Four Female Attorneys Make History as First Set of All Female Officers of the Orange County Bar Association

 

ORLANDO, FL… The Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) announces that for the first time in its 89-year history, four female officers have been elected to serve for the June 2022 – May 2023 term through unopposed nomination. Karen Persis, Esq., will lead the organization as president, Amber Davis, Esq. will serve as president-elect, Arti Ajit Hirani, Esq., will serve as treasurer, and Keshara D. Cowans, Esq., will serve as secretary.

Karen Persis is the owner of Karen Persis, P.A. where she specializes in representing clients worldwide in legal matters involving family formation, specifically, surrogacy, gamete donation, and adoption. In addition to serving on the OCBA Executive Council since 2017.  She also serves a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor in 2004. Ms. Persis is a Fellow with the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. She has previously served as president of the OCBA Young Lawyers Section, president of the Central Florida Gator Club, and as a governor on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.

Amber Davis is managing partner of Wolter Van Dyke Davis, PLLC. She is board certified by the Florida Bar in intellectual property law and handles IP litigation matters and trademark filing and prosecution.  In addition to serving on the OCBA Executive Council, Ms. Davis is a board member for the Winter Park Racquet Club and sits on the Grievance Committee for the Middle District of Florida. She is also a past president of the OCBA Young Lawyers Section. She received her J.D. from Barry University School of Law cum laude.

Arti Ajit Hirani is an attorney at Meenakshi A. Hirani, P.A. She is a dual licensed attorney in both Florida and New York, and practices in the areas of estate planning, business law and civil litigation, and family law. In addition to serving on the OCBA Executive Council and Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors, she is a current member of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors and is a past president of the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She received her J.D. from Barry University School of Law, her MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and her LL.M. in International Taxation from the University of Florida. 

Keshara D. Cowans is staff attorney for the Office of Legal Services for Orange County Public Schools. Her primary practice areas include employment discrimination and Title IX compliance. She also serves as the legal  advisor for the OCPS District Police. In addition to serving on the OCBA Executive Council, Ms. Cowans is a past president of the OCBA Young Lawyers Section. She received her J.D. from Florida State University.

“Though more and more women are joining the practice of law, we still have had a disproportionate number of female presidents for the OCBA, and have never elected four female officers serving concurrently on the Executive Council. I am grateful for the opportunity to be elected to serve with them, and am ecstatic to work with these dynamic women, and our entire Executive Council, on advancing the mission of the Orange County Bar Association,” says Karen Persis.

The following individuals will serve with the officers on the Bar’s Executive Council for the 2022-2023 term are:

Alisia Adamson Profit, HAWM Law

Stephanie Alcalde, Alcalde Legal

Michael D. Barber, The Law Office of Michael D. Barber, PA

Christopher Carmody Jr., Gray Robinson, PA

Euribiades “Euri” Cerrud, II, The PCB Firm, PA

Lisa Gong Guerrero, State Attorney’s Office

Kate T. Hollis, Milne Law Group, PA

Kristopher Kest, Kest Family Law, PA

Bruce Mount, The Mount Law Group

Eric Reed, Shutts & Bowen

Rafael O. Rodriguez, Law Office of Jason L. Weissman

C. Andrew Roy, Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman, PA

Brandon Sapp, Morgan & Morgan

Jessica A. Travis, Law Office of Jessica Travis PA

Jay Small of Mateer & Harbert, PA, will be instated as president of the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc. Onchantho Am of IMPOWER Inc. will be instated as president of the OCBA Foundation, Inc. Stephanie Alcalde of Alcalde Legal, will be instated as president of the OCBA Young Lawyers Section. Finally, Marisol Gomez of Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter, LLC, will be instated as president of the OCBA Paralegal Section.

All officers and Executive Council members will be celebrated at the OCBA Installation Ceremony & Dinner taking place on May 18, 2022 at the Embassy Suites Downtown Orlando.

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The Orange County Bar Association, established in 1933, is a voluntary association comprised of 3,000+ judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals whose mission is to serve the profession and the public with outstanding member and community programs. The association established and supports the work of the OCBA Foundation, Inc., and the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.