by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid honored one of its founding members last week by unveiling a new Wall of Tribute in its West Adams Street office.
Attorney Lewis “Lukie” Ansbacher was inducted as the first member of the Wall of Tribute. Ansbacher was a longtime supporter of JALA and was president of the organization in 1964.
Besides the Wall of Tribute, JALA executive director Michael Figgins also announced that a Justice Endowment has been started at JALA in honor of Ansbacher.
JALA’s Justice Endowment started receiving contributions from friends and family shortly after Ansbacher passed away last February, Figgins said.
The endowment will act as a nest egg for JALA. Figgins said he hopes the fund will grow to a sizable amount over the years so the agency can reach more people in need.
Several friends and members of the Ansbacher family attended the small ceremony, including Ansbacher’s widow, Sybil.
“It is fitting that his friends and family would see that this was a fitting tribute to his legacy,” said FIggins. “He recognized that he had a responsibility to bridge that gap for justice for all.”
Figgins said he hopes the Wall of Tribute will inspire young attorneys to offer their services to the public good. Currently, JALA only receives volunteer service from about 10 percent of bar members, he said.
“That hallway is an area where lots of law students and lawyers pass through,” said Figgins said. “(The Wall of Tribute) will be a reminder of why (Ansbacher) is there, what he did and what still needs to be done.”