About us
CYNTHIA ELAINE TOLBERT, ESQUIRE
Phone: 352-622-7600 Fax: 352-622-7607
**Member of Florida Bar, American Immigration Lawyer’s Association and American Trial Lawyer’s Association, Former Member of US District Court
EDUCATION
Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C., J.D., May 1998
Activities: International Law Society
Volunteer for Pro Bono Students of America/Capital States (Tutoring)
Phi Alpha Delta
Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama, B.A. in History, August 1993
Magna Cum Laude
Scholarship Award, 1989, 1990, 1991
Activities: Outstanding Reporter Award, 1989, 1990
Outstanding Assistant Editorial Award, 1991
Outstanding Employee Award, 1989, 1990
Study Buddy Tutor Award, 1989, 1990
Student Services Award for Senatorial Service, 1989-1990
Outstanding Campus Speaker, 1991
Outstanding Teacher and Counselor, 1992(South Korea)
Forest High School, Ocala, FL Diploma, May 1986
(Numerous awards and certificates for leadership, organizing community projects and acting as a facilitator at a legal ethics seminar- 1982-1988, 1993-1995, 2000, 2001, 2007)
EXPERIENCE
Jabez Production and Management Company, Ocala, FL July 2008 to present CEO/Producer/Manager/Attorney. Screens books, songs, plays and poems for production. Drafts contracts and all legal documents for production. Produces literary works into movies or television programs. Promotes production of works of literary works by travel, press releases and e-mail.
Law Office of Cynthia Tolbert, P.A., Ocala, FL Nov. 2000 to present
CEO/Attorney. Organizes and maintains corporate structure and accounts as well as oversees office staff and policies and procedures. Coordinates all law office functions from intake of clients to trials for immigration, real property, family, dependency, child custody and child support, bankruptcy, probate, corporate and social security and disability law. Former contract attorney for Nations Direct and Wachovia for local real estate closings. Former contract attorney for the Guardian Ad Litem Program. Former contract attorney for the State for parents of dependent children.
Rasmussen College, Ocala, FL, Oct. 2007 to Dec. 2008
Adjunct professor. Implemented a curriculum to teach medical ethics, public speaking and interpersonal communication skills which allowed the students an opportunity to actively engage in class projects which were based on class lectures.
Law Office of Louis Almasi, Ocala, FL, (Part-time) Sept. 1999-Nov. 2000
Representative/Office manager/Paralegal. Coordinated all law office functions. Interviewed clients then drafted legal documents for bankruptcies, divorces, adoptions, immigration proceedings, wills, trusts, incorporations, ante-nuptial agreements, etc. Drafted pleadings, briefs and motions and represented clients in immigration proceedings.
Community Education Center (Part-time), Ocala, FL Sept. 1999-Dec. 2000
Teacher. Implemented a curriculum to teach Employability skills and GED courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Reading) to teenagers at the Marion County jail who were being sentenced as adults. Developed curriculum for and taught all levels of conversational English to production workers at ABB Water Meter Corporation.
Law Office of Miguell G. Mack, Ocala, FL (As needed only) Jan. 1999-Sept. 1999
Law Clerk, Investigator. **(As needed only) Defended a client in a dog bite case from in-take to trial. Conducted research, investigated and responded to pleadings, motions and other papers. Took notes and attended depositions and hearings.
State of Florida Department of Health, Ocala, FL Jan. 1999-May 1999
Paralegal Specialist. Managed caseload and court calendar for Chief Legal Counsel. Coordinated legal functions for health departments in five counties (Marion, Lake, Sumter,Hernando and Citrus). Drafted legal documents such as contracts, subpoena objections and other pleadings for cases involving health, environmental, workers’ compensation and labor and employment law.
International Center for Technological Assessment, Washington, D.C. July 1997-Dec. 1997
Law Clerk. *Conducted legal research and compiled information for publications on environmental issues such as noise pollution and Governmental CRADA’s.
Lado International College, Washington, D.C. July 1997-Sept. 1997
Teacher. *Taught several levels of ESOL classes to professionals and university students from various nationalities. Developed curriculum to correspond to the various levels. Facilitated as a leader in both large and small group discussion of current events and politics and graded papers.
Mitterhoff and Henrichsen, Washington, D.C. Oct. 1996-May 1997
Law Clerk. *Conducted extensive legal research, drafted pleadings, motions and attorney memoranda. Researched surety, bankruptcy and discovery issues and made telephone calls. Sent out correspondence and faxes to courthouses, law firms and law libraries.
CNN, Washington, D.C. Sept. 1996-Dec. 1996
Legal Extern for Burden of Proof television show. *Conducted extensive research and maintained files on legal issues which were covered on the show. Scheduled law students and professional guests on the show as well as answered phones and sorted mail for producers and directors.
Law Offices of Diana K. Simpson, P.A., Ocala, FL Summer 1996
Summer Intern. *Conducted legal research; wrote briefs, client letters and attorney memoranda. Entered billing, created client directories, researched criminal, civil, dependency, juvenile, dissolution of marriage, probate, personal injury and contract issues.
World Language Institute, Kwangju, South Korea 1994
ESOL Teacher and Counselor. Developed curricula for and taught English to university students, professionals, children and housewives and acted as a counselor.
Silver River Marine Institute, Ocala, FL 1993
English/History/Drama Teacher and Counselor. Developed curricula for and taught English, history and drama to juvenile offenders. Acted as a counselor to students, organized recreational activities, conducted home visits and submitted monthly reports of students’ progress.
Samyuk Language Institute, Kwangju, South Korea 1991-1992
ESOL Teacher and Counselor. Developed curricula for and taught levels of conversational English to university students, professionals and housewives. Organized social activities to promote good student-teacher relations and counseled students.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Mission trip to Chiriqui Province, Panama 2007
Organized a young adult mission trip and aided in building a multi-purpose room for a church and in giving out clothes to those who were indigent.
Shiloh Build Ministry, Ocala, FL 2007
Established to aid hurricane and tornado victims in Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando Counties by removing debris, repairing and building homes and providing counseling.
Group Facilitator for the Family law division for the Fifth Judicial Circuit Ethics and Professionalism Seminar, Ocala, FL 2007
Led a group of attorneys and judges from the Fifth Judicial Circuit in a discussion of various legal fact patterns pertaining to family law.
Mission trip to Mississippi 2006
Organized a young adult mission trip and aided in removing debris and encouraging victims who had been affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Lobbied in Washington, DC 2002-05, 2008-11
Went to Washington, DC as a representative lobbyist on behalf of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association to lobby for legislation which would be fair for Americans and Immigrants.
Community Volunteer, Ocala, FL, S. Korea, Alabama and Washington 1986 to present
Conducts community street outreach in drug-infested and high crime areas to provide education to deter crime and drug usage and to promote healthful living. Recruited and organized volunteers to distribute literature and food, provided counseling and maintained a children's hour with songs, stories and crafts in the inner city. Religous volunteer at the Marion County Jail counseling and ministering to the ladies and the juvenile males who are being sentenced as adults.
Marion County Code Enforcement Board, Ocala, FL 2003
Heard cases involving code violations and made decisions concerning the allegations and issued a ruling based on the evidence presented and the applicable code provision.
* The employment positions that have one asterisk next to them were periods of employment during law school.
