MIAMI-DADE CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS TO RECEIVE STATEWIDE PRO BONO AWARD
The Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers is the recipient of the 2020 Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Award, which will be presented by Chief Justice Charles T. Canady in a Jan. 30 ceremony at the Supreme Court of Florida. The award recognizes a Florida voluntary bar that has demonstrated a significant contribution in the delivery of legal services to individuals or groups on a pro bono basis.
The Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (MDFAWL) is a volunteer bar association, founded in 1980, dedicated to actively promoting the advancement of women in the legal profession, expanding the leadership role of its members in the community, and supporting women’s rights. Members are also committed to increasing diversity and inclusion; providing equal opportunities to people of any gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and socioeconomic background; and giving back to the community with pro bono legal services for those who need it most.
For the past four years, MDFAWL has hosted a large-scale picnic event for youth in foster care aimed at recruiting Guardians and Attorneys ad Litem to take their cases.
The MDFAWL Pro Bono Committee has held two legal clinics with Americans for Immigrant Justice to assist immigrant families with obtaining desperately needed immigration intakes. They have partnered with Dade Legal Aid on numerous initiatives and projects for decades.
In 2018, MDFAWL formed a 501(c)(3) organization, the MDFAWL Foundation, to expand and improve representation and advocacy on behalf of low-income people and children; increase educational opportunities for women and minorities; promote social justice; improve the administration of justice; and encourage service to the public by members of the legal profession and others in the community.
Also, MDFAWL was recognized statewide by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL) as the 2018 Outstanding Chapter of the Year in part for these extraordinary pro bono efforts. MDFAWL additionally was named Small Affiliate of the Year by The Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division for exemplary service in the 2018 calendar year.
Karen Josefsberg Ladis, executive director of Dade Legal Aid, said, “MDFAWL lawyers set examples in our community of doing the right thing while excelling in their personal and professional lives. MDFAWL is a vital part of our legal community.”
This year’s awards ceremony, which also honors individual, Distinguished Judicial Service, Distinguished Federal Judicial Service, Law Firm Commendation, and Young Lawyer Division pro bono efforts, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, at 3:30 p.m. at the Supreme Court of Florida. The ceremony will be streamed live at http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel as well as on Facebook at www.facebook.com/floridasupremecourt and The Florida Channel.
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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."