Citizens Forum is a 'guiding influence' for the Bar.

You don't have to have a law degree to give advice to lawyers.

Created as a way to establish a dialogue between the legal profession and Florida's major citizen constituencies, the Bar's Citizens Forum provides the Board of Governors a public perspective about issues the profession faces and also to suggest steps that can be taken to help the public better understand the lawyers' place in our society, according to Bar President Herman Russomanno.

"The forum provides a guiding influence to the Bar on a number of critical issues," Russomanno said. "The citizens' constituency is so helpful for the Bar. I look at it as an advisory sounding board which assists the Bar, its Board of Governors, divisions, sections, committees, and staff, by providing recommendations, suggestions and opinions relating to the many issues facing the legal profession."

The Citizens Forum was created in 1998 to establish a dialogue between the legal profession and Florida's major citizen constituencies, to increase public input to the board about legal issues and to provide a mechanism for improving public knowledge about lawyers and the legal system. The Board of Governors, however, is turning to the Citizens Forum for advice more frequently.

"The Citizens Forum helps us focus on how lawyers can help people and provides us with leadership to assist the Bar in its programs and activities as we strategically plan for the 21st century," Russomanno said. "Having people from outside of the legal community look at the issues and offer opinions helps us think outside of the legal parameters."

"The Citizens Forum has earned its stripes," said Park Trammell, Bar communications director, noting that several times during the Board of Governors debate on merit selection and retention at its February meeting, board members cited forum comments and opinions. He said it was "the first major acknowledgment of the benefit the Citizens Forum could provide in helping the Bar leadership get an outside perspective on the issues.

While other state bars have conducted public outreach programs, "Florida is the first and only state bar with a continuing advisory committee made up of mostly nonlawyers," said Jack Sweeney of the ABA Justice Initiative.

The Citizens Forum may serve as a template for other national and international organizations, as evidenced by a recent inquiry from Jackie Saisithidej, a researcher for the Australian Law Reform Commission: The commission is considering proposing a similar group at the federal level to review the Australian adversarial system of litigation and Saisithidej sought information regarding the forum's membership selection process, and current and proposed work.

In the past, the Citizens Forum has addressed such issues as the public perception of the legal profession, attorney advertising, online attorney profiles, ancillary businesses and the multidisciplinary practice of law, insurance practices and merit selection and retention of the judiciary.

Drawing members from Florida's major constituencies and geographic areas allows for a rich mixture of people from diverse backgrounds, Russomanno said.

"There is outstanding leadership on the Citizens Forum, which includes physicians, educators, government leaders, community leaders and business leaders. These leaders bring their life experiences to assist the Bar to lift the spirit of the legal profession," said Russomanno. "I am especially grateful to Dr. Wilhelmena Mack, the first chair of the forum, and the members who have been there from day one for their trailblazing efforts. I'd also like to thank Dr. Vivian Hobbs [the current chair]; we are indeed fortunate to have her leadership skills assisting the Bar."

The Citizens Forum met in Tampa November 3 to discuss how best to increase access to the courts for pro se litigants. At the behest of the Board of Governors, the Citizens Forum looked at the most efficient way to help pro se litigants maneuver through the court system.

It's the latest example of how the forum, which held its first meeting in February 1999, helps the Bar tackle some of the legal profession's pressing issues.

Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge Judith Kreeger, who has attended the National Conference on Pro Se Litigation, the Florida Statewide Conference on Pro Se Litigation and the National Conference on "Unbundled" Legal Services, spoke to forum members about the possibility of allowing Florida lawyers to provide unbundled legal services -- also known as discrete task representation - and offered examples of other states' initiatives. The main purpose of the meeting was to educate forum members about pro se litigation from the courts' perspective. Family Law Section Chair Jane Estreicher spoke to the forum in April about such litigation on behalf of family law practitioners.

In the past, the Supreme Court lobbied the legislature for money for self-help centers that have no cap on participants' incomes, while the Bar has consistently argued there should be an income cap. To help alleviate the problem and end the standoff, Justice Major B. Harding issued an administrative order for the Bar to appoint a committee to study the unbundling of legal services. In addition to this committee, the Citizens Forum was asked to offer an "outsider's" perspective.

Current members of the Bar's Citizens Forum include:

* Dr. Vivian Hobbs, of Tallahassee, chair of the Citizens Forum. Hobbs is a public member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors and a professor in the English Department of Florida A&M University.

* PamelaAdams, of Hollywood, senior vice president for operations and corporate development for HIP Health Plan of Florida, Inc. In addition, Adams serves on the board of directors of the Broward Public Library Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, First Call for Help of Broward, Inc., and United Way of Broward County.

* Dr. Mathis Lee Becker, M.D., of Plantation, a retired surgeon and immediate past-president of the Florida Medical Association. He is a former chief of staff for Plantation General Hospital and Westside Regional Medical Center, Plantation.

* Mabel Bexley, of Tampa, executive director of The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc., a domestic violence center. Bexley has over 17 years of experience working with the poor, law enforcement, local government and the court system and has served as a community representative on the pro bono committee for the 13th Judicial Circuit.

* Ken Cohen, a retiree from Aventura. He is involved in several business ventures, is vice mayor of Aventura and has been active in a long list of civic and political organizations.

* Carla L. Coleman, of Pompano Beach, vice president for university advancement at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Coleman is active in community affairs, including women's issues, and currently serves on a 17th Circuit grievance committee. She is a former non-lawyer member of the Fourth DCA Judicial Nominating Commission.

* Wilfredo J. Gonzalez, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration in Jacksonville. Gonzalez is a former Peace Corps volunteer in South America and Africa and former staff director for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. He currently serves on the Fourth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.

* Kathryn L. Gooderham, of Ft. Myers, a consultant and partner with Gooderham and Associates, a political and environmental consulting company. She has been active in a variety of civic and community groups, including many focused on environmental issues.

* Dr. Pedro J. Greer, Jr., a doctor from Miami. He has been active in Dade County in setting up several clinics to treat the poor and underprivileged, and has been recognized nationally for those efforts. In addition to his private practice, Greer is assistant dean for homeless education at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

* Don Horn, of Miami. Horn is an attorney who serves on The Florida Bar Board of Governors. He is also chair of the Access to the Legal System Committee.

* Sandra R. Kessler, of Jacksonville. Kessler is executive director of the American Lung Association of Florida, Inc., and is active in civic groups, including the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville. She also belongs to several statewide coalitions related to health issues.

* Dr. Wilhelmena Mack, of Ft. Lauderdale. She is vice president of client services with Right Management Consultants and serves on the board of directors for numerous community organizations. Mack is a former public member of Bar Board of Governors and served as the first chair of the Citizens Forum. Additionally, she has received several leadership awards..

* Diana Santa Maria, of Davie. Santa Maria is a trial lawyer and is very active in the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers.

* Dr. James F. Richards, Jr., of Orlando. Richards is a retired certified orthopedic surgeon and is active in both community and religious organizations. He is a past chair of both the Florida Orthopedic Society and the Orange County Medical Society.

* Lt. Stephen W Salvo, of the Brevard County Sheriff's Department. He is an adjunct professor at Brevard Community College and has served on the board of the Police Service Task Force for the cities of Cape Canaveral and Port Canaveral. Salvo has served at all levels of the sheriff's department, including the diving squad and on the emergency response team.

* Sandra C. Turnquest, of West Palm Beach, deputy director for business resources and director of human resources for the South Florida Water Management District. She is active in several professional and civic groups, including Leadership Palm Beach County, the American Management Association, Society for Human Resources, National Forum for Black Public Administrators and the Florida A&M University Alumni Association.

* Renee A. Williams, director of Arts and Cultural Affairs for the City of Tampa. Williams is active in various community organizations, including the Hillsborough County Arts Council, Performing Arts Center, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Tampa. In addition, she helps oversee nine city departments and several special projects including the Mayor's Alliance for Persons with Disabilities.