Stearns Weaver Miller

Companies using online tracking technologies may be exposing themselves to significant legal risk of violating state and federal privacy laws. The latest risk involves a “pixel."

https://bit.ly/45w5edj

See you next month at the Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School conference! Come visit us at booth 101.

View our attorneys' presentation schedule here --> https://conta.cc/4cpMONs

Starting today, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will enforce new regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Employers should familiarize themselves with the EEOC’s final rule and interpretive guidance to better understand their obligations under the PWFA and how the EEOC will interpret and enforce the law in the future.

https://ow.ly/9BZb50Slbuh

This fall Florida voters will consider a proposed constitutional amendment titled “Amendment 3: Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” that would eliminate state-law criminal penalties on the use of small amounts of ma*****na by adults 21 years and older. Read Glenn Burhans, Jr. 's opinion article in The News-Press (Fort Myers and Cape Coral), "No! Florida will not smell like w**d if Amendment 3 passes." Lawmakers would retain the right to regulate time, place of use as they do for to***co and alcohol. Read here -> https://bit.ly/4eC9fRE

Congratulations to Shareholder Chelsea Koff who has joined Leadership Broward Foundation's Board of Directors! She will serve as the upcoming Class XLIII Vice Chair in 2024 and as Class XLIV Chair in 2025.

Leadership Broward is a premier leadership development program, designed for adults who currently hold leadership positions and are involved in their community. They educate aspiring leaders, engage citizens in issues that affect the community, and connect people to resources in their community.

Read more here --> https://bit.ly/4cdgayo

As we approach summer, it’s important to be mindful of employee working conditions for those who work outside or around machinery which emits heat. Employers should make sure to implement a heat illness prevention plan!

https://bit.ly/4cdF7tR

This week, the Board of Directors for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) unanimously approved a significant policy change allowing high school athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). This decision marks a major shift in high school sports and aligns Florida with over 30 other states permitting NIL deals for student-athletes.

https://conta.cc/4e6EcNz

Read attorney Elizabeth Ellis' opinion article in Tallahassee Democrat, "Refuge House sees mounting cases of domestic violence, needs support". Liz serves as President for Refuge House, which provides direct services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and to their children and families. Read the article here -> https://bit.ly/3VsnLno

Congratulations to the 34 attorneys and 11 practice areas that were ranked in the Chambers and Partners USA Legal Guide 2024.

See the full list here --> https://bit.ly/3KwUQbr

Chambers USA is the world’s leading legal data and analytics provider, highlighting the top lawyers and law firms across the USA for over two decades.

We are excited to celebrate and proud to support SAVE, South Florida’s longest serving organization dedicated to protecting people who are le***an, gay, bisexual, transgender and q***r (LGBTQ) against discrimination.

Shareholder Abby Corbett is a long-standing leader with SAVE, and in 2020, the organization also co-sponsored Shareholder Grace Mead’s presentation “A Constant During Gender Transition - Defending Others,” in which she discusses her transition beginning in 2015 to present authentically as female. View the presentation here --> https://bit.ly/3HOmoH4

It's time to start thinking about hurricanes again!

https://bit.ly/3VlPCpf

We had so much fun at our all-office SWM Family Feud! From 18 teams down to 4, the winners from each office faced off in a final round of Fast Money to determine the firm-wide winner.

The “Ladies in Labor” group (Jacky Sanchez, Ana Morell, Michaela Bittner & Carolina Oquendo) from our Miami office’s Labor & Employment Law department, won the prize and made a donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. We can't wait for our next game show!

Special thank you to our hosts: Amelia Savage, Bob Turk, Vinette Godelia, Tom Aubin & Darrell Payne

Read our Land Development, Zoning & Environmental group's Spring Newsletter of "What's Developing" here --> https://conta.cc/3UO6rI1

During the 2024 Florida Legislative Session, lawmakers filed a total of 1,902 bills of which only 325 passed. Within the newly passed bills, several provide changes to land development and environmental practice areas, as well as to the rights of developers, homebuilders, and landowners.

Liz Ellis moderated a fantastic panel at yesterday's Capital Tiger Bay Club luncheon. Leon County panelists Sheriff Walt McNeil, State Attorney Jack Campbell, Public Defender Jessica Yeary, and Chief Lawrence Revell discussed the "State of Public Safety" nearly halfway through year 2024.

Each election cycle, candidates are disqualified and/or fined due to easily preventable election law violations. Here’s how to avoid the top four mistakes.

https://conta.cc/3Krvony

This , we remember and honor those who bravely served our country.

We had an amazing time at our Tampa Labor & Employment Law Seminar! It was wonderful to see so many old friends and new acquaintances.

This year's theme was "Marching Back to the Future." In this program, we analyzed independent contractors, joint employers, writs, issues for working women, overtime, employee benefits, and the multi-generation workforce.

We look forward to seeing you at our Miami seminar this fall!

We are proud to have recently celebrated 15 years of the Firm's Tallahassee Office!

Thank you to our clients, colleagues, friends, families and North Florida community. Your trust and support has enabled us to grow from a small, one-person office to a distinguished 40+ person, multidisciplinary office.

We are excited to announce that Cyril Moody has joined the Firm’s Marital & Family Law group in the Coral Gables office! Cyril represents high-net-worth individuals and business owners in complex and highly-contested Marital & Family Law matters. He is also Collaboratively trained and has successfully resolved multiple cases using the Collaborative practice method, a voluntary dispute resolution process in which parties settle without resorting to litigation.

Read more about Cyril here -> https://bit.ly/3wsFwcJ

Robert Turk will be speaking at the South Florida Hospitality Human Resources Association May meeting on Thursday, May 16 at 8:30 a.m.

His presentation "Life Cycle Issues for Working Women – What HR Needs to Know" will discuss a wide range of legal issues affecting working women throughout their work life including pay, pregnancy (including the new EEOC regulations on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act), childbirth, breastfeeding/expressing milk, childcare/parental care and menopause.

Click here to learn more --> https://www.sflahhra.com/meetings/

We recently reported on the Federal Trade Commission’s new rule that will retroactively ban most non-compete agreements and prohibit such agreements going forward, with limited exceptions.

https://bit.ly/3V0lOhG

On Friday, April 12, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia decided it will not stay its February 15 order vacating Florida’s assumption of federal authority under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (“Section 404”).

https://bit.ly/3wvtvDh

Congratulations to Shareholder Barry Wayne who has been recognized by Forbes Advisor as one of only 10 Best Divorce Lawyers in Miami for 2024!

Recipients were chosen based on several factors including legal experience; certifications; ethics and bar disciplinary measures; legal thought leadership; education and employment background; scholarly lectures and writings; and awards and honors.

Read more here --> https://bit.ly/3UwIk0n

Stearns Weaver Miller from Florida is looking forward to meeting and connecting with our friends at the Meritas Annual General Meeting in Charlotte, NC this week. If you will be there, look out for us and say hi!

Pictured left to right: Kyle Louramore (Corporate), Albert del Castillo, Jr. (Tax), Drew Dillworth (Business Restructuring & Meritas Board of Directors), Jenea Reed (Litigation), and Rick Schatz (Real Estate & Corporate)

Happy ! 🎉🌵🍹 We had a blast at our office celebration last week.

Under Senate Bill 102 known as the Live Local Act, the Hanover Company plans to transform a commercially zoned plaza in St. Petersburg’s North Kenwood neighborhood into a workforce housing development with the counsel of Attorney Kevin Reali. The development is St. Petersburg’s first filed under the Live Local Act.

Reali noted that the area lacks housing options. “It’s mostly single-family detached (homes) off of those main thoroughfares,” he added. “So, I think it’s a good spot in that respect. There are still big box stores, but they’re changing. And this is one that hasn’t been viable in a while.” Read more here in this St Pete Catalyst article -> https://stpetecatalyst.com/st-pete-plaza-could-become-304-unit-housing-development/

Robert Walters will be a presenting "Ethical Best Practices for 2024 Elections" at the Florida Tax Collector's Spring Conference on May 8 at 9:40 a.m.

This presentation will be geared towards educating elected and appointed tax collectors on Florida’s complicated relationship between election, ethics, and other laws which may impact how they communicate during an election year.

Click here to learn more about FTCA conferences --> https://bit.ly/4doUhO1

REMINDER: Our Tampa Labor & Employment Law Seminar is on May 20 from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m! This year's theme is "Marching Back to the Future."

Bob Turk, Andrew McLaughlin, Ingrid Ponce and Darrin Quam will be discussing the topics listed below. Learn more and register here --> https://bit.ly/4b9MFxf

Nicole Neugebauer MacInnes was a guest on Down ‘n Dirty, a Tampa Bay local interview and talk show on WMNF 88.5 FM, hosted by John Dingfelder (former Tampa City Councilmember) and Mario Núñez. Nicole discussed the Live Local Act, which provides developers with land use and tax incentives to construct affordable and workforce housing throughout the State of Florida. Listen on demand to the interview here (4/26/2024) -> https://www.wmnf.org/events/down-n-dirty/

You can also read our firm's article regarding the Live Local Act here -> https://bit.ly/3wGo83T