Adverse Witness
INNS OF COURT
Javier A. Pacheco AW
A Time for Innovation and Collaboration. We kick off the 2020-21 season of the Michael R.N. McDonnell Inn of Court in
available technology. We have planned ahead of our evidentiary hearings to make sure all evidence is properly agreed upon or identified for dispute prior to hearings. We have resolved cases in video mediations and worked together to get settlement documents executed. We have agreed to reasonable extensions and resolved discovery disputes as much as possible. We have helped each other. We have collaborated. And our clients, and our practices have benefited. Of course, this innovative way to practice law is not ideal, and we would all prefer arguing motions and questioning witnesses in person. We would all prefer to enjoy a nice dinner once per month with our friends and colleagues in the bench and bar. But in these uncertain times, our local legal community has innovated, collaborated, and risen to the challenge. That is why the Michael R.N. McDonnell Inn of Court board of directors is confident and excited that this year can be a great one for our Inn. So please join us for our first meeting of the year at 5:00 pm on September 15, 2020. We will announce our teams, swear in this year’s board of directors, swear in new members to the Florida Bar, and provide our members with more information about our upcoming programs and initiatives. We look forward to seeing you there! 2020-2021 Meeting Schedule Zoom Information to be published soon! September 15, 2020 October 13, 2020 November 10, 2020 January 12, 2021 February 09, 2021 March 09, 2021 April 13, 2021
historic, unprecedented times. Five-volume tomes could be written about everything that has occurred in the first half of 2020, and that is before we head into the meat of hurricane season and divisive local and national elections. The COVID-19 has affected our families, our businesses, our communities, and for some of us has presented serious health issues. Most of us have had our routines, if not our lives, changed, and probably not for the better. But there is an undeniable silver lining to the interruption to business as usual: our profession has innovated and adjusted to remote video and phone hearings, mediations, depositions, and client meetings. Zoom and other technologies have enabled us to move our cases forward safely and efficiently, saving us travel time and allowing some of us to work from home or outside our offices as needed. Most of us are becoming very comfortable with this technology, and are more w inclined to use it going forward as much for convenience as necessity. Because of this, the Michael R.N. McDonnell Inn of Court has decided to conduct its meetings and presentations via Zoom for at least the rest of 2020, with the hope of live meetings as soon as it is safe to do so. There is really no practical way at this time to hold in person dinners and performances while making our members feel a safe. Along with our teams and captains, we are committing to presenting interesting, useful, and entertaining remote video CLE programs using the full extent of technological advantages that this new format allows us. The alternative – not having Inn of Court this year – is unacceptable. It will not be easy or perfect. It will require collaboration, patience, planning, and preparation. But our profession and our judiciary has risen to the challenges presented by this year. We have collaborated in scheduling depositions and met our colleagues more than half way to work with
September 2020 Vol. 192
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