John and Nora Patterson: "If the poor don’t have access to justice, then there is no justice."

This is a belief shared by Sarasota attorney John Patterson and his wife Nora, which is why they’ve taken steps to ensure that Florida’s low-income and underserved residents have greater access to civil legal representation by establishing a charitable gift annuity with The Florida Bar Foundation.

The couple also put the Foundation in their will.
As founding president and board member of Legal Aid of Manasota, John Patterson, partner with Livingston, Patterson, Strickland & Siegel, P.A., has long championed legal services.

After becoming a Foundation board member in 2007, he realized just how much the Foundation’s support means to Florida’s legal aid organizations.
While principal support for the Foundation’s charitable activities comes from the Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) Program implemented by the Florida Supreme Court, John Patterson understands that IOTA funds are often cyclical, which is why financial support outside of IOTA funding is vital.
“Perversely, IOTA income is at its lowest when the need is greatest. We wanted to do our part to change this so that access to justice isn’t curtailed in times of economic hardship,” he said.

Naturally, the Foundation’s mission speaks to lawyers or those involved in law, but it should also speak to non-lawyers because the legal justice system is a hallmark of how a society runs, Nora said.

“The Foundation isn’t just something that is good for the legal community. The rule of law is a foundation of our society and our economy,” said Nora, a Sarasota County Commissioner. “Access to our courts makes it work. That’s what the Foundation helps to achieve.”