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Executive Directors Message – February 2019

February 2019 Briefs

Our Heartfelt Appreciation to Our Committed
Pro Bono Attorneys, VBA’s, Firms & Students!

On behalf of the voiceless and defenseless clients of Dade Legal Aid/Put Something Back, thank you for all of your pro bono hours! With your support and assistance, last month, Put Something Back, a Joint Pro Bono Project of our Dade County Bar Association and Eleventh Judicial Circuit, pro bono attorneys accepted 120 new pro bono cases in the areas of:

· Adoption, Custody, Visitation, Divorce, Paternity, Child Support, GAL
· Real Property, Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Collection, General Civil, Veterans, SSI
· Small Claims, Appeals, Non-Profit, Patent, Venture Law, Probate & Guardianship
· Child Advocacy, Teen Advocacy, Domestic Violence, and Immigration.

Thank you for dedicating your time to help others in need. We love you and appreciate your dedication and service to Put Something Back Pro Bono Project clients and their families that helps to ensure equal access to justice for all and truly makes a difference!

Go to www.dadelegalaid.org to Read About Patrice Redmond, Jaime Vining, Elisa Damico and Richard Malafy, our Tobias Simon and Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Award Recipients!

Welcome Back Cynthia Stafford, Staff Attorney

In 2019, Ms. Stafford returned to Dade Legal Aid as a Domestic Violence Attorney after serving eight years as a State Representative in the Florida House of Representatives. Born and raised in Liberty City, she was first elected to the Florida Legislature in 2010 and subsequently re-elected to four consecutive terms, Ms. Stafford served as a Legislator until 2018 when she was unable to run again due to term limits. During her time in the Legislature, Ms. Stafford was the House Minority Policy Chair and also served on the Appropriations Committee, Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member) and the Rules and Policy Committee. In 2013, the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar honored Ms. Stafford with the Legislator Award for her efforts on behalf of Florida’s families throughout the legislative session. In 2012, the Mary Kay Foundation recognized her with a grant to the Miami Rescue Mission to support housing and services for domestic violence victims and their children. In 2018, Lotus House Shelter for Homeless Women and Children honored her with a Leadership Award for her efforts in the Legislature. Ms. Stafford began at Dade Legal Aid nearly 20 years ago as an intern in the Domestic Violence division, and later launched its first satellite office in Miami Beach as Domestic Violence Staff Attorney bringing much needed services to the growing population of victims of domestic violence residing in Miami Beach. A graduate from St. Thomas University School of Law, Ms. Stafford was an Adjunct Professor teaching Constitutional Law, Civil Law, Legal Writing and Ethics.

You Be the Judge Probate Seminar a Success!

On January 23, the DCBA Probate & Guardianship Committee held a pro bono recruitment seminar titled, You Be the Judge, to benefit Dade Legal Aid Put Something Ba c k . Richard Milstein, Esquire, Shareholder with Akerman and Past DCBA President, gave Opening Remarks on the great need for lawyers to take pro bono cases and the importance of giving back through Put Something Back, the charitable arm of the DCBA, Moderators were Candis Trusty, Esquire , Partner with Markowitz Ringel Trusty and Hartog, and Stacy Rubel, Esquire, Partner with Eric Virgil Law Firm. We were blessed to have so many judges and practitioners join us this year. Attendance was free for all attorneys who agreed to accept a pro bono probate case. This year’s speakers and topics included an impressive group featuring Honorable Yvonne Colodny, Honorable Jorge Cueto, Paul Cowan, Stephanie Villavicencio, Michael O’Connor, Jacobeli Behar & Daniel McDermott. Topics included Attorneys Fees, Evidence, Will Contests, Elderly Exploitation, Injunctions & more. For more information or to accept a probate, guardianship or real property case email psb@dadelegalaid.org

Pictured here: Richard C. Milstein, Esq., Candis D. Trusty, Esq., Stacy B. Rubel, Esq.,
Paul M. Cowan, Esq. Visit www.dadelegalaid.org for more photos

Kristen Feuer, Dade Legal Aid Attorney and DCBA member, presented at the January Dependency Court Committee Case Law Update at the Juvenile Courthouse. Ms. Feuer has been representing children in the dependency system for over a decade and focuses foster youth guardianship, human sex trafficking and teen advocacy. Pictured here are: Sandra Newmeyer, Brittany Bonner, Juvenile board co-chair, Jorge Tormes, Juvenile board co-chair, Sharon Hornett and Kristen Feuer, a dedicated child advocacy attorney with Dade Legal Aid’s Children’s Legal Collaborative funded with generous support by the Florida Bar Foundation Children’s Legal Services grant program. Have a heart and take a pro bono case or co-counsel with Feuer and Dade Legal Aid’s Children’s Collabortive (305) 579-5733 Ext. 2265 kfeuer@dadelegalaid.org

Upcoming Events

“Band Together for Dade Legal Aid”
Rock Your Heart Out at our 70 Anniversary Party!
Click HERE to purchase tickets.

Attention Attorneys!
Go to www.dadecountybar.org to become a member of the Dade County Bar Association
Grow Your Practice and Give Back to the Community

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