by Staff
The Florida Bar will recognize 22 lawyers for their work on behalf of poor and indigent clients at a Jan. 29 ceremony at the Florida Supreme Court.
In 2007-08, Florida lawyers provided 1,489,099 hours of pro bono services to those in need and $5,288,466 to legal aid organizations.
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 and to raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees. President John G. “Jay” White, III, of West Palm Beach, will present the 2009 awards.
The award recognizes pro bono service in 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. Awards recognizing pro bono contributions will also be presented for Distinguished Judicial Service, Law Firm Commendation, Voluntary Bar Association and Young Lawyer during the Jan. 29 ceremony.
Shari Thieman Greene
First Judicial Circuit
Shari Thieman Greene is a managing member in the law firm of Bordelon, Schultz & Greene, P.L., in Gulf Breeze. The largest portion of her pro bono cases has come from her church affiliation.
Twyla Lawrene Sketchley
Second Judicial Circuit
Twyla Lawrene Sketchley is the founding and managing attorney of the Sketchley Law Firm, P.A., in Tallahassee. She focuses on the areas of elder law, probate and trust, special needs planning, public benefit eligibility and guardianship.
John Justin Kendron
Third Judicial Circuit
John Justin Kendron is a partner in the law firm of Robinson Kennon & Kendron, P.A. in Lake City. His principal areas of focus are trusts and estates, probate, wills and estate planning and guardianship.
James Anthony Kowalski, Jr.
Fourth Judicial Circuit (Clay, Duval and Nassau)
Jacksonville
James Anthony Kowalski, Jr. is in private practice in Jacksonville. He practices consumer protection litigation, including wrongful foreclosure and consumer fraud, complex personal injury, wrongful death and premises liability litigation. Mr. Kowalski has offered pro bono assistance at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, helping consumers victimized by predatory lenders. Currently, Mr. Kowalski is working on 12 cases for JALA taken from a pool of walk-in client interviews – largely composed of foreclosure cases and other consumer issues. He also mentors other private practice attorneys and has been a presenter at many conferences and seminars. He has volunteered at least 100 hours for JALA.
George Michael Germann
Fifth Judicial Circuit
George Michael Germann is in private practice in Spring Hill.
Gregory Keith Showers
Sixth Judicial Circuit
Gregory Keith Showers is a partner in Kwall, Showers & Barack, P.A. law firm in Clearwater and primarily practices criminal law and personal injury law.
Judith Duggan Davidson
Seventh Judicial Circuit
Judith Duggan Davidson is an assistant public defender in Bunnell, near her home in Ormond Beach. Ms. Davidson has created her own program solely focused on pro bono work.
Shannon McKenzie Miller
Eighth Judicial Circuit
Shannon McKenzie Miller is a partner in Miller & Brasington law firm in Gainesville and a resident Mediator/Arbitrator at The Resolution Center of North Central Florida.
Susan Voight Stucker
Ninth Judicial Circuit
Susan Voight Stucker is the director of Legal, Labor and Employment Law at HD Supply in Orlando. As a bar member for 23 years, her principal areas of practice are labor and employment law.
William James Lobb
Tenth Judicial Circuit
William James Lobb is a sole practitioner in Bartow. The attorney of 14 years practices marital and family law.
Robert C. Josefsberg
Eleventh Judicial Circuit
Robert C. Josefsberg is a senior partner at Podhurst, Orseck, P.A., in Miami, where his principal areas of practice are commercial litigation, criminal litigation and white-collar crime.
Stanley Morris Krawetz
Twelfth Judicial Circuit
Stanley Morris Krawetz is in private practice in Sarasota. An attorney for 43 years, his principal area of practice is family law and he is also a family law mediator.
Scott Alan Stichter
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Scott Alan Stichter is a partner in the law firm of Stichter, Reidel, Blain & Prosser, P.A., in Tampa. His principal areas of practice are bankruptcy and insolvency law.
Todd Clifford Brister
Fourteenth Judicial Circuit
Todd Clifford Brister is a sole practitioner in Panama City. His principal areas of focus are probate, foreclosure defense and general practice.
Thomas Carlton Gano
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit
Thomas Carlton Gano is a solo criminal practitioner in West Palm Beach. As an attorney for 25 years, his principal area of practice has been criminal defense.
Albert Lewis Kelley
Sixteenth Judicial Circuit
Albert Lewis Kelley is owner of Albert L. Kelley, P.A. in Key West and Winter Park/Orlando. He has practiced law for 18 years as both an attorney and mediator.
Heidi Davis Knapik
Seventeenth Judicial Circuit
Heidi Davis Knapik is a shareholder in the Fort Lauderdale office of Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart. She has been a member of its Environmental and Land Use Department over the last 11 years, practicing in the areas of land use and development, zoning, real estate and environmental law.
Melanie Freeman Chase
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit
Melanie Freeman Chase is a shareholder at Chase/Freeman, P.A. law firm in Lake Mary. She is the founding shareholder and her principal areas of practice are business litigation and property rights.
Harry Charles Greenfield
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit
Harry Charles Greenfield is a sole practitioner in Merritt Island. He has been practicing law for 25 years and his principal areas of practice are family law and civil litigation.
Mark Edward Hill
Nineteenth Judicial Circuit
Mark Edward Hill is a partner in MacWilliam, McCain & Hill, P.A., in Vero Beach. Mr. Hill’s areas of practice are: family law, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, real estate, wills and probate law.
Jean M. Finks
Twentieth Judicial Circuit
Jean M. Finks is a sole practitioner in Punta Gorda. Her principal areas of practice are guardianship, estate planning, probate and residential real estate transactions.
Michael J. Willis
Out-of-State Florida Bar Member
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Michael J. Willis is a co-founder and managing partner at Willis & Willis, PLC in Kalamazoo, Mich. His principal areas of practice are estate planning, estate and trust administration and litigation, estate tax minimization, elder law, Medicaid planning, real estate and corporate law.