In case you haven’t heard, the Jacksonville Bar Association has moved to a new location, and the new office space will provide additional services and opportunities for the JBA members, the JBA staff, and even those attorneys who have not yet joined our bar association.
The JBA office is now located on the 13th floor of the Aetna Building, a 23-story landmark high rise located along the St. Johns River in Downtown Jacksonville. Hopefully, most of the members have previously had a chance to at least see the grand lobby of this historic building while attending the Annual Bench & Bar Holiday Party. (I am happy to confirm the event will be returning to the Aetna Building again this year.)
This new JBA office not only provides an office and much needed additional space for the Bar President, the Board of Governors, the JBA Executive Director, and the other members of the JBA staff, but it also offers a new choice for attorneys scheduling depositions, mediations, arbitration, and other meetings in the Jacksonville area. Both JBA members and nonmembers will be able to reserve rooms in the JBA office. The fee for using this service has not yet been determined by the Board of Governors, however, JBA members will receive a discounted rate to use the rooms (just one more reason to join the Jacksonville Bar Association). Information regarding room availability and scheduling is available through the JBA office.
Attorneys reserving the rooms will have access to a large board room and conference table that can comfortably seat 18 individuals. The windows in the board room offer spectacular views of the St. Johns River and Downtown skyline. The office has a smaller conference room with a table that can seat 6-8 individuals, and the president’s office can also be made available on most days during the week to serve as an additional breakout room during multi-party mediations or arbitration.
The new office also has a separate kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave, and there is a café located in the lobby of the building for anyone looking for a snack, as well as a cafeteria bistro on the second floor with various food stations.
There is also a separate copy room in the new space. The copy machine has both scanning and faxing capabilities, and a new phone system with conference call capability has been installed. All of this technology will be available to attorneys who reserve the location.
Attorneys or clients meeting at the JBA office should have no problem finding parking. The Aetna Building has an attached parking garage with a large number of spaces available (the building does charge a discounted parking fee to building guests). The Aetna Building is also located right next to one of the stops along the Skyway Express, so attorneys interested in saving money on gas or helping the environment will have this option available as well.
We are very excited about the new office and the opportunities it will offer for attorneys practicing in the Jacksonville area. Smaller firms or sole practitioners without the office space available to host larger meetings or legal proceedings can take advantage of this new option, and the new location offers a great choice for any attorney or firm looking for a neutral spot to set a deposition or mediation. The Board of Governors is also happy to announce that voluntary specialty bar associations in the Jacksonville area are invited to use the new office space to hold their meetings free of charge.
I hope every attorney in the area will come by and see the new JBA office and take advantage of this great new location. If you are already a member of the JBA, your visit will re-affirm why we belong to one of the greatest bar associations in the country. If you are not yet a member, it will give you a chance to learn more about all of the services the JBA provides and hopefully convince you to become a member too.