by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville legal community is known throughout the state for its professionalism and civility, and that community continued to advance those causes Thursday at the “2009 Professionalism Symposium” at the Main Library.
The inaugural professionalism symposium was held in 2007 with attendance of over 400 people and this year’s event should meet or exceed those numbers according to early estimates. Organizers from the Jacksonville Bar Association, Fourth Judicial Circuit and U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Florida agreed to hold the event every other year.
Attendees were given “The Keys to Professionalism Today” by keynote speaker U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Susan Black and were challenged to a game of “Ethics Chess” by speaker Jack Marshall, of Pro Ethics, Ltd., based in Washington, D.C.
Judicial panels let attendees listen to observations on professionalism from judges from the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Florida, Fourth Judicial Circuit and Duval County Court.
“Be prepared,” said U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Corrigan. “Don’t let me know more about your case then you do. Some attorneys have come into court and don’t even know the name of their expert witness. That just shows a lack of preparedness.”
Another tip was aimed at properly directing an attorney’s argument.
“Don’t argue with the court after a ruling has been made,” said Circuit Court Judge David Wiggins.
356-2466