Richard Sicking spearheaded the three-day E. Earl H. Zehmer
Moot Court Competition consisting of teams from numerous law
schools. This competition has become a tradition at the
convention and provides practical experience to students who
have demonstrated themselves to be premier representatives of
their institutions. Consistent with years past, Richard wrote
the problem and the bench brief for the competition. Richard
then presented the problem and solution to the esteemed panel
of 75 judges which included Florida Judges of Compensation
Claims as well as workers’ compensation judges from
several other states and from Florida’s First District
Court of Appeal. The competition was a huge success, and
Richard remains entrenched as one of the leading appellate
experts and scholars in the field of workers’
compensation.
Mark Touby kicked off his multiple roles at the convention by
speaking on the topic of mediating workplace issues other than
workers’ compensation related matters in a panel
discussion for the Professional Mediation Institute. His
skills as a litigator and negotiator were highlighted during
this presentation, and the discussion was very insightful for
those in attendance. Mark is serving the second year of his
term as President of the Florida Workers’ Advocates
(FWA). In that capacity, he presided over the FWA Board of
Directors meeting which was attended by over 40 Board members
from around the state. FWA remains vital to the ongoing
legislative process, as workers’ compensation reform
remains a hot topic in the Florida Legislature. Mark further
established himself
to be the type of steadfast leader required for this
upcoming challenge. Any legislative changes will have an
impact on the entire workers’ compensation system, and
FWA, through its leadership, is fully committed to protecting
the rights and remedies of injured workers. Mark sits on the
Workers’ Compensation Board Certification Committee for
the Florida Bar, and his input during this meeting was vital.
Mark continued his leadership role and commitment by attending
the Executive Council meeting for the Workers’
Compensation Section of the Florida Bar. He also attended the
meeting of the Friends of 440 Scholarship Committee.
Mark would like to congratulate Kim De Arcangelis for receiving this year’s Richard A. Sadow Achievement Award. Mark was last year’s recipient of this award. He received a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
Richard Chait attended his 30th annual
Workers’ Compensation Convention (in a row). He remains
one of the more prominent leaders in the Workers’
Compensation Industry and demonstrates his influence and
leadership skills as a member of numerous committees. During
the meeting of the Florida Bar Workers’ Compensation
Rules Advisory Board, he spearheaded healthy dialogue amongst
the members and made every effort to ensure that favorable
changes to the Rules of Procedure were considered. Richard
holds a seat on the Board of Directors for the Florida
Workers’ Advocates (FWA) and is a Past President of the
organization. During the FWA Board Meeting, Richard maintained
his longstanding leadership role by contributing on numerous
levels which included initiating preparation for the upcoming
Legislative Committee Weeks and the 2018
Legislative Session. Richard also attended the Annual
Judicial Luncheon where he hosted a table for several Judges
of Compensation Claims and engaged in proactive dialogue
focused on improving the workers’ compensation system
and protecting the rights of injured workers. He concluded an
active convention by attending the meeting of the Executive
Council of the
Workers’ Compensation Section of the Florida Bar.
Richard is a Past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation
Section and continues to serve a vital role on the council
where he holds a District Seat. During this meeting, Richard
was presented an award for his outstanding legislative efforts
over the past year. He was honored and humbled to be
recognized by his fellow leaders of the Workers’
Compensation Bar in such a manner.