The Bencher, the magazine for The American Inns of Court, reported on a mock oral argument and CLE presented by members of the First  District American Appellate Inn of Court. Bryan Gowdy and Rebecca, both members of the Inn, participated. The CLE was for trial attorneys representing low-income and vulnerable clients, including primarily the attorneys of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, of which Bryan is currently the board president. Bryan was an advocate during the mock oral argument, and Rebecca served as a panelist to answer questions from the trial attorneys. The Inn consists of judges from the First District Court of Appeal and attorneys from northern Florida who regularly practice before the court. The Inn strives to promote professionalism amongst the court's bar.   

See article here

Bryan Gowdy will be one of two speakers at the Florida Justice Association's Case Law Insider Seminar on August 9, 2013. Bryan will discuss the impact of the new Florida Supreme Court decision of Franks v. Bowers, which invalidated an arbitration agreement in the medical malpractice context. SC11-1258, 2013 WL 3064807 (Fla. 2013). This arbitration decision protects the rights of Florida's patients subjected to medical malpractice. Bryan authored amicus briefs filed in support of the patient's estate at both the Supreme Court of Florida and the First District Court of Appeal.

Jessie Harrell was featured in The Resident for her non-legal writing, along with three other Jacksonville attorneys who write fiction for fun. Jessie published a young adult novel, Destined, in November 2011 and has co-authored another novel that is currently on submission.

A federal court blocked efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to quash state court subpoenas issued on three Florida state government employees. Creed & Gowdy argued that HHS had promulgated an invalid regulation and had unlawfully granted itself the power to block such subpoenas contrary to congressional intent. The federal court agreed in its written order. See the order here. Creed & Gowdy was providing trial support to trial counsel, Abbott Law Group, P.A. and Powell, Powell, & Powell, in a case set to go to trial on July 22, 2013 in state court in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The federal order will allow trial counsel to subpoena the three state employees to testify at trial.    

Bryan Gowdy, on behalf of the Florida Justice Association (FJA), submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of a patient in a medical malpractice arbitration case of Franks v. Bowers. The amicus brief supported the patient's claim that the form arbitration agreement drafted by his medical provider was void for public policy because it capped the amount of damages below those authorized by the Legislature in the Medical Malpractice Act. The Supreme Court of Florida agreed with the patient and the FJA. Franks v. Bowers, -- So. 3d - (Fla. 2013), 2013 WL 3064807 at *1.