Four candidates are running for Seat 6 on The JBA Young Lawyers Section board of governors. Voting begins today and votes can be cast through 4 p.m. Thursday at The JBA office at 841 Prudential Drive, Suite 1320. Members also can vote from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday at the YLS annual meeting at The Carling. Results will be announced immediately. The candidates submitted this information.
Seat 6: Kailey Evans
Jacksonville Bar Activities (both current and past):
YLS
“Super Chili Bowl Charity Cook-Off”
“Holidays in January”
JBA Holiday Project
Florida Bar/Other Bar Association Activities:
Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
JADC
Civic Activities:
Pro Bono
DIVAS on the Move
Goals and/or ideas for the Young Lawyers Section:
Increased member involvement. I think that a lot of people want to be involved, but feel like there are not always opportunities or events which are geared toward their interest. Therefore, a goal which goes with the “increased involvement” is diversified opportunities both within the association and out in the community.
Seat 6: Renée Maxey
Jacksonville Bar Activities (both current and past):
-Committee member for “Afternoon at the Courthouse”
-“Super Chili Bowl Charity Cook-off”
-“Rendezvous on the River”
-“Law Day”
Florida Bar/Other Bar Association Activities:
-Member of JWLA
-Member of the Jacksonville chapter of the Federal Bar Association
Civic Activities:
-Opening Doors for Children
-Florida Coastal School of Law Alumni Board of Directors
Biography and/or Statement:
Thank you for your consideration of me. I became a member of The JBA and YLS upon graduation from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2008. I am a transportation law and commercial litigation associate with Holland & Knight. This past year, I assisted with the “Afternoon at the Courthouse,” the “Super Chili Bowl Charity Cook-off,” “Rendezvous on the River” and “Law Day.” I also currently serve as editor for The JBA Bar Bulletin. In addition to JBA projects, I also helped organize the Florida Coastal 2010 Alumni Weekend and assisted with the establishment of a mentoring program matching attorneys with local at-risk children this past year.
Goals and/or ideas for the Young Lawyers Section:
If elected to the board, I would strive to have the YLS work collaboratively with other young professionals’ organizations to host joint events that would provide increased opportunities to serve the community and to network with individuals outside of the legal community.
Seat 6: Charles Jimerson
Jacksonville Bar Activities (both current and past):
-Sustaining Member 2009-current
-Young Lawyers Division 2005-current
-Commercial Litigation Section 2005-current
-Real Property Law Section 2007-current
-Small Firm Section 2009-current-Social Committee 2006-2008
-Professionalism Committee 2009-current
-JBA mentor 2010-current
-Diversity Committee 2011-current
-JBA Pro Bono referral participant 2010
-Sports Commissioner 2009-10
Florida Bar/Other Bar Association Activities:
Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
-Construction Law Forum
-Litigation Section
-Business Law Section
-General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division
Florida Bar, Member-Business Law Section
-Real Property, Probate and Trust Law
-Construction Law Section
Civic Activities:
I am a member of and serve on various committees and boards of many professional and trade organizations, including but not limited to:
• American Trial Lawyers Association
• Chester Bedell Inns of Court
• Northeast Florida Builders Association
-Remodelers Counsel
-Government Affairs Committee
-Pro Bono Counsel
-Builders Care
-Construction Law Continuing Education Speaker
• First Coast Manufacturers Association
-Membership Committee
-Government Relations Committee
• National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
-Annual Golf Tournament Committee
• Commercial Law League of America
• National Association for Credit Management
-SACM, Group Chairman 2011
• Rotary Club of Jacksonville
-Centennial Gala Committee 2011
-Foreign deployment for polio inoculation
• Association for Corporate Growth North Florida
• The Gator Bowl Association
-Member 2005-Current
-Captain 2006-Current
-Vice Chairman of Game Week Events 2009-Current
• Risk Management Association
-Board of Directors 2010-Current
-Director of Mock Trial Event at FCSL
• IMPACTJax and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
• The Jacksonville Historical Society
• The University of Florida Alumni Association and Jacksonville Gator Club
• The United Way
• Volunteer Jax
• Wounded Warrior Project
• St. Vincents Foundation Shircliff Society
-Founding Board Member
• Pro Bono Counsel, Friends of the Murray Hill Public Library
• Team Organizer, The Walk to Defeat ALS
I have also served as an Adjunct Professor of Business Law at the Florida Community College at Jacksonville and as a regular lecturer at the University of North Florida, Florida Coastal School of Law, and the University of Florida Levin College of Law on topics relative to the practice of business law. I periodically serve as a guest speaker at various construction, credit and banking industry conferences or trade association meetings. I take great pride in his community and philanthropic outreach.
Goals and/or ideas for the Young Lawyers Section:
1. Grow membership and increase member involvement.
2. Increase member benefits.
3. Work with The JBA Board of Governors to assure that there is a viable long-term strategic plan for The JBA YLS Division and The JBA as an organization. This will include: a) evaluating the year-to-year elected leadership continuity plan and ensuring that the organization is on a trajectory for long-term solvency; and b) ensuring that The JBA staff has requisite skills, experience, technical assistance and support required to continue delivering consistently high quality services to our membership.
4. Develop a comprehensive and premier continuing legal education program focused on serving existing members and training the next generation of lawyers.
5. Increase, enhance and expand outreach and institutional relationship with the judiciary, legal-related professional organizations, law schools, law students, and recent law school graduates.
6. Establish/strengthen city, state and national organizational partnerships, which will benefit the Jacksonville legal community and are consistent with the mission of The JBA.
Seat 6: Tricia Rado
Jacksonville Bar Activities (both current and past):
-Sports Commissioner 2010-2011 Season
-Rendezvous on the River, 2009, 2010, 2011
-Holiday in January, 2010
-Law Week Committee, 2010, 2011
-High School Mock Trial Competition, 2009 and 2010
-Run for Cover, 2010
Florida Bar/Other Bar Association Activities:
None at this time
Civic Activities:
-YMCA Flyers Assistant Swim Coach
-2011 FSCJ Paralegal Competition Judge
-Volunteer with Team in Training as a coach
-Sulzbacher Center (cooking meals for the homeless)
Biography and/or Statement:
I have been an active member of the Young Lawyers Section of The Jacksonville Bar Association since joining in 2009. As a member, I took on a new responsibility of running the Sports League this year. League planning and preparation has helped me learn what it takes to run events successfully. Being a non-Jacksonville native, it was important to get involved with the community and to give back. I’d like to continue on with that trend as a member of the Young Lawyer’s Board of Governors.
Goals and/or ideas for the Young Lawyers Section:
If elected, I plan on helping to make already established events even better. Fundraising is essential to charities in the communities and the Young Lawyers Section already has a solid foundation in place. By reaching out to more businesses and professionals in the community, we will be able to better help the charities and, in turn, the community as a whole.
Three seats on The JBA Young Lawyers Section board of governors are unopposed. The candidates submitted this information.
Seat 1: Christian George
Christian George has been a member of the YLS board of governors for approximately three years, during which time he has acted as chairman for the Social Committee, “Run for Cover,” the annual meeting, “Holiday in January,” and trial hotline. His proudest YLS achievement is leading his team “Three Beans, One Pot” to second place overall (first place law firm) in the first annual YLS “Super Chili Bowl” charity cook off in March.
George hopes to continue to promote a strong Jacksonville Bar Association through his commitment to the YLS. His main goal is to continue to encourage positive collegiality among young lawyers in the Jacksonville legal community.
George primarily practices commercial litigation. In his spare time, Christian enjoys Gator athletics, reality television and long walks on the beach.
Seat 3: Lindsay Tygart
Lindsay Tygart has been an active member of the Young Lawyers Section of The Jacksonville Bar since joining in 2006 and was elected to the board of governors in 2009. As a member, she was chair of the 2011 Law Day celebration and has participated in many YLS events, including “Afternoon at the Courthouse,” Law Week’s High School Mock Trial Competition, “Noon in June,” Law Week’s “Rendezvous on the River” charity fundraiser, “Run for Cover” and the “Holiday in January” project. Being born and raised in Jacksonville, she is always looking for ways to give back to the community. The YLS has consistently provided that opportunity and she hopes to continue to contribute as a board of governors member.
Seat 5: Eric Roberson
I am running for re-election to The Jacksonville Bar Association Young Law-yers Section board of governors. I have enjoyed my time on the YLS board and look forward to creating new opportunities for young lawyers in Jacksonville during my next term.
For those who I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet, I practice in McGuire Woods’ Complex Commercial Litigation Department with a focus on representing financial institutions in all aspects of civil litigation. I also serve on The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service Committee and regularly participate in the Pre-law and Mock Trial programs at the University of North Florida.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue my service.