The Law Firm Commendation.

Presented by the Chief Justice

The purpose of the Law Firm Commendation is to recognize, when appropriate, a law firm which has demonstrated a significant contribution in the delivery of legal services to individuals or groups on a pro bono basis.

Unlike the Tobias Simon and Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Awards, the Law Firm Commendation is not an annual award.

Carlton Fields Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach.

Since its founding in 1901, Carlton Fields has been committed to the principle that all attorneys have a professional responsibility to provide pro bono legal service to the poor. All Carlton Fields' attorneys are encouraged to provide legal services to individuals who cannot afford legal services and to organizations that provide services to the disadvantaged. Consistent with these principles, Carlton Fields' attorneys have been "working in the trenches," quietly providing legal representation to both individuals and nonprofit organizations. By fostering a culture that reinforces the legal profession's responsibility to provide legal assistance to those unable to afford counsel, Canton Fields' attorneys annually provide nearly $2 million of legal services to those less fortunate and to organizations that serve the disadvantaged.

Carlton Fields' lawyers are encouraged to donate at least 50 hours per year of pro bono legal services. The attorneys at Carlton Fields are encouraged to select the pro bono matters that match their individual interests and areas of practice. Because the firm's attorneys select work that is individually meaningful, Carlton Fields handles a wide variety of pro bono matters. Pro bono work performed by Carlton Fields' attorneys range from representing inmates in death penalty appeals to representing individuals in landlord/tenant actions, mortgage foreclosures, public benefit appeals, and other consumer matters, to providing advice and counsel in all areas of the law to nonprofit entities, particularly those serving the disadvantaged. During the firm's Centennial year, each of Carlton Fields' six offices adopted an additional group pro bono or public service project designated as the office's Centennial Project. These Centennial Projects served as Carlton Fields' 100th birthday gifts to their local communities.

In addition to providing pro bono legal services to individuals and organizations, Canton Fields' attorneys have consistently taken the lead in promoting pro bono...