The Florida Bar issued the following announcement on Aug. 4.
The venerable Dade County Bar Association is changing its name to the Miami-Dade Bar (MDB).
Founded in the early 1900’s, and officially incorporated in 1920 by a handful of attorneys, today, the Miami-Dade Bar serves the more than 19,000 attorneys in the county and continues its mission to support and inform the county’s lawyers, as well as the community at large.
“With the impending transition of the historic Dade County Courthouse to a boutique hotel, and the development of a new Miami-Dade County Civil Courthouse, our members felt that it was finally time to join the county and bring us out of the past and into the future,” said immediate past President Jane Muir. “We have proudly held the name Dade County Bar Association for more than 100 years, and we will be just as proud to remain in service to the community as the Miami-Dade Bar.”
“Nothing from an operational standpoint will change,” said Executive Director Bret Berlin. “MDB owns the four-story building at 123 N. W. First Avenue in Downtown Miami and will continue to serve its membership from this headquarters location. The Legal Aid Society and the bar association’s pro bono programs, which provide free and low-cost legal services as well as lawyer referral services for the general public, will also continue to operate on the first and third floors.
“Between COVID and the recent tragedy in Surfside, our community needs us now more than ever,” said MDB President Sabrina Puglisi.
In late July, in an effort to assist the victims and families of the Surfside community affected by the June 24 condominium collapse, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael E. Hanzman appointed the MDB to manage all non-litigation pro-bono work. Volunteer attorneys will help with any insurance, probate, property and other matters associated with the tragedy.
In addition to serving the community, the MDB is finding new ways to serve the legal community as well. Over the past year, Muir and the executive committee have embarked on an ambitious plan to renovate the 1960s-era building, which is in walking distance to several courthouses.
“We want to provide members with additional resources and benefits, including a business center and hospitality suite environment,” Muir said.
Once the renovation is complete, member attorneys will have access to work areas, meeting rooms, a lounge, and a place to store personal belongings while in court, in addition to the existing benefits such as: daily opportunities to network with others in the legal profession, opportunities for continuing legal education and community service, as well as discount programs and professional liability insurance products.
“The Miami-Dade Bar remains committed to our community and our membership,” Puglisi said. “Miami is a city that is culturally diverse and constantly changing with the times. The new name simply reflects our desire to stay responsible, relatable and relevant.”
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