PUT SOMETHING BACK PRO BONO CHAMPIONS
Champion – Stan Blake, of Stanford Blake Mediation, pours his heart and soul into furthering the mission of Put Something Back. “I support Put Something Back because we are fortunate to be put in a position to be able to give back to those less fortunate. Our profession gives us the opportunity to help others and the feeling of doing that gives me as much satisfaction as I’m sure they feel.”
Copyright – Jessica Shraybman, Esq. of Shraybman Law PLLC. has handled multiple Copyright matters, staffed a variety of clinics for arts groups and startups, and been a featured speaker for Put Something Back’s Venture Law Project and Arts Business Council, Inc. She is a tremendous asset to our agency and an even bigger asset to the pro bono clients, creatives and startups that she assists.
Covid19 Helpline – The Bankruptcy Bar Association and UM Law Bankruptcy Clinic have fielded hundreds of callers from low income debtors to tenants to veterans in desperate need of legal services regarding the CARES Act, FEMA, Evictions, Unemployment and more. Peter Kelly and Maite Diaz, in conjunction with Professors Patricia Redmond and Allison Day have answered countless calls for help since March.
Family – Vanessa Vasquez de Lara, Esq., founder of Vasquez de Lara Law Group, has handled more than 43 pro bono family law cases and serves as a guardian ad litem. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at CLE seminars, and has been featured on TV discussing family law topics. To date, Ms. Vasquez de Lara has dedicated over 385 pro bono hours through Put Something Back.
General Civil – Joseph P. George, Jr., Esq., of Joseph P. George, Jr., P.A., has dedicated hundreds of hours assisting over 15 clients with probate, guardianship and trust administration cases. An enthusiastic pro bono attorney for years, he actively dedicates his time to bar service and helping others in the community leading vital initiatives to help make access to the courts a reality for those in need.
Housing – Carl M. Sugarman, Esq., of Sugarman, of Sugarman & Sugarman P.A. in Pinecrest, has focused his practice on Real Estate, Probate, Title Insurance, Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts for over 45 years. He has generously donated over 135 hours of his time and expertise handling pro bono Deeds cases for low-income Put Something Back clients.
Immigration – Andres F. Daza, Esq., became a member of the Florida Bar in 2017 and has already handled 23 pro bono cases! He graciously accepted 16 immigration and four family cases, truly transforming lives for less fortunate individuals facing extreme economic and societal hardships.
Law Firm – Ver Ploeg- Arya Attari, Esq., Daniel Gross, Esq., and Allie Watson Esq. have each accepted complex children’s cases with the Child Advocacy Project of Put Something Back. For over four years, Arya has been working with a 6 year old boy with autism since he was removed from his parents due to physical abuse. Daniel works with a 16 year old boy in all of his dependency issues and was specifically appointed to address the concerns of prescribed psychotropic medication. Allie is representing a 4 year old boy with autism who was not receiving any of the critical services he needed to thrive. These outstanding Ver Ploeg attorneys are incredibly supportive of Put Something Back, recruiting friends and colleagues to assist additional children in the foster care system.
Patent – Samuel Kern Alexander, III, a Professor of Law and International Scholar, has handled 28 Patent pro bono cases with Put Something Back and mentors Patent law school students. He is the author of many research articles and several books, and is always ready and willing to be of service.
Rising Star – Frank Florio, Esq., an associate Kozyak, Tropin Throckmorton, successfully represented two sisters with special needs to ultimately reunify with their mother. Frank also represents a 15 year old boy with serious abuse issues. Frank has been incredibly supportive always volunteering to take on more components of a case and always providing updates and success stories.
Trademark – Lourdes Hilliard, Esq. is the founder of The Brand Protected, an intellectual property firm that helps entrepreneurs navigate the laws pertaining to their industry and protect their brand through one-on-one counseling. She handled over two dozen pro bono cases and strategically collaborates with Put Something Back to maximize brand protection for under-served business leaders by serving as a guest lecturer, adviser, and pro bono counsel.
Venture Law – Valentin I. Arenas, Esq., a corporate associate at Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel, has handled six pro bono cases through Put Something Back’s Venture Law Project expending 47 hours to date and he is just getting started. He is passionate about his pro bono clients and helping those in need of his services.
Voluntary Bar– Haitian Lawyers Association is an Outstanding VBA and has been serving the unmet needs of our community for years. This year, they held multiple virtual webinars and workshops on topics ranging from housing, employment, domestic violence, immigration, citizenship, juvenile dependency, delinquency, and voter registration, in collaboration with Dade Legal Aid and other community partners. Additionally, their distinguished members go above and beyond to serve in a variety of public sector, pro bono, and bar leadership positions.
Wills & Probate – Vivian Maria Niebla, Esq, of the Niebla Probate Firm, has been actively involved and dedicated to pro bono cases for over 20 years, exclusively practicing in the areas of probate administration, guardianship administration, and estate planning. She has assisted over a dozen low-income pro bono clients through Put Something Back during their most challenging times.
