QuickLINK #173

The section’s next Wednesday Wisdom FREE CLE is August 10, 12-1 PM, by Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Leandra G. Johnson, Lake City, and former General Magistrate Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, Live Oak. “Professionalism Tips From the Bench” is open to all members of The Florida Bar, so please share.

Everyone has encountered a situation where opposing counsel acts with less than professionalism, but how do you handle it when it happens in court? Join this panel discussion to hear about different situations, tactics, and suggestions that these veteran officers of the Court have to offer.

Course number 6244. CLE credit pending approval. REGISTER

Venture Law Project of Dade Legal Aid is this year’s winner of the Solo & Small Firm Section’s L. Michael Roffino Pro Bono Award and has received a $4,000 grant. Finalists Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida and Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association each received $2,000. The awards were presented during the Annual Florida Bar Convention in June.The annual L. Michael Roffino Pro Bono Award—previously known as the Bill Jacob Award—is given to the pro bono organization in Florida that has created the best pro bono service program during the past year. Originally named the Bill Jacob Award in honor of the section’s first chair, it was renamed in 2004 after the untimely death of former section Solo & Small Firm Section Chair L. Michael Roffino.

Since 1990, the Solo & Small Firm Section has awarded $180,500 in grants to deserving Florida pro bono organizations.

Here are this year’s honorees:

• Venture Law Project of Dade Legal Aid provides legal services related to all things business. A sample of clients includes small businesses, artists, creative groups, inventors, and veteran entrepreneurs were helped with incorporation, taxation, contracts, leases, employment agreements, and licensing issues. With the onset of the pandemic and ensuing shutdowns, the project adapted to address the needs of the clients with unemployment, eviction, immigration, and various federal grants (CARES Act & PPP). More than 150 clients were aided by the volunteer attorneys and law students.
• Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida set up a virtual legal clinic to serve the 12 counties in rural Florida. Working with the tools they had, they hosted weekly clinics and doubled the number of clients helped from last year to almost 250 people. In addition, the smooth operation of the program recruited 62 unique volunteers, almost a 4.5-time increase from the prior year. They also incorporated a call center that was available for clients who needed help with housing issues.
• Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association created their own “Covid-19 Eviction Consultation Clinic” that was 100 percent virtual. They maximized their outreach to volunteers and found 45 lawyers who were willing to participate, including some from other areas of the state. They were able to serve more than 900 clients since the start of the pandemic and continue to do so.