For the first time, the Large Firm Pro Bono Roundtable, a subcommittee of the 4th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, launched No Case Left Behind, to help find pro bono attorneys for 48 civil legal matters of low-income people in Northeast Florida.
The effort started during Celebrate Pro Bono week, an annual observance by the American Bar Association to thank pro bono attorneys, educate the community on the impact of pro bono legal services and to encourage more attorneys to become involved.
Observances in the 4th Judicial Circuit included pro bono attorney trainings, open house events, pro bono seal/expunge services, free legal presentations in libraries, volunteer recognition efforts, advance directives for seniors and consultations for veterans.
Mayor Lenny Curry issued a proclamation designating Oct. 25-31 as Celebrate Pro Bono Week locally, but observances spanned more than a month.
No Case Left Behind project was spearheaded by John Macdonald, chair of the Pro Bono Roundtable and managing partner at Akerman.
He has championed the effort with support from the managing partners of many of the area’s larger law firms. The project also has been bolstered by several small and solo practitioners.
The cases have been identified by Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, the Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership, the Veterans Legal Collaborative and Three Rivers Legal Services.
They represent a wide range of civil legal matters including landlord/tenant, tax, probate, guardian advocacy, social security disability appeals and child custody.
The following firms and solo practitioners stepped up and accepted cases. Deep appreciation is extended to each of them:
• Adams & Reese: one case
• Akerman: four cases
• Boyd & Jenerette: two cases
• Busch White Norton LLP: one case
• Christopher Kaiser: one case
• Christopher Roland: one case
• CSX Legal Department: one case
• DiFranza Law Firm: two cases
• Driver McAfee Peek & Hawthorne: two cases
• Donahoo & McMenamy P.A: one case
• Farah & Farah: two cases
• Florida Coastal School of Law: one case
• Harrell & Harrell: one case
• Holland & Knight: three cases
• Ian Christensen: one case
• John Toro: one case
• Johnson and Johnson P.A.: five cases
• Lauren Gersny: one case
• Law Office of Forrest T. Frederick: three cases
• Law Offices of Jason K.S. Porter P.A.: one case
• Marks Gray: two cases
• McGuireWoods: one case
• Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: one case
• Purcell Flanagan Hay Greene P.A.: two cases
• Rogers Towers: one case
The integrity of our judicial system is rooted in the belief that both sides of an issue must be heard objectively and fairly. When the voices of low-income people are not heard, justice does not prevail.
“We hope that the ‘No Case Left Behind’ effort will be an important component of our local Celebrate Pro Bono observances each year,” Macdonald said. “This year we were able to find representation for 42 of the 48 cases posted. That’s a great result. Next year, we’ll go for 100 percent placement.”
Macdonald said it is incumbent on lawyers to share their skills with those less fortunate. “It is the right thing to do for individuals needing help and it’s the right thing to do for our community,” he said. “We’re very grateful to each lawyer and law firm that stepped to participate in the launch.”
Attorneys interested in pro bono opportunities in the 4th Judicial Circuit should contact Para at [email protected].