by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The Florida Bar will recognize 21 lawyers for their work on behalf of poor and indigent clients at a Thursday ceremony at the Florida Supreme Court. Among those attorneys is Jacksonville lawyer Tom Jenks, a managing partner of the law firm of Pappas Metcalf Jenks & Miller, P.A.
The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award was established in 1981. It is intended to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments. The award also aims to raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers. Bar President Hank Coxe will present the 2007 awards.
Jenks said he and members of the firm won the award because of their work on an affordable housing project on the Northside.
“It’s kind of unique because we are not litigators,” he said. “We are real estate attorneys.”
Through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid attorney Carol Miller, Jenks and his staff worked with developer Paul Tutweiler to establish a homeowner’s association for the development. The tasks ranged from platting to permitting to working with the water management district.
“We did what we usually do for our clients,” said Jenks, who will be in Tallahassee to receive the award on behalf of the group’s effort.
“Scott Weaver was an associate who worked on the project and has since left,” he said. “Charles Gibbs stepped in and helped. Karen Godfrey is a paralegal who did a lot of the filing work and other things that have to go through Tallahassee.”
Jenks specializes in commercial real estate law, condominiums and homeowners associations. He is a certified mediator and an approved arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
Jenks said he was surprised to get the award, and he suspects Miller nominated him for his work.
“We certainly didn’t do it looking to win an award,” he said.
Jenks will represent the Fourth Judicial Circuit at the ceremony. He is a native of Jacksonville and has been practicing law in Florida for 25 years. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 1978 and got his law degree from Florida State University in 1981.
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 serves on the Board of Directors of the Downtown Kiwanis Club.
The pro bono award recognizes attorneys from each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits and one Florida Bar member practicing outside the state of Florida. It is presented annually in conjunction with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, which is given by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Florida.