Officers
President
Lauren Purdy, Esq.
Lauren Purdy is a shareholder with Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. where she practices in the areas of complex commercial litigation, professional liability defense and appeals in both state and federal courts. Before entering private practice, Lauren clerked for the Honorable Joel F. Dubina of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Honorable Robert L. Hinkle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
President-Elect
Mary Margaret Giannini, Esq.
Mary Margaret Giannini is an Assistant General Counsel with the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville where she works on the litigation team. Mary Margaret previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Stephanie K. Seymour of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and Marcia Morales Howard of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She was also a tenured Professor of Law at Florida Coastal School of Law and a Visiting Professor of Law at the Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
Vice President – Membership
Derek Mountford, Esq.
Derek Mountford is a litigator at Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. He focuses his practice on complex, bet-the-company cases for businesses in a variety of industries. Before joining Gunster, Derek had the pleasure of serving as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Brian J. Davis and the Honorable Marcia Morales Howard.
Vice President – Programs
Kelly Karase, Esq.
Kelly Karase is an Associate General Counsel in the litigation department at the investment firm, Edward Jones. She previously served as the Deputy Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Kelly was a federal prosecutor for 15 years and has led the investigation and prosecution of complex federal matters involving violent crimes against children, human trafficking, fraud, public corruption, drug trafficking, and foreign corrupt practices. Prior to her public service, she was a commercial litigation associate in New York, at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison, and in St. Louis, at Husch Blackwell.
Secretary
Kelly Milliron, Esq.
Kelly Milliron is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Before, she served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Timothy J. Corrigan for two years. Prior to public service, she was a litigation associate at Foley & Lardner LLP.
Treasurer
Jared Burns, Esq.
Jared Burns is a litigator at Robins Kaplan LLP, where he focuses on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. Before private practice, Jared clerked for the Honorable Timothy J. Corrigan of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Jared is a United States Marine who previously served on active duty and now serves in the Marine Corps Reserve.
Immediate Past President
Joni Poitier, Esq.
Joni A. Poitier is a shareholder at the law firm of GrayRobinson, P.A. Her current practice focuses on personal injury, product liability, maritime and railroad defense and labor and employment matters. Before entering private practice, Joni was an Assistant State Attorney at the Office of the State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit.
