For more than 25 years, indigent individuals and families have received free legal help from local attorneys participating in the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program. The Program was established in 1982 as a collaboration between Bay Area Legal Services and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. The first full-time pro bono coordinator of the Program was attorney Catherine Novack.
Attorney William Reece Smith was a central figure in the development of the Program. His influence and position in the legal community were instrumental in recruiting attorneys to provide pro bono legal services. From 1982 to 1986, the Program grew to include more than 300 volunteer attorneys. Beginning in 1986, attorney Mary Haberland managed the Program.
Another central figure in the Program's early days was attorney Jimmy Kynes, who was then Chief Corporate Counsel at Jim Walter Corporation. Mr. Kynes supported the Program by recruiting corporate attorneys from Jim Walter and other corporations throughout the
From 1987 to 1992, attorney Ann Piccard coordinated the Program. During this time, the number of volunteer attorneys increased to more than 500. With the addition of attorney Marilyn Kershner to coordinate volunteer outreach efforts, the opportunities to provide pro bono assistance expanded to include projects that helped the homeless, Haitian immigrants, and migrant farmworkers.
In June 1993, the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion encouraging
The Thirteenth Judicial Circuit formed its Pro Bono Committee in 1993 to develop and implement a circuit-wide pro bono program. Named H.A.V.E. A Heart, for Hillsborough Attorneys Volunteer Efforts, the pro bono program is administered by the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program. With the support and guidance of Program staff, new pro bono projects were developed and implemented by law firms, government offices, and professional organizations.
From January 1996 to September 2008, attorney Sheila Seig managed the Program. During that time, in May 2007, the Program moved to the George Edgecomb Courthouse. The relocation enabled Program staff to work more closely with judges, the Clerk of the Court, and court staff to address the legal needs of the community. In addition, the Program became more accessible to volunteer attorneys who work in downtown
Currently, the Program is coordinated by Susan Sandler. Staff includes attorneys Susan Whitaker and Nancy Lugo, Case Referral Manager Charlene Van Cleve, and Legal Assistant Elva Kennis. Hundreds of attorneys participate in the many H.A.V.E. A Heart pro bono projects. In 2008, thousands of