PRESIDENT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION FINISHES TERM, LOOKS TOWARD FUTURE GOALS FOR HIMSELF, GARDENS FIRM
John Whittles Recounts His Time In Office, Looks Ahead to Future
(West Palm Beach, Fla.) – Attorney John Whittles of Mathison Whittles, LLP, is wrapping up his year-long term as the President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association with gratitude for the experience and excitement for future plans. Whittles’ time at the helm of the nearly century-old association was eventful – from a fire nearly burning down the Association’s headquarters in West Palm Beach to his recent interview of internationally-known trial law figure Amanda Knox.
“The past year has been so rewarding for me both professionally and personally,” said Whittles. “I’ve been a board member for many years, but being president was a whole new experience. The relationships I formed and the charity work I was a part of really made the job satisfying.”
Founded in 1922, The Palm Beach County Bar Association is an organization with a membership of just under 5,000 lawyers, judges and other legal professionals. Membership is voluntary, and the Association offers a myriad of services to their members, particularly for continuing legal education.
The Association also focuses on giving back to the community, namely through its support of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, which provides free legal services to underprivileged residents. The Bar Association also supports Habitat for Humanity and Café Joshua, a catering company that provides education and experience to help the homeless gain valuable work experience to land outside employment, with proceeds benefiting The Lord’s Place.
“We are proud of our profession and the Association’s effort to dispel the sometimes-negative perception of lawyers by using our legal skills to assist those in need,” Whittles said. “We feel giving back to the community through both legal aid and just offering helping hands and our time is an important element of upholding the standards and ethics of the Bar.”
In January, a car accident resulted in a downed wire that caught the Association’s offices on fire. It happened overnight, so no one was hurt, but extensive damage had been done, and the cleanup process was something Whittles will never forget.
“It happened at a busy time of year,” Whittles said. “We had to find alternative space for people to work, notify the members and start to rebuild. That took months. It was unfortunate, but also a learning experience for me in crisis management and teamwork.”
Most recently, Whittles’ position as Bar Association president afforded him the opportunity at an Association luncheon to interview Amanda Knox, whose story of imprisonment in Italy on murder charges led to global headlines for many years.
“Amanda Knox’s story is fascinating from all angles, but especially the human-interest piece,” Whittles said following the presentation. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to get Amanda’s account of what happened. As an attorney, I know there are two sides to every story, and this luncheon was the perfect opportunity to examine all angles.”
Whittles’ experience with the Bar Association only reinforced his strong support for the legal community in Palm Beach County.
“We are a unique climate for lawyers,” Whittles said. “We have the best judges I’ve seen in my travels. Judges go out of their way to accept each other and the established network of lawyers. Expectations and understanding come from the top down, and it all comes down to a high caliber of people. We have mentoring programs in place for more efficient and caring lawyers, and we work hard to push professional development.” Programs include the award-winning “Coffee and Bagels With The Judges,” which are regular meetings designed to connect judges and lawyers in a more candid environment outside the courtroom.
With almost 20 years of experience as an attorney, Whittles is now looking forward to spending more time with his wife, young daughter and dog. He’s also looking forward to playing more with his rock band, “Counselors of Rock.” The band recently won an all-attorney talent show benefitting the Gulfstream Boy Scouts of America.
The next president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association will take the position on June 17.
Mathison Whittles, LLP is a full-service law firm that pairs the talents of its two founders to efficiently and cost-effectively provide clients the entire spectrum of real estate, business, estate planning and litigation legal services. Steve Mathison and John Whittles are committed to offering a combination of “best of class” big-firm experience with the commitment and relationship focus of a small firm. Their specialties include real estate and title insurance, business and corporate law, probate and estate planning, commercial litigation, land use, zoning and election law. Examples of the firms’ project and client roster include The Gardens Mall, First Republic Bank, Comerica Bank, Frenchman’s Creek Country Club, BallenIsles Country Club, PGA Commons, The Landmark Condominium, Esperante office tower, the recently approved community of Avenir, respected local business owners and real estate developers and institutions, as well as elected officials of all affiliations. Mathison Whittles maintains offices at 5606 PGA Boulevard, Suite 211 in Palm Beach Gardens and 301 Pine Street in West Palm Beach. Contact them at 561-624-2001 or 561-469-1160 or visit https://mathisonwhittles.com/.
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