by Kathy Para
JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair
Northeast Florida observed the American Bar Association’s designation of “Celebrate Pro Bono Week” in grand style.
From a proclamation by Mayor John Peyton to volunteer celebrations to pro bono fairs to CLE trainings for pro bono attorneys, the legal community turned out in force to consider the many ways that pro bono involvement changes lives and fortifies our system of justice. Statewide, attorneys are asked to imagine the impact attorneys could make if each 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 and “Celebrate Pro Bono Week” is to contribute in a simple, direct way: One Client. One Attorney. One Promise.
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, at [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. Con-
tact 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 contact co-founder, Marla Buchanan, Esq., for sched-
ule and location details. [email protected].
Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership (NFMLP):
The NFMLP is a collaborative effort with the goal 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., at [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, county court unit director, at [email protected], for information on training and opportunities.