Steve Chaykin event

I'm told that there are still tickets left for this event. If you are interested in going, call David Mandel's office, 305-374-7771.

Great Event for the Steven E. Chaykin Fellowship Trust

Steven E. Chaykin

In Memoriam: 1951-2008
President UM Citizens Board 2007-2008
Member, Florida Bar Board of Governors

A Reception and Private Concert by

DEREK TRUCKS AND SUSAN TEDESCHI BAND

When: Saturday, April 9, 2011
6:30 pm -- Cocktail Reception; 8:15 pm -- Concert

Where: Gusman Hall, University of Miami, Coral Gables Campus

All proceeds benefit the Steven E. Chaykin Endowed Fellowship at the University of Miami School of Law To support students involved with the Center for Ethics and Public Service.

Founded in 1996, the UM School of Law's Center for Ethics and Public Service is an interdisciplinary program devoted to the values of ethical judgment, professional responsibility and public service in law and society. Steven Chaykin was a passionate advocate and supporter of the Center, and these are values that were
synonymous with his life.

Steven E. Chaykin Fellowship Trust
169 East Flagler Street, Suite 1200 - Miami, Florida 33131
Contact Susan for details 305-374-7771
email: susan@mandel-law.com

Here's the website for the Fellowship Trust.

See you all at this event

The Steve Chaykin Fellowship event is coming up:

When: Saturday, January 9, 2010

6:30 pm -- Cocktail Reception

8:15 pm -- Concert

Where: Gusman Hall
University of Miami
Coral Gables Campus

On Saturday evening, January 9, 2010, a Reception and Concert by Grammy Nominated Jazz and Blues Artist Marcia Ball, will be held at the Gusman Concert Hall, on the University of Miami Campus. All the proceeds will benefit the Steven E. Chaykin Fellowship at the Center for Ethics and Public Service, at the University of Miami School of Law.

More information about this event can be found on the web at http://www.chaykinfellowship.com/ or by calling Susan at (305) 374-7771. The Steven E. Chaykin Fellowship Trust is a 501(c)(3) corporation, and a portion of your donations may be tax deductible.

News & Notes

1. The big interviews are today with Senators Nelson and Martinez. They've flown down here and the interviews will be held at the federal courthouse. But they are closed to the public. (They should be open, shouldn't they?) If anyone hears anything about them, please email me.

2. Holland & Knight got sued. Julie Kay has the details:

The receiver in an alleged $347 million Ponzi scheme has filed a malpractice lawsuit against Holland & Knight and partner Scott MacLeod, claiming they failed to provide investors with crucial information about the disbarred attorney behind the investments. The suit filed Monday in Sarasota Circuit Court accuses the law firm and its attorney of preparing disclosure documents for investors that failed to mention Arthur Nadel, who headed the hedge funds, was a disbarred New York attorney who had drained a client’s escrow account. The suit also accuses Holland & Knight of conflicts of interest by representing Nadel and his investment funds simultaneously. The suit seeks in excess of $50 million in punitive damages, receiver Burt Wiand said. Karen McBride, a spokeswoman for Holland & Knight, said, “the firm’s position remains unchanged. We’ve done nothing wrong and we intend to vigorously defend this.”

3. Guy Lewis & Mike Tein keep growing their firm. Five new associates from UM Law School. Business is good!

4. The University of Miami will honor Steve Chaykin:

The University of Miami School of Law Center for Ethics and Public Service has established a fellowship in memory of the late Steve Chaykin, an Akerman Senterfitt shareholder and criminal defense attorney who died on vacation last year. Chaykin slipped in rapids while trying to rescue his wife, Melissa, who fell into the Colorado river. His wife survived, but Chaykin was knocked unconscious and drowned. The Chaykin fellowship has been established for third-year law students who served in one of the center’s programs or community service clinics. The recipient must display leadership and mentoring skills and a strong sense of ethical judgment, professional responsibility and professionalism. “The fellowship honors the significant, historic contribution that Chaykin made to the South Florida legal profession and to the law school, university community and the civic community,” said Tony Alfieri, a UM professor of ethics and public service and the center’s director.

5. Steve Zack broke his ankle in Napa... Was wine to blame? From Joan Fleischman:

Miami attorney Steve Zack, the American Bar Association's president-elect, won't be traveling for awhile. Zack, 61, broke his right fibula, the smaller of the two main bones near the ankle.
He's to blame, he says, for last week's midday slip-and-fall. Happened in Napa, Calif., but he swears he wasn't tipsy from wine. ``Had gone to tastings the day before.''
So how did it happen? ``Silliest thing. There was loose gravel over a road. My left leg slipped. I tried to catch myself with the right leg and I fell on it. When I heard the pop, I knew it wasn't a good day.'' He's using a wheelchair and crutches, and expects to have a plate put in to help the bone heal straight and stabilize the ankle.
``Last time I broke an ankle was 40 years ago, playing tennis. It seemed to hurt a lot less.''

Steve Chaykin funeral

I just got back from Steven Chaykin's funeral, which was very emotional and extremely well-attended.

I only knew Steve professionally, having worked with him on a couple of cases. But after the funeral, I felt like I've known the guy for a long long time. His brother Robert Chaykin and his sister Robin Chaykin spoke beautifully. Donna Shalala from UM spoke, as did his friends Sam Rabin, David Mandel, Dan Gelber, and Bruce Udolf.

Rumpole wrote a very nice tribute on his blog about Steve. I echo the sentiment.

Here's more from SFlaLawyer:

Steve's younger brother Robert shared tearful remembrances of growing up in North Miami Beach, and running away at age 9 to the nearby Royal Castle and 163rd Street Mall, playing in a local band, and even getting into a sibling squabble or two.Steve's younger sister Robin perhaps is a secret Dylan ranter, as she quoted the lyrics from "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go":
But I'll see you in the sky above,In the tall grass, in the ones I love,Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
UM President Donna Shalala ended her eloquent tribute to a huge UM booster with an invitation to Steve's ten-year old daughter Sydney -- the door is always open for you at the University of Miami.Sam Rabin -- still shocked as are we all -- told old stories, funny stories, and gave us a picture of a man that he described as a total "mensch."David Mandel choked back tears as he quietly remembered a dear friend and mentor.Dan Gelber was funny, quick, and to the point as usual, and ended with some beautiful words to Steve's daughter about a man that he said "took him under his wing and never left."Bruce Udolf shared several remarkable stories of "Diamond Steve" Chaykin and the heyday of the US Attorney's Office in the 80s and early 90s. He even said that Steve and Bruce were perhaps planning to assist in restoring public trust in the US Attorney's office, and of course everyone in Steve's orbit shared his passion for politics and for a change in the direction of the country.

Steve Chaykin

The funeral will be held this Monday, August 4th, at Temple Beth Shalom at 11:30 AM. The temple is located at 4144 Chase Avenue on Miami Beach. That is at 41st Street and Chase. The synagogue's phone number is 305.538.7231.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the "Sydney Chaykin College Fund" and mailed c/o

Mr. Sam Rabin
Suite 606
Eastern National Bank Building
799 Brickell Plaza
Miami, Florida 33131

RIP Steven Chaykin

I just got terrible terrible news. All around great guy Steve Chaykin died today in Aspen rescuing his wife. This article reports:

ASPEN - A Florida man has died after jumping into a river on Wednesday while trying to save his wife near Aspen.
The Pitkin County Sheriff's Department says the man, Steven Chaykin of Florida, and his wife, who has not been identified, were near the Roaring Fork River 10 miles east of Aspen up Independence Pass.
Deputies on scene say the woman slipped into the river, then Chaykin jumped in to rescue her, but hit his head on a rock.
Bystanders pulled Chaykin from the water and started CPR, but he later died at the Aspen Valley Hospital.

More from the Aspen paper:

A 57-year-old Florida man died at the Grottos on Independence Pass near Aspen on Wednesday.The man, whose name has not yet been released, slid into a pool to rescue his wife, who had fallen in before him at about 1:30 p.m.The women hit her head and injured her leg, but was otherwise OK, authorities said.The man, however, suffered a severe head injury in the slide then fell over a 15-foot fall into the pool below, witnesses said.A few groups of day hikers at the nearby ice cave jumped into action when they heard screams from the waterfall, but it took five minutes to get the man out of the pool, where he floated face-down.One witness ran to her vehicle and drove toward Aspen, dialing 911 as soon as she was within cell phone range. Others performed CPR until Aspen firefighters and Pitkin County sheriff’s deputies arrived.CPR was stopped at 2:37 p.m.Rescue crews transported the injured woman on a backboard to the trailhead and by ambulance to Aspen Valley Hospital.The Grottos is a popular summertime spot east of Aspen, off Highway 82 as it climbs toward Independence Pass. The Roaring Fork River tumbles over waterfalls and through pools formed in the smoothed stone, creating an enticing spot to take a dip.

The whole community will be mourning Steve's untimely death. Our condolences to his family.