Nine Engle grants impact thousands of Floridians in Middle District
Megan*, a Seminole County mother of two daughters, was caught in a precarious living situation after the COVID-19 pandemic began taking its toll on Floridians in 2020. She had lost income and owed four months in back rent. By the time she reached out to Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society (SCBALAS), she had […]
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President’s Message – Winter 2023
There is a new trend I’ve noticed this year – instead of adopting resolutions for the new year, some are adopting a word for the year. For the Foundation, I would choose “partnership” for 2023. The Foundation is fortunate to work with many partners in our legal community that support our work. One of our […]
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Foundation benefits from donations
The Florida Bar Foundation has been the recipient of two generous donations recently. In 2022, lawyer Matthew Weidner of Weidner Law in St. Petersburg donated $15,523. Weidner incorporated Florida Consumer Justice Advocates in 2013 and raised money from defense lawyers to support consumer efforts. Their efforts wound down, so Weidner donated their remaining funds. In […]
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2023 Florida Pro Bono Law School Challenge begins February 6
The 2023 Florida Pro Bono Law School Challenge, run by The Florida Bar Foundation, will begin on Feb. 6, 2023. The statewide competition, now in its fifth year, connects Florida law students with lawyers to partner on pro bono cases from legal aid organizations. After reviewing feedback from students, lawyers and legal aid organizations, the […]
Continue readingFoundation board approves new grant program, policies
The Florida Bar Foundation’s board of directors approved a new grant program and two new policies at its December 2022 board meeting. The grant program will provide funds to support training qualified legal service providers. The board also approved an amended Foundation Master Investment Policy Statement to include an IOTA Collections Account as well as […]
Continue readingDecember 2022 Board Report
The Florida Bar Foundation Board of Directors met in Tallahassee on December 16, 2022, at the Florida State University College of Law. The Foundation is grateful for the college’s gracious hosting of the Foundation’s committee meetings on December 15 and the board’s meeting on December 16. It also thanks Clinical Professor Darby Kerrigan Scott for […]
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Foundation CFO Lou Ann Powell passes away
Lou Ann Powell, The Florida Bar Foundation’s Chief Financial Officer, passed away Nov. 10 due to complications from a terminal illness. A certified public accountant since 1980, Powell joined the Foundation in 1991 and oversaw its fiscal administration, including governance, finance and investments. “Lou Ann loved people, and she loved being around them, almost as […]
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Foundation renews Westlaw contract
The Florida Bar Foundation has renewed its contract with Westlaw for five years. Westlaw, an online legal database platform, provides case histories, form builders and sophisticated research tools for lawyers. The Foundation’s subscription allows more than 20 Florida legal aid organizations to access Westlaw’s many tools at a reduced rate. As the account holder, the […]
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2022 Pro Bono Heroes
Pro Bono Hero Maria Breen began volunteering with Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association while studying for the Bar exam. She has participated in their National Citizenship Day Event and has taken 4 immigration cases. Most recently she offered to assist with their Afghanistan Special Immigrant Visa Project and Renewal of Green […]
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Joseph “Jody” Hudgins receives 2022 President’s Award
At the Foundation’s June 2022 board of directors meeting, Foundation President Connie Bookman honored Joseph “Jody” Hudgins with the 2022 President’s Award for his passionate dedication and innovative commitment to increasing access to Florida’s justice system while promoting the principles of equal justice for all. Hudgins began his term on The Florida Bar Foundation’s board […]
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2022 Goldstein – Van Nortwick award winners recognized at ceremony
Community Law Program and Bay Area Legal Services won the Foundation’s 2022 Goldstein – Van Nortwick Award for Excellence, a competitive award that recognizes significant impact work undertaken by a Foundation grantee. Their project was a combined effort to expand access to free legal services for tenants impacted by COVID-19 who were at risk of […]
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Richard “Dick” C. Woltmann receives Curran Distinguished Service Award
Richard “Dick” C. Woltmann, president and CEO of Bay Area Legal Services, received the Foundation’s 2022 Jane Elizabeth Curran Distinguished Service Award in June. Woltmann, who has led Bay Area Legal Services (BALS) since 1980, was honored for his four decades of being a staunch advocate and effectuating positive and lasting change by increasing access […]
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