Solo & Small Firm Section honors legal excellence and pro bono service at convention
Solo and Small Firm Section members gathered June 27, during the Annual Florida Bar Convention, for the section’s executive council meeting and to celebrate its annual awards.
Pro Bono Awards Chair and incoming section Chair John Maceluch, Jr., of Sunshine Legacy Law in Panama City, and outgoing section Chair Renée Thompson, of Upchurch, Watson, White & Max Thompson Law Center in Ocala, officiated the conferral of the awards, announcing the section’s Pro Bono Awards at a luncheon preceding the meeting.
Brevard County Legal Aid received the section’s Pro Bono Award, with Executive Director Robert Johnson, Jr., and Pro Bono Director Valeta Cameron on hand to accept a commemorative plaque and a $4,000 check. Johnson said the money will support the program’s continuation, and Cameron briefly described the program.
“[T]here was a local community of apartment complexes in extreme poverty that didn’t have access to resources…especially legal services,” said Cameron.
BCLA set up on-site availability of volunteer attorneys who assisted residents with child support and Social Security-related legal issues – making a “life-changing” difference for the clients, commented a luncheon attendee.
Dade Legal Aid Children’s Pro Bono Project and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid were the award runners-up, with each receiving a plaque and $2,000.
“The solo and small firm practices and practitioners…do so much to help programs like Dade Legal Aid and Put Something Back, and we are so grateful for all the extra time you take to make a difference in each child’s life,” said Karen Landis, executive director of Dade Legal Aid.
“Thank you so much for recognizing our work on our children’s project,” she said, as she accepted a plaque and $2,000 on behalf of the organization for its work helping foster care teens as they age out of Florida’s dependency system.
The 2025 section awards were announced by Thompson during the Solo and Small Firm Section executive council meeting.
- The Tradition of Excellence Award was given to Gordon Glover of Glover Law Firm in Ocala, in appreciation for his work as a member of the Bar’s Board of Governors, his prior service as the Young Lawyers Division president, and particularly for his work as co-chair of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence Tools & Resources, offering assistance that can help solo and small firms navigate the rise of AI in legal practice.
- The Walter S. Crumbley Award was given to Board of Governors member Karl Klein, partner at TA in Miami. The award recognizes individuals who help lawyers adopt technology to stay ahead, especially regarding professionalism and practice management. Klein was honored for his work as chair of the subcommittee to the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence Tools & Resources, and his leadership on the creation of an AI guide for attorneys. The News article, “New Florida Bar guide helps lawyers incorporate AI responsibly in their work,” has more information about the guide.
- Paralegal of the Year Award was given to Priscilla Warren, who became one of the first individuals registered as a Florida Registered Paralegal in 2008, when the program started. Warren has deferred receiving the award for decades, despite “frankly, exceeding the requirements of this award, and has dedicated herself to the highest standards of paralegal professionalism and community contributions,” said Thompson. “She’s remarkable as a section member; she has been contributing to our executive board, helping paralegals make the most of what they do in their profession so we, as solo and small firm lawyers, can do better for our clients.”
- Mentor of the Year Award was awarded to Frank Ramos, partner at Goldberg Segalla in Miami. This award “honors a lawyer who has demonstrated above-and-beyond efforts to achieve a high standard of professionalism in the delivery of mentorship,” according to the section.
For more about The Florida Bar’s Solo and Small Firm Section, visit https://flsolosmallfirm.org/. For details about the section’s awards as well as past recipients, visit https://flsolosmallfirm.org/awards-and-history/.
(Originally published on The Florida Bar News: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/solo-small-firm-section-honors-legal-excellence-and-pro-bono-service-at-convention/)