For Immediate Release: October 23, 2020
FAMU Law Launches Mentoring Program with Lawyers from Across the Country
ORLANDO, Florida – Lawyers from coast to coast have signed on to serve as mentors to Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law students as part of the inaugural Mentoring Program. The 57 lawyers are from states as far away as California and New York, include several judges, and represent areas of law ranging from intellectual property to personal injury.
The FAMU College of Law Mentoring Program was officially launched on Oct. 15, 2020 with a virtual event featuring Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson as the keynote speaker. Lawson shared the story of “The Three Questions” by Leo Tolstoy, illustrating the importance of appreciating the present.
“What you’re undertaking as law students is a big thing. What you’re undertaking as lawyers and judges who are mentoring is an extra big responsibility,” he said. “If you just show up and give it your best to do good to the person in front of you, this will be a really great experience for all of you.”
More than 100 lawyers and law students participated in the online kick-off event that afforded mentors and mentees an opportunity to get to know each other during virtual breakout sessions. Participants also viewed a video presentation modeling a mentoring session to help guide future discussions.
The 57 pairs of mentors and mentees were matched according to common interests in practice areas, location, professions, or backgrounds. Mentors and mentees have committed to meeting at least four times per academic year.
Because of the pandemic, the program will be conducted virtually during the 2020-2021 academic year. The virtual format provided an opportunity for lawyers across the country to participate. The mentors, who must have a minimum of 10 years of legal practice, include 11 judges and 24 FAMU College of Law alumni.
The Mentoring Program was developed by the Mentoring Committee of the College of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council, a volunteer group of lawyers, professionals, and elected officials who serve as ambassadors, advancing the mission of the law school in the legal, business and broader communities; serving in an advisory capacity to the administration and faculty in the evaluation of the College of Law and its educational programs; and supporting the College of Law’s efforts to attract and retain a diverse and high quality student body.
The Mentoring Committee is chaired by Gary Salzman, a shareholder with Garganese, Weiss, D’Agresta & Salzman, P.A. and includes the Hon. Faye Allen, Orange County Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit; Donald Henderson, partner, Mateer Harbert Attorneys at Law; Paige Carlos, 2012 graduate; Aleisha Hodo, 2013 graduate; Alaina Wallace, 2020 graduate; Randolph Reliford, assistant dean for career planning and professional development; Mildred Graham, director of advancement and alumni affairs; and Asia Evans, a third-year law student.
“We are grateful to all of the lawyers who will share their advice and expertise with our eager and enthusiastic law students,” said Deidré Keller, dean and professor or law. “This mentoring program marks the start of what we hope will be a rewarding and valuable tradition at FAMU College of Law.”
Below is a list of the 57 FAMU College of Law Mentors for the 2020-2021 academic year.
First Name | Last Name | Employer | State |
Judge Faye | Allen | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Joy | Anakhu* | New York City Law Department | New York |
Marilyn | Anglade* | Third District Court of Appeal | Florida |
Asima | Azam | Divine & Estes, P.A. | Florida |
Alvin | Benton* | Capital One Financial Corporation | Texas |
David | Bigney | The Bigney Law Firm | Florida |
Judge Alice | Blackwell | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Brooke | Boltz | Boltz Legal | Florida |
Amanda | Bova | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation | Florida |
Michael | Brown* | Law Office of Michael S. Brown, PLLC | Florida |
Andrele | Brutus St. Vil* | The University of Pittsburgh Law School | Pennsylvania |
Dale A. | Burket | Lowndes | Florida |
Jeffrey | Byrd | Jeffrey M. Byrd, P.A. | Florida |
Stefanie | Camfield* | Florida Department of Children and Families | Florida |
Judge Amy J. | Carter* | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Charles | Castellon | Widerman Malek PL | Florida |
Judge Vincent S. | Chiu | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Cynthia | Conlin* | Cynthia Conlin & Associates | Florida |
Juan | De La Torre* | De La Torre Law | Florida |
Ava | Doppelt | Allen, Dyer, Doppelt & Gilchrist, P.A. | Florida |
Judge Robert | Eagan | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Trizia G | Eavenson* | Eavenson Law, LLC | Florida |
Camille | Evans | Virtus Law | Florida |
Jon | Gibbs | Lowndes | Florida |
Judge Elizabeth | Gibson | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Jacquin | Gilchrist | The Gilchrist Law Firm, P.A. | Florida |
Janice | Haywood* | U.S. Department of Homeland Security | Florida |
Casinova | Henderson* | Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service | California |
Georgiana | Holmes | Orange County Govt, County Attorney’s Office | Florida |
Iyada | Jackson* | Jackson Legal Services | Florida |
Jason Ward | Johnson | Roetzel & Andress, LPA | Florida |
Judge Victoria M. | Johnson* | Dougherty County Magistrate Court | Georgia |
Kamilah | Jolly* | Jolly Esquire, PLLC | Florida |
Jarian | Lyons* | Lyons Legal | Florida |
Vernisha | Mayweather* | The Law Office of V. Mayweather, PLLC | Florida |
Candice | McKinley* | C McKinley Law & Associates | Georgia |
Candis | Mitchell | Federal Public Defender | California |
Lance | Morley | LendingTree, LLC | Florida |
Nayef | Mubarak | Mubarak Law | Florida |
Gozie | Onyema | Smiths Group PLC | Illinois |
Reganel | Reeves* | Esquire Litigation Group | Florida |
Brett | Renton | Shutts & Bowen | Florida |
Regina | Saint Jour* | MetLife | Florida |
Gary | Salzman | Garganese, Weiss, D’Agresta & Salzman, P.A. | Florida |
Tony | Sos | Dellecker Wilson King McKenna Ruffier & Sos | Florida |
Judge Elizabeth | Starr | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Rickey | Strong* | Howell, Buchan & Strong, Attorneys at Law | Florida |
Camille A. | Thompson* | American University College of Law | Florida |
Anna | Torres | TorresVictor | Florida |
Roberta | Walton* | Orange County Clerk of Courts | Florida |
Ka’Juel | Washington* | The Washington Trial Group | Florida |
Judge Keith F. | White | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Daniel | Whitley | Whitley Law Office, PLLC | Kentucky |
Ryan | Williams | State Attorney’s Office, Fifth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Judge Carly | Wish | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
Judge Tom | Young | Ninth Judicial Circuit | Florida |
*FAMU College of Law Alumni
Media Contact: stephanie.strong@famu.edu
About FAMU College of Law
The FAMU College of Law is located in the heart of Downtown Orlando, just steps from the George C. Young United States Courthouse and Federal Building; and blocks from governmental offices, major law firms, large corporations and legal service agencies.
The college’s prime location provides students with direct access to the area’s largest employers of individuals with law degrees, offering our students and graduates ample avenues to gain practical experience in the legal profession.
With tuition among the lowest of the law schools in Florida, along with a full-time day program and a part-time evening program, the college is distinctly positioned to offer the traditional student and the working professional a chance to earn a law degree while accruing minimal debt.
Thanks to its renowned faculty, the college focuses on academic excellence in the classroom; emphasizes practical experience and public service within its clinical programs; and stresses professionalism through its co-curricular activities.                        Â