The International Law Section (“ILS”) of The Florida Bar remains in good hands as Harper Meyer Partner Jacqueline Villalba takes over the reins from the immediate past Chair, Harper Meyer Partner James Meyer.
The transition occurred at the 72nd annual Florida Bar Convention in Orlando, Florida, on June 24, 2022. This year’s event focused on the Bar’s adaption to changes in technology, the courts, and the legal profession itself.
Jacqueline brings to the ILS a wealth of experience in her legal field, which will undoubtedly benefit its members during her term. She is a Board-Certified Immigration and Nationality Law specialist who is highly qualified in the areas of business and family-based immigration. Additionally, she is past Chair of the International Law Section’s Women in International Law Committee and of the Section’s Foreign Legal Consultant Committee. A previously selected Florida Rising Star attorney, Jacqueline has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the South Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association as well as Chair and Co-Chair of various AILA South Florida committees.
During James Meyer’s successful term as Chair, from June 2021 to June 2022, the ILS resumed in-person meetings and hosted various events that had previously been halted due to the pandemic. These events included the long-awaited iLaw 2022 conference, the ILS’s signature event, which included opening and closing plenary sessions, a keynote speaker at lunch, and three parallel tracks focused on international litigation, international business transactions, and ICDR international arbitration. Members were ecstatic to be able to attend this event in person once again and learn from some of the best in the field while networking and sharing their knowledge with fellow colleagues.
ILS members can continue looking forward to increased opportunities for collegiality in the coming months. As part of a cautious return to normal activity, Jacqueline is planning to build on this momentum by continuing to provide its members with opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. She has outlined an ambitious year of events filled with engaging activities that will aim to bolster the Section’s mission of exchanging information and best practices, meeting and mingling with colleagues, and forming professional alliances that aim to improve the understanding of the specialty and aid its members in overcoming both short-term and long-term work obstacles. These events will focus on boosting engagement in the ILS and signing several cooperation agreements with foreign bar associations. Other exciting events will include multiple interesting and informative events for members and even a fantasy football league!
The Harper Meyer community congratulates Partners Jim and Jackie and is energized for the 2022-2023 ILS year.