TALLAHASSEE, June 29, 2004 -- Melissa Zelnicker received The Florida Bar President's Award of Merit during the Bar's Annual Meeting in Boca Raton on Friday, June 25, 2004. The award was presented to Ms. Zelnicker by 2003-2004 Bar President Miles A. McGrane, III, for exemplary service and dedication to the profession.
Melissa Zelnicker is a second-year Equal Justice Fellow at Legal Aid Services of Broward County. She was recently featured in the FSU College of Law magazine where she credited Paolo Annino, director of the school’s Children’s Advocacy Center for steering her in the direction of legal aid.
Mr. Zelnicker, through her project called The Bridge, is representing children in the foster care and criminal justice system. She is not only a legal advocate for these children, she offers judges, social workers, teachers and probation officers a broad picture of her clients’ lives to help them understand the whole child.
This project, prompted by her public service during law school, earned the 2002 Equal Justice Works Fellowship sponsored by The Florida Bar Foundation. Another of her projects is called the “Suit Bank” for which she solicits attorneys for donations of suits that clients can wear to court.
Working 15-hour days on average and earning a fraction of what her peers are making, Ms. Zelnicker says that her commitment is a small price to pay for the satisfaction she receives from the work she does.
"Melissa represents the sacrifice of more than 3,500 members of The Florida Bar who are all legal aid attorneys," McGrane said.
CONTACT: Jennifer Krell-Davis
DATE: June 29, 2004
TELEPHONE: 850/561-5669
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REPRESENTATIVE JEFF KOTTKAMP RECEIVES THE FLORIDA BAR PRESIDENT'S LEGISLATIVE AWARD
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TALLAHASSEE, June 29, 2004 -- Representative Jeff Kottkamp received the 2003-2004 Florida Bar President’s Legislative Award on Friday, June 25, 2004, at The Florida Bar Annual Meeting in Boca Raton. The Florida Bar President’s award is the organization’s highest recognition for legislative service. The award was presented by 2003-2004 Bar President Miles A. McGrane, III, for his service to the legal profession and the State of Florida.
Representative Jeff Kottkamp is a Republican from Cape Coral, Florida. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2000. Rep. Kottkamp practices law with one of the oldest law firms in the state, the Fort Myers firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes and Holt, founded in 1924. He is the past president of the Lee County Bar Association and remains active in Florida Bar activities.
As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee this past session, he was on the hot seat for virtually every controversial subject of the session for the last two years, from medical malpractice to Supreme Court rule making.
"Representative Kottkamp handled each and every issue with dignity and professionalism," McGrane said.
CONTACT: Jennifer Krell-Davis
DATE: June 29, 2004
TELEPHONE: 850/561-5669 |
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