JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PRO BONO COMMITTEE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT ORGANIZATION

Transcription

1 JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PRO BONO COMMITTEE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT I. CHANGES IN MEMBERSHIP AND/OR REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATION CHANGES - Please provide any changes in committee membership from the membership presented in the circuit pro bono plan. PLEASE INCLUDE AN ADDRESS AND CURRENT PHONE NUMBER FOR THE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON. THANK YOU. NAME Honorable Thomas G. Freeman* (407) William H. Abbuehl Nancy Armstrong Clarissa Harrell Timi Tucker Clifton McClelland, Jr. Robert L. Johnson, Jr. Leonard Clarke Honorable Peter Haddad Mariah Maryland Silvia McLain Society, Inc. Honorable Frank Pound, Jr. Rachel Gorenflo Mark Van Bever ORGANIZATION Circuit Court Judge Central Florida Legal Services Guardian Ad Litem Program - Seminole Bar Association Young Lawyer's - Brevard Florida Bar Board of Governors Legal Aid, Inc. Guardian Ad Litem Program - Brevard County Court Judge Client Member Legal Aid Circuit Court Judge - Retired Bar Association Court Administrator *CHAIRPERSON

2 II. TYPES OF PRO BONO SERVICE BEING PROVIDED - A. SPECIAL PRO BONO SERVICE PROJECTS - Please briefly describe any special pro bono service projects such as community education programs, pro se clinics, etc., for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004: PROJECT 1. Weekly Advice Clinic. One on one advice with a pro bono attorney offered to clients who do not need or qualify for full representation. 2. Bi-Weekly Family Law Pre Se Clinic by Pro Bono Attorneys. 3. Bi-Weekly Consumer Law Clinic by pro bono Attorney. 4. Monthly Simple Will Clinic for elderly, chronically ill and the poor by pro bono attorney. 5. Community Education by private Attorneys. 6. Coordination of Pro Bono referrals from Community Legal Service of Mid-Florida. 1. Community Education for Elderly by Pro Bono Attorneys. 2. Coordination of Pro Bono Referrals 3. Guardian Ad Litem 4. Bi-Weekly Legal Advice Clinic by Pro Bono Attorney in Oviedo 5. Bi-Weekly Legal Advice Clinic by Pro Bono Attorney in Casselberry 6. Bi-Weekly Legal Advice Clinic by Pro Bono Attorney in Winter Springs 7. Adopt a Non Profit Agency 8. Community Education Presentation for School Children by Pro Bon Attorneys 7. Adopt-An-Agency 8. Hurricane Response Project - provides assistance to Hurricane victims with a wide range of legal problems including: housing, consumer, insurance, and contract matters. 9. Foreclosure Clinic, pro bono attorneys review foreclosure cases for possible meritorious defenses and representation.

3 B. JUDICIAL AND GOVERNMENT LAWYER PARTICIPATION IN PRO BONO SERVICE - If not described above as a special project, please describe any pro bono service being provided by members of the judiciary, their staff and government lawyers as well as any special support services being provided to enable their participation: PRO BONO SERVICE th Judicial Circuit State Attorneys Office for Education Program and Teen Court SUPPORT SERVICES th Judicial Circuit State Attorneys Office for Education Program and Teen Court C. CORPORATE ATTORNEY PARTICIPATION IN PRO BONO SERVICE - If not described above as special project, please describe any pro bono service being provided by corporation attorneys as well as any special support services being provided to enable their participation: PRO BONO SERVICE N/A SUPPORT SERVICES N/A D. LAW FIRM COLLECTIVE SATISFACTION PROJECTS - Please provide the name of the law firm, and a brief description of the collective satisfaction project: LAW FIRM DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT N/A [PLEASE ALSO REPORT HERE IF NOT PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ANY LAW FIRM PROJECTS EVEN IF NOT FORMALLY A COLLECTIVE SATISFACTION PROJECT]

4 III. TRAINING PROVIDED TO PRO BONO ATTORNEYS - Please provide a brief description of any training provided to pro bono attorneys from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004: TRAINING PROVIDED 1. Pro Bono Attorney Mentor Program Attorney and Family Law Manuals. 2. Mentoring from BCLA Managing Attorney to new volunteers or to volunteers that are doing work beyond the scope of their expertise. 1. Mentoring from SCBALAS Managing Attorney to new volunteers or to volunteers that are doing work beyond the scope of their expertise [MAKE COPIES OF THIS SHEET FOR ADDITIONAL REPORTING] IV. RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES - Please describe any recruitment activities carried out from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 and if available, the results from the recruitment activity: RECRUITING ACTIVITY RESULTS 1. June 14, Letters sent to 2003 pro bono family law panel members. 2. June 14, Buy-out letters sent to 2003 donors 3. June 21, Letters sent with preference forms to Florida Bar Members in. 4. September 24, 2003 Follow up letters sent. 47% Response rate Case Acceptance Other pro bono Donations 66 responses 89 responses 102 responses 127 responses 138 attorneys 64 attorneys 126 attorneys Pro Se/Clinic recruitment letters were mailed on 2/21/2005 to BCLA pro bono attorneys not currently assigned to a BCLA client. * Executive Director and Managing Attorney attend all Bar Association meetings and events. They have recruited at least 10 attorneys for pro bono work.

5 February 13, Election and Preference forms were sent to all Bar Association members and Florida Bar members with addresses* Follow up letters were sent on May 21, 2004 to 650 Seminole County Bar and Florida Bar members with addresses* 29% Response Rate 20% of the Individuals that Responded 229 Responses Participated in the Pro Bono Program *Many of these attorneys are also members of Orange County Legal Aid and are actively participating in their Pro Bono Program. V. RECOGNITION ACTIVITIES - Please describe any pro bono service recognition activities or events carried out from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004: Legal Aid, Inc. and the Bar Association held its annual Pro Bono Awards and Recognition Gala on Friday, February 4, 2005 at the Suntree Country Club. Brevard was honored to have Judge Vincent G. Torpy of the 5th District Court Of Appeal as its award presenter and speaker. Ten attorneys donating in excess of 75 hours of Pro Bono service received special recognition and were presented with engraved plaques. Eleven attorneys donating in excess of 45 hours received framed certificates. The event was covered extensively by the local media. In addition, all pro bono attorneys are sent a letter of appreciation when a case is closed. Pro bono activity and appreciation is printed regularly in the Local Bar Newsletter. Recognition is also featured in the local newsletter with client stories and quotes. December 17, Pro Bono Recognition Awards and Second Annual Edward C. Smith Award Presentation presented by Judge Donna McIntosh at the Bar Association holiday luncheon for outstanding pro bono service. Individual thank you notes and Certificates of Appreciation are sent to pro bono attorneys at the time the attorneys complete and close cases.

6 VI. COMPELLING PRO BONO SERVICE STORIES - Please provide two or three brief examples of a person or group that was significantly helped through pro bono service: Story #1 The devastating storms that ripped through Brevard in 2004 resulted in a significant increase in requests for service by hurricane victims. Although requests are for help with a wide variety legal problems, the need in the area of housing is particularly acute. When Louise, an elderly mobile home park resident, called Legal Aid for help, she was desperate and did not know where to turn. Her uninsured mobile home had been destroyed and the mobile home park owner was demanding lot rent until she could remove what was left. She had entered into an ill-advised agreement with an unlicensed contractor for removal of the trailer in exchange for a significant sum and title to the mobile home. The unscrupulous contractor then took everything of value from the trailer but failed to remove the unit from the park. Legal Aid assisted Louise in securing return of the title to the home and in negotiating a favorable agreement with a reputable contractor for its removal. Louise decided to relocate out-of-state to be closer to family. She now needed assistance in negotiating with her landlord (the same park owner) to terminate her tenancy. Legal Aid again stepped in, assisting in securing a release from her lease. Story #2 Rosa and her eight-year-old son were barely making ends meet and in desperate need of legal help after her husband threw them out of the marital home. Speaking only broken English, Rosa told Legal Aid a sad story of physical abuse at the hands of her husband. She was particularly concerned about the effect of the violence on her young son, who was already showing signs of emotional problems. Legal Aid attorney Peter Pancoast filed for dissolution, immediately obtaining temporary relief for Rosa in the form of support payments. Ultimately, we were successful in obtaining custody for our client along with permanent child support payments and equitable distribution of marital assets including the home. Now, Rosa's young son is adjusting well with classmates at his new beachside school and is excelling in his schoolwork. Story #1: Rebecca requested assistance from our office to obtain temporary custody of her grandchildren ages six and seven. Law enforcement officers found the parents of her grandchild in a car with a large quantity of heroine. The children were in the back seat of the car among numerous bags of heroine and used needles. The children were extremely dirty and hungry. The parents were arrested and the children given to Rebecca. This elderly grandmother needed to place them in school and get proper medical care for them. Our office obtained custody of the children for her. The children are now thriving under Rebecca's care and supervision.

7 Story #2: Maggie, an indigent woman, requested our help to establish a guardianship for her mentally retarded daughter. Maggie cared for her daughter at home and always made all decision for her daughter. One day, after her daughter's eighteenth birthday, the doctor's office informed Maggie that she needed to get a guardianship so that the doctor could provide services to her. Maggie called a lawyer and she was told a guardianship would cost approximately $6,000. Maggie is on a limited budget and could not afford to hire the attorney. He gave her the telephone number of our office. She called and we were able to establish the guardianship for her without any legal fees. Maggie can now continue to make all the necessary decision for her daughter and protect her daughter's best interest. VII. OTHER - Please provide any other information that you feel would be helpful in accurately describing the pro bono service activities and the results from those activities in your circuit: VIII. PRO B0NO PLAN MODIFICATIONS - Please provide information on any modifications made to the circuit pro bono plan in the last year: A. NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITY AREAS: B. SHORT TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (NEXT 6 MONTHS) TO ADDRESS PRIORITY LEGAL NEEDS AND ENCOURAGE LAWYERS TO PARTICIPATE: C. LONG TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, IF DIFFERENT FROM 1994 REPORTING, (NEXT 2 YEARS) TO ADDRESS PRIORITY LEGAL NEEDS AND ENCOURAGE LAWYERS TO PARTICIPATE: D. RESOURCES COMMITTED BY CIRCUIT PRO BONO COMMITTEE PARTICIPANTS: E. SUPPORT FOR PRO BONO ACTIVITIES: F. OTHER: PLEASE RETURN BY Friday, February 11, 2005 TO: Kent R. Spuhler, Director Voluntary Pro Bono Attorney Plan Florida Legal Services 2121 Delta Blvd. Tallahassee, FL /