Tampa attorney
When you decide to hire a personal injury attorney in Tampa, one of your first steps should be to verify that the attorney you choose has the proper credentials to represent you. For example, your Tampa personal injury attorneyshould be certified by the Florida Bar to practice law in this state. You also may want to ask if your lawyer is approved by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and other prestigious organizations. On a local level, you can be assured that attorneys who join the Hillsborough County Bar Association have agreed to make a positive impact on the community.
The Hillsborough County Bar Association has a membership of more than 3,700 lawyers and legal professionals whose practices are located in Hillsborough County. The mission of the Hillsborough County Bar Association is to promote respect for the justice system, the law, and local attorneys by serving the legal profession and serving the community through a variety of programs. Some of the benefits offered by the Hillsborough County Bar Association include:
A lawyer referral service for people who need legal assistance
The "Ask a Lawyer" program on WTVT-FOX13 for viewers to call and receive free advice for legal questions
The Lawyers for Literacy program
Law Follies, an annual comedy show poking fun at the legal profession
Continuing legal education for member attorneys
Courthouse tours and mock trials for students
A peer review program to encourage the high standards expected of Hillsborough County Bar members
Standards of professional courtesy to encourage decency and consideration in each attorney's professional dealings
As you can see by the above list, the Hillsborough County Bar Association is very focused on community service, and it plans to do more good in the community than ever before. All in all, the Hillsborough County Bar Association wants the Tampa Bay area to know that, regardless of public perception, lawyers are good people and work hard to make life better for all of us.
Tampa Personal Injury Attorney with Membership to The Florida Bar Association
Every attorney who wants to practice law in the state of Florida must be a member of The Florida Bar. The Florida Bar is an association of all lawyers who are licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice law in this state. Before hiring an attorney, Floridians should first make sure that the attorney has legitimate and up-to-date credentials with The Florida Bar association. For example, you can be assured that each Tampa personal injury attorney at Clark and Martino, P.A., is a current member in good standing with The Florida Bar.
Today, The Florida Bar association has more than 81,000 members. According to Florida's constitution, the Supreme Court of Florida has the ultimate authority to regulate and discipline people who are practicing law in Florida. As part of the Supreme Court of Florida, The Florida Bar prosecutes unethical lawyers, helps clients who may have been victimized by lawyer fraud in Florida, and provides several other services to the public. Many people are surprised to learn that The Florida Bar association and all of its functions are not supported by state tax dollars.
The history of the term "bar" is quite interesting. It began in England during the early 1300s when a system of courts was established to settle disagreements among the people. In these early days, court cases were held in open gathering places. Courts quickly grew in number, and people looked forward to court sessions as an opportunity for entertainment, socializing, and education. Soon, court had to be held in fields to accommodate the crowds.
In the midst of the ensuing chaos, courts put up boundaries to separate the public audience from the legal proceedings. Those boundaries were constructed out of logs, known as "bars." Eventually, practicing law meant you were admitted "into the bar." The term "bar" is now defined as a group of people practicing law in a certain location.
The Florida State Bar Association began as a voluntary association in 1907. During its 100 years in existence, the name was simplified to The Florida Bar and admission became mandatory for attorneys practicing law in Florida. Even though it's illegal to practice law in Florida without being a member of The Florida Bar, it's still wise for people to double-check that their attorney is, in fact, a current member of The Florida Bar.
Tampa Personal Injury Attorney with Membership to the American Association for Justice
Personal injury trial attorneys hold a special role in protecting the rights of all Americans. The great majority of people don't have the resources and legal knowledge to take their cases to court by themselves; therefore, they often turn to a personal injury attorney for assistance. At Clark and Martino, P.A., we meet with local people every day who need a Tampa personal injury attorney to help them recover expenses related to auto accident injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and much more. We find it very rewarding to promote the public good by representing those who cannot represent themselves.
To advance this cause of justice nationwide, each Tampa personal injury attorney at Clark and Martino, P.A., is a member of the American Association for Justice. The American Association for Justice is an international coalition of attorneys, paralegals, law professors, and law students. With more than 56,000 members worldwide, the American Association for Justice is the world's largest bar.
Some of the organization's main efforts are to:
Support justice and fairness for injured persons
Safeguard the rights of victims
Uphold the right to a trial by jury
Advance education and disclosure of information important to public health and safety
Provide lawyers with information and professional assistance to serve clients successfully
The roots of the American Association for Justice date back to 1946 when a group of nine attorneys representing industrial accident victims met to create the National Association of Claimants' Compensation Attorneys (NACCA). The group soon attracted a wide following of attorneys involved in all facets of trial advocacy including personal injury, railroad, and admiralty lawyers. Due to this growth, NACCA changed its name four times during its history. The organization's final name change to the American Association for Justice occurred in 2006.
For many decades, personal injury attorneys have helped average Americans obtain a safer workplace, safer products, safer roads, safer healthcare, and much more.
Information about the Deposition Process from Tampa Personal Injury Attorney
For many personal injury cases, it's necessary to take depositions. Simply defined, a deposition is testimony from a witness. Deposition testimony is taken under oath and outside of the courtroom. The transcript, or record, of a deposition then becomes part of the court's file.
Having a combined 100 years of experience as a Tampa personal injury attorney firm, Clark and Martino, P.A., has found that depositions can be a stressful experience for some of our clients. It's understandable how a deposition can be unsettling, as it usually involves answering a lot of questions, and all of those answers become part of a permanent record that the witness could be asked about later at a trial. Whenever you are faced with the possibility of a deposition, consider these pointers:
Dress for a deposition in a way that would make you presentable during a trial before a judge and jury.
Ask your Tampa personal injury attorney about the rules beforehand, for example, how many breaks you will get or whether you're allowed to ask for a break if you need one.
There's no need to rush with your answers. A deposition is not a timed event. Feel free to stop and think about what you want to say before you answer.
It's not recommended that you improvise, adlib, or give extra information. Be truthful and keep your answers as short as possible. Answers like, "Yes," "No," "I don't remember," and "I don't know" are perfectly acceptable as long as they are true.
If you offer more information than what is being requested, you risk being asked more questions later.
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