22 Legal briefs/calendar (Tampa)

legal briefs

New Hillsborough courthouse to open in September

Hillsborough County Court Administrator Mike Bridenback says the new George Edgecomb Courthouse will open later this month.

At a recent Hillsborough Bar Association meeting Bridenback said the new $38 million courthouse features 320,000 square feet, six floors, 27 courtrooms, and nine masters/hearing officers rooms. The first floor will house security, facilities, holding cells, the clerk's offices for family and county civil. The second floor will house jury assembly, the clerk's probate office, cafeteria, mediation and family court intake. There will be a second floor bridge to the annex. The third floor will house a children's waiting area; and six courtrooms for county civil and domestic violence. The fourth floor will house 12 courtrooms for family and probate, nine offices for general masters and child support hearings, and the Elder Justice Center. The fifth floor will house eight civil courtrooms and the clerk. It will also have room for an attorney's lounge, which local lawyers will furnish. And the sixth floor will house the chief judge's office, the court's legal department, the court administrator and Courtroom One.

Court employees will begin moving into the new building toward the end of this month.

Former gubernatorial candidate

joins small Tampa firm

Bill McBride, former managing partner of Holland & Knight, joined Tampa's Barnett, Bolt Kirkwood & Long as a shareholder. The firm specializes in corporate, tax, real estate and litigation

Tampa lawyer elected to serve

on management council

Peter Zinober, founding partner in Tampa's Zinober & McCrea PA, was elected to a four-year term as a management member of the Council of the Labor & Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association. Zinober is one of 12 management members and the first management lawyer from Florida ever elected to the council.

Also, the firm announced the hiring of Desiree Demonbreun as an associate.

GrayHarris attorney named vice

president of HAWL membership

Colleen Fitzgerald was named vice president of membership for the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers for 2003-2004. Fitzgerald is a litigation attorney with the Tampa office of GrayHarris.

Ruden McClosky

adds two attorneys

Lee Ann Tranford and Valerie Williams joined the St. Petersburg office of Ruden McClosky Smith Schuster & Russell as associates. Tranford joins the firm's real estate practice group; Williams-Hoeneisen joins the litigation department.

Florida Bar seeks

nominations

The Florida Bar seeks nominations by Sept. 26 for pro bono awards including the President's Pro Bono Service Award for an attorney in each of the judicial circuits; the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award to be given to one attorney statewide; the Chief Justice's Law Firm Commendation and the Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award. Nomination forms are available online at www.flabar.org.

- Hali White

Horne talks to Bar

The Clearwater Bar Association met for its monthly membership luncheon Sept. 11 in the Harborview Center. Bar President Robert Dickinson, visibly emotional, led guests in a moment of silence to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America. He also led the pledge of allegiance to the American Flag, which was presented by a color guard of Clearwater police officers and fire fighters.

Pinellas County Attorney Susan Churuti introduced keynote speaker, Clearwater City Manager Bill Horne. Horne, who has served as city manager since 1998, discussed his job, including his relationship with the city commission, which he says is good. He also discussed the status of various city projects, including the unfinished bridge visible from the Harborview Center; a beach library and various road improvements.

- Hali White

Legal Calendar

Clearwater

Oct. 10 - The Clearwater Bar Association will host its annual Bench & Bar conference, beginning at noon, at Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st S., Gulfport. (727) 461-4869.

Nov. 13 - The Clearwater Bar Association will host its monthly membership luncheon at noon at the Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St. (727) 461-4869.

St. Petersburg

Sept. 25 - St. Petersburg Bar Association swearing-in ceremony, 4 p.m., St. Petersburg Judicial Building, 545 1st Ave. N., Courtroom A, fourth floor, free to members.

Tampa

Oct. 29 - The Hillsborough County Bar Association will host its annual Bench & Bar conference from 1 to 5 p.m. at Tampa's downtown Hyatt, 211 N. Tampa St. (813) 221-7777.

Sarasota and Manatee

Sept. 24 - The Sarasota County Bar Association will hold an Estate Planning and Probate meeting at noon at the University Club. Call (941) 366-6703.

Sept. 26 - The Sarasota County Bar Association will hold a Solo Practice Section meeting at noon at the Terrace Building, 10th Floor. Call (941) 366-6703.

Sept. 30 - The Sarasota County Bar Association will hold its 2003-2004 installations and awards dinner at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Sarasota, 1000 Blvd. of the Arts. Cost is $40 and is due by Sept. 25. Call (941) 366-6703.

Oct. 1 - The Sarasota County Bar Association will hold a Real Property Section meeting at noon at the University Club. Call (941) 366-6703.

Oct. 4 - The Southwest Florida Paralegal Association Inc. will hold its annual seminar with "An Overview of the U.S. Patriot Act, U.S. Patriot Act II and Homeland Security Act" from Grissim Hill Walker Jr., Esq. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lakewood Ranch Holiday Inn, 6231 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota. Call Susan Profant at (941) 741-4832 or visit www.swfloridaparalegals.com.

Nov. 14 - The Courts of the 12th Judicial Circuit, Legal Aid of Manasota and the Manatee, Sarasota and Venice-Englewood bar associations will hold a bench/bar conference from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive. Cost is $85 payable in advance. Call (941) 366-0038.

Elsewhere

Oct. 10 - The Remsen Group will present "2003 Managing Partner Forum for Florida Law firms." 8 a.m to 4 p.m. Information: (954) 527-9111.