Legal Briefs (Tampa edition)

Legal Briefs (Tampa edition)

Legal Assisting Program wins

approval from American Bar

St. Petersburg College's Legal Assisting Program recently became one of only 256 such programs in the nation to win the approval of the American Bar Association.

The two-year associate's degree program, offered at the college's Clearwater campus, has operated since 1979, said Susan Demers, director of the program. The ABA scrutinized the program for three-and-a-half years prior to endorsing it.

President Carl M. Cutler Jr. said: "We are pleased that our legal assisting program at St. Petersburg College has been recognized by such a prestigious organization. The bar, the paralegal community and the academic community all recognize this approval as a validation of our program."

About 45 students graduate from the program each year. "It's hard work and there's always a job for someone who's willing to work hard," Demers said.

Starting pay for paralegals is about $25,000 to $28,000, she said, with some of the larger firms paying as much as $60,000 annually.

The college also started an endowed scholarship in the name of Jess Thacker, one of the first-generation female attorneys in Florida, and founder of the paralegal program at St. Petersburg College.

Fowler White hires

new litigation attorney

Kendra A. Loar recently joined Fowler White Boggs Banker as a member of the commercial litigation practice group. A graduate of American University's Washington College of Law, Loar was formerly an associate with Wright Robinson Osthimer & Tatum in Washington, D.C.

George Edgecomb Bar

earns professionalism award

The George Edgecomb Bar Association, Tampa, recently received the Eleventh Annual Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism award for its Sligh Middle School role model program.

Edgecomb members have operated the program at Sligh for 10 years, providing year-round mentoring to students and promoting the professional image of lawyers.

The Florida Bar will recognize the association with a trophy and $1,000 at its annual meeting in Boca Raton in June.

Stetson to present fourth

bankruptcy symposium

Stetson University College of Law will present it fourth International Bankruptcy Symposium June 15-18 in Montreal.

Judges and attorneys will discuss a variety of topics, including an overview of the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency as adopted by Uncitral, Chapter 11 issues with international implications and developments in international insolvencies and reorganizations. To register for the event, chaired by Chief Judge Emeritus Alexander L. Paskay of Tampa, call (727) 562-7830 or visit the college's Web site at www.law.stetson.edu/cle.

Patent attorney joins Moffit

as transfer associate

Attorney Jarett Rieger joined the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute as a technology transfer associate. He was formerly in-house patent counsel for Key Safety Systems Inc.

At Moffitt, Rieger, a Stetson University College of Law graduate, will negotiate confidentiality agreements and material transfer agreements, and he will procure patents Moffitt's intellectual property.

Stetson Law moot team

wins national award

The labor and employment law moot team at Stetson University College recently won the best brief award at the Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court competition in New York City. The team - Mary Clapp, Chrysi Pejot and Ashley Gay - was coached by Stetson Professor Jennifer Anglim.