Journey to Esquire®️ The Podcast

In today's episode of "Journey to Esquire," we pass the mic to Elpiniki Roussos, affectionately known to friends and colleagues as Nikki. Born and bred in the sunny climes of Nassau, Bahamas, Nikki's journey took a significant turn when she moved to Tampa, Florida, setting the stage for her remarkable career in law. Join us as we explore Nikki's academic odyssey, beginning wi...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Starr Linette Brookins to discuss advocating for children and judicial office. Starr was raised in a law enforcement and military family. She decided to become an attorney in elementary school after participating in a peer mediation exercise. She is a trial attorney with extensive experience and serves as a Hearing officer. She is very involved with the communit...

In today's episode of "Journey to Esquire," we pass the mic to Christina Potter Bayern. Christina Potter Bayern is a bilingual attorney and founder of Potter Bayern Law, PLLC, a personal injury and business litigation firm. Combining the attributes of compassion and tenacity, she offers approachable and personalized legal representation for businesses and individuals. Christina provi...

In today's episode of "Journey to Esquire," we pass the mic to Jessica Hannaford. Jessica Hannaford is an attorney, podcast host, mother, wife, fitness junkie, and business owner who currently works as the Disaster Relief Pro Bono Coordinator at Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. Jessica studied Broadcast News at the University of South Florida prior to attending Florida Coastal School of...

Michael’s expertise spans across a broad spectrum of legal and real estate arenas, making him a beacon of knowledge for professionals and enthusiasts alike. About Michael H. Scott:Profession: Florida-based Litigation and Transactional Attorney, Real Estate and Business Broker. Certifications : Florida-certified Circuit and County Mediator, Supreme Court-qualified Arbitrator, and Florida Notary Pub...

In today's Journey to Esquire The Podcast episode, we pass the mic to Mark Joseph of Joseph Law PLLC. Prior to opening his firm, Mark worked at Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan, PLLC for 5 yrs as an attorney, practicing Personal Injury/Civil Litigation, he was an Intern and Summer Associate there for three years prior. He also worked as a Leasing Consultant at Campus Crest and interned at th...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Jamesia Jackson, our 2L Ambassador at #FAMU Law to discuss trusting the process with the Honorable Doug Walker, Orange County Judge for Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit. From the Ninth Judicial Circuit's Judicial Spotlight's website: "Many of us remember the moment we made a life-changing decision. For Judge Doug Walker, that moment happened to...

Shannon C. Walker is a Class of 2022 Alum and is our first Program Assistant for the Class of 2024. She is a dedicated attorney who desires to help others resolve issues and overcome crises. She is an experienced attorney with extensive litigation experience in the public and private sectors. Shannon also serves on several boards, including the George Edgecomb Bar Association, where she won the fi...

Assita Toure, Staff Litigation Counsel for Florida. Assita Toure has been practicing since 2019 with prior experience handling casualty, product liability, premises liability, trucking litigation cases and criminal matters. Assita began her career as an Assistant Public Defender for the 13th Circuit Office of the Public Defender's office where she represented adults and juveniles accused of co...

Leah Le'Vell is from the Class of 2022. She graduated from Stetson University College of Law with a JD, and from the University of Maryland with a BS in Criminal Justice. She is a certified mediator and licensed attorney who is skilled at strategic planning, problem-solving, and organizing people in a dynamic, customer-focused environment. She's been recognized as a proactive leader who ca...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Jennifer Strouf to discuss criminal defense, improv, and bar prep. Jennifer Hope Strouf, J.D., LL.M., B.C.S. is the founder of the Strouf Law Firm, P.A.   Jennifer was born and raised in Tampa, the Bay area is her home. She graduated from Leto High School where she was editor of the features section of the newspaper and performed with the Falconettes. She attend...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Dee Jones to discuss pivoting during your law career and preparing to become a judge. Dionne "Dee" M. Jones is the daughter of Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Levester Jones, Sr. and the late Liza Dudley Jones. She is an alumna of the University of Florida, having earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in education. Following her p...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Rosalyn "Sia" Baker-Barnes, who is positioned to become the first Black woman to hold the office of President of The Florida Bar, to discuss developing resilience, building relationships, and getting out of your comfort zone. Rosalyn “Sia" Baker-Barnes, President-Elect designate of The Florida Bar,  is a Shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnha...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Zachariah Wade to discuss building community in law school and as a lawyer through voluntary bar associations. Attorney Zachariah Wade is a born-and-raised Floridian who grew up in Orange and Marion Counties. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University, he earned his law degree from the Stetson University College of Law. During law scho...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Pye Young to discuss first-generation Americans and law students. Pye N. Young is the managing attorney of Bay Area Legal Services West Office, located in St. Petersburg, FL. She joined the team in 2019 after maintaining a civil litigation practice for several years. She specializes in assisting veterans in obtaining the VA services they need and provides genera...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Debbie Sines Crockett to discuss first-generation Americans and lawyers. Debbie Sines Crockett is a member of the firm’s litigation department, and she concentrates on the areas of commercial and construction litigation. Ms. Crockett is experienced in representing policyholders in litigation against carriers from the trial level through appeal in both state and...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Barbara Pittman to discuss embracing new opportunities and sports law. Barbara Pittman owns the Law Offices of Barbara Pittman, P.A.. She handles legal matters in the following practice areas: Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Time/Sharing Visitation Rights, Personal Injury, Automobile Accidents, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Law, and Sports Law. S...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Judge Claudia Isom to discuss women in the law and the judiciary. Claudia Rickert Isom became a member of the Florida Bar on October 23, 1975. She was elected to the judiciary and served as a circuit judge in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit for 28 years before retiring in December 2018. Judge Isom currently serves as a senior judge. During her judicial career, s...

In this episode we pass the mic to Kristin Norse to discuss developing an appellate practice and women in the law. Kristin Norse is a partner at Kynes, Markman & Felman, P.A., where she practices exclusively in the areas of appellate practice, litigation support, and trial consulting in state and federal courts. Ms. Norse has over 30 years of experience in Florida trial and appellate courts. S...

In this episode, we pass the mic to Jessica Duclair - The Bar Exam Mentor, to discuss developing a mindset and military service. Jennifer’s Story: “Passing the Bar the first time and getting a job right after is the coveted route. No other outcome crossed her mind. She prided myself on having never failed at anything before. I believed this Bar Exam would be no sweat. I went and sat for the Bar, a...

Jessica Merker is a Staff Attorney and Internship Coordinator at the Second District Court of Appeal, State of Florida. She owns and operates Merk The Moment LLC, a custom typewriter poetry collective that provides on-demand poems at events and weddings and commissioned poems to honor the moments that matter most. After a short conversation, you will receive a poem typed on handmade paper using a...

Destiny (Rawls) Davis graduated from Stetson University College of Law with a Juris Doctor, Law in 2021 and Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor of Science - BS, Criminal Justice and Legal Studies in 2017. Activities and societies: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated - Gamma Tau Chapter Order of Omega Greek Honor Society Activities and societies: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated - Ga...

Jemima Pierre Zetrenne lives in Tampa Bay, Florida, along with her husband, Luksonne and daughter, Zoie. She is originally from Long Island, New York so she visits Florida frequently to spend time with family, and her husband’s family is from Pompano Beach, Florida, so they visit there frequently as well. She has lived in Florida since 2006 and the Tampa Bay Area since 2009. She is also a first-ge...

Breyon graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 2021 with a Juris Doctor and a Masters in Business Administration and from Florida A & M University with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), in Business Administration and Management in 2012. He was a Staff Attorney for Judge Tangela M. Barrie at the Superior Court of DeKalb County. He is a legal professional with a demonstrated history of w...

This podcast episode is part of our Where are they Now? Alumni Update Series, where we check in with our alumni to see how they're doing, celebrate their accomplishments and reflect on the lessons they learned from the program. Denia Angelino is a Class of 2021 alum. Denia Angelino is a daughter of undocumented immigrants, a first-generation Latina graduate of Stetson Law, and a California bar...