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On January 12, 2021, Rebecca Bandy, director of the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism, was awarded the 2021 Champion of Professionalism Award, hosted and presented by Ita M. Neymotin, regional counsel for The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second District Court of Appeal (by Zoom).
This award was created by Regional Counsel, Second District, in 2019 to recognize an individual who has shown exemplary professionalism and ethical qualities in his/her work environment and in his/her interactions with the other members in the legal profession, as well as community partners.
Bandy co-founded her high school’s award-winning mock trial team. Later, Bandy served as the director of Alumni Relations at the Florida State University College of Business and as the assistant director of Alumni and Development at the Florida State University College of Law.
She currently serves on the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Professionalism. Bandy regularly speaks to legal professionals, law school students, and The Florida Bar staff on professionalism, mindfulness-based emotional intelligence, the impacts of loneliness, mentoring, networking, gratitude, resilience, interpersonal communications skills, active listening, implicit bias, and team building. She participated in Regional Counsel Second District’s Families, Children, Mental Health, Professionalism and the Courts Seminar on November 30, 2018, and gave an inspirational speech on emotional intelligence.
In attendance were distinguished speakers and guests including judges and elected officials. Friends and family members of Ms. Bandy were also in attendance at this event.