Amanda Lea Colon

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Law Office of Amanda Colón, P.A. (10/06 – present) Trinity, FL Board Certified Specialist in Marital and Family Law. AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating. Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Qualified Parenting Coordinator in the Fifth, Sixth, and Thirteenth Circuits. Owner/operator of a sole-practitioner law firm handling Marital and Family Law matters at the Trial and Appellate level, trained practitioner in Collaborative Law. Pasco-Hernando Community College (01/08 – 05/09) New Port Richey, FL Adjunct Professor – instructed paralegal certificate students in Legal Issues in Information Technology and Family Law. Developed course syllabus, lesson plans, lectures, tests, and projects. Juvenile Arbitration – (01/07 – 12/08) New Port Richey, FL Hearing Master – Pasco County Juvenile Arbitration Program. Heard testimony and reviewed police reports regarding juveniles who have been diverted from delinquency court. Ordered sanctions for the offenses committed and conducted follow-up hearings at the halfway point of the programs. Attridge, Lucas, Green, Jefferis, Magee and Magazine (06/06 – 10/06) New Port Richey, FL Associate in mid-sized law firm handling Criminal and Family Law matters. Office of the Attorney General (05/04 – 05/06) Tampa, FL Senior Assistant Attorney General – assigned to the Criminal Appeals Division. Later selected to act as the reviewing attorney for State Appeals, to select, approve and oversee the filing of State Appeals from the Circuit Courts within the Second District Court of Appeal, and monitor their progress through the system. Drafted Appellate Briefs, Responses to Motions for Post-Conviction Relief and participated in Oral Arguments at the Second District Court of Appeal. Was selected to be a part of a limited number of attorneys who handled appeals and responses for Jimmy Ryce cases (Involuntary Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators). Office of the State Attorney – Sixth Circuit (01/03 – 05/04) New Port Richey, FL Felony Assistant State Attorney – Managed caseload in excess of 200 various felony cases at any given time. Participated in cases involving Murder, DUI Manslaughter, Capital Sexual Battery, Robbery, Burglary, Prison Releasee Reoffenders, Habitual and Habitual Violent Offenders. Assisted in the training of Misdemeanor Assistant State Attorneys. Developed a system of case preparation and office organization as a model to be adopted by newer attorneys. Office of the State Attorney – Sixth Circuit (05/01 – 01/03) New Port Richey and Clearwater, FL Misdemeanor Assistant State Attorney – Managed a County Court Division in its entirety. Ran all court calendars, argued all motions and trials and performed all reviews for reduction of charges for a caseload of over 800 cases at any given time. Assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit for seven months. Assisted in the training of all new attorneys in the unit, developed training packets and informational worksheets, created and shared efficient systems for each stage of the prosecution process. Assisted the Division Leader in making decisions regarding the reduction of charges, Division assignments and training systems. EDUCATION: University of Florida College of Law (08/98 – 05/01) Gainesville, FL Juris Doctorate with Honors Teaching Assistant for Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy Received Honors in Legal Research and Writing Received grade of ‘A’ in Advanced Appellate Advocacy University of Florida (08/94 – 08/98) Gainesville, FL Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with Honors President’s List Dean’s List Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law Fraternity/Florida Academic Scholar MEMBERSHIPS, COMMITTEES, VOLUNTEERISM AND INTERESTS: West Pasco Bar Association – (08/08 – 06/14) New Port Richey, FL Immediate Past President, Former positions held: President-Elect, Vice President, Treasurer, and Director. Chair of Law Week 5k Committee which raised funds for Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. for multiple years. Chair of Law Week in 2013; Chair of Installation Banquet in 2012; member of Ethics and Evidence CLE Programs for the last 5 years. Lead the Board in overhauling the direction of the Association by bringing staffing solutions to the Association; transitioning current software and website to a more intuitive, cost effective product; operating in the black for the first time in at least 4 years; changing the location and format of the meetings to increase attendance; and starting the development of a strategic plan for the Association. These changes caused an increased interest in new officer positions, for the first time in at least 6 years. Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee Attorney Member; Sixth Circuit (02/14 – present) New Port Richey, FL Member. Investigate cases of local unlicensed practice of law, and report on the facts of the case to the committee members. Advise the committee as to any recommendations, and vote on potential dispositions. Grievance Committee Attorney Member; Sixth Circuit – (12/10 – 12/13) New Port Richey, FL Former Chair. Investigate complaints against attorneys submitted to the local committee. Recommend findings of probable cause, no probable cause, diversions, and letters of advice. Preside over meetings of the committee, and assign cases to members. PACE Center for Girls, Inc. – (04/13 – present) Hudson, FL Current Chair. Support the efforts of the Pasco PACE Center for Girls through fundraising, bringing increased notoriety to the PACE Program, attending networking functions to advocate for PACE, and general education of the public of PACE’s existence, and the miracles they perform in young girls’ lives. Guardian ad Litem – (01/08 – present) New Port Richey, FL Appointed by the Judges of West Pasco Family Division to investigate allegations between the parties in regard to their minor children. Drafted reports of interviews conducted, and gave recommendations to the Judges regarding the best interests of the children. Nearly all cases handled pro bono. Women Lawyers of Pasco – (01/07 – present) New Port Richey, FL Current Vice President. Founding member and officer of the Pasco County Chapter of FAWL (2014). The group provides a forum for the development of professional relationships among women of the legal community, promotes the professional image of women lawyers, and upholds the highest standards of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession. Sixth Circuit Professionalism Committee – (08/13 – present) Pasco and Pinellas Counties, FL Member and Contact Attorney. Appointed via the Chief Judge for the Sixth Circuit, to serve on the Committee and act as a Contact Attorney for the resolution of professional disputes, in accordance with the Florida Supreme Court’s Order In Re: Code for Resolving Professionalism Complaints. The Committee receives and resolves professionalism complaints informally, develops Continuing Legal Education on Professionalism, and issues an annual report to the Chair of the Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. Florida Bar Family Law Section – (08/10 – present) Statewide Former Secretary for CLE Committee. Continuing member of the CLE Committee. Former Chair of Child Support/DOR CLE, and Former Chair of Special Issues in Timesharing CLE, regarding special needs of children and families. Past member of the Equitable Distribution Committee. Pinellas Chapter of Florida Association of Women Lawyers – (07/13 – present) Clearwater, FL Member, Judge Mattie Belle Davis Society. Rotary – (2014 – present) Trinity, FL Member of Rotary International, a world-wide service organization. Law Library Trustee – (08/08 – 06/11) New Port Richey, FL Trustee – selected to serve on a panel of three trustees, to develop and oversee annual budgets, make subscription selections, and hire law librarian. Canakaris Inn of Court – (10/12 – 05/14) Clearwater, FL Member of Inn of Court focused on the practice of Marital and Family Law. Clearwater Bar Association – (10/12 – 05/14) Clearwater, FL Member. Nominee for Queen Chasco – 2013, and 2014 New Port Richey, FL Received nomination for service award due to volunteer work done in and outside of the legal community. CrossFit Coach – (10/12 – present) Land O Lakes, FL Certified Level One Instructor for CrossFit En Fuego. Marathon Finisher – (2000-09) Completed multiple marathons and half-marathons, former fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society via Team in Training. TEACHING AND SEMINAR EXPERIENCE: Advanced Trial Advocacy – Assisted workshop leader in Family Law Section sponsored CLE, critiqued participants regarding their trial technique in a mock family law trial. Adjunct Professor – Taught Legal Issues in Information Technology, and Family Law for Pasco-Hernando State College’s Paralegal Program. Prosecution 101 – Instructed prosecutors on Appellate Procedure and trial level tips that help preserve the State’s case during the appellate process. Justice Teaching and Great American Teach-In – Volunteered time to teach children in public schools about the Bill of Rights and encourage critical thinking skills. Spoke to High School students regarding the dangers of drinking and driving, the penalties associated with a DUI arrest, the myths of DUI investigation, and abuse of prescription narcotics and other illegal substances.