Elizabeth S Conan

In September 2016, I found out I passed the bar, however, I had not yet received my C&F clearance. I had some concerns that there were things in my past that may be giving the BBE pause. I wish I had contacted Ms. Conan right then instead of waiting until December 2016 when I got my notice to appear ...for an investigative hearing. My notice included several issues that I did not expect. Despite this, I thought about choosing the very first hearing I could attend, and handling it on my own. When I spoke to my employer about this, I was advised against handling it on my own, and was given some recommendations for attorneys. Initially, I consulted another attorney who did not deter me from picking the first available hearing date (February 2017), told me 4-6 weeks of once a week hearing prep would be the focus of the preparation, and that ultimately I had a 50-50 shot at being cleared. All of this without taking a look at my bar application. I found Ms. Conan's reviews online, and knew that a friend had also been working with her. I called her next, and knew right away that I wanted to work with her, too. Ms. Conan was very informative about what the process of preparing for a hearing should look like, which was far more extensive than the other attorney had lead me to believe, and that a better estimate of when I would be adequately prepared was May 2017 at the earliest. I really did not want to drag out this process until May, an entire 5 months later, but ultimately, she was right. Ms. Conan did an extremely thorough review of my bar application and amendments, helped me comb through the documents that the BBE had put together in their investigation, and gave me a 20+ page review of all the things that could be improved via further amendments. For months she reviewed my various drafts, answered my millions of questions, and scheduled times to do hearing preparation over the phone (since I do not live in the Orlando area). She prepared multiple pages of tailored questions for me to review and prepare for. They were not questions that I wanted to be asked, but I knew would be asked. Dealing with the emotional aspect ahead of time and being able to think through the response was critical in my ability to be thoughtful and honest during the hearing. It gave me a chance to think about the question from the BBE's perspective and to try to understand what they really want to know - what is at the heart of the concern. That's essentially what Ms. Conan helps you to understand. I followed Ms. Conan's advice and guidance as closely as possible, I would say I followed through with about 95% of what was suggested to me. I did not always think what was being asked of me was entirely necessary, but I trusted Ms. Conan's experience and judgment. I put together a 30 page-ish amendment, with just about as many pages in supporting documentation. I did all the volunteer work and other requirements Ms. Conan suggested. Together we set reasonable deadlines, which I strived to meet, even though I was working full time, and no matter how busy Ms. Conan was, she met hers. We communicated almost weekly. During the last couple of weeks, when the enormity of the hearing began to weigh on me, Ms. Conan was patient and kind and offered words of compassion. Ultimately, I had my hearing in May 2017 - and it had actually taken me up until then to adequately prepare. I found out a little less than a week after the hearing that my admission had been recommended by the panel and I had been cleared! Ms. Conan was professional, extremely thorough and knowledgeable, organized, and kind. My goal when I was looking for an attorney was to find someone who would help me place myself in the best position possible prior to and during the hearing, and would treat me with kindness and respect. While no one can do the [tremendous amount of] work for you, Ms. Conan is the best guide I could've asked for.

I retained Ms. Conan in 2016 after receiving an investigative hearing notice from the FL bar. Obviously I was pretty concerned about the possibility of being denied admission to the bar after spending over 2 years in law school. From the start, Ms. Conan was attentive, knowledgable, and caring.... We discussed the issues in my background and for the first time in a while I didn't feel judged about it. Ms. Conan seemed more interested in giving me the advice I needed - rather than just selling me a service. After a few days of reading up on these hearings, I decided to retain Ms. Conan. From day one, she was always available when I needed. Ms. Conan takes the time to make sure you fully understand each step of the process and the pros/cons of each action. Most importantly, she will tell you exactly what the Bar expects from the applicant - which is something my law school neglected to explain. Ms. Conan will review your application with a fine tooth comb. Then she will somehow find more background issues that you probably don't know about (dont panic). She will ask you to amend your application - keeping in mind her well thought out notes and suggestions. During this time, Ms. Conan will have you taking steps to "rehabilitate" your character. This rehabilitation depends upon the facts of your case. Ms. Conan seems to tailor every step to you and your specific case. She will also prepare you for the hearing itself. This was the hard part. She takes the place of the hearing officer and drills you on you background. After each series of questions, she will give you input on how your answer is formulated. She knows exactly what the Bar wants to hear. Once you get to the hearing, you're pretty much on your own - since the rules don't allow her to speak on your behalf. However, she is by your side the whole time, which really calms the nerves. Her role at this point is to ensure the bar doesn't violate your rights or stray from the proper procedures. Also, she knew my interviewers on a first name basis. I think that fact alone is worth its weight in gold. I truly believe that her presence brought a higher level of legitimacy to my hearing. My hearing was quick and covered the areas which we prepared. I spoke honestly and concisely (Just like Ms. Conan prescribed). About a week later, I had received notice that I was cleared. Ms. Conan was with me all the way. She is well worth the money. While I think it's possible to handle this hearings alone, I would not recommend it. Hire someone who knows these bar procedures and understands what the bar really wants from you. I cannot reccomended Elizabeth Conan enough!

I received notice for an investigative hearing with the board of bar examiners. Ms. Conan helped make the process go smoothly, which in turn helped to reduce anxiety. She asked questions to prepare me for the hearing and gave instructions in advance which also very helpful. My only regret was that I ...did not know about her services while I was completing my initial bar application. It might have saved me from being called for a hearing.

I came to know of Ms. Conan because of a presentation she gave at my school. After I received my notice to appear for an investigative hearing, I immediately thought of Ms. Conan. After our initial consultation, I knew I was going to hire her. She is extremely knowledgeable about the investigative he...aring process of the Florida Bar and she was able to put me at ease during what was a very stressful time. Ms. Conan was available by phone or email to answer my many many questions, no matter how redundant. She always stayed positive through the process and kept me informed the entire way. A week after my hearing, I received my clearance. I do not believe I would have been cleared without Ms. Conan's help. If you are having to go before the Board, I highly recommend Ms. Conan.

There are not enough words to describe the professionalism and kindness displayed by Elizabeth through the handling of my board matter. She reviewed everything thoroughly and was always promptly available for questions and clarifications. I felt extremely well represented by Elizabeth who was very pr...ofessional and well respected by board members. Do not think twice about hiring an attorney for a board matter and more importantly look for Elizabeth as your best option.