Langham: Work Comp Academy 2023

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 0

It is rare that a litigator has the chance to collaborate with the breadth of experience that is the faculty of the Work Comp Academy 2023. This program is titled “The Next Generation," and it’s focused on those who will be the foundation of this practice in 10-20 years' time.

Judge David Langham

Our recollections of the "greatest generation" are supporting what is workers' compensation today and remind us what was. The boomers are owning and running law firms but are fading and retreating. The millennials are certainly today's management and experience. But, Generation Z is entering the legal practice. They are undoubtedly tomorrow. What we do for them will make a big difference in what this practice looks like in decades to come. 

On May 19, the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation claims will present in Orlando a Worker’s Compensation Academy, focused on interaction, communication, collegiality, mentorship and professionalism. In a full-day program, extensively diverse faculty will provide small-group interaction with lawyers who have less than seven years of experience in the workers' compensation practice. The atmosphere will be relaxed, the theme will be collaboration and the results will be rewarding for all involved.

As we "experienced," mature old attorneys and judges strive to deliver the wisdom of experience, struggles and investment, it is hoped that the next generation will reciprocally deliver perceptions, innovations and fresh perspectives. It is critical to accept and remember that this practice will eventually not belong to, or even include, the baby boomers, but will come to be the domain of these millennials and then the "next generation." They will be the leaders, the litigators and the foundation of workers' compensation. Hopefully, they will collaborate one day to similarly welcome and involve yet another next generation, and so on. 

Young lawyers will be receiving emails about this program soon. If you are a practitioner with fewer than seven years of workers' compensation experience, keep an eye out or email david.langham@doah.state.fl.us to express your interest. If you don't meet the criteria, but someone you know does, send him or her a note about this unbelievable opportunity to be in the company of some fantastic practitioners, mediators and judges.

The program will be limited to those with fewer than seven years of workers' compensation experience. Initially, we will strive to limit firms to three attendees, in the interest of diversity, but more may be included on a space-available basis. We will strive to keep the limited (40) seats as evenly divided and diverse as possible.

The goal is to involve those who represent workers, as well as those who represent employers. The goal is communication, collegiality and community. This will be an outstanding opportunity for all young attorneys in this practice. And the price is absolutely free. 

Spread the word. The faculty represents an aggregate of more than 1,000 years of legal experience and more than 100 years of judicial experience. We are grateful to the many outstanding lawyers that have committed to making this program a rousing success.

David Langham is deputy chief judge of the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims. This column is reprinted, with his permission, from his Florida Workers' Comp Adjudication blog.