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Mary is an attorney and partner with the law firm of Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A. She is also a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator; a Supreme Court Certified Appellate Mediator; and a Certified Arbitrator. She has been in practice since 1998 in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, and is the head of the Firm's Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. Mary concentrates her mediation and litigation practice in the areas of commercial litigation, condominium and homeowner association law, probate litigation, landlord/tenant law, and mobile home law. Mary has a Bachelor's degree from Florida State University (Fine Arts, cum laude), and from Georgia State University (Journalism, with honors), and she received her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law (magna cum laude).
Mary was the recipient of several academic awards in law school, and was a member of the Georgia State University Law Review, where two of her articles were published. She has volunteered as a judge for the Stetson College of Law annual International Environmental Moot Court Competition for many years, and this year judged the Arbitration competition. Mary has also served as a Coach for the St. Stephen'sCollegePreparatory School's Mock Trial Team in statewide competition. She has spoken widely on the topics of mediation, community association law and landlord-tenant law to civic and professional organizations in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, including The West Florida Chapter Community Associations Institute, of which the firm has been a member for many years.
Mary is currently the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the West Florida Chapter Community Associations Institute. She is also President of the Board of Directors for the Friends of De Soto National Memorial, for which she recently secured a National Environmental Education Foundation grant funded by Toyota for board development. Mary is a member and past board member of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Manatee Chapter, and is a member of the Manatee and Sarasota Bar Associations. She is licensed to practice in Florida, Georgia, the Middle District of Florida (federal), and the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
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1205 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34205 |
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| Association name | Position name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County Bar Association | Member | N/A |
| Florida Academy of Professional Mediators | Member | N/A |
| Stetson University College of Law Moot Court | Judge | N/A |
| Appellate Section of the Florida Bar | Member | N/A |
| Manatee County Bar Association | Member | N/A |
| Real Property Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar | Member | N/A |
| Florida Association for Women Lawyers Manatee Chapter | Board Member | 2008 - 2014 |
| Friends of De Soto National Memorial | President | N/A |
| Community Associations Institute West Florida Chapter | Vice-President, Board of Directors | 2012 - 2013 |
| Community Associations Institute, West Florida Chapter | Board of Directors | N/A |
| Community Associations Institute, West Florida Chapter | President, Board of Directors | 2014 - 2015 |
| Inn of Court, Manatee County, Florida | Vice President | 2014 - 2015 |
| Inn of Court, Manatee County, Florida | President | N/A |
| Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
|---|---|---|
| Sworn in to practice before the US Supreme Court | United States Supreme Court | 2015 |
| Magna cum laude | Georgia State University, College of Law | 1998 |
| Outer Barristers' Guild Award | Outer Barristers | 1998 |
| Best Legislative History "Peach Sheet" Award | Georgia State University, College of Law | 1997 |
| Golden Key National Honor Society | Georgia State University | 1989 |
| Certified Circuit Civil Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Appellate Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Court Appointed Arbitrator | Florida | 2024 |
| Certified Circuit Civil Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Appellate Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Court Appointed Arbitrator | Florida | 2024 |
| Certified Circuit Civil Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Appellate Mediator | Florida Supreme Court | 2024 |
| Certified Court Appointed Arbitrator | Florida | 2024 |
| School name | Degree | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Florida State University | Bachelor of Fine Arts | 1983 |
| Georgia State University | Bachelor of Arts | 1989 |
| Georgia State University College of Law | Juris Doctor | 1998 |
| Case name | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Magnolia Village Homeowners’ Ass’n. v. Magnolia Village, Inc., 758 So.2d 1201 (Fla. 5th DCA 2000) | N/A |
| Malco Industries, Inc. v. Featherock Homeowners’ Ass’n., Inc., 854 So.2d 755 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003) | N/A |
| State | Number | Status | Acquired | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 162868 | Member in Good Standing | 1999 | 09/12/2019 |
| GA | Inactive Member in Good Standing | 1998 | 08/01/2019 |
| Publication name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| The West Florida Wire | Hurricane Shutter Policies | 2014 |
| The West Florida Wire | Mediation and Arbitration - What You Should Know | 2009 |
| Georgia State University Law Review-lead article | Liability Limbo | 1999 |
| Georgia State University Law Review | Legislative History of Interstate Compacts to Allocate Surface Water Resources Between Georgia, Florida and Alabama | 1997 |
| Conference name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| East Manatee and Anna Maria Island Lunch & Learn | Disability Accommodations under Florida and federal fair housing acts | 2015 |
| West Florida Chapter, Community Associations Institute, Board of Directors’ Certification Course | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 2014 |
| West Florida Chapter, Community Associations Institute CA Day | Dealing with the Disabled, Elderly or Hoarding Resident | 2014 |
| East Manatee and Anna Maria Island Lunch & Learn | 2014 Legal Update: Changes in Chapters 718, 719 & 720, Florida Statutes | 2014 |
| East County & Anna Maria Island Lunch & Learns for community association managers and board members | Legal Update and Hot Button Legal Issues | 2014 |
| West Florida Chapter, Community Associations Institute. Bradenton Breakfast | Understanding Co-ops | 2013 |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and Lake Erie College of Dental Medicine | Keynote Speaker: Comparing the Constitutions of the World | 2013 |
| Fall Homeowner Education Seminar | Condominium, Cooperative and Homeowner Association Law | 2013 |
| East Manatee County Lunch and Learn for community association managers and board members | Condominium Association Law. | 2013 |
| East Manatee County Lunch and Learn for community association managers and board members | Mold 101 for Property Managers and Facilities Engineers | 2012 |
| CA Day | Community Association legal advice | 2012 |
| Advanced Management Inc. 2012 Association Director Seminar | Tax deed sales; foreclosures and collection process for the Community | 2012 |
| Owners forum and educational seminar speaker | The Conflict Resolution Process | 2011 |
| Keynote Speaker Consitution Day | Consitutional Attacks on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 | 2011 |
| Ethical Issues for Mediators conference | Termination, Adournment and Cancellation of Mediation | 2011 |
| CA Day - Panel Speaker | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 2011 |
| Program Speaker | Foreclosures | 2010 |
| Luncheon keynote speaker | Mediation and Arbitration | 2010 |
| Lunch and Learn speaker | Mediation and Arbitration for Community Associations | 2010 |
| Lunch and Learn speaker | Mediation and Arbitration: What Community Association Managers Need to Know | 2010 |
| Lunch and Learn Program Speaker | Hot Topics in Community Association Law | 2010 |
| Constitution Day Keynote Speaker | Consitutional Issues Facing Medical Professionals | 2010 |
| Conference for Community Association Managers and Board Members | Collections and Foreclosures | 2010 |
| CA Day -Panel Speaker | Collections and Foreclosures | 2009 |
| Keynote speaker, breakfast meeting | Foreclosures and How They Effect Community Associations | 2008 |
| Title | Company name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Externship | Fulton County Superior Court | 1997 - 1997 |
| Externship | Supreme Court of Georgia | 1997 - 1997 |
| Associate | Lutz, Webb & Bobo | 1998 - 2004 |
| Principal and Shareholder | Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A. | N/A |
