By Judge Catherine
Peek McEwen
Do you know that Thirteenth Judicial
Circuit Chief Judge Manuel Menendez Jr. has ordered
almost all Hillsborough County Bar Association sections to appoint
representatives to sit on the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee
(13th PBC)? The latest version of the order, Administrative Order S-2014-038,
is effective July 1, 2014, and taps dozens of organizations to take a seat at
the meeting table.
Besides not wanting to risk contempt of
court by ignoring the order, your participation or the participation of a reliable and active designee is important to the wellness of your section
members, as well as the wellness of the judicial system itself. Why?
First, I should explain what the 13th
PBC is. The Florida Supreme Court requires the establishment of a pro bono
committee in each judicial circuit in Florida. The 13th PBC serves three
primary functions: First, to promote pro bono legal services and provide
oversight and direction of such services in Hillsborough County; second, to
collect data to assess attorney participation in pro bono programs in our
county and report same to The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal
Services; and third, to publicly recognize attorneys who undertake pro bono
work.
Sections are tasked with providing a
representative to attend meetings to help the 13th PBC meet its mission. That
person could be you or someone you are confident will calendar and faithfully attend the quarterly
committee meetings and annual award ceremony and follow up on tasks assigned at the meetings or in between meetings.
Each section is expected to either
create its own pro bono project or participate as a group in some other
entity’s, e.g., by scheduling a group outing to an evening intake clinic operated
by a legal aid provider. The section’s rep on the 13th PBC reports the effort. The
section members bond during the project, making for a robust section networking
experience.
The section reps also report back to
section members on what pro bono opportunities are available so members individually
may choose from among many forms of pro bono service, both as to subject matter
and time commitment. This helps section members fulfill their solemn oath to
help the defenseless and oppressed (no one wants to be considered a reneger!).
And section reps report back on award
opportunities. Trust me, the esteem of a lawyer who is publicly recognized for
pro bono service goes way up in the eyes of the judges before whom he or she
appears!
The system also benefits when the
section reps actually follow through on committee duties. Pro bono needs are
met in increasing numbers, which means more indigent parties obtain meaningful
access to the courts. And when pro se parties get lawyered up, that translates
into smoother case processing and more efficient hearing dockets for all cases (read: less expense and delay
to paying clients).
So when you get an email from incoming
13th PBC Chair Rosemary Armstrong asking for the name and contact information
of your section’s rep, please don’t ignore it. It’s your responsibility as a
section leader to ensure compliance with Judge Menendez’s order and,
ultimately, the success of the 13th PBC mission.
