The Florida Bar will recognize 21 lawyers, including one from Miami-Dade County, for their work on behalf of poor and indigent clients during a Jan. 25 ceremony at the Supreme Court of Florida.
Established in 1981, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are intended to 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 Michael J. Higer will present the 2018 awards.
The awards recognize pro bono service in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits as well as service by one Florida Bar member practicing outside the state of Florida. They are presented annually in conjunction with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, which is given by the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Awards recognizing pro bono contributions also will be presented in the categories of Distinguished Judicial Service, Distinguished Federal Judicial Service, Law Firm Commendation, Voluntary Bar Association and Young Lawyers Division.
In the most recent 12 months reported, Florida lawyers provided more than 1.5 million hours of pro bono services to those in need and more than $5.5 million to legal aid organizations.
Among those to be honored is David Alschuler, representing the 11th Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade County).
Over the years, Alschuler has performed about 2,000 hours of pro bono work. He regularly volunteers with the Put Something Back Pro Bono Project and also has volunteered with the Dade County Bar Association, Miami Beach Bar Association, Florida Department of Children and Families, State Attorney’s Office, League of Prosecutors, Miami-Dade chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers-Miami Chapter and various voluntary bars and committees, as well as area law schools and high schools.
He mentored one young man for a year through the “I’m Ready” program, a sort of alternative boot camp, after the young man had been convicted of serious offenses. He also mentors law students, colleagues and new pro bono attorneys, and has taught about 400 lawyers how to serve as Guardians ad Litem in foreclosure cases.
Alschuler, who earned his JD in 1985 at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, is a solo practitioner in Miami Beach.
This year’s awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m., at the Supreme Court of Florida. Watch it live at http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel.
