From the Chair

The Administrative Law Section was founded in 1977-78, which means we are celebrating our 30th anniversary as a section. That’s thirty years of administrative lawyers volunteering their time and skills to put on quality CLE programs, research and write about APA issues, and make ours the best section in The Florida Bar.

The past year was no exception. It got started early when Donna Blanton took the helm as editor of the newsletter, a demanding job that Elizabeth McArthur did so well for so many years. We all juggle constant deadlines in our day jobs, but Donna volunteered her time to take on a whole new set of deadlines to get the newsletter out on time every quarter. (Of course, it will get easier for Donna after June, when I am gone and she no longer has the time consuming job of editing my columns.) One of Donna’s jobs as newsletter editor is to recruit writers, and she landed some good ones this year. Amy Schrader (who also edits the agency snapshots), Bob Harris, Gary Early, Michael Dutko, James V. Antista, Kathryn L. Kasprzak, Jon M. Pellett, Toni Egan, and Larry Sellers all wrote newsletter articles during the past year. And the section owes a special thanks to Mary Smallwood, who churns out the appellate case notes year after year (and usually takes on the added job of presenting the case law update at the Pat Dore Administrative Law Conference).

As I write this column, we are in the last week of the 2008 session of the Florida Legislature. For weeks, Administrative Law Judge Linda Rigot has been reviewing bills and amendments and keeping us posted on legislation impacting the APA (in this last week, her email updates are coming hourly). Bill Williams and Wellington Meffert round out the Legislative Committee and advocate the section’s legislative positions. Without their collective efforts over the years, the APA would surely be substantially weakened by well-intended but nevertheless ill-advised amendments.

We also have Judge Rigot to thank for her tireless work chairing the council’s ad hoc committee on appellate rules revisions. Judge Rigot and her team are nearing completion of proposed amendments to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure concerning appeals from administrative proceedings, stays of agency action, and citations.

Scott Boyd chaired the section’s CLE Committee this year and in his first term, oversaw one of the section’s most challenging, but rewarding, CLEs – Practice Before DOAH. In this joint effort with the Environmental and Land Use Law Section, program chair Wellington Meffert put on a great program that combined lectures and a live mock hearing. This is truly a great program, and I encourage anyone who has not registered in the past to sign up the next time it is offered. Cindy Miller and Michael Cooke produced the Practice Before the Public Service Commission CLE, which was once again a great and well-attended program.

Daniel Nordby handled the thankless job of maintaining the section’s website. We usually call Dan only when something is wrong, but now, thank you Dan.

Larry Sellers sets a new standard for Board of Governors’ liaison. Yes, Larry keeps us updated on what’s going on in the Bar, but he is also an active participant in the section, and he is always eager to contribute.

Dave Watkins, Kent Wetherell and Wellington Meffert comprise our section’s Nominating Committee. Together they identify and evaluate candidates for council and officer positions in the section. From experience, I can tell you it is a difficult and time-consuming job, and they do it well.

All of your Executive Council members and officers have committee assignments and take on tasks too lengthy to list here. I am most appreciative, however, that they show up at council meetings well prepared and contribute their time and expertise to help the section work through APA issues.

Of course, we all know who really runs the section and does the work. She would be our Program Administrator, Jackie Werndli. In past Chair’s farewell columns, Jackie has been described as “dedicated,” “the best,” “fabulous,” and, my favorite, “administrator extraordinaire.” All are apt. She truly does keep the section running, and we could not function without her.

Finally, the section will get an upgrade in the Chair position in 2008-09, when Elizabeth McArthur takes over. Elizabeth assumes the Chair after lengthy service to the section and brings a wealth of experience to the job. She will be ready to roll on day one.

It has always been a privilege to be a part of the best section in The Florida Bar.

Andy Bertron was the 2007-2008 Chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Florida Bar.