation, civil litigation and trial and Spohrer is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia Bar, the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court of Appeals in the 5th and 11th Circuits.
Jake Schickel of Coker, Schickel, Sorenson & Daniel and Grier Wells of GrayRobinson will also be in Boca Ration where they will be sworn in as members of the Bar’s Board of Governors. Schickel said every two years members of the Board of Governors are elected by their circuit, but are sworn in every year.
“Grier and I were both unopposed,” said Schickel, who is also chair-elect of the Bar’s Budget Committee. “We have a $20 million budget for the Florida Bar. We (board of governors) generate all of the disciplines, monitor the CLE (continuing legal education), the policy board and the advertising policy board.”
Both Schickel and Wells are involved in the disciplinary side of the Bar and their roles as members of the Board of Governors. Both also said they believe it’s the most important facet of their service to the Bar.
“I am vice-chair of the disciplinary review board, which I’ve been a member of since my second year on the Board of Governors,” said Wells, who was elected to the Board in 2002. “I think it’s the most important thing the Bar does.”
Wells is also a member of the program evaluation committee and a liaison to the labor and employment certification committee and the animal law committee.
“I also just completed a term as a member of the executive committee,” said Wells. “All in all, it was a phenomenal experience and I really enjoyed it.”
Schickel said he spends 3-4 hours a week honoring his Bar obligations that range from formal appointments to various committees — including the executive committee — to serving as a liaison to other sections of the Bar.
As a member of the executive committee, Schickel will also work hand-in-hand with incoming Florida Bar President Jay White of Ft. Lauderdale, who will be sworn in Friday and succeed Frank Angones of Miami.
“He’s a neat guy with the Richman Greer firm in Ft. Lauderdale,” said Schickel. “He’s been on the board for 8-10 years. We went fishing together last week.”
Schickel said over the course of White’s term, the two will meet regularly, either through face-to-face meetings, conference calls or e-mail.
The theme for this year’s convention is “Practicing with Honor: Traditions of the Past-Foundations for the Future.” In addition to dozens of meetings and CLE classes and seminars, the annual judicial luncheon is set for Thursday at 12:30 at the resort. It features Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Lewis and Harold Hongju Koh, dean of the Yale School of Law.