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.

Extremely helpful attorney. I hired Ms. Conan some years ago, and it was a great decision. She is extremely knowledgable in representing individuals when the Florida Bar is doing any investigation. She is thorough and detailed. She helped me tremendously. I am forever indebted to her efforts. M...s. Conan is an amazing attorney with an immense heart. Highly recommended!

I retained Ms. Conan after receiving notice to appear before the FL Board of Bar Examiners for an investigative hearing. From the first time I spoke with Ms. Conan, up until the date of my hearing, she was both insightful and diligent in her representation. And while Ms. Conan always treated me as a ...professional, she always did her best to make me feel comfortable in the months leading up to my hearing. It was obvious from her former work with the FL Board that she understood the ins-and-outs of the admission process, and that this insight significantly aided in her representation. At the hearing itself, I was prepared to answered every question that the Board asked me thanks to Ms. Conan. The following week, I was successfully admitted. All in all, the whole process was very stressful; however, if there was one constant, it was that I felt confident in Ms. Conan's representation. I can say with complete confidence that Ms. Conan is a skilled and knowledgeable attorney. If you are considering representation, I strongly recommend retaining Elizabeth Conan - it will definitely be worth it.

I had a felony arrest when I was nineteen, a misdemeanor marijuana arrest also at nineteen, and treatment for depression. I did not include my felony arrest on my original law school application, but amended my law school application before starting law school. I did not include my treatment for depr...ession on my original Florida bar application. I called Ms. Conan after I started hearing comments and reading that Florida has the toughest character and fitness process of any state. When I called, Ms. Conan actually answered the phone and spent thirty minutes speaking with me before I even retained her. I retained her the next day and sent to her my Florida bar application and supporting documentation. Ms. Conan's review of my bar application was thorough - too thorough I originally thought, but this is exactly the level of thoroughness that the Board applies to its review of any application. Ms. Conan had many recommendations and questions regarding my application. Based on Ms. Conan's review and our conversation I submitted approximately 19 pages of amendments to my original Florida bar application. Initially I did not agree with some of the items Ms. Conan wanted me to disclose. But I did disclose those items, and during the investigative hearing it was clear that Ms. Conan was spot-on regarding what the Board wanted. Ms. Conan does an excellent job of anticipating questions that the Board will have. Yes, the process is painful and even kafkaesque, but Ms. Conan knows what she is doing. Because of her advice I went to my informal hearing with the Board well-prepared. Most important, however, is that Ms. Conan convinced me that I had to go into that Board hearing and answer questions with absolute candor. This is not an easy thing to do and does not feel natural, especially when you are being asked questions about the most shameful and hurtful experiences of your life. But as long as you make an effort to be as candid as you can, admit your mistakes and explain that you learned from them, you will do well. Ms. Conan will run you through a drill asking you the type of questions you can expect from the Board. And she will be sitting right next to you during the hearing - if you have one. Some closing comments. Ms. Conan is honest and operates at a level of integrity one does not often see. Ms. Conan does not judge you, instead she is honest, even if what she tells you is not what you want to hear. In terms of responsiveness, Ms. Conan usually answered the phone when I called. If I left a message she called back that same day. If I sent her an email, she responded within hours. When she is going to be out of town, Ms. Conan will let you know ahead of time. Ms. Conan is a consummate attorney whose practice focuses on admission to the Florida Bar. Applying to the Florida Bar is a serious and daunting process. Do yourself a favor and at least reach out to Ms. Conan - it could save you months in terms of finally being admitted.

When I first received the hearing letter I was mortified! I thought about going through the process alone but I know legal counsel would be more effective. Elizabeth told me more in our first conversation than I'd learned my entire 1st yr of law school with respect to the Florida Bar. She set deadlin...es and worked with my busy schedule to ensure all necessary documents & briefs were in early and accurate. I felt completely aware of what would happen when we entered the hearing and was able to stay calm and composed throughout the while ordeal. When we arrived, a few people knew her name and reputation I'd gather. I was cleared fairly quickly and I have no doubt that it was due to her great efforts in my case!