The Florida bar president's pro bono service award recipients.A. Richard Troell IIIFirst Judicial Circuit Crestview A. Richard Troell III was raised in Houston, Texas, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and his law degree from the Oklahoma City University School of Law Oklahoma City University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Oklahoma City University, a private Oklahoma university. It is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and traces its origins to the founding of Epworth University . He was admitted to practice law in Oklahoma in 1988. He moved to Florida and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989. He remains a member of both the Oklahoma Bar Association and The Florida Bar. Troell began his Florida legal practice with the Law Offices of Dana C. Matthews, P.A. In 1996, he opened his own law office in Crestview, where he currently practices criminal and family law. He served two years as the president of Okaloosa County Legal Aid, Inc., and is on standby to accept pro bono Short for pro bono publico [Latin, For the public good]. The designation given to the free legal work done by an attorney for indigent clients and religious, charitable, and other nonprofit entities. cases relating to dissolution of marriage dissolution of marriage n. modern, gentler sounding, term for divorce, officially used in California since 1970 and symbolic of the no-fault, non-confrontational approach to dissolving a marriage. (See: divorce). matters for Shelter House, Inc., an area shelter for battered and abused women. Since 1999, Troell also has accepted pro bono case referrals from Legal Services legal services n. the work performed by a lawyer for a client. of North Florida, Inc. In one instance, his involvement in a child support case stretched over three years and required 52 hours of his time. After a favorable decision was rendered for his client, the decision was appealed and Troell then defended the appeal pro bono. In another instance, he accepted a case that required him to travel 40 miles each way to attend court hearings. In addition to his pro bono representation of clients in criminal and family law matters, Troell has worked tirelessly for the elderly. Troell is married and the father of three children. Walter E. Forehand forehand the head, neck, shoulders, withers and forelimbs of the horse. Second Judicial Circuit Tallahassee Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Walter E. Forehand received his B.A. and M.A. in Classics in 1963 and 1964, respectively, from the University of Florida University of Florida is the third-largest university in the United States, with 50,912 students (as of Fall 2006) and has the eighth-largest budget (nearly $1.9 billion per year). UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes. . In 1968, he earned a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Texas at Austin “University of Texas” redirects here. For other system schools, see University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Austin (often referred to as The University of Texas, UT Austin, UT, or Texas . Prior to receiving his J.D. with highest honors from Florida State University Florida State University, at Tallahassee; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1857. Present name was adopted in 1947. Special research facilities include those in nuclear science and oceanography. in 1988, Forehand held all academic ranks in the Florida State University Department of Classics, including department chair. His academic publications include a book in the fields of Greek and Latin literature. Forehand began his legal practice in 1989. He was a partner/ shareholder at Myers, Forehand & Fuller, P.A., until 2001 when he joined Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A., as a senior attorney. Since 1990, Forehand has provided pro bono legal services for the parents and family members of mentally and/or physically disabled persons in more than 150 dependency cases, representing more than 1,000 hours of service. Forehand's admissions include Florida; the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida; the District of Colorado; the U.S. Supreme Court; and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Sixth, 10th and 11th circuits. He is married, and has two children and two grandchildren. In a letter in support of Forehand's nomination, Circuit Judge Jonathan Sjostrom said that those represented in indigent indigent 1) n. a person so poor and needy that he/she cannot provide the necessities of life (food, clothing, decent shelter) for himself/herself. 2) n. one without sufficient income to afford a lawyer for defense in a criminal case. guardianships "truly represent the most vulnerable among us. Walter served because it was right to serve and because his clients needed him, with no hope of any other benefit to himself. ... Walter Forehand's service profoundly exemplifies the highest ideals of the profession." Nancy C. Holliday-Fields Third Judicial Circuit Live Oak Nancy C. Holliday-Fields received her J.D. from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1992. While still pursuing her professional education, Holliday-Fields was the assistant editor of Family Court Review and president of the law council. Holliday-Fields joined the Third Judicial Circuit in 1994 as an attorney for the guardian ad litem A guardian appointed by the court to represent the interests of Infants, the unborn, or incompetent persons in legal actions. Guardians are adults who are legally responsible for protecting the well-being and interests of their ward, who is usually a minor. program. From 1994-1998 she also practiced family law in the Fields & Jones Law Firm in Lake City. From 1998 to 2001, she served the Third Judicial Circuit as coordinator of the Domestic Violence Program and the Family Law and Self-Help Program, which she created. She currently serves as the Third Circuit's family court manager and deputy court administrator. Although her work with the court does not permit her to provide direct legal representation to litigants, Holliday-Fields volunteers her time and expertise to low-income individuals. As a member of Altrusa International of Lake City, Holliday-Fields has provided services to the parents of children in dependency cases by creating and implementing a series of life skills classes so that parents may obtain employment in higher-paying positions. She also participates in service projects, including those providing skills training to middle school girls and the promotion of literacy programs. Holliday-Fields is an active member of the Homeless Coalition Strategic Planning Committee and has been instrumental in creating new services for Columbia County's homeless. She has been a board member of Three Rivers Legal Services since 1995 and served as board chair since February 2001. During her tenure on the Three Rivers board, she has devoted more than 100 hours to the pursuit of providing legal services to the poor and disadvantaged. Thomas Murray Jenks Fourth Judicial Circuit Jacksonville Thomas Murray Jenks is a native of Jacksonville and has been practicing law in Florida for 25 years. He is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.S. 1978) and Florida State University (J.D., with honors, 1981). He was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1981. He also is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association and the ABA. Jenks is one of the managing partners of the law firm of Pappas Metcalf Jenks & Miller, P.A. He concentrates in commercial real estate law, condominiums, and homeowners associations, is a certified mediator, and is an approved arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association The American Arbitration Association (AAA) is a private enterprise in the business of arbitration, and one of several arbitration organizations that administers arbitration proceedings. The AAA also administers mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. . During the course of his career, Jenks has devoted many hours of volunteer service to the Jacksonville community. He currently serves as chair of the board of directors of the DePaul School and is very active in the First Presbyterian Church First Presbyterian Church is a generic church name, and can refer to hundreds of churches within the English speaking world. If you followed a link here, please consider making it more specific by including the city or town in which the church resides. of Jacksonville. He also serves on the board of directors of the Downtown Kiwanis Club and regularly participates in their fundraising programs. Jenks is an avid outdoorsman and has a special love for deep sea fishing and the Florida Gators. He resides in Jacksonville with his wife of 27 years, Shirley, and has three sons. Two of his sons, Davis and Chase, attend high school and junior college, respectively, and reside at home. His oldest son, Tom, is currently attending law school at the University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. . Rollin E. Tomberlin Fifth Judicial Circuit Ocala Rollin E. Tomberlin graduated magna cum laude from the University of Central Florida “UCF” redirects here. For other uses, see UCF (disambiguation). UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. UCF was founded in 1963 as Florida Technological University with the goal of providing highly trained personnel to support the Kennedy with a B.S. in Business Administration before obtaining his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1983. He worked with the Marion County Public Defender's Office until 1986, when he became an associate with Bond, Arnett & Phelan, P.A. He has been in private practice with J. Herbert Williams since 1992, specializing in marital and family law. In 1991, Tomberlin was certified as a family law mediator. Since that time, he has consistently supported the work of legal services through pro se divorce clinics offered by the Pro Bono Program of Mid-Florida, and by offering mediation services to indigent clients. In recent years, Tomberlin also has provided continuous pro bono assistance with all family law mediations needed for indigent clients of Community Legal Services of North Florida. He serves as a mentor to legal aid attorneys. A member of the board of directors of the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation conciliation: see mediation. Courts, Tomberlin has been a member of the D.R. Smith Inns of Court and the Unauthorized Practice The performance of professional services, such as the rendering of medical treatment or legal assistance, by a person who is not licensed by the state to do so. The unauthorized practice of a profession is prohibited by state laws. of Law Committee of The Florida Bar. Circuit Judge Raymond T. McNeal calls Tomberlin "a good man, a good lawyer, and a good friend. He gives every client his best even if they are not paying his fee." In recognition of his dedication to pro bono work, which exceeds 400 hours over the course of his 22 years in legal practice, Tomberlin was awarded the 2006 Richard D. Custureri Pro Bono Service Award. This is the highest award in Marion County recognizing pro bono service. William L. Penrose Sixth Judicial Circuit St. Petersburg William L. Penrose has been in private practice in St. Petersburg for more than 30 years. A 1966 graduate of the Stetson University College of Law Stetson University College of Law, founded in 1900, is Florida's first law school. Located in Gulfport, FL (moving to the city in 1954 from its original location in DeLand), it also has a campus in Tampa, FL. The law school occupies a historic 1920s resort hotel, the Rolyat. , he has been board certified board certified, adj the status of a dental specialist such as an orthodontist who has become a board diplomate by successfully completing the certification program of the recognized certification board in that area of practice. in marital and family law since 1991. He also is certified as a matrimonial mat·ri·mo·ny n. pl. mat·ri·mo·nies The act or state of being married; marriage. [Middle English, from Old French matrimoine, from Latin m arbitrator by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Since 1994, Penrose has contributed more than 450 hours of pro bono legal services to indigent clients. In that time, he has handled a total of 28 extended family law cases. In 2003, alone, he provided 95 hours of pro bono work, giving free legal advice to clients of the Community Law Program's Wednesday walk-in clinic walk-in clinic Ambulatory clinic, see there and handling family law cases. In a case typical of Penrose's pro bono work with the Community Law Program, he represented a mother who, because she could not afford an attorney, had a default judgment entered against her awarding her husband sole parental responsibility for their minor child. Penrose succeeded in having the default judgment set aside and the woman was awarded shared parental responsibility. Penrose encourages associate attorneys in his office to do pro bono work. He is a frequent speaker on individual rights and is a generous contributor to, and frequent sponsor of, special events benefiting the Community Law Program. In a letter in support of Penrose's nomination, Community Law Program Executive Director Kimberly Rodgers said that his years of dedication to providing free legal assistance to the poor "should serve as a benchmark to encourage other attorneys to lend their time and talents to helping those who otherwise would not be able to afford representation." Philip Henry Elliott, Jr. Seventh Judicial Circuit Daytona Beach A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Phillip H. Elliott, Jr., has been practicing law in Florida for 48 years. Prior to his graduation from the University of Virginia with an L.L.B. now J.D.) in 1958, Elliot spent four years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Subsequently, he joined the Naval Reserve, eventually serving as the commanding officer of a military detachment based in Daytona Beach. It was there, in 1964, that Elliot began practicing law with the firm of Parkinson and Sessions. While in practice with that firm, Elliot served as city prosecutor for the City of Daytona Beach (1964) and as a judge in the Volusia County Small Claims Court (1964-1973). In 1987, Elliott joined the firm now known as Cobb & Cole and served there as counsel until 1998. He then joined the firm now known as Upchurch, Watson, White & Max where he continues a mediation practice. During the course of his career, Elliot has devoted more than 1,900 hours to pro bono service. He has worked with the Pro Bono Program of Mid-Florida and for the past year and a half has met weekly with clients at the Daytona Beach Legal Advice Clinics. He also has provided free assistance to and through local churches. Elliot is a member of the Volusia County Bar Association and has served as president of numerous civic organizations including Central Florida Legal Services and the East Volusia-Flagler Division of the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, n.pr established in 1913, this national volunteer-based health organization is committed to the elimination of cancer through prevention and treatment and to diminishing cancer suffering through advocacy, scholarship, research, . Elliot has a love for aviation and lives in Ormond Beach with his wife. Frank E. Maloney, Jr. Eighth Judicial Circuit Macclenny Frank E. Maloney, Jr., was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in 1969 and earned his J.D. with honors from Florida State University College of Law Florida State University College of Law, a law school in the Southeastern U.S., is one of the professional graduate schools of Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, Florida. The law school borders the South-East quadrant of the University's campus, near the Donald L. in 1972. He also attended the College of Advocacy at the Hastings College of Law (1976). Throughout his 34-year legal practice, which includes family, probate, elder, real estate, criminal, and municipal law, Maloney has shown his dedication to pro bono service through his longtime work with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and, subsequently, with Three Rivers Legal Services. When Three Rivers began providing services to rural Baker County, Maloney readily volunteered to represent indigent residents there. His contributions have been critical, given the 23,000-resident county's location at the Georgia border near Jacksonville, which is underserved by the legal community. In 2003, Maloney was awarded the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Pro Bono Award for his tireless representation of indigent clients. Since becoming a volunteer with Three Rivers in 2004, Maloney has accepted seven cases, all difficult family law cases with unique issues. Maloney is an avid supporter of the Eighth Judicial Circuit's Volunteer Attorney Program. He has been as a member of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association Board of Directors since 1983 and served as president in 1999-2000. He also is a member of the Municipal Attorney's Association and the James C. Adkins Inns of Court. Maloney works along with his wife and office manager, Barbara, to provide much-needed legal counsel to the residents of rural counties. Together, they have accepted the challenge of helping those whose options are limited by poverty and location. Susan V. Stucker Ninth Judicial Circuit Apopka Susan V. Stucker graduated summa cum laude sum·ma cum lau·de adv. & adj. With the greatest honor. Used to express the highest academic distinction: graduated summa cum laude; a summa cum laude graduate. with a B.S. in government from Florida State University and went on to the FSU FSU Florida State University FSU Former Soviet Union FSU Ferris State University FSU Fayetteville State University (North Carolina) FSU Frostburg State University FSU Finance Sector Union College of Law to earn her J.D. with high honors. During law school, she was a member of Moot Court A method of teaching law and legal skills that requires students to analyze and argue both sides of a hypothetical legal issue using procedures modeled after those employed in state and federal appellate courts. and was a National Administrative Law administrative law, law governing the powers and processes of administrative agencies. The term is sometimes used also of law (i.e., rules, regulations) developed by agencies in the course of their operation. Competition Semi-Finalist, which positioned her among the top four competitors in the nation. Stucker began her legal career in Orlando in 1985 as an associate with Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson. In 1987, she joined Baker & Hostetler as a senior associate and, in 1991, joined the legal department of Sprint Nextel (formerly United Telephone). Now the company's senior counsel, she practices employment and labor law labor law, legislation dealing with human beings in their capacity as workers or wage earners. The Industrial Revolution, by introducing the machine and factory production, greatly expanded the class of workers dependent on wages as their source of income. . Since the earliest days of her legal practice, Stucker has consistently dedicated her time and expertise to helping children. After joining the Orange County Bar Association in 1985, she began her pro bono service as a mediator with the bar-sponsored Citizen Dispute Settlement Program. After training for the guardian ad litem program, she accepted her first appointment in 1986. In her first four years of practice, Stucker accepted seven cases, donating more than 100 hours of service. Over the course of her career, she has served as a guardian ad litem for 71 children, donating more than 3,600 hours in closed cases alone. Her previous awards include the Young Lawyer Award in 1990 and an Individual Award for Excellence in 1999, both from the Legal Aid Society. In 2006, Stucker received the organization's highest recognition, the Judge J.C. "Jake" Stone Distinguished Service Award. Stucker is married and has a daughter, Cassidy. Kelly B. Hardwick III 10th Judicial Circuit Bartow Kelly B. Hardwick III is a graduate of Georgia Southern College and the University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the flagship institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee public university system in the American state of Tennessee. College of Law. In 1976, Hardwick joined Barnett Banks Trust Co., N.A., in Winter Park, as a trust officer for the Regional Department. The following year, he accepted a position with Boswell, Boswell & Conner in Bartow, where he practiced real estate, probate, and corporate law. In 1986, he opened his current private practice in Bartow. With a huge heart for dependency cases, Hardwick's commitment goes over and beyond, giving parents a "jump start" on the reunification re·u·ni·fy tr.v. re·u·ni·fied, re·u·ni·fy·ing, re·u·ni·fies To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided. process with their children. He is known for giving as much attention to pro bono cases as he does paying clients and has taken cases from outlying areas that require significant travel time. He has served pro bono as both guardian ad litem and attorney ad litem [Latin, For the suit; for the purposes of the suit; pending the suit.] A Guardian Ad Litem is a guardian appointed to prosecute or defend a suit on behalf of a party who is legally incapable of doing so, such as an infant or an insane person. . In 1992, United Way of Central Florida recognized Hardwick as Volunteer of the Year. He has served three terms on the United Way Board of Directors and is a past president and current board member of the Bartow Rotary Club. He also serves as president and board member of the Bartow Rotary Foundation, Inc., and is a board member and past president of Bartow Crime Stoppers, Inc. Hardwick has served the guardian ad litem program as a pro bono program attorney. He also was the local chair of a Boy Scouts of America Noun 1. Boy Scouts of America - a corporation that operates through a national council that charters local councils all over the United States; the purpose is character building and citizenship training campaign fund drive. He currently serves on the Polk County STAR Advisory Board. He is retired from the Florida Army National Guard The Florida National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. . Hardwick and his wife, Susan, have two children. Lawrence D. Silverman 11th Judicial Circuit Miami Lawrence D. Silverman graduated cum laude from the State University of New York (body) State University of New York - (SUNY) The public university system of New York State, USA, with campuses throughout the state. at Geneseo in 1987, and earned both his J.D. and M.A. from Duke University in 1990. He was admitted to the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Bar in 1991 and to The Florida Bar in 1994. Silverman is a shareholder in Akerman Senterfitt in Miami, practicing in the areas of antitrust and trade regulation, as well as class actions and commercial litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. . He is a past chair of The Florida Bar Business Law Section, the CLE Cle total elimination clearance. and Antitrust, Franchise and Trade Regulation committees and The Florida Bar Antitrust Legislative Amendment Committee. Since 1995, he also has served as a member of the board of Family Resource Center, Inc., which provides emergency shelter and support for children in foster care and/or situations where no parent or guardian exists. In 2001, Silverman was presented a Miami-Dade County Bar Association "Adopt an Agency" pro bono award for his work with Shelbourne House, a not-for-profit agency providing housing to indigent, HIV-positive persons. He also has provided legal counsel to the Embrace Girls Foundation, Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood A service mark used for an organization that provides family planning services. of Greater Miami and the Keys, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Silverman has donated more than 800 hours of pro bono service to the community through the Put Something Back Program of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association and through community contacts. His ongoing work assists the poor in various practice areas including litigation, and transactional and criminal appellate matters. An adjunct professor of law and economics at Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center Shepard Broad Law Center, founded in 1974, is the law school of Nova Southeastern University. The Law Center is housed in Leo Goodwin Sr. Hall, located on Nova Southeastern University's main campus in Davie, Florida and is named after university founder Shepard Broad. since 1999, Silverman continues to make equal access to the courts a reality for all. Neil W. Scott 12th Judicial Circuit Sarasota Neil W. Scott is a 1979 graduate of Brown University with an B.A. in American Civilization. He received his J.D. from the Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri in 1982 and his LL.M LL.M Legum Magister (Master of Laws) from the University of Miami This article is about the university in Coral Gables, Florida. For the university in Oxford, Ohio, see Miami University. The University of Miami (also known as Miami of Florida,[2] UM,[3] or just The U Law School in 1985. In 1983-84, Scott worked as a law clerk at the Rhode Island Supreme Court The Rhode Island Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It consists of a chief justice and four justices. The current Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are: Chief Justice Frank J. for Senior Associate Justice Thomas F. Kelleher. He moved to Miami in 1985, where he worked as associate general counsel for a medical device manufacturer. He subsequently spent eight years administering trusts, estates and guardianships for two banks. He has been in private practice in Sarasota since 1997. Scott's community involvement includes participation and leadership in Legal Aid of Manasota, the All Faiths Food Bank Foundation, Boys and Girls boys and girls mercurialisannua. Clubs, and the Easter Seals Society of Southwest Florida. He also has served as an instructor at Manatee Community College Manatee Community College (MCC), with the main campus based in Bradenton, Florida, is a two-year community college accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate in Arts, Associate in Applied Science and Associate in for the state-mandated Guardianship Training Course. Since 1991, Scott has served as a volunteer attorney with Legal Aid of Manasota, Inc., donating more than 2,000 hours of pro bono service to the community. In this regard, he works with indigent and low-income clients who need assistance with end-of-life documents. Many of these patients are terminally ill Terminally Ill When a person is not expected to live more than 12 months. Notes: Any gifts given out by the afflicted person at this time may be considered as a dispersion of the estate rather than a gift. ; some have no friends or family and very few resources. Often, Scott's services are needed with no or short notice. In one instance, Scott traveled to Manatee County within hours of being contacted by a social worker to prepare advance directives for a hospice patient. In 2005, the Florida Supreme Court recognized Scott for providing over 100 hours of pro bono service in a 12-month period. Sylvia Hardaway Walbolt 13th Judicial Circuit Tampa Sylvia Hardaway Walbolt completed her undergraduate and graduate course work at the University of Florida, earning a J.D. from the College of Law in 1963. A shareholder and former chair of the board of directors of the Carlton Fields law firm, Walbolt has extensive experience handling appeals in all areas of the law, in both federal and state court. During the course of her more than 40-year career, she has appeared as counsel in more than 290 published opinions. In one death penalty case, Walbolt saw the Florida Supreme Court unanimously reverse the convictions and vacate To annul, set aside, or render void; to surrender possession or occupancy. The term vacate has two common usages in the law. With respect to real property, to vacate the premises means to give up possession of the property and leave the area totally devoid of contents. the death sentences of a man with extensive evidence of organic brain damage and mental impairment. In another case, she led a group of Carlton Fields attorneys to assist the Florida Institute of Justice and Florida Institutional Legal Services in a class action filed on behalf of prisoners assigned to "close management." A settlement in the case resulted in dramatic reforms in the close management system. After reading a newspaper account of a St. Petersburg couple who cooked meals out of their home for the homeless and needy families, Walbolt contacted them, made a personal donation to help defray de·fray tr.v. de·frayed, de·fray·ing, de·frays To undertake the payment of (costs or expenses); pay. [French défrayer, from Old French desfrayer : des-, their costs, and offered to incorporate them as a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. . Her involvement generated financial contributions from firm lawyers and staff to help fund the new corporation, We Feed the Hungry, Inc. Walbolt is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional trial organization composed of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the and is the former chair of the college's Florida Access to Justice and Legal Services Committee, which serves as a leader in pro bono legal services. Michael R. Reiter 14th Judicial Circuit Lynn Haven Michael R. Reiter attended Saint Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. College and the University of the State of New York Not to be confused with State University of New York. The University of the State of New York (acronym: USNY; usual IPA pronunciation: ['juzniː] , where he earned his A.A. and B.S., respectively. In 1988, he earned both his Master of Public Administration and J.D. from Florida State University. Reiter is experienced in both civil and criminal law, and has extensive experience in the practice of family law. Although he has been in practice for only eight years, he has successfully resolved more than 150 dependency cases and litigated more than 100 cases involving dissolution of marriage, custody modification, child support, and domestic violence issues. In his pro bono work with Legal Services of North Florida, Reiter has taken cases both directly referred by the organization and through its First Saturday Legal Clinic, which he chaired until June 2006. He also serves as a volunteer educator at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, teaching an Encore Adult Education class in consumer law. Since 1999, Reiter has donated more than 260 hours of legal services. He currently is defending an elderly, blind, and physically disabled man from wrongful eviction The removal of a tenant from possession of premises in which he or she resides or has a property interest done by a landlord either by reentry upon the premises or through a court action. , foreclosure and abuse of an elderly person. He also has represented clients in domestic violence cases. In his solo practice solo practice Medical practice by a single physician–a solo practioner, usually understood to mean a nonspecialist. See Private practice; Cf Group practice. , he provides legal guidance and representation in the areas of bankruptcy and consumer protection law with an emphasis on debt collection and credit reporting. Reiter is a member of the Bay County Bar Association and the Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association. He has been admitted to the U.S. District Court of both the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Elisha D. Roy 15th Judicial Circuit West Palm Beach Elisha D. Roy earned her B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware [3] The student body at the University of Delaware is largely an undergraduate population. Delaware students have a great deal of access to work and internship opportunities. and, in 2001, her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University History Originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology,[7] the university was chartered by the state of Florida in 1964[8][9] as a graduate institution in the physical and social sciences. . While still attending law school, Roy provided more than 300 hours of pro bono service through law school clinics and at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. In her last year at Nova, Roy received the Gold Award for Pro Bono Hours in recognition of her exceptional commitment to making legal services available to all. Roy works with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County and has represented numerous children in dependency and family law cases. She has given nearly 200 hours of pro bono service in representing children in dependency and family law issues. In 2004, she was honored by the Legal Aid Society for her work in a complicated case involving four children with issues in both juvenile and family courts. Roy also volunteers to do pro bono cases through the Family Law Section's Children's Project and serves as a family law mentor for the section in a program designed to recruit nontraditional family lawyers to take family cases. As the current president of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, she has made pro bono one of her priorities, creating a committee that works to promote new ways for members to provide pro bono service. Roy has her own practice, Elisha D. Roy, PA., located in Palm Beach Gardens. She and her husband, Elliot, have one daughter, Eden. Robert Cintron, Jr. 16th Judicial Circuit Key West Robert Cintron, Jr., is a 1972 graduate of Key West High School. In 1976, he earned his undergraduate degree from Florida State University and continued his graduate studies there, earning a J.D. with honors from the College of Law. After practicing law in Tallahassee for 18 years with Dearing & Smith (1980-1984) and, as an attorney and partner, with Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell & Dunbar (1985-1998), Cintron returned to Key West, where he joined the Morgan & Hendrick law firm. Since 1998, Mr. Cintron has provided more than 100 hours of pro bono legal assistance to Monroe County homeowners' associations and individual mobile home owners who are being displaced by the redevelopment of mobile home parks. In 2005, he began his service as the pro bono legal counsel to the nonprofit organization Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe County, Inc. FIRM). He continues to work both locally and in Tallahassee on behalf of the grassroots organization, donating about 125 hours of pro bono legal service in the fight against substantial increases in windstorm wind·storm n. A storm with high winds or violent gusts but little or no rain. windstorm A storm with high winds or violent gusts but little or no rain. insurance rates. Cintron also served as pro bono legal counsel to the City of Key West Civilian Review Board, a panel of private citizens that reviews complaints of misconduct by sworn law enforcement officers and makes recommendations in this regard to local government officials. He logged more than 250 pro bono hours between 2002, when the board was created, and 2005, when the general counsel became a paid position. Cintron has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District courts for all districts of Florida and the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. He and his wife, Mary, live in Key West. Marian A. Lindquist 17th Judicial Circuit Ft. Lauderdale Marian A. Lindquist is a Florida native, born in Ft. Lauderdale in 1964. Lindquist dropped out of high school in her junior year, but soon earned a GED GED abbr. 1. general equivalency diploma 2. general educational development GED (US) n abbr (Scol) (= general educational development) → and began attending Broward Community College  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . . Later, she transferred to Florida Atlantic University “FAU” redirects here. For other uses, see FAU (disambiguation). Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. , graduating in 1988. While still in college, Lindquist combined her skills and strong work ethic and opened a temporary service agency providing secretarial services to more than 100 Broward County law firms. When she took the Law School Aptitude Test ap·ti·tude test n. An occupation-oriented test for evaluating intelligence, achievement, and interest. , she scored in the top 4 percent in the nation and was offered three law school scholarships. She began her legal studies at Mercer University and subsequently transferred to Nova Southeastern University, graduating in 1991. Lindquist opened a general civil practice, Marian A. Lindquist, P.A., where she has been able to combine her business practice with a long history of volunteerism. From 1984-1991, she was a guardian ad litem, representing abused and neglected children. She has been associated with legal aid since 1991, where she provides legal assistance to indigent clients. A frequent volunteer at local schools, Lindquist speaks at Atlantic Vocational Center, Broward Community College and Sheridan Vocational Center, using her life experience to motivate others. She participated in a project at Blanche Ely High School Blanche Ely High School (located in Pompano Beach, Florida) is a high school in Broward County, Florida. Blanche Ely High School serves all cities in Broward County that are north of Sunrise Blvd. , assisting students with dispute resolution and twice has been a participant at Indian Ridge Middle School's Career Day. Lindquist is the mother of eight-year-old Lily. Deborah M. Smith 18th Judicial Circuit Satellite Beach Deborah M. Smith received her A.S. from Bryant Stratton Business Institute in Rochester, New York This article is about the city of Rochester in Monroe County. For the town in Ulster County, see Rochester, Ulster County, New York. Rochester, once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City or , and went on to earn a B.S. in Humanities from the University of Rochester The University of Rochester (UR) is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian research university located in Rochester, New York. The university is one of 62 elected members of the Association of American Universities. . She received her J.D. from the University of Miami in 1988. Smith began her legal career as a workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. insurance defense attorney. She continues to practice in that area of the law, and currently conducts workers' compensation private mediations through her firm, Deborah M. Smith Mediations, located in Satellite Beach. In addition to her work as a mediator, she currently is in general practice with Enrique, Smith & Trent, in Melbourne. When the Brevard County Legal Aid's clinical program was faced with having to shut down its Pro Se Project after the departure of an Equal Justice Fellow in 2004, Smith stepped in. There, Smith helps pro se litigants with family law matters, assisting people who are on the road to self-sufficiency but who face seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Over the past three years, she has donated 400 hours of her time, providing assistance to more than 250 clients. She also staffs the organization's bi-weekly clinics. Smith sometimes encounters cases she feels so strongly about that she accepts the client for ongoing representation. Typically, these clients are facing the most urgent problems involving issues of custody, visitation, support, and distribution of assets. In 2004, Smith was recognized by BCLA BCLA British Columbia Library Association BCLA British Contact Lens Association BCLA Binary Code License Agreement with its Outstanding Pro Bono Service award for providing more than 175 hours of pro bono service in a single year. Her selfl ess dedication to the poor and disadvantaged is a shining example for the legal profession. Margaret M. Anderson 19th Judicial Circuit Vero Beach Margaret M. Anderson is a graduate of Rutgers Law School in Camden, New Jersey The City of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey in the United States. It is located just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 79,904. , and a member of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida bars. In private practice since 1997 concentrating on criminal, family, and domestic issues, Anderson spent seven years as an assistant public defender public defender, governmental official who represents indigent persons accused of crime. U.S. Supreme Court decisions expanding the right to counsel to pretrial proceedings and holding that a person cannot be sentenced to even one day in jail unless a lawyer was . In that capacity, she served as a criminal defense attorney in trial and appellate court A court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. An unsuccessful party in a lawsuit must file an appeal with an appellate court in order to have the decision reviewed. representing juveniles and adults charged with misdemeanors, felonies and violation of probation or parole, and in actions involving involuntary commitment. In 1999, Anderson was named Indian River County Attorney of the Year by Florida Rural Legal Services for her work on pro bono cases. She is one of a handful of area attorneys who charge a $1 "retainer fee" to indigent clients not referred by Legal Services. As part of the Indian River County Bar Association's Law Week activities, she has appeared regularly as a panelist for the annual call-in television program that allows viewers to discuss legal questions and concerns with association attorneys. She also has been featured on CNN CNN or Cable News Network Subsidiary company of Turner Broadcasting Systems. It was created by Ted Turner in 1980 to present 24-hour live news broadcasts, using satellites to transmit reports from news bureaus around the world. and in Time magazine, speaking on Florida Supreme Court litigation. In her letter of nomination, 19th Circuit Pro Bono Coordinator Donna Graf praised Anderson's work on behalf of poor and indigent clients. "She is one of the most dedicated and hardworking attorneys who has represented the indigent. Her service ensures that equal access to justice is a reality on Florida's Treasure Coast. Ms. Anderson is one of those attorneys who help above and beyond the call of duty." Rita C. Chansen 20th Judicial Circuit Ft. Myers Rita C. Chansen came to family law after raising her four children as a single mother. At age 39, she began a 16-year academic journey, which included an associate's degree with honors from Miami-Dade Community College and bachelor's and graduate degrees, magna cum laude, from the University of Miami. After graduation, Chansen became an instructor at Miami-Dade Community College. Eight years later, she entered the University of Miami School of Law The University of Miami School of Law, founded in 1926, is the law school of the University of Miami, located in Coral Gables, Florida, in the United States. Curriculum , where she received her J.D. in 1987. She currently is a family law attorney with Thomson & Schreiber, P.A. In the course of her legal career, Chansen has worked as a law clerk in the Third District Court of Appeal in Miami, has specialized in asbestos-related injuries at a personal injury law firm, and has accepted court appointments in dependency matters as an attorney ad litem. She also is a certified mediator. Working with the Office of the State Attorney, Juvenile Division, in 1991, Chansen prosecuted juvenile offenders while coordinating community resources for their rehabilitation and counseling for their families. She currently uses her experience in the areas of family law and domestic violence to help clients referred to her by the Lee County Legal Aid Society. She also has provided more than 300 hours of pro bono work to clients referred to her by Florida Rural Legal Services. In nominating Chansen, Lee County Bar Association Executive Director Nanci G. DuBois said that she has proven her dedication to pro bono service "with grace and outstanding sensitivity.... Her selflessness in defense of those in need has proven to be an inspiration to all who know her." Wendy P. Fischman Out of State Rockville, Maryland Wendy P. Fischman received her B.A. from the University of Florida and her J.D., with honors, from the George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School, commonly referred to as GW Law, was founded in 1865 and is the oldest law school in the District of Columbia. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law . She is admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). and Florida. Fischman was a litigation associate with Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, P.A., in Ft. Lauderdale before joining Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver shrive v. shrove or shrived, shriv·en or shrived, shriv·ing, shrives v.tr. 1. To hear the confession of and give absolution to (a penitent). 2. & Jacobson LLP LLP - Lower Layer Protocol in Washington, D.C., in 1999. Her practice there included white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and counseling in a variety of areas including government contracts litigation. She currently is employed by Fannie Mae Fannie Mae: see Federal National Mortgage Association. . In her seven years with the Washington firm, Fischman dedicated nearly 680 hours to pro bono efforts. She maintained her commitment to pro bono activities during maternity leave for two pregnancies. In 2006, alone, she did 278 hours of pro bono work, despite her status as a part-time associate. Fischman has represented numerous victims of an immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. fraud scheme in complex litigation. Her clients sought lawful permanent residence in the U.S., only to be caught in a scam by a former immigration attorney and his associate. Each lost a fleeting opportunity for permanent residence. She also represented two indigent widows of veterans in their pursuit of benefit entitlements from the Department of Veterans Affairs. In another case, Fischman helped a client who suffers from Stage II Multiple Sclerosis win Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. The former school teacher eventually was awarded an $876.25 monthly benefit payment. In addition to assisting in guardian ad litem matters, Fischman volunteers her services to the Children's Law Center. The Florida Bar's YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION PRO BONO SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT Mac Richard McCoy Tampa Since joining Carlton Fields, P.A. in November 2003, Mac Richard McCoy has contributed more than 670 hours of legal services to the poor, primarily through the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project, Bay Area Legal Services Volunteer Lawyers, and the American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. . In addition, he has spent numerous hours independently researching a potential pro bono initiative involving children with autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. . In July 2005, the ABA project asked Carlton Fields to represent a Florida death row inmate in filing a motion for post-conviction DNA evidence Among the many new tools that science has provided for the analysis of forensic evidence is the powerful and controversial analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, the material that makes up the genetic code of most organisms. testing. McCoy volunteered to take the lead in evaluating, developing and directing the litigation, which required more than 458 hours. Preparation included reviewing more than 20 boxes of litigation files, depositions, court transcripts, pleadings, exhibits and other materials relating to the case. Despite carrying a heavy caseload case·load n. The number of cases handled in a given period, as by an attorney or by a clinic or social services agency. caseload Noun as a young trial lawyer, McCoy has conducted a number of intake interviews and consultation with prospective pro bono clients for Bay Area Legal Services. Most recently, much of his time has been spent representing an elderly client who was exploited, abused, and defrauded by his wife. Over the course of their three years of marriage, the client's wife evicted him from the marital home, which he had owned before the marriage, sold or gave away all of his tangible property tangible property n. physical articles (things) as distinguished from "incorporeal" assets such as rights, patents, copyrights, and franchises. Commonly tangible property is called "personalty. and assets, emptied his bank accounts, and incurred thousands of dollars of loans and credit card debt Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through ISO 7810 plastic credit cards. Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. in his name without his knowledge or consent. As a result, the client was rendered penniless and homeless. Ultimately, McCoy succeeded in winning a final order restoring the client's full ownership of his home and ordering the wife to pay fraudulently incurred debts. |
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