NBA Article - Taken from the May 2012 NBA Magazine 

Gloretta Hall could easily be walking the halls of a hospital in Florida, as a nurse caring for patients in an oncology ward. Or providing care to mothers and newborns on an obstetrics floor. Or directing a team of nurses as a nurse manager in a surgical unit.

After all, Gloretta earned a nursing degree with highest honors from Florida Atlantic University in 1985. She was focused on a career in nursing and she had performed brilliantly throughout nursing school.

But just prior to finishing nursing school at Florida Atlantic, Gloretta met someone who would change the course of her life permanently, Dr. Helen Hoffmann. Dr. Hoffmann was a visiting professor teaching a "Women in the Law" course, an elective Gloretta took in order to complete her B.S.N.

"I did well in the class and she asked if I'd ever considered going to law school and starting a career in law," Gloretta remembers. "My response was ‘No, I don't want to be a professional liar,' I'm going into nursing."

Dr. Hoffmann, though, didn't give up. "She kept asking me if I was interested and encouraged me to take the LSAT just to see if law could be an option for me," says Gloretta. "I finally decided to take the test, just to make her happy."

As it turned out, Gloretta did well on the LSAT- extremely well. Her results were so impressive that she was offered full scholarships to some of the nation's top law schools, including the Universit:y of California Berkeley School of Law, Stanford Law School and William & Mary School of Law. "I didn't think that was going to happen," Gloretta says. "It gave me quite a bit to think about." After some thought, she enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law. Gloretta loved law school, realized she was "born to be a lawyer" and graduated Cum Laude in 1991.

"That experience taught me many, many lessons," Gloretta says. "One of them was the importance of people in our lives. Had I not met Dr. Hoffmann I'd never be where I am today. She made all the difference in the world." Gloretta's career took off and she spent three years as an associate working in health care law with Steel, Hector & Davis. She then spent 17 years with Gary, Williams, Finney, Lewis & Sperando before setting out on her own as a medical malpractice attorney in Stuart, Florida last year.

"I've loved this career and looking back, I have no regrets. I've been blessed to have the right people come into my life at the right time and make a real difference for me," Gloretta says. With that in mind, Gloretta values her faith, family, people and community. And part of Gloretta's community is the NBA. A long-time member of the NBA, Gloretta has served multiple terms as Chair of the NBA's Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee.

"The NBA is absolutely invaluable," she says. "It offers networking, professional resources, referrals, professional development and so much more. One important thing I've learned is that no one knows everything, but you certainly can know who has the information you need. The NBA is wonderful source of information. And the people who make up the NBA are its greatest resource. I've met people though the NBA who I consider excellent friends, mentors and advisors. There is no other organization like it."

Gloretta sees the NBA as being a key to achieving equality for all. "There's no question that having access to legal ser­ vices and to playing a role in the legal system is of vital importance," she says. "The courts, legal services, legislation ... so much that affects our daily lives, and equality in our society is based in the law. The NBA plays in immensely important role and it's of vital importance that we support the NBA."