TWENTY FLORIDA LAWYERS HONORED FOR PROVIDING FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO THE POOR

Twenty lawyers will receive The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Award for their commitment to providing free legal services to the poor. The awards ceremony well be held at the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday, March 14 at 3:30 p.m.

The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award was established in 1981 as a way to recognize individual lawyers within Florida's judicial circuits who are committed to providing free legal services to the poor. The term "pro bono, " derived from the Latin phrase "pro bono publico, " means "for the good of the public."

A separate award, The Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, also will be presented by Chief Justice Charles T. Wells. This award is presented to a lawyer who has made the most outstanding contribution of legal services to the poor. This year's recipient is Deltona attorney Maurice Wagner.

The 2002 Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award recipient is the Jacksonville Bar Association for its significant contribution of pro bono services to individuals and/or groups. The Miami law firm of Markowitz, Davis, Ringel & Trusty, P.A. will receive the Law Firm Commendation Award. The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division also will present a public service award to attorney Lawrence H. Kolin of Orlando.

The 20 recipients of The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award are:

ALEX D. LITTLEFIELD, JR. - Tallahassee - Second Judicial Circuit

During his legal career, Littlefield practiced law for firms in Daytona Beach and Gainesville, and practiced law for the State of Florida from 1966 through 1986. Littlefield retired from the practice of law in March 1997. In November 1989, he began an association with Legal Services of North Florida, Inc., as a volunteer attorney. In October 1993, Littlefield began seeing persons over 60 years of age one day a month at the Senior Citizens Center in Tallahassee. Legal Services of North Florida provides free legal services to this group. For over eight years, Littlefield provided extensive free legal service to the elderly and to the poor. From 1989 until Sept. 2001, he provided 1, 714 hours to activities such as preparing wills and powers of attorney, and giving advice concerning nursing home and Medicaid and Medicare matters.

THOMAS E. STONE - Madison - Third Judicial Circuit

Stone has practiced law in Madison, Florida, primarily in solo practice, since he became a member of The Florida Bar in 1976. His practice includes family, criminal, probate and real estate law. He provides legal services for child support enforcement for the Florida Department of Revenue and is a part-time public defender. Stone has been active in Bar activities, serving as President of the Third Circuit Bar Association and chairman of the Third Circuit Bar Grievance Committee. He has been a member of the legal services panel of Three Rivers Legal Services for many years, providing services to a number of clients referred to him by that panel. Stone is also involved in a Senior Citizens' Pro Bono Guardian Program.

Source: www.floridaprobono.org