The Jacksonville community is proud to welcome people from all over the country to the annual Equal Justice Conference.
This week at the Downtown Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, the Equal Justice Conference will be Wednesday-Saturday.
The conference is a national annual event that brings together all components of the legal community to discuss equal justice issues as they relate to the delivery of legal services to the poor and low-income individuals in need of civil legal assistance.
Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, the conference focuses on building partnerships among the key players in the civil justice system to strengthen and expand civil legal services to the poor.
The conference has an agenda that will be beneficial to a broad range of legal professionals. With workshops, networking opportunities and special programming, the conference provides a wide range of learning and discussion experiences for all attendees.
The conference will include programs and presentations based on all levels of legal experience and expertise, from those just starting out in pro bono work to those who are looking to expand their pro bono legal portfolios.
The conference offers a unique opportunity for pro bono and legal services program staff, judges, corporate counsel, court administrators, private lawyers, paralegals and bar association leaders from across the country.
In addition to the national organizers of the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, a number of local attorneys and legal professionals are serving as members of the local conference host committee.
The local host committee comprises representatives from The Jacksonville Bar Association, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Florida Coastal School of Law and several local law firms.
Members include Judge Jean Johnson, Mike Freed, Karen Millard, Leslie Goller, Ray Driver, Lanny Russell, Kathy Para, Emily Magee, Josh Zmroczek, Christa Figgins, Paul Doyle, Karen Ladis, Kathy Grunewald and Adrianne Johnson.
The host committee is coordinating two workshop opportunities at the conference in which Florida pro bono initiatives will be featured. The committee also is very pleased to invite conference attendees to the annual JBA Paws and Laws Casino Night May 18 at EverBank Field.
Registration information for this valuable national event can be found at equaljusticeconference.org.
Attorneys interested in becoming involved in pro bono service in the Fourth Judicial Circuit are encouraged to contact Kathy Para at [email protected].