by Kathy Para
JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair
Pro bono involvement changes lives and fortifies our system of justice.
Statewide, attorneys are asked to imagine the impact that could be made if each attorney took just one pro bono case. That single contribution could drastically reduce the enormous backlog of pro bono cases and significantly improve access to justice for all Florida residents.
The message of the One Campaign is simple, direct and powerful: One Client. One Attorney. One Promise. Let’s all make our New Year’s commitment.
Offer your legal expertise to one low-income client by contacting one of these legal services organizations in the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Be the one for a client in need. Here’s how:
Guardian ad Litem
When you volunteer with the Guardian ad Litem Program for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, you become a voice for a child in dependency court. Other pro bono opportunities with the GAL Program include assisting the GAL Program using your area of expertise, including special education, probate, guardianship, appeals, or immigration. Training is available. Contact Hilary Creary, Circuit Director, [email protected], for more information on pro bono opportunities.
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA)
JALA is a mid-sized law firm specializing in providing civil legal assistance to low-income persons. Requests for services are at critical levels. Pro bono attorneys are urgently needed to represent clients in a single legal matter. Attorneys specify practice areas and review cases prior to acceptance. Professional liability insurance is provided. Contact Kathy Para, Esq., Pro Bono Development Coordinator, [email protected], for more information on CLE training available and all pro bono opportunities.
Missing Links
Family law attorneys and paralegals are needed to assist victims of domestic violence prepare pro se divorce documents. Missing Links meets once a month in the evening. For more information, schedule and location details, contact co-founder, Marla Buchanan at [email protected].
Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership (NFMLP)
The NFMLP is a collaborative effort, the goal of which is to serve low-income and vulnerable clients who have legal issues that impact their health and well-being. Pro bono attorneys have the opportunity to resolve the legal issue of a client who has been referred to the NFMLP by a medical professional. The pro bono attorney becomes part of a team of professionals working to resolve factors that negatively impact the stability of the client. For more information, contact Kathy Para, Esq., Operations Team Lead, [email protected]
Office of Public Defender
Pro bono attorneys are needed to serve as Special Assistant Public Defenders (SAPD) representing clients in misdemeanor cases in criminal court. Training and support is provided. SAPDs help a low-income client seek justice, allowing staff attorneys more time to focus on the thousands of cases they already handle. Contact Cynthia Hunold, Director of the County Court Unit, [email protected], for information on training and opportunities.