Announcements

  Meet the Experts - November 20, 2026! Bouayad and Beyond Meet the Experts returns November 20, 2026, at 12:00 noon, by Zoom! The discussion will center on Bouayad and Beyond. The shift in "arising out of," burdens of proof, and more.   Meet the Experts Series Moderator: Stuart F. Suskin, Esq.- Private Mediator  Panel:  Michael Winer, Esq.   -  Personal Injury & Workers Comp Attorney; Tampa & Ft. Lauderdale Bill Rogner, Esq. - Attorney & Founder of Hurley & Rogner, Orlando; November 20, 2026- Noon to 1:00pm TITLE: Bouayad and Beyond This one-hour CLE program provides Florida workers' compensation practitioners with an overview of the evolution of Florida’s two-part test: “arising out of” and “course and scope.” This begins with a judicially created definition, statutory adjustment, and various important decisions and interpretations. Topic: Meet the Experts - 11.20.26 Zoom Link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/81556916148 Meeti...

 Preparing for Mediation - Now on Youtube! Watch the Episodes with Three Different Language Subtitles Preparing for Mediation (English Version) Preparing for Mediation (Spanish Version) Preparing for Mediation (French Version)

  Meet the Experts - October 16, 2026! Estes and the Challenges of Calculation Meet the Experts returns October 16, 2026, at 12:00 noon, by Zoom! The discussion will center on Estes and the Challenges of Calculation.  Meet the Experts Series Moderator: Stuart F. Suskin, Esq.- Private Mediator;  Panel:  Hon. Barbara Case - Workers Compensation Judge, West Palm Beach; Randy T. Porcher, Esq. - Personal Injury & Workers Comp Attorney, Tallahassee  Bill Rogner, Esq. - Attorney & Founder of Hurley & Rogner, Orlando; October 16, 2026- Noon to 1:00pm TITLE: Estes and the Challenges of Calculation  This one-hour program explores the statutory and decisional case law background of Florida’s statute of limitations. This will include the long and somewhat challenging series of decisions leading to the en banc holding in Estes, and practical advice on how to calculate the statute of limitations without suffering a headache.  Topic: Meet the Experts - 10...

 Business Law: Continuing Education Seminar  Seminar Information : This half-day program on Oct. 30, 2026 is designed to illuminate various challenges of the employment relationship and provide a detailed education of the various legal elements at play in the state of Florida. This seminar is produced as a joint effort of the UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims, and the Northwest Florida Paralegals Association. Featured speakers will include experienced attorneys, professors, and adjudicators.  Register here Date and Time: Oct. 30, 2026 from 8:30AM to 1:30PM Location: Building 70, Room 115 The Panelists: Hon. Johnathan Walker  Judge Walker was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1997 following graduation from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. Following admission to the Bar, Judge Walker was an assistant state attorney for the First Judicial Circuit in Pensacola for several years. Thereaft...

The Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims announces The 2026 Paralegal Masterclass "Getting it Done" - on October 22, 2026; 1:30 to 4:30. Masterclass application here (or email david.langham@doah.state.fl.us for an application link) 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!   Our Sincere Thanks: The OJCC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of all of our past speakers; a cumulative list will be published when the 2026 faculty is finalized.  We further acknowledge, appreciate, and are indebted to the Academy Steering Committees: 2025/2026 Natalie Cavallaro , Esq. S. Rachel Givens , Esq. Lindsay Koppelman , Esq. Javier Melendez , Esq. Lisa Thomas, Esq. Elizabeth Yohe , Esq. Hon. Margret Kerr Hon. Joh...

We are hosting our Third Annual OJCC Meet and Greet at the WCI 2026. Join us Sunday, August 23, 2026, 5:00-6:00 in the Anaheim, Atlanta, and Boston rooms.  Come join us!

Scholars 2027! Following two years of the OJCC Scholars program, which were exemplary and beyond expectations, we have selected the participants for OJCC Scholars 2027! We will kick off our nine-month program on August 25, 2026 , 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 2027 Scholars are: Jordan Anderson, Anderson & Hart, Tallahassee;  Florida State University’s College of Law, 2016   Amanda Annunciata, Berlin Law Firm; Tampa, Stetson University College of Law, 2014 Stacie Barnes, Schefer Petric & Simpson, West Palm Beach; Nova Southeastern University, 2014 Rachel Dobson, Morgan & Morgan, Ft. Lauderdale; St. Thomas University Law, 2013 & University of Miami School ...

  Meet the Experts - Now on Youtube - Linked Below Catch the First Four Episodes of Meet the Experts Now!  EP. 1: Over 150+ Years of Legal Experience | Jan. 2026 Additional Link to Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC_KcGDMiWo     EP. 2: Handling a Litigated Compensation Claim | Feb. 2026 Additional Link to Episode 2:  https://youtu.be/jsvWI6_FB1c  EP. 3: The Challenges of Litigation Disputes | Mar. 2026 Additional Link to Episode 3:  https://youtu.be/xTlSM8hdBHY  EP. 4: Handling Medical Witness Depositions | April 2026 Additional Link to Episode 4:  https://youtu.be/iYaSw6hiFE8 Want to Catch the Next Episode Before It Airs?  The next episode of Meet the Experts will be available on September 18, 2026, on Zoom from noon until 1PM. The Zoom link and Meeting ID are listed below.  Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/84401596104 Meeting ID: 277 757 3448

Meet the Experts - September 18, 2026! The Perils of AI and the Evolving World Meet the Experts returns September 18, 2026, at 12:00 noon, by Zoom! The discussion will center on the present and future Perils of AI and the Evolving World.  Meet the Experts Series Moderator: Stuart F. Suskin, Esq.- Private Mediator;  Panel:  Christine Harter, Esq. - Supreme Court Attorney Mediator, Marion County; Robert Rodriguez, Esq. - Litigator & Managing Partner, Miami-Dade County; Bill Wieland, Esq. - Trial Attorney, Orange County; September 18, 2026- Noon to 1:00pm TITLE: The Perils of AI and the Evolving World This one-hour CLE program provides Florida workers' compensation practitioners with an overview of the professional and ethical challenges of artificial intelligence as well as technology tips to integrate these tools into the day-to-day of workers’ compensation practice. There are efficiencies and benefits, but there are perils and pitfalls for the lawyer, the fi...

 Meet the Experts returns May 15, 2026 at 12:00 noon, by Zoom!   Afterthoughts that Undermine a Successful Mediation Meet the Experts Series Moderator: Stuart F. Suskin, Esq.- Private Mediator; Panel: The Honorable Lourdes M. Sancerni, Judge of Compensation Claims, Orlando Kate Marshman, Esq.- State Mediator, Tallahassee; Heather Byrer Carbone, Esq.- E/C Attorney, Jacksonville; Ed Williamson, Esq.- Claimant Attorney, Jacksonville; May 15, 2026- Noon to 1:00pm TITLE: Afterthoughts that Undermine a Successful Mediation This program is designed to highlight the pitfalls and challenges of underprepared or unprepared mediation participants. There will be discussion of appropriate pre-mediation communications, setting of expectations, management of expectations, and working through the unexpected or unprepared. The attendee should glean ideas about how and when to pre...

It was a great conclusion to the Scholars 2026 program yesterday. Congratulations to all of the Scholars. Fond transition from Hon. Ralph Humphries and Mediator Kate Marshman. The 2027 committee and schedule will be discussed soon. Those interested in participating should contact any Judge of Compensation Claims for more information. Congratulations Scholars!

The Statewide Nominating Commission for Judges of Compensation Claims (SNCJCC) will meet Friday, April 24, 2026, at 09:30 Eastern Time, at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, 1500 Masters Blvd, Championsgate, FL 33896 (room to be announced) The Applicants for the ORL appointment are: Natalie Cavallaro Silvia Hoeg Kellye Shoemaker

The April 17, 2026 (noon Eastern program will feature advice on preparing for, taking, and presenting expert deposition testimony! Meet the Experts How to take a logical, focused, and effective expert deposition time and again. Friday, April 17, 2026 Link below This one-hour CLE program provides Florida workers' compensation practitioners with a structured, practical framework for preparing, conducting, and following up on medical witness depositions. The course addresses the full lifecycle of expert medical testimony — from pre-deposition preparation and records review through examination strategy and post-deposition considerations. Equal attention is given to substantive litigation strategy and the ethical obligations governing attorney conduct during depositions, including obligations to the tribunal, candor to the court, and professional conduct toward opposing counsel and witnesses. The program draws on real-world scenarios in Florida workers' compensation proceedings ...

Mar 20, 2026 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2777573448?omn=87480220916 Meeting ID: 277 757 3448

  Time: Feb 20, 2026 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2777573448?omn=89237927737 Meeting ID: 277 757 3448 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2777573448?omn=89237927737 Meeting ID: 277 757 3448 One tap mobile +13052241968,,2777573448# US +13126266799,,2777573448# US (Chicago) Approved for CLE Credit: 1.0 General Dawn Traverso received her Bachelor’s degree from Washington & Jefferson College in 1992 and her law degree from D.C. Law in 1995. She is a member of The Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Dawn concentrates her practice in the defense of workers’ compensation, and labor and employment matters. Dawn is the Managing Partner of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale Office of Eraclides, Gelman, Hall, Indek, Goodman, Waters & Traverso. Dawn is a Past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida ...

Meet the Experts! More on that at the close (below), but first some exposition of the origins. This program is the brainchild of Stuart Suskin, and to understand it, you must know Stuart. (Meet Stuart in the December 2025 unCOMPlex podcast on YouTube - discussing this program ); See the brochure here . A long time ago, in another galaxy, I ran into Stuart Suskin. He was a pushy, insistent (made me come to Gainesville instead of appearing by telegraph), and energetic mediator in the early days of mandatory Florida Workers’ Compensation mediation. I represented some clients in Gainesville back in the day, and would travel on horseback to mediate those cases, until the iron horse came to Florida (but that is another story). Long before that, Stuart arrived in Florida in 1513 with Juan Ponce de Leon. Juan was purportedly looking for gold, but Stuart was merely searching for disputes that needed discussion or resolution. His near-pathological love of resolving disputes, no ma...