2013 HLA Summer Newsletter

7/28/2019 2013 HLA Summer Newsletter

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IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THOSE ALREADY

DEPORTED?By Patricia Elizee, Esq. of Elizee Hernandez Law Firm

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3

According to the state of Florida a husband is

presumed to be the father of a child born to his

wife during the marriage. Is this a fair

presumption? What happens if during a two yearmarriage the wife has a child with someone

that is NOT her husband?

By: Fritznie A. Jarbath, Esq.3

And the father is ? . . .QUASI-MARITAL CHILDREN

THE NEW CLASS OF CHILDRENBy: Fritznie Jarbath, Esq.

Contrary to popular belief, being ordered removed from theUnited States or actually being deported is not a death sentenceAn immigrant still has different options available to them to stayin the United States, or even return to the US, and obtain legalstatus after being ordered removed. A competent immigrationattorney is able to seek relief for an individual by filing theappropriate applications with the Department of HomelandSecurity or the Department of State, by filing a motion toreopen with the Immigration Court, or by filing an appeal withthe Board of Immigration Appeals.

Under the current proposed terms for immigration reformthose who have already been deported are also included in thegroup of immigrants that may benefit.

Need a fresh start with debt?

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED FILING FORBANKRUPTCY?

By Miriama Roc, Esq

If you or someone you know is struggling to provide the basic needsfor family while trying to continue to pay off debts, you or theyshould consider bankruptcy as an option. Many people rule outbankruptcy without knowing the benefits and facts that areassociated with it, wiping out savings, depleting retirement or goingfurther into debt.

Continued on page 5

2013 EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT

Byrnes Guillaume, Esq.PRESIDENT - ELECT

Fritznie Jarbath, Esq.VICE PRESIDENT

Jonel Lemy, Esq.

TREASURER

Ronald Surin, Esq.SECRETARY

Louis C. Senat, Esq.

PAST PRESIDENT

Stephanie Duchiene - Welsh, Esq.

DIRECTOR

Patricia Elizee, Esq.DIRECTOR

Robert Gurrier, Esq.

DIRECTOR

Soeurette Michel, Esq.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?

Justice Antonin Scalia said in Florida v. Jardines

that law enforcement officials may not let the

dogs out to sniff homeowners homes to detect the

presence of narcotics inside the homes

By: Richard Champagne, Esq. 6

Continued on page 4

DIRECTOR

Ernst Olivier, Esq.

HAITIAN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTERSUMMER EDITION 2013


2/9

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Issue #: [Date] Greetings,

I wish to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the 2013 HLGala. Thanks to everyones collective efforts, we were able to raise muneeded funds for HLAs operating expenses and future scholarships. Withothe hard work of members, sponsors, and friends of HLA, we could not haachieved such extra-ordinary results. I especially want to recognize tcommittee who worked tirelessly in making the event a success. The gacommittee members were Stephanie Ducheine-Welsh, Kertch Conz

Sabrina Salomon, and Soeurette Michel.

The theme for my Administration in the upcoming year is Adding Value Meeting Attorneys Professional Needs. As I am committed to assuring theverything HLA does this year is one that will add value to our attorneymeet their professional needs, and uplift our community. To accomplish thtask, I plan to focus on three areas.

The first area is networking. As networking is an important aspect of addivalue for our members. It is important that we get to know each other abetter utilize each other as resources within the profession. The idea networking is that if we develop stronger relationships with one another, thwe could begin learning more about each others practice areas which will nonly lead to referrals of cases but also assist in addressing problematic legissues.

Another area where I will focus on is the area of Continuing Legal EducatioAs I believe that by increasing the amount ofContinuing Legal Education that HLA offers, it will add value to its members. We have such talented people in HLA that could offeContinuing Legal Education in their respective areas of law which could enhance our skills as a collective legal community. Thus, my gois to increase the skill sets of each member through Continuing Legal Education.

The third area of focus for me this coming year is having a robust mentorship program; as I believe that this will add value to the membeThis will be a mentorship relationship that pairs not just attorneys with law students but also pairs seasoned attorneys and newly barattorneys. This will allow our seasoned attorneys to transfer some of their skill sets to our newer members of the bar.

It is also important to note that addition to the three areas of focus, we will continue with the Community Activism that HLA is knowfor such as TPS drives, Citizenship drive, Foreclosure defense drives and any other relevant cause that might come up.

In closing, I want to share with you what I call my Journey to the HLA experience. I grew up in North Miami Beach, but did most of meducation in the Northeast which is where I earned my law degree from the Western New England School of Law in Massachusetts.

I decided to relocate back home to Florida after law school and after taking and passing the Florida Bar. I didnt know many lawyers ahad no prospect for a law job. I decided to go to anHLA meeting upon being told of the existence of theorganization. I became active and I met KathyAchilles. Kathy was a former prosecutor in BrowardCounty who performed her duty admirably and was

well respected. Upon learning of my situation, shearranged for me to have an interview. And afterseveral interviews, I eventually became a prosecutor.If not for Kathy arranging an interview, I would nothave been a prosecutor. Now years later, I am a solopractitioner that litigates. My beginnings and theskills I acquired were largely because Kathy helped me get my first law job. There are countless examples of the HLA experience and tcontinue this legacy, we all need to be involved. Our meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the Month and I look forward to seeing many of you as possible.

PRESIDENTS CORNER


3/9

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Issue #: [Date]

According to the state of Florida ahusband is presumed to be the fatherof a child born to his wife during themarriage. Is this a fair presumption?What happens if during a two yearmarriage the wife has a child withsomeone that is NOT her husband?

When a married woman has a child,the Husband IS ALWAYS the father,unless a court of pertinent jurisdictiondetermines otherwise. Its the law. SeeFla. Stat. . 382.013(2)(a). Pursuant tothis statute, the husbands nameSHALL be placed on the birthcertificate when a married woman hasa child. As such, the husband islegally the father. Prevailing case lawalso supports that theory. SeeLander v.Smith, 906 So. 2d 1130 (Fla. 4th DCA2005). Even in situations where theHusband is not listed as the biologicalfather on the birth certificate, thecourts have the final say as to who is

the legal father. This is in accordancewith public policy because the courtsare charged with the responsibility ofdetermining parentage, legitimacyand what is for the best interest of thechild.

With the advance of technology,

specifically DNA testing, there is more

evidence contradicting the HUSBAND

= FATHER rule.

Continued from page 1

As such, the Courts created another class of children, called quasi-marital

children. A quasi-marital child is a child born to a married woman whosehusband is not the child's biological father. SeeS.D. v. A.G., 764 So. 2d 807

(Fla. 2d DCA 2000). It is important to note that even where the husband

presents DNA evidence and is found not to be the biological father, courtsmay still find him to be the legal father.

In a majority of cases, the Courts find that it is in the best interest of the

minor child for the Husband to remain as the legal father and keep the

legitimacy of the child intact. The Husband will have all the rights and

responsibilities of a father, i.e. time-sharing and child support. Courts seem to

be protecting the interest of the child and the family to whom the child was

born. The Courts are clearly not taking into consideration the rights of the

biological or putative father. One Court stated that as a result of the strong

presumption of legitimacy, "[t]he prevailing law in this state . . . is that a

putative father has no right to seek to establish paternity of a child who was

born into an intact marriage when the married woman and her husband

object. Lander, supra at 1133 (emphasis added) (citing Johnson v. Ruby, 771

So. 2d 1275, 1275 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); Tijerino v. Estrella, 843 So. 2d 984,

985 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003); Bellomo v. Gagliano, 815 So. 2d 721, 722 (Fla. 5th

DCA 2002)).

Under a very narrow set of circumstances, the Courts have held that the

presumption of parentage may be overcome and that it was in the bestinterest of the child to find that the biological father was also the legal parent.

For example, in Lander, supra., the court held that the presumption of

parentage was overcome by the non-access rule when the Wife and Husband

were residing in two different states when the child was conceived AND the

putative father was ready willing and able to step in as the legal father. The

court also took into consideration that there was already a parent-child bond

between the biological father and the minor child. In Daniel v. Daniel, the

Courts held that the Husband cannot be held responsible for child supportwhen the minor child was not his natural or his adopted child, and he had

not contracted for the childs care and support. SeeDaniel v. Daniel, 695 So.

2d 1253, 1255 (Fla. 1997). In this case, the Husband married the Mother

while she was pregnant and knew that he was not the biological father at the

time of the marriage. They weremarried for less than a year before

filing for divorce. In that time, the

Husband never contracted to

support the child and the Courts

held that could not be later

required to do so. It is clear that

despite the Courts strong

presumption, there are a few

exceptions where the putative

father can assert his parentalrights over that of a Husband.

Quasi-Marital children are arecent phenomenon that the

Courts have to tackle. While the

system utilized to address quasi-

martial children is not perfect, the

Courts continue

to address this

unique situation

with the best

interest of all

children inmind.

And the father is ? . . .QUASI-MARITAL CHILDREN

THE NEW CLASS OF CHILDRENBy: Fritznie Jarbath, Esq.

Fritznie Jarbath practies in the area of family law,immigration and civi l matters law.Mrs. Jarbath can be reached at (305)899 8588. Her off ice is located at12865 West Dixie Highway, SecondFloor, North Miami, FL 33161 [email protected]


4/9

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Issue #: [Date]KEY INFORMATION

TO REMEMBER

A Motion should be accompanied withmaterial evidence that was not availableand that could not be discovered orpresented at the prior hearing. ThePetitioner must show that thecircumstances arose after the order ofremoval was entered and it is up to the

discretion of the court to grant or deny aMotion to Reopen. Typically, you can onlyfile one Motion to Reopen. The individualalso has the option for filing an appeal ofthe Immigration Judges decision with theBoard of Immigration Appeals.

Where one is seeking to stop Immigrationand Customs Enforcement (ICE) fromenforcing a removal order they can file aStay of Deportation with their local DHSoffice. Where the Stay is approved, theimmigrant will not be deported and will be

allowed to remain in the US. The localDHS office has the discretion ofapproving the Stay and issuing an order ofsupervision and employmentauthorization. There is a minimum bondamount of $1,500 if the stay is approved.

An order of deportation or actually beingdeported does necessarily have to stop animmigrant from becoming a LawfulPermanent Resident. The individualshould explore all of their options. Everycase is different therefore consulting animmigration attorney is essential todetermine the proper options.

If the current version of the immigration bill passes, individuals out of the UnitedStates who were previously in the US before December 31, 2011 and weredeported for non-criminal reasons can apply to re-renter the US if they are thespouse, parent, or child of a US citizen or LPR. They can also apply to re-renter ifthey are a childhood arrival and eligible for the DREAM ACT.

An immigrant that is ordered deported is considered to be inadmissible to the USand unable to adjust their status to a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). Undercurrent immigration laws, there are a number of options available to those withdeportation orders. Certain immigrants are able to file an I-212, Application forPermission to Reapply for Admission Into the United States After Deportation orRemoval, form to waive the deportation order or to waive being deported. If theapplication is approved, the deportation order is set aside and the immigrant isallowed to adjust. This application is submitted to the United States Citizenshipand Immigration Services agency or the Department of State, depending onwhere the individual will be issued their green card. Please note that thisapplication does not waive unlawful presence; being in the US illegally withoutpermission.

It is up to the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) toapprove or deny an I-212 application. In adjudicating an application, DHS willweigh favorable or unfavorable factors. It is up the applicant to show that theyhave close family ties in the US and that their US citizen or LPR relatives oremployer would suffer unusual hardship if their application were not approved.The applicant should also show a high likelihood that they will be become anLPR in the near future. To support an application, an applicant should sendsupporting affidavits, evidence of family ties in the US, employment records, theimpact of family separation, and country conditions to which their families wouldhave to relocate if the application is denied.

Undocumented immigrants with removal orders or who have been physically

deported, have the option of filing a Motion to Reopen with the immigrationcourt. A Motion to Reopen allows the Judge to reopen a removal proceeding sothat new evidence can be presented and a new decision can be entered based onthe new evidence. A typical case involves animmigrant that was ordered deported but nowqualifies for a green card based on a marriage to aUS citizen or is eligible for a non-immigrant visalike a U or T visa. A Motion to Reopen can also bebased on ineffective assistance by the immigrantsprevious attorney.

IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THOSE ALREADY

DEPORTED?

Patricia Elizee is a managing partner at ElizeeHernandez Law Firm. The f irst handlesimmigration and family law cases. Ms. Elizee canbe reached at [email protected] or305-371-8846. Elizee Hernadnez Law Firm, 1110Brickell Avenue, suite 315, Miami Florida 33131.

Continued from page 1


5/9

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Issue #: [Date] SUMMARY OF CONSUMER

CHAPTER 7 & CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY

NEED A FRESH START WITH DEBT?HAVE YOU CONSIDERED FILINGBANKRUPTCY?

Bankruptcy is a federal court procedure that grants debt relief andprotection to debtors that are having difficulty or are totally unableto pay their creditors. One of the primary purposes of theBankruptcy Act is to relieve the honest debtor from the weight ofoppressive indebtedness and to provide a fresh start. Bankruptcycan be filed by individual consumers or businesses. Our office

focuses on assisting consumer debtors to file for Chapter 7 orChapter 13 bankruptcy protection.

In general, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is also known as liquidation. Inthe typical Chapter 7 bankruptcy, a trustee collects the non-exemptproperty (anything above what the laws allow you to keep), if any,of the debtor, converts the property to cash, and distributes thecash to the creditors. In contrast, Chapters 13 bankruptcy allowsindividuals to reorganize their debt. The debtor generally retainstheir assets and property and makes payments to creditors throughthe trustee pursuant to a court approved payment plan. At the endof the bankruptcy proceeding, the individual receives a discharge,which relieves them of the legal obligation to pay most of the debts

and also provides for other future protections.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF

BANKRUPTCY?

Eliminates or reorganizes most or all of your debt (i.e.credit cards, medical and personal loans)

Stops a foreclosure and offers home loan modificationprogram

Prevents car repossession or possibly reduces car payments Stops wage garnishments and debt collection practices

Helps reinstate suspended drivers licenses

Provides a financial fresh start and relieves some personalstress

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF

BANKRUPTCY?

In too many instances people are just throwing good moneyaway or delaying the inevitable. Education is the key tomaking the best decision as to dealing with debt. The besteducation comes from a personal consult with a bankruptcyattorney. Most consumer bankruptcy attorneys like myselfoffer free consultations, so why not make an informeddecision.

More and more people are choosing to give up the debt andstart fresh by filing for bankruptcy. According to statistics lastyear 31,030 bankruptcy cases were filed in Southern District ofFlorida which consist of Miami-Dade, Broward and PalmBeach County. Out of that number 21, 836 Chapter 7bankruptcy and 8,898 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases werefiled. As of March 31, 2013, 4,946 Chapter 7 bankruptcy and2,358 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases have been filed in Southern

District of Florida alone.

This article is not suggesting that bankruptcy is for everyone.It is however strongly encouraging people to seek legal advicefrom a bankruptcy attorney before making substantial financialdecisions while they are facing financial hardship or inability topay their debts. Our office practices consumer Chapter 7 andChapter 13 bankruptcy law and this article is designed to giveyou a little insight on that.

Who can help me determine i f bankruptcy is a good option for me? The best person to contact is an experienced bankruptcy attorney who will explain your options. As soon as you start feelingoverwhelmed with your debts, go see a bankruptcy attorney and learn your options. Although our office offers assistance inmany legal areas, I focus my practice in consumer bankruptcy, and debt/contract resolution. Bonnie Canty, the owner ofCanty & Associates, has been practicing consumer law, including bankruptcy, for over 20 years. Our office can provide youwith a wealth of knowledge and experience.

I became a member of the Florida Bar in 2007 and joined Canty & Associates that same year. I began practicing consumerdebt and fair debt collection matters and by 2008 I expanded into debt/contract litigation and consumer bankruptcy law. Iam admitted to practice in the Southern, Middle, and Northern U.S. Bankruptcy Courts and U.S. District Courts in thestate of Florida.

As a bankruptcy an d consumer debt attorney, I am committed to providing competent and professional services to my cl ientsand in my community. I evaluate both bankruptcy and bankruptcy alternatives when advising potential client with the goal of

informing them and empowering them with a plan to resolve their financial affairs!

Bankruptcy can be reported on your credit report

Certain debts (such as student loans and childsupport) are not dischargeable

Miriama Roc, Esq.Canty & Associates

The firm services Dade,Broward and Palm Beach

Counties. Ms. Canty can be

reached at (954) [email protected]


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Issue #: [Date]

But the United States Supreme Court has repeatedly drawn a linein the sand every time law enforcement officials place the sanctity ofcitizens private homes at risk of being trampled and compromisedin their exercise of their aggressive law enforcement tacticsdesigned to prevent crime. Interestingly, Justice Antonin Scaliahas been the most vociferous protector of homeowners rights to besecured in their homes, papers, and effects from unreasonablesearches and seizures by law enforcement officials except if armed

with a validly executed search warrant or if an exception to thesearch warrant requirements exists.

As we are breathlessly anticipating the Supreme Court decisions inthe Defense of Marriage Act case (DOMA), same-sex marriagecase, and the other cases dealing with gay rights, the UnitedSupreme Court made news two months ago in a surprise ruling ina Florida case, Florida v. Jardines, holding that police need a

warrant to use a drug-sniffing dog to conduct a search around theexterior area of a home. Even more interestingly, Justice Clarence

Thomas concurred in the 5-4 decision, joining the liberal wing ofthe Court.

Justice Scalia had raised the eyebrows of many conservatives whenhe took a similar approach in Kyllo v. United States, holding that it

violates the United States Constitution whenever police conduct awarrantless search using a device or instrument for purposes ofdetecting the most intimate details transpiring inside of thedwelling house when such intimate details could not have beendetected by the naked eyes or by means of tools or instrumentsreadily available to the general public. Consistent with this line ofthinking, he recently ruled in United States v. Jones that policeneed a warrant to install GPS devices on a car.

The Jardines decision is a breath of fresh air for advocates ofFourth Amendment rights who felt for a long time that the Courthas lost its footing in its role of being the protector of individual

rights and liberties guaranteed by the United States Constitution.In essence, Justice Scalia reaffirms that a citizens home is his castleand the rights to be free from government intrusion is inviolablysacred and sacrosanct.

Know your rightsLaw enforcement officials may not let the dogs out to

sniff homeowners homes to detect the presence of

narcotics inside the homes

Richard T. Champagne, Esq. is the managing

partner of the Champagne Law Group, P.A. He has

offices in North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West

Palm Beach and Boston. He can be reached at:

(800) 604 5060 or

[email protected]

Continued from pag

Over the last two decades, much of the privacy

rights afforded by the Fourth Amendment tothe United States Constitution have beeneroded. Indeed, the constitutional safeguardsguaranteed under the Fourth Amendment havebeen eviscerated in the aftermath of theterrorist attack of September 11, 2001 as aclarion call for a much more robust policepresence and police involvement in oureveryday life had been reverberated in ourcommunities. Many felt that such anunprecedented dominant police involvement in

our lives was imperative and necessary forcrime prevention, effective prosecution of thewar on drugs, and counter terrorism.

But advocates for individual freedom andliberties have always expressed great skepticismand concerns about the scope of the powergranted to law enforcement officials to detect,prevent, and combat crimes. But this did notdeter police departments across the nation toeven continue asking for more power andlatitude to do their law enforcement work at

the expense of individual liberties and freedomsguaranteed by the United States Constitution.

Lately, there has a new trend wherebysophisticated technological equipments such asthermal imaging devices, infrared military-grade cameras, and GPS devices are used bypolice to invade the most sensitive and intimateareas in our personal liberties and freedoms

while escaping judicial scrutiny at state courtlevel.


7/9

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Issue #: [Date]

STAY TUNED . . .

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MEMBER

Read below to find out more about our member:HEGEL LAURENT

Hegel Laurent, ESQ., is from Miami, Florida. While Mr. Laurent is a native-bornAmerican he did spend several of his early years in Haiti and is fluent in Haitian -Creole. He attended high school at Archbishop Curley - Notre Dame in LittleHaiti. He attended college at the Florida State University in Tallahassee, Floridawhere he was the President of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and amember of the 2007 FSU Homecoming Court. He graduated magna cum laudein2007. Mr. Laurent continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania LawSchool in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his time in law school he summeredas a judicial intern for the Honorable Barbara J. Pariente, a Justice on the FloridaSupreme Court. After graduating from Penn Law and becoming a member of theFlorida Bar, Mr. Laurent started out briefly with a civil litigation firm but soonafter, he boldly began building his own practice.

With his principal interests being criminal law (primarily appellate work) and estateplanning, he landed his first appeal with the instruction of an expert in that area ofthe law. Mr. Laurent also began doing estate planning work under the guidance ofa virtuoso in the field. Mr. Laurent focuses his practice in the field of probate, wills,trusts, powers of attorney, and related matters. Interestingly, Mr. Laurent is taking part in a very complex, adversarial probateproceeding which heavily involves the application of the new Florida Power of Attorney Act. (Fla. Sta. 709.2101 et. seq.; effectiveOctober 1, 2011).

Finally, Mr. Laurent, was instrumental in reinstating a college student who was summarily dismissed from a state university as apart of the nationally-publicized case that resulted in the death of Robert Champion in Orlando in November of 2011.

On the criminal law front, within a year ofbecoming an attorney, Mr. Laurentreceived his first reported decision wherethe Fourth District Court of Appeal

reversed a trial court order denying hisclient post-trial release. The DCAremanded the matter to the lower court to"reconsider" its decision. B a p t i s t e v .S t a t e , 87 So. 3d 1260 (4th DCA2012).This was to no avail as the trial courtdenied release again on remand. He againsought review in the Fourth DCA but thistime the DCA denied review. Resolutethat the law sided with his client, he filed a

motion for rehearing. Miraculously, twoweeks ago the Fourth DCA withdrew itsown previous order denying review andissued another opinion reversing the lowercourt again and, finally, "direct[ing it] toset a reasonable bond." B a p t i s t e v .S t a t e , special issued opinion, 2012WL 6633860 (4th DCA December21 , 2012).Mr. Laurent, has opened his office on thePenthouse Floor at the Wells Fargo BankTower on 125th & Biscayne and looks

forward to building his legal practice inSouth Florida. Stay tuned.

The Haitian Lawyers Association would like to publicly congratulate our board member,Soeurrette Michel, for her appointment to the Education Law Committee of The FloridaBar.

The Education Law Committee is convened to bring together education law attorneys as wellas other attorneys that practice in education law-related areas to review existing areas ofeducation law and study recent developments in this specialized area of practice of the law.

UPDATE ON OUR PAST GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MEMBER FEATURE


8/9

Issue #: [Date]UPCOMING EVENTS

une 28, 2013 The Florida Alliance of Voluntary Bar Associations (FAMVBA) will host the InauguralPresidents Reception SPEAKEASY for 400 invited guests at the Florida Bar Convention that will beheld in Boca Raton.. This is to celebrate the installation of Eugene K. Pettis, Esq. Mr. Pettis will be swornin as the first African-American to hold the office of President.

July 25, 2013 HLA Co-Sponsors the PBCBA 2013 DIVERSITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - ThePalm Beach County Bar Assoc. Committee for Diversity and Inclusion will be presenting theirDiversity Internship Program Wrap-Up Reception to conclude our 2013 Diversity InternshipProgram for law students in Palm Beach County. Date: July 25, 2013, Time: 5:30 - 7 pm, Place:Roxy's Pub (2nd Floor), 309 N Clematis St, West Palm Beach, FL 33401; (561) 296-7699 Fare: Horsd'oeuvres and 2 drink tickets per person, Cost: $15 (Judiciary and Interns free)

MEMBERSHIP ACCOMPLISHMENTS

February 14, 2013 City of

Miami recognizes their Blackpioneers. Among the honorees

were Hans Ottinot, as the firstblack City Attorney of North

Miami. Mr. Ottinot is also a

past president of HLA.

On December

18, 2012, the

past director of

HLA, Dotie

Joseph, Esq.

was

inaugurated as

the Assistant

City Attorney

for the City of

North Miami Beach. HLA congratulates her

and wishes her continued success.

May 2013 - President-Elect, Fritznie Jarbath, Esq. was selected as a fellow for the inaugural class of FloridaBar Leadership Academy. This is quite of an accomplishment and we wish her well. The Florida BarLeadership Academy is a multi-session training program designed to assist a diverse and inclusive group oflawyers in becoming better leaders within our profession, in their chosen path, while enhancing their leadershipskills. Each year a select group of participants are selected from applications submitted to the Bar to becomeAcademy Fellows

March 28, 2013Congratulations to HLAmembers & past presidents,Marie Jo Toussaint and Karen

Andre, two of the honorees of the City of North Miami's Celebration of Women,National Women's History Month event.

April 2013 HLA receivesaward for its commitmentto pro-bono services. Wethank the members ofHLA who volunteeredeach month.

January 2013 - One of our members, Mark Lapointe, Esq., wasfeatured in an article in the Greater Miami Edition of Attorneyat Law Magazine as one of the attorneys to watch in 2013.Please congratulate Mark the next time you see him.


9/9

Issue #: [Date]

15 TH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP G ALAWAS A HUG E SUCCE SS

The Haitian Lawyers Association wishes to thank everyone for their support inthe 2013 HLA Gala. Thanks to everyone's collective efforts, we were able toraise over $26,000.00. This is the highest grossing Gala in history. There werecountless individuals who worked tirelessly to make this event such a success; A

special recognition goes to Stephanie, Kertch, Sabrina, and Soeurette. The planning for the 2014 Gala is underway, please contact

us at [email protected] if you would like to join the 2014 HLA Gala committee.

PAST EVENTS

This year HLA has strived to provide benefits and networking opportunitiesfor our members. InMarch 28, 2013 wewere pleased tohave our PastPresident, JeffCazeau, present anexclusive seminarentitled, "Gettingyour Clients Accessto GovernmentContracts." During

this seminar youwill learn thebenefits of minoritybusinesscertification statusfor your business and your clients.

Continuing Legal Education:

Getting your Clients Government Contracts

2013 HLA Summer Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of 2013 HLA Summer Newsletter