The Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources advises the Board of Governors on adopting and effectively using AI in legal practice. It examines how AI tools interact with current bar rules, how they may change legal practice, and how they can improve access to justice. The committee also identifies AI tools for lawyers and provides education, communication, and resources to ensure that lawyers understand the benefits of AI while maintaining their duty of independent judgment.

“Being appointed to The Florida Bar’s AI Tools & Resources Special Committee is an incredible honor. AI represents the cutting edge of technology and its potential to revolutionize the legal profession is immense,” said Eric Hockman. “I am thrilled to help lead this new frontier, ensuring that we harness AI’s capabilities to enhance the legal practice while upholding the profession’s core values and ethical standards.”

Eric’s practice focuses on complex and technical litigation matters involving business, government, and individuals. He is also the firm’s Information Technology Partner, responsible for all of the firm’s practice management applications, data storage needs, and data security.

Learn more about the Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources here: https://www.floridabar.org/about/cmtes/cmtes-me/special-committee-on-ai-tools-resources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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“It is possible for a labor contract at an air carrier to pay employees, such as flight attendants, for all their work, including tasks performed before ‘flight time’ begins. But the contracts have not developed this way because there is no 9 to 5 schedule for flight crews and no reasonable way to create a ‘shift,’” Eric explained. 

A former pilot and 12-year veteran of the airline industry, Eric elaborated stating, “Flight crews simply can’t work an 8-hour, continuous shift (except on long, overseas flights), and they don’t ‘punch a clock’… they are paid for flight hours, the same way pilots are paid, because it’s a verifiable period and easy for airlines to track.”

Eric is a commercial litigator with deep knowledge about the aviation industry. His experience working as a pilot, a certified flight instructor with instrument endorsement, a certified airframe & powerplant technician, and a heavy maintenance manager, gives him a unique perspective when practicing aviation law.  

Read more: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/flight-attendants-are-unfairly-compensated-for-their-time-080122.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

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The firm is incredibly proud of WSHC+B partners Lily Arango, the Surfside Town Attorney, and Tony Recio, who heads the firm’s private land use and zoning practice, who both dedicated countless hours working with officials on a plan of action in the days, weeks, and months after the catastrophe. And when the impending litigation arose, WSHC+B litigators Eric Hockman and Joe Serota stepped in as part of the team of attorneys who negotiated the nearly $1 billion in settlements, a result that presiding Judge Michael Hanzman called “beyond extraordinary.”

Eric spoke with several media outlets about the stunning settlement result. He told Law360 that Judge Michael Hanzman “was pushing everybody really, really hard. He really did a tremendous job. This case belonged in front of him.”

Judge Hanzman, who had no advanced warning that the victims’ attorneys would announce the resolution of their claims against dozens of entities for $997 million, was “at a loss for words.” But then he added, “The result that has been achieved in this case and the speed with which it has been achieved is beyond extraordinary. If the right people were not running this case, this could have turned into a decade-long slog.”

Eric elaborated to Law360, “This is one of those cases where the last thing in the world you want to happen is to have a jury decide that your client is at fault for this terrible tragedy. It’s far better to buy your peace and deny liability than have a jury say you caused this. For a lot of insurers, keeping their clients’ exposure down within policy limits is a good, strategic choice.”

Once the settlements are approved, the parties’ investigations into the cause of the collapse will cease, although Eric said Surfside will continue its contract with structural engineer and collapse expert, Allyn Kilsheimer. Despite objections from some of the participants, Judge Hanzman concluded that Surfside was entitled to continue its investigation into the cause of the collapse.

Our hearts go out to the families of the victims as we approach the painful anniversary of this tragedy.

Click here to read the full Law360 article.

Click here to read the Miami Herald article.

Click here to see CBS Miami’s coverage of the news.

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Eric and Mitch predicted a future in which NFTs and the platforms on which they are sold will be regulated similar to existing commodities markets. This could mean the marketplaces would be subject to trade and anti-money laundering regulations, and issues would arise regarding which jurisdiction’s laws will govern, given that purchasing an NFT in many cases requires only an internet connection to facilitate the purchase with a credit card or Bitcoin.

“The problem for courts and people, in general is it is an unregulated industry,” Eric said. “Most lawyers don’t have any idea how this works, but a lot of this stuff dates back to current law. NFTs are purely electronic creations, and there should be a way to buy and sell those things to people who want to collect them.”

Click here to read the full article.

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Officers will be officially installed in their positions at the 104^th Installation Gala tentatively scheduled to take place on August 29, 2020, at the Mandarin Oriental Miami.

About the DCBA
The Dade County Bar Association is the largest voluntary bar association in Florida and the voice for Miami-Dade County’s diverse legal community. The DCBA, with its 33 sections, committees and divisions, provides its members with education and tools to expand and enrich their practices. Click here to learn more about the DCBA.

Click here for more from Attorney At Law Magazine.

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Eric focuses his practice on complex and technical litigation matters involving business, government and individuals. He is the Firm’s Information Technology Partner and serves as the Treasurer for the Dade County Bar Association. Eric has been practicing law for 13 years.

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Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman was happy to sponsor and attend the “4^th Annual CABA Night with the Marlins.”  The event held at Marlins Park benefited the CABA Pro Bono Project.  Firm member Lilly Arango, firm partners Eric Hockman and Dan Espino, and firm attorney and CABA Board Member Haydee Sera all attended the event.

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