The Florida Bar will recognize lawyers for their work on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged clients at a ceremony Jan. 16 at the state Supreme Court.
Established in 1981, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments and to raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees.
Florida Bar President Roland Sanchez-Medina Jr. will present the 2025 awards.
Selected for the award in the 4th Judicial Circuit, comprising Clay, Duval and Nassau counties, Fred Cromwell Isaac has provided pro bono legal assistance to hundreds of clients over the years independently and through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and the Jacksonville Bar Association for more than 50 years.
In the past year, Isaac provided more than 150 hours of pro bono service, representing clients in three probate cases, providing estate planning documents to four clients, two of whom were critically ill and hospitalized; and handling several contract negotiation disputes. One contract litigation case involved more than 100 hours and took two years to conclude. Isaac wrote off all the fees for the client, who was a military veteran.
The Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association will receive the 2025 Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Award, presented by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz.
The award recognizes a Florida voluntary Bar that has demonstrated a significant contribution in the delivery of legal services to individuals or groups on a pro bono basis.
Founded in 1982, JWLA provides support and networking for its members in Northeast Florida. The group’s mission is to “actively promote gender equality and the leadership roles of its members in the legal profession, judiciary, and community at large.”
Among its contributions to the community, JWLA advocates and encourages its members to be involved in pro bono work through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and other local legal aid organizations.
Since 2018, JWLA has sponsored a paid summer internship program through JALA. Known as the Kathy Para Student Internship Fund at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, JWLA promotes access to justice, provides legal experience for JWLA’s student membership and fosters a lifelong dedication to pro bono work.
In 2023, JWLA members helped staff a legal aid “Lunch and Learn” series at the Northeast Florida Women Veterans Center and staffed several wills and advance directive clinics at the center, as well as at senior citizen centers throughout Jacksonville.
For the 2024-25 membership year, JWLA is planning at least two JWLA-sponsored volunteer opportunities. It also seeks to make volunteer opportunities more readily available to its members by including a pro bono opportunities page on the JWLA website. At the end of each membership year, JWLA recognizes one member by presenting them with the JWLA Woman Lawyer of the Year award.
Also presented by the chief justice, Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan, on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, is the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award.
Beginning with his admission to the Bar in 1982, Corrigan distinguished himself as a supporter of pro bono services and access to justice for the underserved. Within five years of his admission, he was serving on the board of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and in 1991 was recognized by the Jacksonville Bar Association for his pro bono service.
When he joined the federal bench in 2002, Corrigan pivoted from taking pro bono cases to being an advocate for pro bono service. Each of the hundreds of lawyers for whom he administered the Oath of Admission to The Florida Bar has heard him speak about the importance of pro bono service, often illustrating his message with examples of litigants who have appeared before him alongside their volunteer counsel.
Corrigan also is a longtime supporter of The Florida Bar Foundation, now known as Funding Florida Legal Aid.
From November 2020 through November 2024, Corrigan was chief judge for the Middle District of Florida.
Previously, in recognition of his commitment to the ideals of justice and the mission of professionalism, Corrigan received the 2024 William M. Hoeveler Judicial Professionalism Award.
In the most recent reporting period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, Florida lawyers provided more than 1.7 million hours of pro bono services to those in need and donated $11.6 million to civil legal aid organizations.