LOCAL

Seminars offer look at how the law works in 'real world'

Britt Kennerly
Florida Today
In 2010, Titusville attorney Brigitta "Britta" Hawkins founded the Space Coast Community Law School, a free series of sessions for the public, centered on understanding of general legal concepts.

Divorce. An ongoing, potentially dangerous problem with a neighbor's dog. Opening a small business.

Want to learn more about those often-complex issues and much more, from the First Amendment to tenant disputes?

Registration is ongoing for the 2018 term of Space Coast Community Law School, which opens Feb. 22.

The annual seminars are taught by local attorneys and judges and offer an overview of general legal concepts. Classes run from 6 to 8 p.m. on eight consecutive Thursdays at the Moore Justice Center’s law library, 2825 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera.

All seminars — with no tests or quizzes — are free. SCCLS is a project of the Brevard Bar Foundation and is sponsored by Brevard Legal Aid; Bogin, Munns & Munns, P.A.; and WMEL Radio AM 1300.

More:Titusville attorney earns state honor for pro bono work

SCCLS was founded in 2010 by Titusville attorney Brigitta "Britta" Hawkins. She earned the Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award for 2017 for the 18th  Judicial Circuit, which includes Brevard and Seminole counties.

Hawkins recalled helping a neighbor through end-of-life issues a few years ago. She learned that even as an attorney, there were matters, from Medicaid to power of attorney status, on which she needed guidance.

The bare-bones understanding of how our government works is often not there for many, said Hawkins, a native of Austria who moved to Brevard County in the 1990s and has been practicing law since 2006.

From deciphering divorce proceedings to learning how what happens in Congress can affect daily life, "there's a lot citizens don't think about as they lead busy lives in the real world," she said

That's what moved her to found the community-centered look at the law, Hawkins said. Past topics at SCCLS have included foreclosure, Social Security disability, guardianship, employment law and legal aid services.

"We all go about our business and often don't take the time to look into the future and see what's coming," Hawkins said. "We just live life as we know it and never anticipate how things will actually affect us. This is why I wanted to get this education out there."

This year’s topics:

  • Feb. 22: Driving under the influence
  • March 1: Neighbor law – dogs, fences, trees
  • March 8: The First Amendment and freedom of speech
  • March 15: The Second Amendment: The right to keep and bear arms
  • March 22: How to start a small business
  • March 29: The divorce process and what to expect
  • April 5: Landlord/tenant issues
  • April 12:  Estate planning, advanced directives and power of attorney

Register online at www.sccls.com, by email at equinn@boginmunns.com or by calling 321-567-5470.