Message from the President

As my term as President draws to a close, I would like to thank the many bar associations across Florida for providing me with the opportunity to speak to lawyers and non-lawyers alike about The Florida Bar Foundation. From Pensacola to Naples, from Daytona Beach to Miami, and in between, the reception given to me was warm and welcoming and the message was well received.

Simply put, the message is that within The Florida Bar “family” is this amazing, superbly managed charitable foundation known as The Florida Bar Foundation.

It uses the interest from lawyers’ IOTA accounts all across Florida, as well as charitable donations and funding from the state, to provide civil legal services to those who would not otherwise be able to afford same.

In other words, the Foundation provides greater access to justice for all, and all lawyers can play a part in ensuring that the Foundation continues to play its critical role in funding Florida’s legal aid programs, law school civil clinics and statewide advocacy organizations, as well as providing grants to the courts and voluntary bar associations for projects that improve the administration of justice and promote pro bono participation.

The grantees of the Foundation are too numerous to mention here, but rest assured, the Foundation has made an impact in every community in this state. How can you help? Become a Fellow, make a charitable donation to the Foundation, educate other lawyers about the good work the Foundation does, provide pro bono services to your legal aid provider or do all of the foregoing!

In the course of my travels, I’ve been privileged to meet many attorneys who have given of their time and talents to help Legal Aid. Every year the Foundation bestows upon one such attorney the prestigious Medal of Honor Award, and this year the very worthy recipient is Joseph P. Milton of Jacksonville, whose selfless dedication to Legal Aid for those less fortunate members of his community has been unwavering. Congratulations, Joe, and thank you for your leadership and commitment to the Foundation’s mission.

It has been an honor to serve this year as President of The Florida Bar Foundation. Soon, I will turn the gavel over to John Noland, the Foundation’s President-Elect. John is an outstanding member of the Bar, and the Foundation will be in good hands under his leadership. I hope he has the opportunity, as I have had, to visit with bar associations across the state to speak to them of this outstanding charitable organization known as The Florida Bar Foundation — your Foundation — and one of which we can all be proud.

Florida Bar Foundation President Adele I. Stone