Mission Statement and Scholarship Selection Criteria for Fellows Program

The RPPTL Section of the Florida Bar encourages involvement of attorneys from diverse backgrounds, including geographic, racial and ethnic backgrounds, that are traditionally underrepresented in the law and the Section. The mission of the RPPTL Fellows program is to recruit attorneys who have a demonstrated interested in practicing in the area of wills, trusts, estates, and/or real estate, and who are interested in greater involvement in the RPPTL Section and its committees, but who would not otherwise be able to participate due to financial constraints or needs. Our goal is to provide opportunities for deserving attorneys to achieve their career goals through leadership training and working closely with leading attorneys in their field, while at the same time fostering diversity within the Section. The Fellowship Program is open to all lawyers who are members of the RPPTL Section and who have been admitted to the Bar for fewer than 12 years.

Scholarships will be considered for applicants who best meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrated interest in wills, trusts, estates, and/or real estate as a part of the applicant’s practice;
• Demonstrated interest in the activities of the RPPTL Section, and is likely to be dedicated and excel in such activities;
• Diversity, including a geographic, racial or ethnic background that is traditionally underrepresented in the RPPTL Executive Council and Section;
• Demonstrated need for financial assistance in order to attend Section meetings;
• Service to the profession or community. 

Completed applications should be submitted to: DKellogg@floridabar.org.

Testimonials

“I have gained some very valuable resources that I would not have but for participating in the inaugural class of the RPPTL Section’s Fellowship Program. Before being accepted into the program, I was unaware of the latent value of participation in the Section’s activities. In addition to the vast amount of practice area knowledge one obtains by actively participating in the various substantive committees of the Section, I have the opportunity to work with some of the smartest lawyers in the state who practice in the areas of real estate, probate and trust law, and have built some extremely valuable relationships which has helped enhance my practice. The fact that the Section leaders understood that the value of participation in Section activities is not always obvious and decided to offer this program to encourage participation of younger lawyers was very insightful, as once I completed the Fellowship Program, I, like most of the other former fellows, have continued to remain active because the benefits are truly rewarding, both personally and professionally. In fact, I feel confident in saying that without having participated in the RPPTL Fellowship Program, I would not have attained board certification in real estate. My Section peers have mentored and encouraged me to advance in the Section and their mentorship has had a direct impact on the trajectory of my legal career.” – Brenda Ezell

 

 

“The RPPTL Fellowship program provides opportunity for less seasoned attorneys to immediately become involved in the Section. As a Fellow, it is expected you will take on active roles in substantive committees and write case summaries and articles for Actionline. These activities not only further the Fellow’s expertise, but leads to unlimited exposure throughout the Section. I encourage all of those interested to apply.” – Sean M. Lebowitz