We invite you to join us in-person or virtually! Select CLE sessions, general sessions, and business meetings will be streaming virtually.

All programming will be held at the Hilton Downtown Miami unless otherwise noted.
Times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).


Wednesday, September 22

Click Here to learn more about Civics Day, where membership will share civil discourse skills and discuss constitutional issues with students in Miami-Dade County public high schools. Advance sign-up is required.


Thursday, September 23

[8:00 am – 3:30 pm] Registration Open
8:00 am – 9:00 am Breakfast

[8:00 am – 3:00 pm] FBA Board of Directors Meeting

[8:55 – 9:00 am] Welcome Remarks

  • W. West Allen, FBA President
  • Oliver Alan Ruiz, South Florida Chapter Planning Committee Chair

[9:00 – 10:00 am] Session 1: Implicit Bias Session (Streaming)

As we continue to see pushes for changes in the criminal justice system, one topic that deserves attention is the issue of implicit bias and how it affects decision making. This panel of experts will cover the definition of implicit bias and review the Implicit Association Test. Panelist will also discuss how implicit biases influence the criminal justice system, including charging decisions, jury selection, and sentencing. Lastly, the panel will review approaches that the courts have taken to address implicit bias and other potential approaches.

  • Wifredo “Willy” A. Ferrer, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Rachel Godsil, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Perception Institute, Perception Institute
  • David Howard, Criminal Defense Attorney, David A. Howard P.A.
  • Hon. Rodolfo “Rudy” Ruiz II, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

[10:00 – 10:30 am] Morning Break
> Sponsored by Baker Hostetler

[10:30 – 11:30 am] CLE Programming

2A: Bankruptcy Practice Updates: Recent Legislation, Bankruptcy Code Changes, and New Case Law
This panel will explore current developments in bankruptcy law and practice, including examining the legal and practical impacts on bankruptcy courts and practitioners in the wake of COVID. Presenters will address the Small Business Reorganization Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act; Chapter 11 updates; and the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act; along with other recently enacted and pending bankruptcy-related legislation.

  • Jon Jay Lieberman, Partner, Sottile & Barile LLC (Moderator)
  • Hon. Elizabeth A. Gunn, Bankruptcy Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia
  • Christopher Sullivan, Partner, Diamond McCarthy

2B: Developing Jury Appeal in Cases with Unsympathetic Witnesses or Clients (Streaming)
Much like people cannot choose their family members, lawyers often cannot choose their witnesses or clients. At times, witnesses and clients come with substantial baggage that, if not addressed properly, can derail your case. For example, jurors might have biases against those with drug or alcohol problems, against the poor or wealthy, or against those who engage in unhealthy lifestyles. Identifying the baggage and preparing to deal with it at trial can be the difference between a win or a loss. This presentation offers practical solutions for identifying problematic aspects in witness and client backgrounds, mitigating the effects of those challenges, presenting their testimony to jurors in a persuasive manner, and convincing a jury to believe the witness or buy into the client’s cause despite their challenges.

  • Aimee Ferrer, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Federal Public Defender’s Office, Southern District of Florida (Moderator)
  • Rosana Arteaga-Gomez, Partner, AXS LAW Group PLLC
  • Chris Lomax, Managing Attorney, Lomax Legal PLLC
  • Jonathan Osborne, Shareholder, Gunster

[10:30 – 11:30 am] Business Meeting: Judiciary Division

[11:45 am – 1:00 pm] Younger Federal Lawyer Awards Luncheon
Join us for the presentation of the Younger Federal Lawyer Awards, which are bestowed upon outstanding government and military attorneys who have attained high standards of professional achievement. In addition, we will present the Robyn J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award, which honors an FBA member who began their involvement with the FBA as a “younger attorney” and achieved professional success in the FBA and in their legal career.

  • Younger Federal Lawyer Award Recipients
    • Cindy J. Cho
    • Robert J. Dodson
    • Jamie A. Flowers
    • Alexander J. Samuels
    • Kyle E. Smiddie
  • Robyn J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award Receipient
    • V. Kathleen “Katie” Dougherty

[1:00 – 2:00 pm] CLE Programming

3A: Tips From the Experts: Advocacy in the International Arbitration Arena
With our global economy, we have seen a dramatic rise in cross-border disputes and a significant movement toward the use of arbitration rather than resolution in courts of the United States or other countries. While commercial litigators may be comfortable advocating in their state and federal courts, they will likely have to gain comfort in international arbitration. The panel will consist of leading international arbitration specialist who can easily transition from advocating in the U.S. federal court system to arbitrating a claim before an arbitration panel that is adjudicating the dispute pursuant to ICC Rules, ICDR Rules or an ad hoc arbitration governed by UNCITRAL Rules. These specialists will share tricks of the trade that have helped seasoned arbitration practitioners and will identify the material differences in successfully advocating a major commercial dispute before an international arbitration tribunal and a federal court.

  • Don Hayden, Partner, Mark Migdal & Hayden (Moderator)
  • Cristina Cardenas, Partner, Reed Smith
  • José Ferrer, Partner, Mark Migdal & Hayden
  • David Orta, Partner, Quinn Emanuel

3B: Emerging Frontiers of INTERPOL Abuse (Streaming)
Though often portrayed in movies as an independent international coalition of crime-fighters, the reality of INTERPOL is very different. This panel will provide an overview of how the organization functions and will review INTERPOL abuse, perpetrated by the increasing number of authoritarian governments that take advantage of INTERPOL’s systems to harass and seek the extradition of dissidents and other political targets. In addition to the more commonly discussed Red Notice abuse, the panel will discuss abuse perpetrated through less well-known INTERPOL mechanisms such as diffusions, passport cancellations, the poisoning of the financial system and the use of INTERPOL to bypass the absence of an extradition treaty and arrange a removal at the diplomatic level. Finally, the panelists will discuss the use and abuse of Red Notices, and other INTERPOL mechanism, inside the United States. Well-versed in the intricacies of this topic, panelists will offer insight into strategies attorneys can employ to combat all forms of INTERPOL abuse.

  • Evelyn Sheehan, Partner, Kobre & Kim (Moderator)
  • Theodore (Ted) Bromund, Senior Research Fellow in Anglo-American Relations, The Heritage Foundation
  • Michelle Estlund, Founder & Principal Attorney, Estlund Law, P.A.
  • Sandra Grossman, Partner, Grossman Young & Hammond
  • Fernando Tamayo, Partner, Coffey Burlington Attorneys at Law

[1:00 – 2:00 pm] Business Meeting: Bankruptcy Law Section

[2:00 3:00 pm] Afternoon Break
> Sponsored by Liskow & Lewis

[2:15 – 3:15 pm] CLE Programming

4A: Combating Ransomware Attacks: Legal and Technical Guidance
The proliferation of ransomware attacks hitting the United States has shut down critical infrastructure, compromised sensitive federal agencies, and significantly disrupted operations in major industries including healthcare, energy, banking, and manufacturing. Panelists will provide guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), the federal courts, legal and regulatory experts, and technical experts on this growing threat.  Panelists will address considerations for whether to pay ransom, how to prepare for and recover from a ransomware attack, and the federal government’s efforts to combat ransomware attacks and its impacts, as well as federal court cybersecurity issues and responses. Panelists will explain how cybercriminals are able to lock organizations out of their own computer systems and address Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) advisories regarding ransom payments. Attendees will receive practical cybersecurity guidance from an experienced technical expert and from the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • Ana Maria Martinez, Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property AUSA, U.S. Attorney’s Office (Moderator)
  • Patricia Hernandez, Managing Partner, Avila Law
  • Esteban Farao, Director of IT Security Consulting, ERMProtect
  • James Silver, Deputy Chief for Litigation, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), U.S. Department of Justice
  • Hon. Joshua David Wolson, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

4B: Pandemics and Police Powers: The Constitutional Implications of Government Action (Streaming)
The COVID-19 pandemic led to state and local governments taking unprecedented actions, including entering stay-at-home orders and closing “non-essential” businesses. These actions have, in turn, been subject to constitutional challenges throughout the country. Panelists will discuss how government responses to a pandemic can give rise to a variety of constitutional challenges. In so doing, the panel will examine court decisions from around the country—including decisions from Florida, California, and Pennsylvania—that addressed constitutional challenges to government restrictions imposed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Stephanie Casey, Partner, Colson Hicks Eidson (Moderator)
  • Joe Jacquot, Partner, Gunster Law Firm
  • Hon. Raag Singhal, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • Hon. Lisa Walsh, Circuit Court Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade, Florida

[2:15 – 3:15 pm] Business Meeting: Federal Litigation Section

[4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET] Court Reception at the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse
Please join the Judges of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida at a reception in recognition of the FBA’s support to the Court, featuring remarks on the Court’s history by Dr. Paul George and welcome from Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. Face masks and temperature screening will be required for all guests in the courthouse.
> Hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
> Refreshments  and light hors d’oeuvres provided by the Federal Bench & Bar Fund.
> Kindly RSVP directly to the court by September 13.
> Transportation provided to/from the host hotel.


Friday, September 24

[8:00 am – 4:30 pm] Registration Open
8:00 am – 9:00 am Breakfast

[9:00 – 10:00 am] General Session: Saddam Hussein Interrogation (Streaming)

George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

SAC George L. Piro will discuss his time with Saddam Hussein and provide the strategy used for the collection and exploitation of intelligence for the FBI as well as his method for gathering incriminating information for prosecution. George L. Piro is the Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Division.  Most recently, he was the Assistant Director of the International Operation Division.  Mr. Piro also served as the deputy assistant director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD). Mr. Piro has held a variety of investigative, operational, and management positions within the FBI. During his time in the Counterterrorism Division at FBIHQ, he was selected as the team leader and interrogator for the FBI team responsible for the interrogation of Saddam Hussein. Mr. Piro spent seven months leading the interrogation of Saddam Hussein and other key figures within the former Iraqi regime.
> General Session Sponsored by Thomson Reuters

[9:00 – 11:30 am] Foundation of the FBA Board of Directors Meeting

[10:15 – 11:15 am] CLE Programming

5A: Securities Regulation & Litigation for Cryptoassets: A New Frontier
Cryptoassets and decentralized finance are changing the world at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, securities regulation and litigation are rooted in the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. How are parties, attorneys, and courts applying those archaic legal paradigms to new technologies, transactions, and disputes that were literally unimaginable to the drafters of those statutes? This panel will explore those issues, focusing on regulatory and litigation trends with cryptoassets and decentralized finance.

  • Tal J. Lifshitz, Partner, Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, LLP (Moderator)
  • Hon. Roy K. Altman, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • Constantine Economides, Counsel, Roche Freedman LLP
  • Danielle Cohen Higgins, Commissioner, District 8, Miami-Dade County
  • Francis X. Suarez, Mayor, City of Miami

5B: Diversity in the Federal Judiciary: What Does that Mean for Justice? (Streaming)
We often hear that there is a need for diversity on the bench, at both the state and federal levels. Focusing on the federal judiciary, practically, what does that mean? In this panel discussion, we will delve into that question, as we speak to American Constitution Society’s President Russell D. Feingold, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Adalberto J. Jordan, and U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles. Specifically, the following topics will be addressed: • Who is on the federal bench? A current statistical overview of the demographics of the federal judiciary will be provided, as well as changes to the federal bench’s composition over the past three decades. • What is meant by the call for a more “diverse” bench? Does this call focus on one aspect of diversity – such as gender or race – or encompass diverse backgrounds and upbringings – including socio-economic considerations? How can we ensure that the call for diversity is also a call for more inclusion?

  • Hon. Jacqueline Becerra, U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Moderator)
  • Russell D. Feingold, President, American Constitution Society
  • Hon. Darrin P. Gayles, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • Hon. Adalberto J. Jordan, Circuit Court Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

[11:15 – 11:30 am] Morning Break
> Sponsored by Ogletree Deakins

[11:30 am – 12:30 pm] CLE Programming

6A: Why the Hague Child Abduction Convention Impact Rocks the Federal World
Learning the Hague Abduction Convention is essential private international law for all federal trial attorneys, federal judges and magistrate judges. This Article 6 treaty has been successful here and around the world for the last 25 years, because the federal courts’ influence and reach is without borders. Every year, more and more Hague cases land on the federal benches across the nation. Our federal opinions are cited day-in-day-out in the 100+ countries that are now States Parties with the United States under this treaty. On this crucial text of private international law, our federal courts are hugely instrumental and SCOTUS has now spoken four times on the treaty. Hague cases are launched by the treaty itself and by federal statute at a rocket-pace that requires judges and attorneys to make life-changing, complex decisions about families and children at lightning speed. Learning the treaty, developing case law, having it all at your fingertips, are essential tools for all federal court trial attorneys, federal judges and their law clerks. This presentation will capture the 25+ years of panelist experience and arm participants with the best of what is now part and parcel of every federal practitioner’s and federal judge’s experience.

  • Brett A. Barfield, Partner, PAG.law PLLC (Moderator)
  • Hon. Beth Bloom, District Judge, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida
  • Stephen J. Cullen, Partner, Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
  • Hon. Adalberto J. Jordan, Circuit Court Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (invited)
  • Kelly A. Powers, Partner, Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

6B: F*** School Speech (Streaming)
A 14 year-old high school student didn’t make the varsity cheerleading team, so she did what most teenagers would do: she took to social media (Snapchat) and posted a selfie with a friend, middle fingers raised, and captioned it “F*** school f*** softball f*** cheer f*** everything.” The snapchat may have only lasted 24 hours, but that was long enough for the message to make its way through the school and earn the student a one-year suspension from cheerleading. On April 28, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., to address the issue of whether Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, which holds that public school officials may regulate speech that would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school, applies to student speech that occurs off campus. This panel brings together ACLU attorney Sara Rose, who represented the student and her parents in their lawsuit challenging the school’s discipline of her free speech, Professor Frank LoMonte, Director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida and an expert in school speech, and Mary Beth Tinker whose landmark 1969 lawsuit won the right for students to wear black armbands in protest of the Vietnam War. Ms. Rose will explain the path of her case to SCOTUS and the key arguments, Professor LoMonte will provide context on First Amendment jurisprudence and school/student rights, and Ms. Tinker will discuss the legacy of her lawsuit and the future of students’ speech rights in light of the B.L. decision. Civil Rights Section Chair-Elect, Kyle Kaiser, an Assistant Attorney General in Utah, with a substantial docket of education and First Amendment cases will moderate this panel.

  • Kyle Kaiser, Assistant Attorney General, Utah Attorney General Office (Moderator)
  • Frank LoMonte, Director, Brechner Center for Freedom Information
  • Sara Rose, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Pennsylvania
  • Mary Beth Tinker, Speaker and Activist

[11:30 am – 12:30 pm] Government Relations Committee Meeting
The Government Relations Committee is charged with overseeing the FBA’s advocacy initiatives and policy priorities. Committee members in attendance will meet in person for the committee’s September monthly meeting. 

[12:45 – 2:00 pm] Public Service and Fellows Induction Luncheon
Celebrate the gift of giving back while honoring FBA members and Chapters on their contributions in public service. Awards presented will include the Ilene and Michael Shaw Public Service Award, Ilene and Michael Shaw Younger Lawyer Public Service Grant, Elaine R. “Boots” Fisher Award and Hon. Sarah T. Hughes Civil Rights Award.

  • Ilene and Michael Shaw Public Service Award and Younger Lawyer Public Service Grant Recipients
    • Kansas and Western District of Missouri Chapter | “What Do Lawyer’s Do?”
    • South Florida Chapter | “Civil Discourse and the Constitution”
  • Elaine R. “Boots” Fisher Award Recipient
    • Joseph Leventhal
  • Hon. Sarah T. Hughes Civil Rights Award Recipient
    • Wylie M. Stecklow

[2:15 – 3:15 pm] CLE Programming

7A: What Happens After You Give Your Client’s iPhone to a Forensic Investigator?
Courts have struggled to keep pace with the expanding range of discovery into personal electronic devices. A client’s iPhone might be a treasure trove of probative communications, but it also contains texts from friends and family, internet searches, location data – and personal photographs, as well as vast amounts of other data the usefulness of which can be an open question. Cloud accounts retain information long after the devices that collected it are gone and the proliferation of family networks for shared computers and tablets means discovery now reaches into one’s home. It’s a lot for anyone to process. Complicating the problem are vast differences in technological comfort amongst attorneys. At one extreme are lawyers who barely factor personal devices into their discovery plans. At the other are forensic investigators who, borrowing techniques more commonly used in criminal cases, take deep dives into the sub-workings of personal devices. Those inquiries sometimes obscure as much as they reveal. Fortunately, this panel is deeply experienced in the disputes that arise in these areas and passionate about meeting the new challenges that technology constantly provides. The panelists look forward to an opportunity to unpack the mysteries of device discovery, and help practitioners gain familiarity and confidence with these issues.

  • Larry Dougherty, Shareholder, Guerra King P.A. (Moderator)
  • Benjamin G. Greenberg, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Miami
  • Hon. Lauren F. Louis, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • Robert A. Stines, Partner, Freeborn & Peters LLP

7B: American Legal Organizations and the Federal Judicial System: A Conversation with the Federalist Society President Eugene Meyer (Streaming)
Today, more and more of our federal judges are also members of legal organizations that debate the proper role of the judiciary in the American legal system. U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman will interview Federalist Society President Eugene B. Meyer, examining the role that American legal organizations have in the federal judicial system and the impact of the Federalist Society.

  • Katrin Marquez, Law Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Moderator)
  • Hon. Roy K. Altman, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • Eugene Meyer, President, The Federalist Society

[2:15 – 3:15 pm] Business Meeting: Senior Lawyers Division

[2:15 – 4:15 pm] Federal Building Bar Corporation Board of Directors Meeting

[3:30 – 4:30 pm] Affinity Bar Leadership Roundtable
This third annual event brings together leaders of national affinity bar associations and other organizations that share our commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. This forum advances discussion of the strength that is found when all areas of the legal community – bar associations, law firms, organizations, corporate clients, and the bench – work together toward true diversity, equity, and inclusivity and how we can continue to build bridges in our work among all of these groups.

[3:30 – 4:30 pm] Circuit Vice Presidents Meeting

[3:30 – 4:30 pm] Business Meeting: Civil Rights Law Section

[6:30 – 9:30 pm] Chapter Reception at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
Convention attendees are invited to an evening reception hosted by the FBA South Florida Chapter. Surround yourself with art installations, elaborate hanging gardens, and waterfront views of Biscayne Bay at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. We invite you to celebrate with us Friday evening with fellow colleagues, while you enjoy food, drinks, and light entertainment.
> Hosted by the South Florida Chapter
> Transportation provided to/from the host hotel


Saturday, September 25

[9:00 – 10:00 am] Registration
9:00 – 10:00 am Breakfast

[9:30 – 10:30 am] Chapter Leaders Meeting
> Leaders unable to attend the Convention may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

[9:30 – 10:30 am] Section & Division Leaders Meeting
> Leaders unable to attend the Convention may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

[10:45 – 11:45 am] National Council Q&A Session
National leaders will be available during this session to answer questions about written reports included in the National Council read-ahead materials. The agenda and materials will be distributed to members of the National Council in good standing at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
> Leaders unable to attend the Convention may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

[12:00 – 1:15 pm] Awards Luncheon
Support active FBA Volunteers at this annual event, which recognizes the outstanding service and achievements of members, sections, divisions, and chapters with the following awards: Newsletter Awards, Section and Division Recognition Awards, Section and Division Outstanding Leader Award, Chapter Community Outreach Award, Vice Presidents for the Circuits Outstanding Leader Award, Outstanding Chapter Leader Awards, Chapter Activity Awards, Chapter of the Year, and Earl W. Kintner Award for Distinguished Service.

  • Section & Division Outstanding Leader Award Recipient
    • Brandon M. King | LGBTQ+ Law Section
  • Chapter Community Award Recipient
    • Oregon Chapter
  • Vice Presidents for the Circuits Outstanding Leader Award Recipient
    • Darrel Gardner | Ninth Circuit
  • Outstanding Chapter Leader Award Recipients
    • Yaniv Adar | South Florida Chapter
    • Janet K. Larsen | Oregon Chapter
    • Susan D. Pitchford | Washington State Chapter
  • Chapters of the Year
    • Chicago Chapter
    • Eastern District of New York Chapter
    • South Florida Chapter
  • Earl W. Kintner Award for Distinguished Service Recipient
    • James S. Richardson

[1:30 – 4:00 pm] National Council Meeting
The National Council meeting brings FBA national and chapter leadership together to receive annual reports on the state of the organization. The National Council members are selected by elected position or appointment. A quorum of the National Council is established when twenty-five percent of the members of the National Council in good standing are present.
> Leaders unable to attend the Convention may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

[7:00 – 9:00 pm] Presidential Installation
Join us for a celebratory reception to formally induct Anh Le Kremer as the FBA National President for FY 2022. Festivities will be held in true Miami-fashion with music, drinks, and food stations. Cocktail attire invited.


CLE

Attendees can receive up to 7 CLE credits (8.4 credits for 50-min states).

Onsite Attendance: CLE Credit will be tracked via an online web application. Attendees must check-in and check-out of each session to record their attendance. Certificates will be available to download online and sent via email approximately two weeks following the conference.

Virtual Attendance: Credit will be available for states that allow live webinar presentations. Attendees must attend the live broadcast, answer engagement polls, and accurately enter your bar number in our database to receive credit.


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