• Attorney Bryan Gowdy was presented recently with the Victor Tipton Award by the Florida Justice Association. Named for the founder of the Florida Justice Association Journal, the award recognizes “superior achievement in legal writing.” The award recognized Gowdy’s pro bono work representing Terrance Graham in Graham v. Florida. Graham was serving life without the possibility of parole for armed burglary and a subsequent probation violation, both committed while he was a minor. Gowdy was able to successfully argue that minors must be treated differently from adults at sentencing.
• Deborah Knauer, with the Law Offices of Christopher L. Nuland, graduated from Stetson University with distinction with a Masters of Laws in Elder Law.
• The Florida Bar announces that its Florida Power of Attorney consumer pamphlet is available at www.floridarbar.org/consumerpamphlets. It reports there are significant changes to the form. The text can be found at the website and downloaded at no charge.
• Farah & Farah attorney Leslie Scott Jean-Bart took part in the White House Community Leaders Briefing Series Nov. 10 in Washington, D.C. She was one of 150 grassroots leaders from Florida invited to the event and participated in briefings with officials from President Barack Obama’s administration, including Senior Advisor David Plouffe and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Jon Carson. Jean-Bart’s involvement in grassroots activities include volunteering as a precinct worker on Election Day and fighting for consumer rights in Tallahassee on behalf of the Florida Justice Association.