Jacksonville Area Legal Aid named Florida Coastal School of Law as the 2011 recipient of the Robert J. Beckham Equal Justice Award.
JALA said it chose Coastal Law for its partnership and for its commitment to the community.
“Florida Coastal School of Law and JALA are partners in securing justice for all in our community,” said Michael Figgins, JALA executive director.
“During the years of its existence, the school has provided interns, externs, work-study students and even licensed attorney graduates to JALA, all at the school’s expense,” he said.
“The fruits of this partnership are a growing legal community in Jacksonville that believes in and practices the concept of justice for all, a law school that stands above the rest in its commitment to its community, and a legal aid program that has the resources to carry out its mission,” he said.
Coastal Law Dean Peter Goplerud, also a professor, said the college’s support of JALA matches its mission.
“Our support of JALA is directly in alignment with one of our very own mission pillars — serving the underserved,” he said.
“We are honored and humbled to be recognized in this way and we look forward to partnering with JALA to help those in need in Jacksonville for years to come,” he said.
Coastal Law will receive the honor at the 13th annual awards reception Jan. 10 at The River Club Downtown.
Mike Freed, president of The Jacksonville Bar Association, will serve as the master of ceremonies. Hank Coxe, former president of The JBA and The Florida Bar, will be the keynote speaker.
The Robert J. Beckham Equal Justice Award honors the individual or organization that has done the most to promote the cause of equal justice for low-income people.
In addition, JALA will honor the President’s Award winners who have given exemplary assistance to JALA throughout the year, outstanding pro bono attorneys and firms that have had 100 percent of their attorneys contribute to JALA.