On March 18, 2013 I will once again be lecturing at Florida Gulf Coast University. Over the past three years it has been an honor to be a guest lecturer at FGCU. I take my opportunity to address the students very seriously. I value education very highly and find the opportunity to share some of my experience, knowledge and training to be extremely rewarding.
This spring I will once again be lecturing on Florida torts, product liability and general principles of negligence, practice and procedure. This will include an overview of the history of the development of the tort of negligence up through the current state of the law. I also enjoy giving the students some practical education in the preparation of a lawsuit, pleadings, discovery and trial procedures, including the anatomy of a negligence trial.
Perhaps most importantly, I try to close each presentation I give, whether it be to elementary school students, middle school, high school, or college age students, with a sincere message underscoring the critical importance of academics. This includes a reinforcement of the need for lifelong learning, developing the love of learning, reading and self awareness. The higher purpose of our education is to help build a safer, healthier, happier and sustainable world. These overarching principles are cornerstones of all education, and even though I go into the schools or university with a substantive education lesson on the law, I always want to zoom out to give the students a view from above so we can together look at the big picture of what we all should be trying to do as citizens of the United States of America. Being a volunteer participant in our public education system across the board has been a very rewarding activity in my journey as a civil trial lawyer and one I fully intend to continue my commitment to.
