St. Thomas Law Alum, Collett Small, Installed as Chair of the Florida Bar Elder Law Section

The Florida Bar Elder Law Section has elected St. Thomas Law alum, Collett P. Small as their new chairperson.  Small, the first woman of color and of Jamaican heritage to hold this position, was installed at a swearing in ceremony in Boca Raton on June 23rd.

Collett P. Small, Esq. '05

During her tenure, Small’s platform will include:

• Increasing the use of technology in the section 
• Increasing diversity while growing the size of the section 
• Incorporating a Public Relations strategy to help consumers understand the merits of having a family plan for your elderly loved ones and help to alleviate the struggles that can ensue without one 
• Working with legislators to improve the quality of life for senior citizens in Florida

 “I am humbled and honored to serve in my capacity as chairperson and look forward to working towards assuring families appreciate the value of engaging an Elder Law attorney before their loved ones become ill or incapacitated,” stated Small. "I feel encouraged by my selection as Chair and I am looking forward to improving the Elder Law Section’s image while taking the Section to the next level of service and efficiency."

Small, a 2005 graduate, has been practicing law for 12 years. She is a Board Certified Elder Law Specialist and is one of only 105 attorneys in the State who are certified in Elder Law. The former banking executive runs her successful law practice in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

St. Thomas Law Student Kicks off Summer of Service with Rural Summer Legal Corps

On June 1st,  the 2017 Rural Summer Legal Corps officially kicked off at a joint training in Washington DC. The event was hosted by Equal Justice Works and the Legal Services Corporation. Rising St. Thomas Law 2L, Melissa Ramos will be serving at Legal Services of North Florida, Inc.

To prepare for the 2017 program, Equal Justice Works and Legal Services Corporation actively recruited law students to fill 30 positions nationwide. Selected participants begin the summer with intensive training from poverty law experts on housing, domestic violence, public benefits, migrant farmworkers, Native American, and family law. After the training, the law students return directly to their host site to continue their 8-10 week placement.

Melissa joins 29 other public interest law students in addressing pressing legal issues facing rural communities Specifically, Melissa will advocate for and guide these individuals who are hindered within their communities because of past criminal convictions.

These students will travel to Martinsburg, West Virginia to gain firsthand experience and training on the unique challenges and benefits of working with legal clients in a rural setting.

We salute Melissa and the organizers at Equal Justice Works and the Summer Legal Corps for creating this unique opportunity for our legal students.