Age: 40
Family: Wife, Jenny; and three sons (7, 5 and 2)
Pets: One fish (Swimmy); searching for a dog – sons promise they will take care of it.
Education: University of Alabama, Culverhouse College of Commerce; University of Florida, JD
Employed by: The Bedell Firm
Field of practice: Commercial litigation
Professional organizations: The Florida Bar Civil Rules Committee (2011-present); Jacksonville Bar Association (former Young Lawyers Section president); The Florida Bar, Board of Governors Young Lawyers Division (2004-10); Chester Bedell Inn of Court; St. Johns County Bar Association; Defense Research Institute; The Florida Bar Foundation.
Community involvement: Leadership Jacksonville (Class of 2009); Downtown Rotary.
How did you get involved?
I’m not sure if it was John DeVault, Hank Coxe or Colonel Horatio Bisbee who first asked me, but there has always been an expectation of participation and giving back to our profession at The Bedell Firm. I first started as a member of the mentoring committee, before spending years on the board of governors of The JBA YLS and The Florida Bar YLD. Most recently, Ray Driver asked if I would chair the mentoring committee.
How can someone else get involved?
Ask any board member of The JBA.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
In addition to helping our community and profession, several of the people I served with for many years on both the local Bar board and the state board became and remain close friends. In addition, through the hard work and dedication of other board members, we were able to raise significant amounts of money for deserving children, the physically and mentally challenged and the poor. I was fortunate to serve on The Florida Bar YLD for many years with Bill Sundberg, who is the son of former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Alan Sundberg. Bill’s brother died soon after discovering his skin cancer had spread throughout his body. If they had discovered the skin cancer sooner, it would almost certainly have been treatable and his brother would have survived. Bill started a 5K race/walk in Tallahassee in his brother’s honor and asked others on our board from across the state to take his brother’s story back to their cities and try to get people screened for skin cancer. We did and The JBA YLS has for many years continued to help raise awareness of the severity of skin cancer and importance of screening.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
“Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed,” by Eileen Christelow (usually 5-7 times per week).