Behind the Curtain
The Constitution
Revision Commission |
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One of the major state stories of 2018 will center on the actions of the Constitutional Revision Commission, which meets every 20 years to propose amendments to Florida's Constitution.
At the Jan. 10 Hot Topics, teams of lawyers from the Orange County Inns of Court will outline the impact of past amendments and discuss some of the current proposals, which include banning the death penalty, raising the mandatory retirement age for judges, expanding the Cabinet, restoring felons’ rights and eliminating the use of public financing for statewide elections. Voters get to decide at the Nov. 8 election.
Taking part will be Inns of Court members:
LEADER: Ninth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Bob LeBlanc has been a member of LWVOC for 12 years and the Inns of Court for more than 20. After six years in criminal court, and four in family court, he currently sits on the Circuit Civil bench.
Sherri DeWitt practices family and business law and has been practicing in Florida since 1982. She has been a long-standing member of the Inns of Court and is a member of its board.
Ahmad S. El-Gendi is an intellectual property and litigation attorney at Lowndes, Drosdick,Doster, Kantor & Reed. He is a board member for the Foundation for Foster Children.
Dave Harris has been a member of the Inns of Court since 2016. He is a solo practitioner focusing on Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Business Law.
N. Diane Holmes has been a member of the Inn since 1999. She is boarsd certified in marital and family law since 1997 and is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Lauren Ilvento practices family and business law. She has been practicing in Florida since 1995.
Kevin Kelly is a construction lawyer who after two decades with big firms, started his own practice four years ago.
Kimberly Mann has been a member of Inns of Court since 2006. She has been practicing criminal law as a prosecutor in the Ninth Circuit since 1998.
Steve Marsee practices Marital and Family Law and was named on of the Top 10 best Family LAw Attorney in Florida in 2015. He is a member of the National Association of Distinguished Council and the National Advocates (top 100 lawyers).
Esther McKean has been a member of Inns of Court since 2009. She is a partner with Akerman LLP practicing in its Bankruptcy and Reorganization department.
Larry Smith is a founding and senior partner at Southern Trial Counsel / PLC, which focuses on the defense of American and global companies in complex, catastrophic and high-exposure personal injury cases throughout Florida and the Southeast.
Louise B. Zeuli has been active in various chapters of The American Inns of Court for about 12 years, including as President and Program Director of an Inn. In addition to her law practice she is an arbitrator and a certified circuit mediator by the The Florida Supreme Court.