UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

CASE NO. 20-CV-61650-RUIZ/STRAUSS 

CYNTHIA LAREMORE,

Plaintiff,

v.

HOLIDAY CVS, LLC, et al.,

Defendants.

____________________________________/

ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

THIS CAUSE has been referred to the undersigned for a settlement conference (DE 7). It 

is hereby ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that a SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE in this matter 

will be held before the undersigned commencing at 2:00 p.m. on OCTOBER 14, 2020. The 

parties shall submit Confidential Settlement Statements by OCTOBER 7, 2020 (see ¶ 3 below). 

In accordance with Administrative Order No. 2020-53, the Settlement Conference shall be 

conducted by VIDEO CONFERENCE.

To accommodate the Court’s identification of participants and to provide backup 

communication ability with counsel during the settlement conference, the parties’ counsel shall 

submit by email to Judge Strauss’ Chambers (strauss@flsd.uscourts.gov) by OCTOBER 7, 2020, 

the names of all participants for their respective sides, along with the email addresses and telephone 

numbers for those participants.

The undersigned now issues the following additional instructions:

1. The Settlement Conference shall be attended by all parties, corporate 

representatives and their counsel of record. Each side shall have a party representative present 

with full authority to negotiate and finalize any settlement agreement reached. Failure of a party 

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representative with full and final authority to make and accept offers of settlement to attend this 

Settlement Conference may result in the undersigned’s sua sponte recommendation that sanctions 

be entered against the offending party.

2. In the event that a monetary settlement would be payable from proceeds of an 

insurance policy, a claims professional/representative(s) from the party’s insurer with full and final 

authority to authorize payment to settle the matter up to the full limits of the party’s policy(s) or 

the most recent demand, whichever is lower, shall also be present.

3. On or before October 7, 2020, the parties shall each submit (via email to 

strauss@flsd.uscourts.gov) a Confidential Settlement Statement of no more than seven (7) pages, 

double-spaced, setting forth the following information: (a) background regarding the parties and 

the relationship between the parties, including the potential for a continued relationship postlitigation (if an employee/employer relationship existed, the background shall include, without 

limitation, the role and duties of the employee, the length of the relationship, and whether the 

employee is still employed, or could be rehired by, the employer); (b) a candid evaluation of the 

strengths and weaknesses of the party’s case; (c) a candid evaluation of the party’s “best day” and 

“worst day” in court (including estimates of what the party may owe, through trial, for its own 

attorney’s fees and the opposing party’s attorney’s fees, if applicable); (d) the party’s position on 

settlement; (e) the results of any previous settlement negotiations; (f) whether there may be any 

difficulty in collecting to satisfy any judgment; and (g) any other information that may be helpful 

in working towards a fair settlement. In a case involving a fee-shifting statute or contractual fee 

provision, any party seeking fees must include a statement of the amount of fees sought, including 

the hourly rate and number of hours expended to the date of submission. The failure to include a 

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statement of attorney’s fees may result in the undersigned’s sua sponte recommendation that 

sanctions be entered against the party and/or the attorney.

4. In some, but not all, cases, the Court may give each party approximately five (5) 

minutes to make an opening statement at the beginning of a Settlement Conference. Because the 

Court will not be making any rulings at the Settlement Conference, the Court encourages each 

party to view this opening statement as an opportunity to communicate relevant information or 

positions to the opposing party, rather than as a means of convincing the Court of the legal or 

factual correctness of its positions.

5. The Settlement Conference will not be continued absent a written motion and a 

showing of compelling circumstances. 

6. In the event this matter settles prior to the scheduled Settlement Conference, the 

parties shall immediately advise the undersigned’s chambers. Written confirmation of a settlement 

that is signed by all parties shall also be sent to chambers at strauss@flsd.uscourts.gov.

7. The Settlement Conference shall be conducted without a court reporter and will not 

be recorded. All representations and statements made at the Settlement Conference shall remain 

confidential.

8. The parties are notified that the Court does not provide interpreter services in civil 

cases. In the event that a party or corporate representative does not speak fluent English, that party 

must arrange for the attendance of an interpreter.

9. Counsel will receive an email from the Court containing an invitation to the 

settlement conference. The invitation will include a link to “Join ZOOM Meeting” as well as a 

Meeting ID and Password.

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10. Participants should join the ZOOM Meeting by no later than 1:45 p.m. on the date

of the settlement conference to test their system. 

11. Participants may click the link in the invitation to join at the appropriate time. 

Alternatively, participants may join the settlement conference without clicking on the invitation 

link by going to https://zoom.us/join on any browser or to the ZOOM app on a tablet or smartphone 

and entering the Meeting ID and, when prompted, the Password provided by the Court. If 

participants have not already downloaded the Zoom app and their device requires it, they may be 

instructed to download it at this time. Participants should ensure that they have downloaded the 

necessary app prior to the date of the settlement conference. 

12. Participants will have an opportunity to test their audio by clicking on “Test 

Computer Audio.” Once satisfied that their audio works, participants should click on “join audio 

by computer.”

13. The Host will place participants in the “waiting room” until the settlement 

conference begins.

14. Participants should mute themselves when not speaking.

15. Additional information and instructional videos are available at the ZOOM Help 

Center: https://support.Zoom.us/hc/en-us. Also, system testing in advance of the settlement 

conference is available at: https://zoom.us/test.

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16. Sanctions may be imposed for failure to follow any of the requirements of this 

Order.

DONE AND ORDERED in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this 25th day of August 2020.

Copies to counsel of record via CM/ECF

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