FACDL v RUMPOLE continued (HYMAN ROTH EDITION)

If you attend the super-secretive FACDL Board Meetings that are held "Dick Cheeney-like" at "undisclosed locations" * for security reasons, you would learn that depending upon the individual member- and the nature of our posts that particular month- their list of enemies would be something like  

US Attorneys 
Rumpole
State Attorneys 

Or...

Rumpole 
US Attorneys
State Attorneys

We are an agitator. A stone in the shoe. A flea on the dog. It's the Montagues and the Capulets, but hopefully with a better ending. (If you wear and robe and do not get that reference, please consider quitting immediately). 

But FACDL and your favourite blogger fight the same battles- to have our clients treated with dignity and respect where the playing field is level and judges and prosecutors live up to their obligations to seek justice. 
And where we as a criminal defense attorneys live up to our obligations to collect as many fees as possible. 

Despite our constant snipping, and unneeded sarcasm,  the FACDL serves an important need. They run a listserv that we receive spy reports on. They trash us, but like Neil Rodgers' audience, they cannot stop tuning it. 

And they do a lot of work behind the scenes to assist members of our profession. 
Security passes for attorneys not named Alex Michaels? They got it done. 
Parking at lot 26? They are on it. 
Meetings with the SAO and PDS to discuss problems and coordinate solutions? FACDL is there. A hundred thankless jobs that Miami lawyers donate time they do not have to make our profession easier and better. And what do they get in return? An obnoxious blogger taking potshots. 

So we urge you to support them. And if you want to have something changed, run for their board so you can have a voice. 
(We would do it, but then we realized it would interfere with our Pilates class). 

Dear members,

This is our organization's call for nominations for the FACDL-Miami Awards which are presented each year at our annual banquet.  This year's 56th Annual Awards and Installation Gala will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the JW Marriot Marquis in Downtown Miami.  Once again, we will gather to celebrate and honor attorneys and judges whose character and work merits recognition from our criminal defense organization. 

Below are brief descriptions of the criteria for each of the FACDL-Miami awards.  If you know a lawyer(s) or judge deserving of one of these honorable distinctions, please forward me your nomination no later than Tuesday,  February 13, 2019.  Please do not respond to the listserve with your nomination. Please also include a statement about why you think your nominee(s) is deserving of the Award and other material you would like the Board to consider.  

• THE HONORABLE GERALD KOGAN JUDICIAL DISTINCTION AWARD – This award is presented to a Judge in recognition of an extraordinary career contribution and dedicated service to the improvement of the criminal justice system and for the preservation of constitutional rights.
  
• THE DANIEL S. PEARSON-HARRY W. PREBISH FOUNDERS AWARD – This award is given, when appropriate, in recognition of a lifetime commitment to preserve the constitutional rights of all citizens and for manifesting the very best principles for which FACDL-Miami stands -- an open-hearted devotion to justice, civility, discretion, courage, respect for human dignity and mercy.
• THE RODNEY THAXTON “AGAINST ALL ODDS” AWARD – This award is given, when appropriate, to a criminal defense lawyer who having undertaken a particularly difficult or unpopular client or cause, represents the heart and spirit of criminal defense, and who epitomizes the courage of the criminal defense lawyer to stand apart (and often alone) as Liberty’s Last Champion. 
• THE GREGG WENZEL YOUNG LAWYER’S AWARD - This award is given to a young lawyer who exemplifies hard work in the legal arena and in service to the community.

There will be a vote at our February Board Meeting on February 20, 2019 to decide who will be selected for the awards. The meeting is open to the general membership and any member can nominate someone they think is worthy, speak on behalf of their nominee and vote. This is not a closed meeting (no FACDL-Miami meeting is a closed meeting). The meeting time and location will be announced with the next two weeks.*

(you thought our crack about undisclosed locations was more Rumpolian nonsense, didn't you?)

Thank you.

In all seriousness, if you post a comment on a lawyer who deserves an award, we will post it for a proper discussion. The awards are a moment during the year we pause to recognize our colleagues who have make a difference in the career we have chosen.