Fowler White Boggs lawyers have long responded to the legal needs of the poor through volunteer service. Our lawyers view this not just as a professional responsibility, but also as a duty and community obligation.
The Firm has established a program, in cooperation with TECO Energy in Tampa, through the Bay Area Legal Services (BALS) to provide the funding for a full-time position to assist with the on-going needs of the organization. In addition, our lawyers volunteer to represent pro bono clients in the full range of practices, whether it be in a litigation matter, an immigration matter, or simply by staffing the legal information center.
Our firm's Pro Bono Committee ensures compliance with the Florida Bar's 20 hour goal and provides venues for attorneys to satisfy this goal. The Firm endows a salaried position to the local legal services organization. Firm lawyers actively participate on the board of our local legal services organization. The Firm has received local and national recognition, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Pro Bono Commendation Award for its commitment to the Courthouse Assistance Project. Our attorneys have received numerous individual awards for their extraordinary pro bono efforts, including the Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Award and, the 2004 Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, Florida's top pro bono award. Ed Waller, the leader of our Class Action/Complex Litigation Team, received this award for his extraordinary effort.
Our Firm provides support to the Legal Information Center at the Hillsborough County Courthouse through the provision of funds for a full-time lawyer. In 2007, the statistics of those served through that center were:
2007
Total # of people seen – 6,700
# of repeat visitors - 2,065 (31 %)
# of BALS referrals – 369 (6 %)
# of Language Line users – 16 (<1 %)
# here for family law issues - 5,602 (84 %)
# here for L/T issues – 420 (6 %)
# here for Small Claims – 327 (5 %)
# here for other/non-program issues – 351 (5 %)
For more information on the Firm's pro bono programs, contact Hala Sandridge, Chair of the Firm's Pro Bono Committee.
