38th Environmental Permitting Summer School

Stay current on laws/rules, Get up to speed on the latest ethics cases, Protect yourself in contracts, and Reduce your exposure to risks

Come join our panel of experts in a 4-hour interactive, small group setting, as they provide the practicing engineer with the keys to a successful practice, including the essential updates that govern the practice of engineering in the state of Florida, issues affecting federal contractors and subcontractors, and the latest “best practices” to manage professional risk to yourself and your firm. Our experts will help guide you with concrete strategies and tips for managing risks, including work practices, protective contract language, and deciphering the complexities of other risk management tools such as insurance and bonding. Additionally, you will receive the latest instruction on any changes to the rules and statutes affecting the engineer, as well as any guidance resulting from individual disciplinary and unlicensed practice cases. This session will also include a one-hour presentation on Engineer Ethics to fulfill the Florida Board of Professional Engineering Continuing Education requirement for the renewal cycle. During the presentation, we will discuss, in-depth, some specific disciplinary cases related to Ethics and a Case Study in Professional Engineer Ethics. Don’t miss this opportunity to tune up your professional practice knowledge and prepare yourself and your firm to manage professional risk. (As a bonus, you will also be satisfying your biennial Laws, Rules, and Ethics continuing education requirements in a far more rewarding way than taking another online quiz!) Instructors: Michael Harding, Kellie Tomeo

Join us for a panel discussion on business, ethics and technology for the modern environmental professional! 

Whether you are an engineer, lawyer, or consultant, and whether you practice in the public or the private sector, your clients rely on you to provide adaptable, ethical, effective, quality work. This panel is designed to help all types of environmental professionals adapt to ever-changing work environments and constantly-updating technologies while working within the existing ethical paradigms and standards of practice. 

The first half of this year’s panel will include an increased focus on security and best practices for securing and ensuring access to work outside the office, and will discuss the use of new technology, including chatbots and AI. It will also provide you with tools, tips, tricks, and resources to be able to provide that work whether you work in the office, in the field, or in a coffee shop, and will include a discussion of how the various ethical requirements for attorneys and other environmental professionals interplay with the increasing use of technology. It will also discuss the intricacies of moving between the public and private sectors and analyze various ethical rules related to switching from public to private clients, working in a remote locations, and various public records laws. Panelists will provide practical pointers to address each of these issues and offer tried-and-true advice to help professionals become more organized and effective by using digital devices to their full capabilities in light of ethical responsibilities. Part I of the session will finish with a discussion on troubleshooting your most vexing and everyday annoyances problems encountered using technology. Attendees are encouraged to come with questions for the panelists.

After the break, the second half of the session will focus on the online technology tools created by environmental agencies that environmental professionals can use to find answers to client questions and research queries. Part II will explore a variety of database tools provided by water management districts and DEP including DEP’s Geospatial Open Data Portal and StoryMaps. The panel will feature agency personnel and experienced users to learn the latest tips and tricks to make online information searches yield the best results. This will be an interactive experience and dialogue to explore and hone the skills environmental professionals need to effectively use these online resources. The session is designed to educate both the novice and the experienced technology user and is expected to generate Florida Bar CLE credits for ethics and technology. BYOD – Bring Your Own Device and Follow Along!

Part I – Using Technology to Work Effectively in and out of the Office  Instructors: Kathryn B. Rossmell,  F. Joseph Ullo, Jr., Danielle Irwin

Part II – Government Agency Resources and Databases  Instructors: Carlyn Kowalsky, Akin Owosina, Julia Lomonico

It is an extraordinary time for action on resilience in Florida.  Storms continue to occur that spur a need for effective action.  State funding is raising awareness in every community on the risks posed today and in the future from tropical events, sea level rise and other evolving conditions, and state and federal government agencies and private sector companies are focusing more attention and investing significant funds to reduce risks and ensure the viability of Florida communities.  Also, commitments to continue to protect and enhance the natural environment, so important in the State, from threats today and into the future, are advancing rapidly. 
 
As the pace of investment continues to increase, and conditions worsen, the tools and processes required to support effective investing are being further developed and refined.  The participants on this panel represent both government and private sector interests and will share experiences and best practices on how to be effective in identifying risks, communicating the need for investment, advocating for action, achieving success in state/federal funding processes, and moving forward with a capital program that ensures long-term community viability.  
 
Join our panel to discuss strategies and actions being implemented in Florida and nationally that represent effective pre and post/disaster mitigation and resiliency adaptation at the local, state, and federal levels of government, and within the private sector.