BANKRUPTCY BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA AND D.W. PERKINS BAR ASSOCIATION TO RECEIVE STATEWIDE PRO BONO AWARD
The Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida and the D.W. Perkins Bar Association are the joint recipients of the 2026 Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Award, which will be presented by Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz in a Jan. 22 ceremony streamed live by the Supreme Court of Florida. The award recognizes Florida voluntary bars that have demonstrated significant contributions in the delivery of legal services to individuals or groups on a pro bono basis.
Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida
The Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida was established in 1980 to help lawyers and judges while also improving the bankruptcy system for the public.
In the decades since, members have held hundreds of events to meet this goal. These include partnering with the Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court to establish a long-running Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic, Resource Center, and a variety of other opportunities for members to provide services. Through the clinics, BBASDFL identifies individuals who may need a pro bono bankruptcy attorney and helps facilitate these services by referring individuals to joint pro bono programming offered by BBASDFL, local legal aid organizations and other voluntary bar associations.
BBASDFL’s energetic pro bono committee prioritizes pro bono and community service even further by designating several attorney members to act as liaisons dedicated to specific counties ensuring all clients eligible for legal aid are matched with a member of the association for representation when appropriate. Members actively participate with the ABA’s National Celebrate Pro Bono Week, accepting cases for full representation, presenting clinics, and providing information and education to clients and the community.
BBASDFL continued to expand its educational efforts with the creation of a Financial Literacy Project and a dedicated Financial Literacy Committee. The members of the Financial Literacy Committee are dedicated to financial education through thoughtful and engaging presentations on topics like responsible credit use, budgeting and saving, dealing with debt, and financial management skills for seniors.
D.W. Perkins Bar Association
Formerly known as the Colored Lawyers Association, the Daniel Webster Perkins Bar Association (D.W. Perkins Bar Association) renamed itself in 1968 in honor of its namesake attorney, one of Florida’s first African American attorneys and a distinguished public servant. With over 100 local attorney and judicial members, the organization continues its mission and purpose “to be that of a change agent to improve the plight of the African American Community and to combat the effects of racial and social injustices.”
Over the past decade, the D.W. Perkins Bar Association has hosted and co-hosted a wide array of workshops, clinics, and pro bono programs for those in need. During these events, members routinely accept new cases on a pro bono basis and participate in the FLARE program through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, offering legal services at reduced rates.
Members have “sponsored” several JALA clinic and outreach events by staffing the projects with pro bono attorneys, proving instrumental in the success of events like JALA’s monthly Ask-A-Lawyer clinics. The Ask-A-Lawyer clinics offer opportunities for members of the public to ask legal questions and consult with pro bono attorneys in a one-on-one setting. It is not uncommon for more than 20 people to attend these clinics and without ongoing support and participation from members of the D.W. Perkins Bar, these clinics would not be as impactful.
Beyond legal services, D.W. Perkins Bar Association provides extensive community outreach, which includes leading the Future Lawyers and Leaders Program at Raines High School.
This year’s awards ceremony, which also honors Individual, Circuit, Law Firm, Young Lawyers Division, Distinguished Judicial Service, and Distinguished Federal Judicial Service pro bono efforts, takes place at the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m. Watch it live on Facebook, WFSU: Gavel to Gavel and the Florida Channel.
EDITORS: Please note The Florida Bar is not an association and "Association" is not part of our name. Proper reference is "The Florida Bar." Local bar organizations are properly termed "associations."