40th 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

The explosion of AI, work-from-anywhere capabilities, new digital tools, and heightened client
expectations have dramatically altered the face of work for environmental professionals. 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 newly-updated panel is
designed to help translate the capabilities of these new technologies, and of frequently-used but often
misunderstood concepts, into practical information for all types of environmental professionals.

The first half of this year’s panel will cover effective integration of emerging technologies in the workplace,
with an increased focus on artificial intelligence, security, and recent updates to widely-used software. It
will also provide a discussion of pitfalls and red flags with a focus on maximizing efficiency within an ethical
framework. The panelists will unpack the intricacies of public records laws and when attorney-client
privilege covers the work of consultants. Panelists will focus on providing practical pointers to address
each of these issues and provide real-world examples as illustrations. Part I of the session will finish with
a discussion on troubleshooting your most vexing and everyday annoyances using technology. Attendees
are encouraged to come with questions for the panelists.

After the break, the second half of the session will delve into the world of consultants as expert witnesses
and the importance of using technology to support your credibility, develop your expert opinions, and
effectively present your opinions to a court at trial, with an emphasis on practical tips and best practices
in using technology in the courtroom. Panelists will also provide useful insight into the latest online
technology tools that environmental professionals can use to find answers to client questions, conduct
research queries, and support everyday work functions.

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 – The New Era of Workplace Technology Instructors: Kathryn B. Rossmell, F. Joseph Ullo, Jr.,
Gina Chiello, Lauren Brooks

Part II – Government Agency Resources and Databases Instructors: Julia Lomonico, David O’Brien, Christine Wentzel, Melissa Lawrence