Ronald J. Tomassi, Jr. BECOMES CORPORATE COUNCIL MEMBER AND MENTOR FOR THE BROWARD CHAPTER OF TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— July 23, 2012 — Ronald J. Tomassi, Jr., an attorney in the Fort Lauderdale office of GrayRobinson, P.A., recently became a Corporate Council member and mentor for the Broward Chapter of Take Stock in Children—a non-profit organization that provides unique learning and mentoring opportunities for deserving low-income students across 67 counties in the state of Florida. It also offers its students college scholarships, and has over $109 million in Florida Prepaid Foundation scholarship assets. Through his involvement with Take Stock in Children, Tomassi will provide support and guidance to students in need and will contribute to the development and success of the organization.

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Keith Appleby Elected President of Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association

Tampa, FL –  Keith T. Appleby has been elected President of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association (TBBBA). He will serve a one-year term commencing in July 2012. The TBBBA has over 300 members representing debtors, creditors, and trustees in bankruptcy and provides its members with information necessary for the bankruptcy practice in the Tampa Division.

Keith T. Appleby practices in the Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Practice Group at  Fowler White Boggs. He has experience in bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, foreclosures, commercial, corporate and general business litigation. Mr. Appleby received his B.A. from the University of Central Florida, his graduate certificate in Retail Bank Management from the Consumer Bankers Association at the University of Virginia, his M.B.A. from Stetson University, and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Prior to joining Fowler White Boggs, Mr. Appleby was a federal judicial intern for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida.

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Brian L. Bilzin Appointed As Chair of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Miami, FL – Bilzin Sumberg founding partner, Brian L. Bilzin, has been elected as Chair of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation (GMJF). Serving for a two-year term, Mr. Bilzin will be responsible for helping the organization fulfill its mission to mobilize human and financial resources and to care for those in need; strengthen Jewish life; and advance the unity, values and shared purpose of the Jewish people in Miami, Israel and around the world.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Bilzin held a number of leadership posts with the organization, most recently serving as its General Campaign Chair. In addition to his work with GMJF, he serves as a trustee of the United Way of Miami-Dade and as a board member of both the Jackson Memorial Foundation and the I Have a Dream Foundation. He is also a founder of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach.

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George Mahfood Appointed to Board of Legal Services of Greater Miami

MIAMI, Fla.; July 26, 2012 — Miami Broad and Cassel Partner George G. Mahfood has been elected by the Dade County Bar Association to serve as one of its representatives on the Board of Directors for Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. (LSGMI). Mahfood’s term begins in October 2012.

LSGMI is the largest provider of broad-based civil legal services for the poor inMiami-Dade and Monroe Counties, and is recognized in the state and in the nation as a model legal services program. LSGMI’s Board of Directors is composed of attorneys appointed by local bar associations.

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Jesse Diner Appointed to the ABA House of Delegates

Jesse H. Diner

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Jesse H. Diner, a shareholder in the Firm’s Fort Lauderdale office and former Florida Bar President, has been appointed to a two-year term to the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates by the Florida Bar Board of Governors. The House of Delegates, established in 1936, meets twice each year, at ABA Annual and Midyear Meetings. Action taken by the House of Delegates on specific issues becomes official ABA policy.

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Steven J. Brodie Elected President of University of Miami Citizens Board

Steven J. Brodie

Miami, Fla. – July 18, 2012 – With a longstanding commitment to the greater Miami business, education and Jewish community, Steven J. Brodie, a shareholder in Carlton Fields’ Miami office, now serves as President of the University of Miami (UM) Citizens Board. He was also re-elected to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation (Federation) Board of Directors.

Brodie has served on UM’s Citizens Board for nearly a decade and on the Federation’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee for more than a decade. Past roles with the Citizens Board include member of the executive committee; secretary, treasurer and vice president; and president-elect. With the Federation, Brodie has served in various roles including past chairman of the South Dade Branch; chairman of the Cornerstone Campaign; past chairman of the Jewish Community Relations Council and a member of the board of directors and executive committee.

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Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association Elects New Board

Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr.

The Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association recently elected its board for the upcoming year. The organization seeks to articulate and promote the goals of African American lawyers in Miami-Dade County while fostering a greater awareness of the civil and political rights of the local African American community.

The officers are:

• Noel Johnson, Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial LLC: President
• Yolanda Paschal, Carlton Fields : President-Elect
• Leigh-Ann Buchanan, Berger Singerman LLP : Vice President
• Nicole Ellis, Kubicki Draper : Immediate Past President
• Vincent Alexander, Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton : Treasurer
• Keon Hardemon, Miami-Dade Public Defender's Office : Secretary
• Bryan Paschal, Rivero Mestre LLP : Group I Director
• Gordon Murray, Gordon Murray, PA : Group II Director

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Adrian C. Delancy elected Board President of the Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services

Adrian C. Delancy

Miami, FL – July 9, 2012 – Bankruptcy and commercial litigation attorney Adrian C. Delancy, an Associate with the law firm of Markowitz, Ringel, Trusty & Hartog, P.A., has been elected President of the Board of Directors of the Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services.

A not-for-profit organization, Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services provides emergency shelter, food and counseling for troubled youths and their families. The Bridge rescues children from lives of victimization and crime, and in so doing, helps the community ensure that these kids have the opportunity to become productive members of our society. The mission of the Bridge is to promote positive youth development, and strengthen and support families to enable children to actualize their full potential to become productive community members. For more information, please visit http://miamibridge.org

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Dan Fridman Elected to University of Florida Alumni Association Board

Daniel Fridman

MIAMI – July 11, 2012 – Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Daniel Fridman, a partner in the firm's Miami office, has been elected as a member of the University of Florida Alumni Association Board of Directors. The Association represents nearly 350,000 alumni worldwide. Mr. Fridman's two-year board term became effective July 1, 2012.

Mr. Fridman is an experienced trial lawyer who practices in the areas of complex business litigation and white collar criminal defense. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Miami, Florida, where he was the lead prosecutor in numerous federal criminal jury trials. Mr. Fridman also served as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States and Special Counsel for Health Care Fraud at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

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Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami Elects 2012-13 Board

The Estate Planning Council of Miami has appointed Executive Team members and elected new Board of Directors for the 2012-2013 year. They are the following:

Executive Officers

• David S. Berezin, of Berezin, CPA, P.A., President
• Patrick J. Lannon, of Patrick J. Lannon, PA, President-Elect
• Barry A. Givner, of First National Bank of South Miami, Vice President
• Charles Bennett Sachs, Secretary
• Adam Schucher, of Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright, PA, Treasurer
• Daniel Tasciotti, of Tasciotti Financial, Immediate Past President

Directors

• Susan Menendez Cahill, of GenSpring Family Offices, Director
• Sharon Quinn Dixon, of Stearns Weaver Miller Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA, Director
• Philip Herzberg, of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., Director
• Mitchell A. Hipsman, of Mitchell A. Hipsman, PA, Director
• Elaine King, of Bessemer Trust, Director
• Donald A. Kress, of Northern Trust, NA, Director
• Paul D. Landrum, of Florida International University, Director
• Howard B. Lucas, of Goldstein Schechter Koch, Director
• Cynthia L. Prichard, of Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust, Director

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John C. Sumberg Appointed To Sundari Foundation Board

John C. Sumberg

Miami, FL – Bilzin Sumberg announced that Managing Partner and Real Estate Partner, John C. Sumberg, has been appointed to the Sundari Foundation 2012-2013 Board of Directors. The Foundation is a public charity that created the Lotus House Women's Shelter, a unique resource center and residential facility that serves to empower homeless women in Overtown, Miami, to break the cycle of poverty, addiction, abuse and mental illness.

The Sundari Foundation also formed the Lotus Endowment Fund, which aims to raise $10 million over five years to ensure the shelter's long-term viability and financial stability.

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W. CAMPBELL MCLEAN APPOINTED TO EXECUTIVE BOARD OF GULF RIDGE COUNCIL, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

W. Campbell McLean

TAMPA, FL — June 26, 2012 — W. Campbell McLean, an attorney in the Tampa office of GrayRobinson, P.A., has been appointed to the Executive Board of The Gulf Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America, where he will contribute to the success of several innovative state programs, such as a juvenile pre-trial intervention program and a career introduction program. The Gulf Ridge Council, Boys Scouts of America serves more than 30,000 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 21. As a Tampa native, McLean was a member of the Gulf Ridge Counsel's Troup 23 and was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in 1987.

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Allison Turnbull appointed as board member to the Orlando YMCA Metro Board

Allison Turnbull

Baker Hostetler Orlando Partner Allison Turnbull was recently appointed as a board member to the YMCA Metro Board, for a one-year term

The purpose of YMCA Metro Orlando is to improve lives of all in Central Florida by connecting individuals, families and communities with opportunities based on Christian values that strengthen Spirit, Mind and Body.

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GRACE YANG ELECTED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION BOARD

Grace H. Yang

TAMPA, FL — June 25, 2012 — Grace H. Yang, a shareholder in the Tampa office of GrayRobinson, P.A., has been elected to the Hillsborough County Bar Association's (HCBA) Board of Directors where she will work to promote respect for the law and the justice system through service to the legal profession and to the community. The HCBA works with attorneys in public practice in all areas of law and is a non-profit professional association with over 3,700 members.

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Jeffrey N. Schatzman elected President-Elect of the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA)

Jeffrey N. Schatzman

Jeffrey N. Schatzman, Managing Shareholder at the Miami law firm of Schatzman & Schatzman, P.A., was elected President-Elect of the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA) at its Annual Meeting on May 5, 2012. He has been passionately involved with the Commercial Law League of America since 1991 and has held numerous positions within the League during that time.

The CLLA is the leading professional organization comprised of collection, creditors' rights and bankruptcy professionals who serve the commercial and credit industries. Since 1895, the CLLA has been associated with the representation of creditor interests, while at the same time seeking fair, equitable and efficient administration of bankruptcy cases for all parties in interest. 

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Devang Desai elected President of the University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association

Devang Desai

CORAL GABLES -- Devang Desai, a partner with the Coral Gables litigation firm Gaebe, Mullen, Antonelli & DiMatteo, has been elected President of the University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association (LAA) for 2012-13.

In his new role, Mr. Desai’s main goals are to increase awareness of the LAA; encourage graduates to support the law school’s mission; increase engagement for younger alumni, and support current students by creating networking and mentoring opportunities between alumni and students. He also plans to involve the association with the law school’s strategic initiatives to increase job placement by encouraging alumni to hire UM law graduates. Lastly, the LAA will work with the leadership of the University of Miami School of Law Momentum 2 Campaign Committee to raise much-needed funds in order to continue to build the next great American university.

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Robert Peltz Reappointed Chairman of Maritime Law Assoc Cruise Line & Passenger Ship Committee For 3rd Term

Robert Peltz

Robert Peltz, attorney at Florida trial law firm Leesfield & Partners, P.A., has been reappointed to Chairman of the Maritime Law Association (MLA)’s Cruise Lines and Passenger Ships Committee. This is Peltz’s third term as Chairman.

The MLA is a national organization of maritime attorneys dedicated to advancing reforms in U.S. maritime law and its administration, promoting uniformity in its enactment and interpretation, furnishing a forum for discussion, and working in concert with other associations to bring about greater harmony in the shipping laws, regulations, and practices of different nations.

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Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. appointed to Miami Council for International Visitors

Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr.

Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. has been appointed to the Miami Council for International Visitors (MCIV). Mr. Sanchez-Medina is a founding partner of Sanchez-Medina, Gonzalez, Quesada, Lage, Crespo, Gomez & Machado, LLP where he specializes in the areas of corporate, real estate and tax law.

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STEPHEN H. REISMAN NAMED VICE CHAIRMAN OF PECKAR & ABRAMSON, P.C.

Stephen H. Reisman

Miami, FL — Stephen H. Reisman has been appointed Vice Chairman of  Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
As Vice Chairman, Reisman will work with Chairman Steven M. Charney to manage Peckar & Abramson’s national and international operations, serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and is the Co-Managing Partner of the Miami office, with attorney Gary M. Stein. Both Reisman and Stein were longtime partners at Rosenberg, Reisman & Stein in Miami, prior to a merger with Peckar & Abramson in 2001. Prior to this, Reisman was formerly Managing Partner of the firm’s Miami office. Peckar & Abramson has a history of more than 60 years in South Florida.

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Gary M. Farmer Installed As President of the Florida Justice Association

Gary M. Farmer

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Attorney Gary M. Farmer, a partner at Farmer, Jaffe, Weissing, Edwards, Fistos & Lehrman, P.L., was installed as President of the Florida Justice Association (FJA), a statewide legal organization comprised of civil trial lawyers in the State of Florida. Farmer was officially sworn in as the 53rd President during the Florida Justice Association’s Annual Convention held on Friday, June 15, 2012, at the Marriott Beach Resort Golf Club & Spa on Marco Island.

Farmer will lead the organization of approximately 3,000 attorneys founded in 1961 who work in the legislative, political and media arenas to protect the Constitutional right to jury trial and access to courts without barriers or limitations, while ensuring that Floridians know and understand the importance of their rights to justice and to make certain that these rights are safeguarded and protected.

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