The International Intellectual Property Institute for decades has shown how ownership of patents and copyrights could bring economic growth to communities. It’s a mission founder Bruce Lehman devoted himself to 20 years ago. And now that he’s moved to Sarasota, much of the work of the organization gets done here on the Gulf Coast.

Lehman, previously the Assistant Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and the U.S. commissioner of patents and trademarks, retired to Sarasota less than a year ago, but he continues to serve as chairman for the IIPI. He actually got into property law first through his work as counsel for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. His time in Washington, which dates back to 1974, included proceedings on potential impeachment of President Richard Nixon, but he ended up serving as the principal legal counsel drafting the Copyright Act of 1976, which remains the primary law governing copyright in the U.S. today.

“We were then in a period when the U.S. had a difficult time in terms of international competition,” Lehman recalls. Japanese manufacturers were savaging the U.S. in the electronics and automotive fields, and when President Jimmy Carter got elected in 1976, an even greater priority was placed on international patent law and encouraging investment in technology. Before the advent of the internet, Lehamn helped with creating the first digital databases used by the federal government during a modernization of patent registration. He would only grow in stature in the IP field, getting the nomination from Clinton in 1993, and then founding the IIPI in 1998. The Institute, in Lehman’s eyes, could educate people around the world about how strong intellectual property laws could spur economic growth, and that respect for patents and copyrights would ultimately be good for developing countries.

Since Lehman’s move to Sarasota, the IIPI hired Sarasota resident Susan Nilon as executive director.Both Lehman and Nilon last weekend traveled to Washington, D.C., where the Institute still keeps its main office walking distance from the Hart Senate Office Building, in part to talk about various aspects of copyright with board members and federal officials. Nilon, who also works with the Florida ACLU, says the organization right now is shifting more resources to copyright in addition to the patent work done over the past 20 years. 

Nilon notes that intellectual property in fact is ingrained in the U.S. Constitution, and the long tradition of recognizing ownership of ideas helped the nation prosper in the industrial revolution and prior. And in an increasingly digital world, it’s important laws still protect the rights of writers, artists and patent holders today. “Intellectual property is what makes us work,” says Nilon. “It’s about how we compete in the marketplace.”

And it's an area of law where traditional partisan lines mean little, according to Nilon. "It's equally supported by all parties," she says.  

Appropriately titled, Floridian French: a “Baker & Spice” Collaboration Dinner—foodies far and wide will be lured to join hosts Chef Louis Robinson of Spice, and Chef Isaac Correa of Baker & Wife. The two local businesses share a common interest of positively impacting the food scene and community of Sarasota. “Chef Correa and I have been good friends for a long time, but this is the first dinner we are officially doing together,” Chef Robinson proclaims of the culinary comrades deciding to combine forces for this special pop up event.

Expect a gourmet three-course French dinner with a splash of Florida sunshine, plus an amuse-bouche (hors d'oeuvre), which the menu states as, “a little surprise to get you ready for the rest to come.” The first course impresses right out the gate: Rock Shrimp Tartare—with rye crisp, herbs de Provence, cured egg yolk and herb oil. Chef Robinson divulges, “The idea for this dish was to take a lot of the traditional ingredients for a french tartare, and give it a Florida spin, bringing something fresh and light. So instead of beef, we went with rock shrimp—an awesome local ingredient we have here.” The main course is revealed as Duck a la Florida Orange—crispy leg confit, datil chili marmalade, duck fat potatoes, charred florida sweet onions and orange au jus. Dessert features a Caramelized Pineapple Pavlova—meringue, grapefruit curd, cream and spiced caramelized pineapple.

Local musicians will be performing live throughout the evening, and the bar will have a theme-worthy wine selection available for purchase, should you be so inclined to put your pinky up in the Siesta air while sumptuously feasting. Tickets are currently available for $55, but are sure to sell out, so don’t wait. Join the dynamic duo collab on Monday, May 21st at 6:00pm for an exclusive French experience in the heart of Florida. Bon appétit! 

Images provided by Spice Florida

Baker & Wife, 2157 Siesta Dr. Sarasota, 941-739-5913.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Mid County Tax Collector Office at 6100 Sawyer Loop Road will be held at 9am, this Wednesday, May 2. The new facility was a joint effort between the Sarasota County Tax Collector, Sarasota County Public Works, Fawley Bryant Architects and Tandem Construction. The 10,770-square-foot building provides enhanced services for Sarasota County residents, offering a full range of Tax Collector services, including the issuance of drivers' licenses, vehicle titles and registrations, and tax payment collection. The new building also features an after-hours payment drop-box and a convenient drive-thru service.  The nearly six-acre site also includes a road course for drivers' license testing. The building was also designed using sustainable building practices and materials, including LED lighting, high efficiency air conditioning, environmentally sustainable materials and native plant species that don't require ongoing irrigation. The total project cost was $6.68 million. 

Mid County Tax Collector Office

Carrie Mills, drama teacher at Booker Middle School, received the 2018 Cindy Balistreri Award for Excellence in Arts Education. The award was presented by The Community/Schools Partnership for the Arts (C/Spa), a collaboration between the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County and Sarasota County Schools. She received a $500 stipend to be used for classroom experience or professional learning as part of the award. Mills has been teaching in the Visual and Performing Arts program at the school for the past nine years and she currently directs six shows annually at Booker Middle School. Prior to her current teaching position, Mills served as Education Director for the Asolo Repertory Theatre and Teaching Artist at Venice Theatre. The Cindy Balistreri Award for Excellence in Arts Education is designed to recognize an individual who has demonstrated continued excellence in teaching the arts and/or integrating the arts into curriculum and instruction. The award is named for Cindy Balistreri, former music teacher and Fine Arts Program Specialist for Sarasota County Schools, and a highly regarded leader in arts education on the state and national level.  

Community/Schools Partnership for the Arts

MSC Commercial, a division of Michael Saunders and Company, has announced the successful leasing all of Cobia Bay Plaza, a retail and office space located off Fruitville Road in Sarasota. The newest tenants take up over 15,000 square feet of space, including Jack Dean Flooring, Burn Boot Camp, AltMed LLC, and CreateU D-I-Y Workshop. They join existing tenants Jet’s Pizza, Sleep Number, and the UPS Store. Built in 2011, Cobia Bay Plaza is in close proximity to shopping centers currently anchored by Target and Publix. While it sits in the heart of a strong retail zone, the retail-style exterior coupled with the more industrial feel of the building’s interior had posed a challenge for traditional tenants.  More than 50 percent of the space had been vacant for some time. According the MSC Commercial quarterly market report, retail space in Sarasota and Manatee counties remains in high demand, partly due to growth in the number of year-round residents. Rents continue to rise and residential sales are fueling retailer success. 

Michael Saunders & Company

The law firm of Fergeson Skipper has announced Lisa K. Gallagher has joined the firm’s Wills, Trusts and Estates Department as an associate attorney. She is admitted to practice before all local and state courts in Florida. She has an extensive background in securities law, financial products, and the financial services industry, which will help to expand the firm’s tax and estate planning services. Gallagher’s areas of practice focus on wills, trusts, estate planning, taxation law, and business organization and corporate law.  She received her Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from the University of Arizona and her Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University. She holds securities licenses as a General Securities Representative, Registered Options Principal, General Securities Principal, and Municipal Securities Principal. Having passed the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination and the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, she is also registered and authorized to provide investment advice. 

Fergeson Skipper

Michael Saunders & Company has closed two significant sales in the Sarasota luxury home market.  Representing two of the highest sales in their respective areas, 1219 Westway Drive sold for $7,000,000 and 2251 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #501 sold for $5,400,000. The highest sale in Lido Shores since 2013, 1219 Westway Drive was listed and sold by Deborah Beacham of the Michael Saunders & Company Downtown Sarasota office. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom home amassed over 7,415 square feet with 200 feet of gulf frontage. The highest condominium sale of 2018 in Sarasota and Longboat Key, 2251 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #501 was listed by Tom Delaney of the St. Armands Circle office. The Aria penthouse featured over 7,800 square feet, a private rooftop terrace and custom upgrades throughout the residence. 

Michael Saunders & Company