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Shutts & Bowen is a hot law firm right now — at least in terms of providing education at Stetson University College of Law, as two more attorneys have joined the firm's growing list of adjunct professors at the Gulfport college.
The college, over several years, has asked four Shutts & Bowen attorneys to teach classes as adjunct faculty members: Alan Higbee, Olga Pina, Sally Woodward and Woodrow "Woody" Pollack. Woodward and Higbee were the most recent to be added to the lineup. “When Stetson asked me to come out and train new associates, I couldn’t say no,” says Woodward, a Stetson alumna.
Woodward, a partner at the Tampa office, and Higbee, Tampa managing partner, both teach a class revolving around each of their practices: representing companies and entrepreneurs in general business, corporate and securities matters.
“We all had specialties,” Higbee says of Stetson’s decision to reach out to four attorneys from the same law firm. “I think young law students don’t even know (certain) specialties exist, so lawyers gain interest in specific areas.”
Pollack, an adjunct for four years and a partner at Shutts & Bowen, says his practice in intellectual property is extremely rare in Florida, which makes the classes all the more important. “Students learn how to be an actual lawyer after academia,” he says.
Pina, the first Shutts & Bowen attorney to get involved as an adjunct professor, began her teaching journey over 20 years ago. Throughout the years, she's continued teaching international law as well as become a frequent guest lecturer for courses taught by professors at Stetson Law and USF.
Pina keeps in contact with some students, including one from a class she taught 10 years ago. While that student lives in the Dominican Republic now, they’re both able to, and do, refer cases to each other.
Through teaching, Pina has also noticed the impact she's had on the industry within the Tampa Bay area.
“It’s been helpful," Pina says, "in that the students learn about opportunities to practice in this area."
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