by Judge Jean Johnson
The Justice For All Award. That is the name of the new award given by Volunteer Jacksonville to the attorney who demonstrates commitment to that ideal by pro bono service. Robert Spohrer is the first recipient of this award. Encouraging community recognition of the services of lawyers was a project of the 4th Judicial Circuit’s Pro Bono Committee for this year. The 4th Judicial Circuit’s Pro Bono Committee recognizes the need for legal services for the poor. Under Florida Bar Rule 4.6.5, the Chief Judge of each Circuit is required to establish a Pro Bono Committee to prepare a plan for the provision of pro bono services, to implement and monitor that plan and to submit an annual report to the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Pro Bono Service.
Our Committee established subcommittees to create pro bono projects, to recruit and train attorneys for service and to recognize the attorneys who provide substantial service. Since each attorney has a different amount of time and different interests, our goal is to provide a variety of projects and to encourage law firms to develop their own projects so that any attorney who wants to contribute pro bono service can find a project that is appealing.
We have much to be proud of in the 4th Judicial Circuit. We are the only Circuit to establish a pro bono website. Our website address is www.probono4.org. This site provides timely information about areas in which services are needed so projects and attorneys can match up quickly.
Other projects ongoing in the 4th Judicial Circuit, some through Legal Aid and some through other areas, are legal aid intakes in the areas of Wills, Probates and Guardianships, a bankruptcy clinic conducted in association with the Bankruptcy Bar, family law pro se clinics in which family law attorneys give monthly information in clinics at the Duval County Courthouse. There is a similar small claims clinic. The Nassau County Bar offers a monthly evening intake for legal aid, the Guardian Ad Litem Program uses attorneys to serve as guardians or attorneys for guardians on juvenile cases, Florida Coastal School of Law has a law advocacy clinic to provide opportunities for law school students to access the elderly and indigent, the I.M. Salzbacher Center for the Homeless has an intake program sponsored by the Jacksonville Bar Association and the City Rescue Mission is being helped by the Christian Legal Society through the development of an onsite legal clinic to interview and accept cases of homeless clientele. The State Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office has developed a number of projects for their attorneys to provide pro bono services. These are just a few of the opportunities that are available
Because the Bar encourages athletic competitions and a number of firms have established semi- pro teams, the Pro Bono Committee has decided that it would be interesting to have a similar pro bono competition and allow law firms to compete for the Annual Perpetual Pro Bono Trophy. This is a substantial trophy which the winning law firm will be permitted to keep in its law offices for the year as a symbol of the commitment of its attorneys to pro bono service. We have devised a way to ensure portionality so that all firms will have an equal playing field, large or small, and have an opportunity to win this trophy. Information about participating in this competition can be obtained through my office or through the office of the Jacksonville Bar. We will run a tally each month in the Bar News and tell you the standing of the firms in this competition. To qualify for pro bono service the firms can have their own projects or encourage their attorneys to participate in the many pro bono opportunities which exist in the 4th Judicial Circuit. Please visit our pro bono website for areas where your services are needed.
Committee members who have made our committee such a success are listed below with the areas that they represent. If you have ideas for projects please contact any one of these members or contact me or the office of the Jacksonville Bar.
Chair - Judge Jean Johnson
Judge Hugh Carrithers
City Attorney’s Office - Tracy Arpen, Chair of Project Subcommittee
Brown, Terrell & Hogan, Wayne Hogan
Bankruptcy Bar Association - Ed Jackson
State Attorney’s Office - Jay Plotkin
Public Defender’s Office - Bill White, Chair, Technology
Holland & Knight - Tom Bishop, Co-Chair Training/Mentoring
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid - Michael Figgins, Pat Vail
Nassau County Bar - Brian Morrisey, Judy Smith
Volunteer Jax - Lynn Weise
Hubbard House - Ellen Siben, Gail Patin
Florida Coastal School of Law - Linda Hanson
Jacksonville Women’s Lawyers Association - Paula Brice, Leslie Wickes
Jacksonville Bar Association - Tom Beverly
Guardian Ad Litem - Lynn Salvatore
First Coast Trial Lawyers Association - Abe Bateh
Federal Bar Association - Geddes Anderson - Chair
Recognition Subcommittee - Marianne Aho - Chair
Perkins Bar Association - B. Alexis Priestly-Jackson
Cokers, Myers, Schickel, et al. - Jake Schickel
Cole, Stone, Stoudemire & Morgan - Mary Morgan
McGuire, Woods, Battle & Booth - Donald Anderson
Rogers, Towers, Baily - Betsy Cox Mahin, Co-chair Training/Mentoring
Charley Howell - Co-chair
Clay County Bar - Kelsea Robert
Clara White Mission - JuCoby Pittman
Quigley House - Sharon Youngerman
Women’s Center of Jacksonville - Sharon Simmons
Client Member - Veronica Sledge
Thanks to all of these committee members and to the attorneys who have fulfilled their commitment for voluntary pro bono service.