Miami partner Josh Lerner received the “Excellence in Professionalism” award for his efforts to encourage professionalism in the practice of law in Miami during the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Seventh Annual Professionalism and Civility Action Summit on Thursday, October 24, 2019. Appointed by the chief judge, Josh is the immediate past chair of the professionalism panels for Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Rebull, Josh Lerner, Paul Lipton and Circuit Judge Andrea Wolfson at the Eleventh Circuit’s 7th Annual Professionalism & Civility Action Summit
Rumberger sponsored the welcome orientation table and provided refreshments at the annual Summit. Held at the Miami-Dade Children’s Courthouse, the Summit brought together Florida Bar representatives, judges, lawyers, law school faculty and administrators to create solutions to the problems of incivility and unprofessionalism in the legal profession. This year’s focus for discussion included:

• How the Florida Bar handles judicial referrals, including the role of the Florida Lawyers Assistance and how it can help, proactive and preventive measures for mental health and wellness, the ethical implications of impairment in the workplace and on the practice of law in general;
• Mental health and wellness in general;
• Unprofessional conduct toward opposing counsel;
• Candor to the tribunal;
• The practice of law as a business

The Florida Supreme Court has authorized the professionalism committees throughout the state to take affirmative action to deal with these important issues. For more information about the professionalism committees in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, visit: https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/General-Information/Local-Professionalism-Panel