by Kathy Para
JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair
Susan Novak, a recently licensed attorney, attended the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. Upon graduation, she began practicing civil and complex commercial litigation with Rogers Towers.
Novak says that she has been involved with pro bono work since law school and that she has no intention of stopping.
Novak met a recent pro bono client at an Ask-A-Lawyer event hosted by The Jacksonville Bar Association and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
As is the case with many college students adapting to changing class schedules and living on a shoestring, Novak’s client had agreed orally with her landlord to terminate her apartment lease early, without penalty.
The client moved out of the apartment and a few months later, began receiving calls from a collection agency claiming that she owed thousands of dollars to the landlord as an “early termination fee” and additional rent.
When questioned, the landlord claimed that this was a courtesy, since the landlord had the option to pursue the student for double the amount as the remaining six months of the lease.
Novak’s client was supporting herself on a minimal budget and paying her way through school. The amount the landlord claimed she owed was both staggering and impossible for the client to pay.
It was important to the client to both have these charges waived and to ensure there was no negative impact on her credit. Novak investigated the lease, the allegations of the landlord and the student’s rights under Florida law.
After notifying the landlord of her client’s position in the dispute, the landlord agreed to waive all amounts and provided letters from the apartment complex, the collection agency and the credit reporting agency acknowledging that the student’s account was paid in full.
This case is a clear example of how simple a positive outcome can be when the playing field is leveled by representation on both sides.
With communication from an attorney that the original agreement would be the one upheld and enforced, the landlord abandoned his “early termination fee” addition and honored his commitment that remaining months would not be charged to the client.
This young client had a firm, fair and clear advocate in Novak. This month we commend Susan Novak for lending that helping hand and thank her for her service.
For information on pro bono opportunities throughout the Fourth Judicial Circuit, attorneys are encouraged to contact Kathy Para, [email protected], 356-8371, ext. 363.