Miami, FL – On November 5, 2021, it was a “family affair” with over 150 attorneys, judges, general magistrates, bar leaders, and court employees participating in the 36th Annual View from the Bench Family Law seminar. In his welcoming remarks, Gerald I. Kornreich shared his excitement with the new format and was grateful for all of the effort and innovation that went into planning the event. Kornreich, along with his daughter and Partner Amber Kornreich, Esq., spent many hours planning, recording and formatting the event. Former Chief Judge Joel Brown expressed his gratitude for the dedication spent putting this seminar together for the past 36 years and the importance of accepting pro bono cases. “By accepting pro bono cases from Put Something Back you provide valuable services to the legal profession, enhance the opinion of the legal profession, and provide access to the courts and much needed representation to those who cannot afford it. You also obtain tremendous personal satisfaction by accepting a case.” Eleventh Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie and the Honorable Samantha Ruiz-Cohen, Administrative Judge of the Family Division, presented the Ray Pearson Guardian ad Litem Awards to Nora Rotella, Esq., (2020) and Amber Glasper, Esq. (2021). Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie recognized the previous 31 Ray Pearson GAL Award Winners and thanked everyone present for taking pro bono cases. “Congratulations to all who participated in a truly wonderful CLE. It was not only well done, there was such a spirit of friendship and collegiality. I can’t wait for next year’s program!” said Sayfie. Judge Scott Bernstein, former Administrative Judge of the Family Division, gave his congratulations and encouraged all attendees to take a pro bono Guardian ad Litem or Family case from Put Something Back and described the impact that pro bono attorneys make when they accept cases. “There is always the need for more attorneys to take cases,” said Bernstein. Gerald I. Kornreich, Esq., who has been organizing the seminar with Dade Legal Aid for the past 36 years, moderated the new judges panel featuring Judge Christina DiRaimondo, Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos, Judge Spencer Multack, Judge Victoria del Pino and Judge Veronica Diaz. Additional speakers included former Administrative Judge Sandy Karlan, Court Administrator Eugene Carral, Nancy St. Phard of Family Court Services, Karen J. Ladis, Esq. of Legal Aid, Judge Samantha Ruiz-Cohen, and former Chief Judge Bertila Soto. The last presenters were Maria C. Gonzalez, Esq., who provided the annual Case Law Update and former General Magistrate Robert Jones on Legislative and Rules Update. This seminar was free to all attorneys who agreed to accept a pro bono case from Dade Legal Aid – Put Something Back and would not be possible without the leadership and support of Gerald I. Kornreich, Esq. and Amber Kornreich, Esq., of Kornreich and Associates, the Family Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, the First Family Law American Inn of Court and the Miami Dade Bar Association.
