Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am very excited to report that Miami-Dade FAWL has already accomplished so much, just three months into the new Board's tenure!  Thanks to the generosity of our Installation sponsors, we raised more than $30,000.00, breaking all records and more than doubling the money raised at our 2012 luncheon.  We have also secured a year-round Platinum Sponsor, FTI Consulting, Inc., as well as a Wargo French as a Title Sponsor for our December 4th Judicial Reception at the Mandarin Oriental.  These are all "Miami-Dade FAWL firsts" for which we are very grateful. 

The funds we have raised are already being put to good use.  Miami-Dade FAWL was instrumental in working with Commissioner Michael Grieco from the City of Miami Beach to pass a City Resolution supporting our legislative efforts to outlaw non-consensual pornography, commonly known as "revenge porn."  We thank Miami-Dade FAWL Director Elisa D'Amico and Commissioner Grieco for making this possible.

We continue to work with Professor Mary Anne Franks from the University of Miami, our State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Representative Carlos Trujillo to ensure that all possible efforts are made in Tallahassee to criminalize non-consensual pornography during the upcoming legislative session.  Miami-Dade FAWL is prepared to send members to Tallahassee to advocate for this vital legislation.  I will continue to update you as we make progress.    

Miami-Dade FAWL has continued its "Table for Eight" and "Lunch With the Judges" programming, and has featured many members of the judiciary, as well as in-house counsel for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Julie Siefkas-Marin, and City of Miami Commissioner Sally Heyman.  We have also expanded these fun networking opportunities for members to include a Broadway series with the judges.  Our first show will be Book of Mormon with long-time Miami-Dade FAWL member and supporter Judge Beatrice Butchko. These are members-only events, so be sure to renew your membership if you have not done so already.

Our Chapter has also begun undertaking significant pro-bono work.  Miami-Dade FAWL partnered with the Dade County Bar Association and Legal Aid to help staff monthly DCBA Legal Line sessions. Many of our Board Members, including Lindsay Haber of Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine PL, and Elisa D'Amico of K&L Gates are undertaking pro-bono cases to help victims of non-consensual pornography.  Miami-Dade FAWL will also be fielding a team of volunteers to work at Feeding South Florida on November 15th.  Please be on the lookout for sign-up opportunities.   

While we have made great strides, there is still work to be done. Unfortunately, during the most recent round of appointments, Governor Scott did not appoint any women to the Judicial Nominating Committees for either the Eleventh Circuit or the Third District Court of Appeal.  I have already reached out to Governor Scott's office to express our disappointment.  On a positive note, in addition to the Miami-Dade FAWL Leadership Alerts whereby we strive to make our membership aware of available positions and deadlines, our Membership Committee Co-Chair Trisha Widowfield and I are working on efforts to encourage more women to apply for these very important leadership positions.    

Due to popular demand, we have also brought back "FAWL Fridays," so please stay tuned for more streamlined news and events from Miami-Dade FAWL to be brought to you on a weekly basis.  We have a very exciting year ahead of us, and I'd like to personally encourage you to get involved!  

President

Deborah Baker

President-Elect

Ileana Cruz

Secretary

Rebecca Ocariz

Treasurer

Katie S. Phang

Newsletter Editor

Lara Bueso Bach

Lauren Brunswick

Sherril Colombo

Elisa D'Amico

Madelin D'Arce

Brendalyn Edwards

Courtney Engelke

Mallory Gold

Emilie Kennedy

Linda Leali

Jody Shulman

Alicia Welch

Talia Zucker

At the urging of Miami-Dade FAWL, and along with the help of University of Miami Law Professor Mary Ann Franks, on July 30, 2014, the Miami Beach Commission unanimously voted to pass a resolution urging the Florida legislature to enact legislation criminalizing the nonconsensual disclosure of sexually explicit images, commonly known as "revenge porn."

Nonconsensual pornography is an invasion of privacy that occurs online when someone, typically a vengeful ex-partner or malicious hacker, uploads explicit images or videos of a victim to one or more websites where thousands of people can view it. Most often, the image is further disseminated online, spreads virally, and usually dominates the first few pages of a search engine such as Google or Bing when using it to search for the individual's name. Victims suffer immensely.  Many suffer significant emotional distress and are harassed, others are fired or forced to change schools, and some have even committed suicide.

"We applaud the Mayor, Commissioner Grieco, and the Miami Beach Commission for wholeheartedly supporting Miami-Dade FAWL and for passing this resolution," said Deborah Baker, President of Miami-Dade FAWL and member of the law firm of Lipscomb, Eisenberg & Baker, PL. 

"This brings us one step closer to affecting statewide changes and adding Florida to the list of states that have criminalized the cyber-crime of nonconsensual pornography. But we are not done yet," said Elisa D'Amico, Miami-Dade FAWL Board Member and attorney with K&L Gates LLP, who coordinated this coalition.  Indeed, Miami-Dade FAWL intends to seek further support from commissions, organizations, and individuals, to urge the Florida Legislature to pass legislation criminalizing the dissemination of nonconsensual pornography.

You can watch the Miami Beach Commission discussion Here.

Miami-Dade FAWL is excited to announce that three of our judicial members, Judge Butchko, Judge Sanchez-Llorens, and Judge Thornton, will be interviewed on by the Judicial Nominating Commission on September 4, 2014 for the position of U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida. The interviews are open to the public and will take place at the Judge's Conference Room, 14th Floor, Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse, 400 North Miami Avenue.

Judge Beatrice "Betty" Butchko was born in New York City to a Greek father and Cuban mother.  She is married and has a son attending the Georgia Institute of Technology and a daughter attending high school at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy.  Judge Butchko was raised in Miami, Florida where she graduated high school from Notre Dame Academy.  She received a B.S. from the University of Florida in 1986 and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago in 1989.  Judge Butchko began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County (1989 - 2000), where she tried over 80 jury trials, was a member of the Organized Crime Unit, served as Assistant Chief of the Career Criminal Unit and a Division Chief trying homicide cases and supervising attorneys.  Judge Butchko then entered private practice as an associate with Kaye, Rose and Maltzman, LLC (2000 - 2001) where she practiced maritime law.  In 2001, she joined the commercial litigation boutique firm of Ferrell Schultz, PA and was made a partner.  In 2003, she joined the international firm of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, LLP as a partner where she practiced, commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense.  While in private practice, she served as Special Counsel to the Judicial Qualifications Commission and obtained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.  

She was appointed to the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit by Governor Jeb Bush in December, 2005.  During her tenure, she has served in the Juvenile Dependency Division, the Circuit Criminal Division and is presently the Associate Administrative Judge of the Civil Division where she also is assigned to try extended trials.  

 Judge Butchko is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, a visiting adjunct professor of litigation skills at Emory University Law School in Atlanta, Georgia, and on the faculty of the Florida Judicial College.  Judge Butchko also has taught at the Circuit Court Conference and Advanced Judicial College.  In terms of community service, Judge Butchko is a mock trial coach for Our Lady of Lourdes Academy High School; chairs a committee for the Chief Judge regarding receiverships; served as a past member of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross; is active in Big Brothers Big Sisters and is a Eucharistic Minister at St. Patrick Catholic Church on Miami Beach. 

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THE HONORABLE MIGNA SANCHEZ-LLORENS

Judge Sanchez-Llorens received a B.A. from Wellesley College, Master in Economics from Trinity College, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. Prior to practicing law, Judge Sanchez-Llorens worked in banking for approximately nine years, five of which she was a bank officer. For over 14 years, Judge Sanchez-Llorens was an Assistant Public Defender in state and federal courts, trying over 60 cases to verdict. Prior to her election in 2008, she was appointed as a board member to various state and county domestic violence organizations, including the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Statewide Legal and Policy Council, as well as co-chaired the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board. Judge Sanchez-Llorens currently serves in the Criminal Division where she handles felony criminal cases and participates in appellate panels involving County Court appeals.

In 2014, Hunter College (New York) selected Judge Sanchez-Llorens as one of the "100 Puerto Ricans Who Have Made a Difference" in its compilation of oral and documentary records.  In 2014, Judge Sanchez-Llorens received the 26th Annual "In the Company of Women" award for Outstanding Woman in Government and Law.  In 2013, Southern Illinois University School of Law selected Judge Sanchez-Llorens as The William L. Beatty Jurist in Residence.  Judge Sanchez-Llorens was awarded the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce "Women of Leadership Award for Government/Public Service," and also received a "Proclamation of Appreciation" from the City of Miami Beach for her public service commitment.

 

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THE HONORABLE JOHN W. 

THORNTON, JR.