• Three members of Sheppard, White, Thomas & Kachergus have been recognized in the “Best Lawyers in America” publication. William Sheppard was recognized for his work in appellate law, non-white-collar criminal defense, First Amendment law, and labor and employment law. Elizabeth White was recognized for her work in appellate law, white-collar criminal defense, non-white-collar criminal defense and white collar defense. D. Gray Thomas was recognized for work in non-white collar criminal defense and white-collar criminal defense.
• The Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeal is accepting applications for the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Ricky Polston to the Florida Supreme Court. Applicants must have been a member of The Florida Bar for 10 years, a registered voter and residents of the jurisdiction of the court they are applying for at the time they assume office. Applications are available at www.floridabar.org. Deadline is 12 p.m., Friday, Nov.7. The commission must provide Gov. Crist with at least three nominees by Dec. 5.
• The Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, will perform at Jacksonville Naval Air Station Oct. 25-26. In addition to military flight demonstrations a full slate of civilian air show performers is scheduled to appear including stunt pilot Patty Wagstaff. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.airshow.jacksonville.com.
• The law firm of Holland & Knight has opened an office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The firm opened the new location to better serve clients doing business in the Middle East as well as surrounding regions of Africa, Central Asia, India and Pakistan. Holland & Knight will work with the independent Abu Dhabi-based law firm of Al Masaood & Associates at its new office on the seventh floor of the Al Masaood Tower.
• The Jacksonville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is urging its members — and prospective members — to renew their memberships. For an application to the JCFBA or for more info, call Michael Fackler at 357-3660.
• Deborah Walters has been appointed Assistant General Counsel with the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville, and works in the Government Operations Department. Formerly of the Walters Law Firm, the University of Florida Law School graduate started her career with the City on Oct. 6.
• Don’t look for the restoration of Amtrak service from Orlando to New Orleans any time soon. Earlier this year, Mayor John Peyton sent a letter to Amtrak officials about restoring the service that was shut down after Hurricane Katrina. According to Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant, the service on the “Sunset Limited” — which ran three-days-a-week before Katrina — was slow, “notoriously unreliable” and very costly during the 2005 fiscal year. Kummant said Amtrak is still working to find a cost-effective way to restore the service, but “we have not established a timetable for that decision.”