TENESIA C. HALL LEADS THE FAMILY LAW SECTION

Legal Aid attorney Tenesia C. Hall was sworn in June 17 as chair of the Family Law Section, becoming the first lawyer from a nonprofit legal services organization to lead the section in its 53-year history.

Hall took office at the Family Law Section’s Annual Membership Awards and Installation Banquet held on June 17 in conjunction with The Florida Bar Convention in Orlando.

Hall is the family law litigation director for Legal Aid Society of the OCBA, Inc., in Orlando. Her career began as an FFLA Summer Fellow more than two decades ago as a student at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Hall is also the first Black Family Law Section chair.

Hall has selected “Empower. Elevate. Excel.” as her theme for the 2026-27 Bar year. The theme aims to "give members the tools and training needed to strengthen their practice and serve Florida’s families; raise the standard of family law statewide through collaboration with the judiciary, leadership development and innovative CLEs; and celebrate excellence in advocacy, professionalism and service to Florida’s families."

Section events this Bar year will include:

• Leadership Retreat & Fall Meetings, August 25-30 in Charlotte Harbor

• Out-of-State Retreat, October 13-16 in New Orleans

• Marital & Family Law Review Course (with AAML), January 20-23 in Kissimmee

• Live Guardian ad Litem CLE, February 18-19 in Ft. Lauderdale

• In-State Retreat, March 17-21 in Islamorada

Executive Committee members for the 2026-27 are Chair-Elect Andrea Reid of The Reid Law Group in Boca Raton; Treasurer Michelle Klinger Smith of Florida Keys Family Law; Secretary Trisha P. Armstrong of Sasser, Cestero & Roy in West Palm Beach; and Immediate Past Chair Aimee C. Gross of the Law Offices of Aimee Gross in Ft. Lauderdale.