DOAH'S OJCC CERTIFIED SCHOLARS PROGRAM GRADUATES 12 LAWYERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE

The Division of Administrative Hearings Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims’ 2026 class of the OJCC Certified Scholar Program graduated on April 22 at the annual Workers' Compensation Section's Forum at Championsgate in Orlando. The nine-month program helps lawyers with less than seven years’ experience learn how to prosecute or defend a worker’s compensation case before a compensation claims judge.

The graduates were:

• Holley Akers of O’Rourke and Akers in Jacksonville

• Brena Spraker of Havlicek Spraker in Orlando

• Natalie Cavallaro of The Law Office of Roberto Mendez in Tallahassee

• Isidora Eickelmann of Work Injury Rights in Coral Springs

• Ingrid Hagerty of Moran Kidd in Miami Lakes

• Joshua Higgins of Cohen Vaughan in Ft. Lauderdale

• Elaura Hodgetts of McConnaughhay Coonrod in Panama City

• Christine Jermin of Brown & Brown Insurance in Tampa

• Evan Kegler of Vecchio Carrier in Lakeland

• Mark Lee of Lee Injury Law Firm in Tampa

• Will Ramhofer of Ramhofer Garcia in Hollywood

• Jesse Rowe of Morgan & Morgan in Orlando

Classes are taught by OJCC judges and experienced trial attorneys in small groups of fewer than 10 attorneys, according to DOAH Compensation Claims Judge Jonathan Walker, who helped design the program. Compensation judges, workers’ compensation attorneys, a psychologist, a Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc., representative, claims professionals, and risk managers speak to the scholars over the nine months of the program.

The instructors for the 2025-26 classes were Judge Jonathan Walker, Judge Brian Anthony, Judge Robert Cohen, Judge Tim Connor, Judge Kimberly Hill, Judge Ralph Humphries, Judge David Langham, Judge Jacquelyn Newman, Neil Ambekar, Eric Christiansen, Geralyn Datz, Michael Duff, Gina Jacobs, Carolyn Johnson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Les Kertay, John Lesko of Florida Lawyers Assistance, Kate Marshman, Elise Phillips, and Alil Kunica of Disney, Esther Ruderman, Mark Touby, Rafael Gonzalez, Thomas Hedler, Vanessa Pello, and William Rogner.

The academy provides six hours of continuing education in Professionalism; Memoranda, Pretrial and Trial Preparation; Petitions, Motions, and Settlements; Mediations; Evidence; and a judicial roundtable with Q&A. The format is an in-person academy kick-off in August and graduation during the annual Workers' Compensation Section's Forum, with monthly two-hour Zoom meetings from September through March.

All scholars are nominated by OJCC judges and selected by the Scholars Committee. Those interested in participating should contact a compensation claims judge to be considered for a slot in the 2027 Scholars class. A selection committee reviews the nominees and selects 10-12 individuals who have shown exceptional qualities thus far in their careers. Nominations are generally solicited in the spring.

The cost for participants – which defrays administrative costs, mainly food for the in-person meetings – is approximately $300 per student.

A half-day OJCC Paralegal Masterclass was added in 2025 for non-lawyers to offer a better understanding of compensation claim case processes and procedures. The half-day class includes: 60Q Rules of Procedure; Settlements and Stipulations; Electronic Filing; Ethics, Professionalism, and the UPL.

For more information, visit the Florida OJCC blog.