Announcements

Following an inaugural year for our OJCC Scholars program, which we thought was non-replicable, we have selected the participants for OJCC Scholars 2026! We will kick off our nine-month program on August 19, 2025, at the Workers' Compensation Institute in Orlando. The depth of this community's future leadership bench is simply amazing, and it is a privilege to work with these exceptional community members as they evolve, grow, and lead! For more on the program, see The Scholar's First (August 2024) and  Scholars 2025 Concludes (April 2025). The 2026 Scholars are: Holley Akers, O'Rourke and Akers, Jacksonville; Florida Coastal School of Law, 2010 Brena Bergman, Goodman McGuffey, Orlando; University of Florida College of Law, 2020 Natalie Cavallaro, Morgan & Morgan, Tallahassee; Cooley Law School, 2015 Isidora Eickelmann, Work Injury Rights, Coral Springs; Florida International University, College of Law, 2015 Ingrid Hagerty, Moran, Kidd, Lyons, et. al., Miami Lakes...

The Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims announces the 2025 OJCC Academy program! The Orlando District Office  will host two programs produced by the Academy Steering Committee. Each is IN PERSON in Orlando, not available by Zoom. The two programs are: The 2025 Paralegal Masterclass "Getting it Done" - on October 23, 2025; 1:30 to 4:30. Masterclass application here . The OJCC Work Comp Academy "The Next Generation" - on October 24, 2025; 8:00-4:00. Attorney application here . The Paralegal Masterclass is designed to be a deep dive into the challenges of Florida workers' compensation litigation - specifically for the non-attorney. There will be information on process, procedure, and the e-JCC filing system. This is now approved for CLE for attorneys or Registered Paralegals!     Application and details for the Paralegal Masterclass here . The Work Comp Academy is in its third year, and continuing a path of excellence. The program is designed for the...

The OJCC team spent a year planning and implementing the OJCC Scholars 2025 program. It launched in August ( see Scholars First ) and induced 9 months of intensive introspection about this community and practice. We concluded at the Forum in April with two substantive presentations and an inspirational commencement speech by the inimitable Glen Weiland, Esq.  We are proud of this effort, this participation, and this achievement. We look now to launch the Scholars 2026. If you are interested, contact any Judge of Compensation Claims to be considered. All participants are nominated by the judges and selected by the Scholars Committee. Pictured from the commencement are:  Judge Ralph Humpries, Glenys Domingo, Aimee Gartland, Elizabeth Yohe, Spencer Shaw, Judge Margret Kerr, Aimee DeGuzman, Bryan Greenberg, Gabriela Sifontes, Mediator AnnaMarie Kim, Damon Pichoff, Stacey Laskin, Gina Jacobs, Glen Weiland, Judge Jonathan Walker, and Judge Langham. The OJCC Scholars program was an ...

In 1997-98, George Kagan was the editor of the 2oth Anniversary issue of the News & 440 Report. He devoted Volume XX, No. 1 and No. 2 to recounting the amazing history of the Florida Bar Workers' Compensation section.  He was celebrating his years as Editor and telling a story. George has always been exceptional at telling a story.  He noted that "there were side fluctuations in frequency and size of the" News between inception of the section and its decennial (1974-1984). He credited Steve Rissman as the first Editor until 1981, followed by Jonathan Alpert, Steve Kronenberg, and Peter Burkhart for a year each until George took over in 1984.  The issues include full verbatim republication of early Kagan articles, and mention of iconic figures like those above and Jack Miller, Al Frierson, and Stephen Slepin. There is credit for all these, but it can be said that the 440 Report as we now know it owes much to Mr. Kagan. This is echoed in the Volume XX, No.1 Editor notes...

About two years ago, the OJCC began offering attorneys the option to key settlement data (amounts) in the process of uploading Motions for Approval of Attorney Fees and Child Support. We are in the process of software updates that will soon make that data input a mandatory part of uploading those motions.  Separately, we are working on programming to do the same for Interim Attorney Fees and Side-stipulation Fees that accompany or are associated with Motions for Approval of Attorney Fees and Child Support. Watch e-JCC for news on these changes coming soon. 

March 2025     You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c91j6xn26e4      Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/49bKrjxYwMu16QkhvhsRGV December 2024       YouTube         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab5Uk8CYhk4 October 2024      Spotify      https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Qkf7hkyyns8EbcHEVMIc6   September 2024      YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwrH3PCmzg&list=PLN_98Yq-m6iDLwW5UJ7sQEMALxOs_h0It&index=1      Spotify            https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kBKSCY6lI2N9b2yXFLsZY    August 2024 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec2dBXiiG-0&list=PLN_98Yq-m6iDLwW5UJ7sQEMALxOs_h0It&index=2      Spotify       https://open.spotify.com/episode/019YK7Y7syJGS86rIuazrm   WCI Special 2024      YouTube   https://www.youtube...