Appellate Practice Section - Mentoring Project

The Appellate Practice Section wants to help practitioners with appellate problems and will provide match-ups for telephone or email consultations with experienced appellate lawyers. The goal of the project is to assist young lawyers, occasional practitioners, and experienced appellate lawyers venturing in new areas, as well as promote interaction among Section Members.

The section is actively recruiting mentors in the following appellate areas: Administrative, Civil, Criminal, Family, Juvenile, Worker's Comp, or Federal. We need volunteers to serve as mentors in each subject matter area.

To be listed as a panel attorney, the following statement must be signed and sent to: Austin Newberry, Professional Development, The Florida Bar, 650 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee FL 32399-5600 Fax: 850-561-5825

"I hereby certify that I currently practice and have at least five years experience in the areas indicated. I further certify that I am a member in good standing of The Florida Bar.

I hereby consent to a waiver of confidentiality, therefore allowing The Florida Bar to investigate my grievance record and otherwise conduct that investigation deemed necessary to determine my qualifications for service on the panel. I understand that referrals to my office may be suspended upon the finding of probable cause by The Florida Bar in a grievance matter. Upon the conclusion of the grievance matter, I may apply for readmission of the panel, and be readmitted at the discretion of the Appellate Practice Section."

____________________________
(signature of panel attorney)

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How Appellate Practice Section Mentor Committee Works

The inquiring attorney first identifies a legal problem or issue and determines which of the categories (Administrative, Civil, Criminal, Family, Juvenile, Worker's Comp, or Federal) would encompass such a problem or issue.

The inquiring attorney then sends an email to the Mentor Committee. The email must include the inquiring attorney's name, email address and phone number and indicate the category or areas of law in which assistance is sought, write a brief summary of the question, and identify all known adverse or probable adverse parties and counsel.

The Bar staff facilitator and/or Mentor Committee forwards the inquiry to a volunteer mentor attorney who has indicated experience in the requested category

The panel attorney checks for conflicts as to the listed adverse parties, then (if finding none) responds by telephone or email within three to five days.

After the response from the panel attorney, the inquiring attorney should exercise his or her own independent judgment to resolve the legal issue or problem.

Limitations:

Panel members serve on a volunteer basis; an inquiring attorney should refrain from involving a panel member in a prolonged dialogue.

The Appellate Practice Section make no representationsas to the knowledge or experience of any panel attorney and disclaims any liability or responsibility regarding any inquiry made pursuant to the program.

The program does not contemplate and is not intended to create a formal association between the inquiring attorney and the panel attorney, or any attorney-client relationship between the panel member and the ultimate client, and care should be taken not to reveal confidences or key strategic information.

The inquiring attorney must ultimately exercise his or her own independent judgment on behalf of the client.