Pro Bono

Akerman Senterfitt is committed to serving the legal needs of our community and encourages its associates and shareholders to participate in pro bono matters.  Pro bono efforts are not formally tracked at Akerman Senterfitt; however, pro bono cases are accepted by individual lawyers based on their interest and commitment to the issues at hand.  Our attorneys are deeply committed to the community and actively participate in a variety of civil and community organizations.

The following are a few examples of the firm's pro bono efforts:

• Counseled the Performing Arts Center Trust in Miami on corporate and development issues.
• Representation of a visually-impaired prisoner in an ADA and Section 1983 federal civil rights lawsuit.
• Representation of the Shelbourne House, a non-for-profit agency that provides housing and social services to HIV positive individuals, in several county administrative hearings concerning corporate and tenant issues.
• Service on the Board of Trustees of First Coast Family and Housing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization which owns about 700 apartments for low income families.
  
  
• Representation of the Greyhound Pets of America, Florida Southeast Coast Chapter (a non-profit retired racing greyhound rescue organization) with a land use dispute.
  
  
• Assisting area schools in obtaining zoning approvals and financing for the construction of new schools.
  
  
• Aiding the Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition with a copyright registration and music licensing matter.
  
  
• Representation of numerous children in high profile cases, including cases of abuse and custody.
  
  
• Participation in the eMentoring Program with local high school students, a program sponsored by the Dade County Bar Association's Young Lawyer's Division.
  
  
• Service on the Board of Directors of the Guardianship Program of Dade County, Inc., a non-profit organization which provides guardianship services to indigent wards.
  
  
• Providing legal counsel for the Young Patronesses of the Opera, a support group for The Florida Grand Opera.
  
  
• Representation of the Florida Stage with trademark infringement and domain name issues.
  
  
• Participation on the Legal Screening Panel of the Miami-Dade County Chapter of the ACLU.
  
  
• Service on the Coral Gables Community Foundation, helping to establish new parks in the city and a historical museum.
  
  
• Participation in Legal Aid intake sessions at the Sulzbacher Center, a Jacksonville homeless shelter.
  
  
• Service on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.
  
  
• Providing training through Domestic Violence Committee of the Junior League of Miami which educates local employers on the legal obligations of domestic leave under local ordinances for Miami-Dade County.
  
  
• Service on the KidsCare Committee which works with the Human Service Coalition of Dade County to ensure all children have access to medical insurance benefits.
  
  
• Representation of a woman with Downs Syndrome to designate the mother as a medical surrogate pursuant to a new statute in order to obtain a kidney transplant for the patient.
  
  
• Development and implementation of employment policies for the First Coast Family Center in Jacksonville.
  
  
• Staffing of a hotline for Arab immigrants who were called for interviews by the FBI after September 11th, to ensure proper legal representation.
  
  
• Service on the Board for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, Inc., the largest homeless provider in Central Florida, to help the organization acquire new housing and provide new services.
  
  
• Appearances at Children in Need of Services (CINS) hearings and family conferences in cooperation with court-appointed social workers.
  
  
• Representation as certified guardian ad litems in numerous custody, adoption and divorce cases.
  
  
• Assistance with the preparation of 501(c)(3) filings for "Municipios de Cuba en el Exilio".
  
  
• Presentations on estate planning and advance directives to the HIV support group Hispanic Unity.
  
  
• Aiding the Learning Experience School for developmentally disabled children in Miami-Dade County with zoning issues to allow for the school's expansion to serve a broader spectrum of children.
  
  
• Representation of a group of organizations under the name FREE, Floridians Representing Equity and Equality, before the Florida Supreme Court to impede the amendment of the Florida Constitution prohibiting affirmative action in public education, employment and contracting.
  
  
• Drafting of various documents for the AIDS Special Wills Project.
  
  
• Through Legal Aid of Palm Beach County, representation of a low-income home owner suffering property damage as a result of Hurricane Irene.
  
  
• Service on the Duval County Housing Finance Authority, an independent authority which is responsible for administering the funding of low income housing.
  
  
• Community service work for the Put Something Back Program.
  
  
• Provided real estate advice for the Bay Area Legal Services (BALS).
  
  
• Actions filed on behalf of the Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church, to clear title to parcels of property that may have been formerly utilized as crack houses.
  
  
• Service on the Miami Community Relations Board.
  
  
• Assistance to the Florida Immigration Advice Center with petitions to Immigration and Naturalization Service.
  
  
• Service with the Next Step Adolescent and Youth Community Center, a home for youths in juvenile hall.
  
  
• Representation of The Embrace Foundation, a not-for-profit agency that provides cultural events and training for inner city teenage girls, including corporate matters, representation in disputes with funding agencies, and litigation.
  
  
• Act as general counsel to Planned Parenthood of Greater Miami and provide advice on corporate and employment issues.
  
  
• Representation of homeowner in foreclosure action by predatory lender, which resulted in a settlement that included a market-rate refinancing.
  
  
• Representation of father in child custody and visitation rights dispute in New York City Family Court.
  
  
• Representation of Family Resource Center, a not-for-profit child care agency, in real estate and employment issues.
  

Pro bono Awards:

• Judge Joseph Hatchett received the 2003 Jurisprudence Award from the Anti-Defamation League in honor of his outstanding career, particularly his work combating bigotry and promoting equal justice for all.

 

• Richard Milstein was presented the 2002 Dorothy Shula Award for Outstanding Volunteerism by the United Way of Miami and the 2002 Lawyers in Leadership Award from the University of Miami School of Law's Center for Ethics and Public Service.