FACDL-Miami Joins EEJI and Tackles Felony Court

FACDL-Miami Joins EEJI and Commits to Providing Pro Bono Representation in Circuit Court

Public Defender Carlos J. Martinez supported by FACDL members

The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) - Miami Chapter, has partnered with the Miami Dade County Public Defender (PD-11) with the goal of encouraging its membership to do more pro bono work. On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, Public Defender Carlos J. Martinez held a joint press conference with FACDL-Miami Chapter President Rick Freedman and other active members of FACDL to announce FACDL-Miami's participation in the Ensuring Equal Justice Pro Bono Initiative. The press conference took place at the main office of PD-11.

The press conference announced that more than 35 experienced criminal defense attorneys would begin accepting felony cases from PD-11 as part of a volunteer (pro bono) attorney initiative to help indigent (i.e., low-income) people in Miami Dade County.

The initial response to the program from FACDL-Miami members was fantastic. Voicing their support were numerous veteran lawyers with nearly 900 years of dedicated legal experience in our community, including Jack Blumenfeld (42 years), James McGuirk (42 years), Joel Robrish (40 years), William Aaron (37 years), Bruce Fleisher (36 years), Paul Morris (34 years), Bruce Alter (33 years), Richard Sharpstein (33 years), Alan Greenstein (32 years), Leonard Sands (31 years), Samuel Rabin (30 years), Jeffrey Weinkle (30 years), Richard Hersch (29 years), Eric Cohen (28 years), Milton Hirsch (27 years), Dennis Kainen (27 years), Michael Catalano (26 years), Lawrence Kerr (26 years), Rick Freedman (25 years), Faith Mesnekoff (25 years), Phil Reizenstein (23 years), Hector Flores (22 years), Tony Moss (22 years), Roberto Pardo (22 years), Marjorie Alexis (20 years), Robin Kaplan, Beatriz Llorente, Marshall Dore Louis, Mark Eiglarsh, Arthur Jones, Joaquin Padilla, Jackie Woodward, Keith Pierro, Larry McMillan, Elizabeth Perez, Michael Mirer, and others have offered their services to this wonderful program.

Participating FACDL-Miami Chapter Members:

Unlike our County Court initiative whose volunteers mainly consist of civil litigators, the following FACDL-Miami members are experienced criminal defense attorneys who are giving back to the community by providing indigent clients with the benefit of their vast experience litigating criminal cases:

Law Offices of Marjorie C. Alexis, P.A.; CarinAtLaw, P.A.; Law Offices of Michael A. Catalano, P.A.; Law Offices of Chavez & De Leon; Eric M. Cohen, P.A.; Donet, McMillan & Trontz, P.A.; Fowler White Burnett, P.A.; Law Offices of Gilbert & Smallman; The Hansen Law Firm, P.A. (c/o Marcia Giordano Hansen, Esq.); Hersch & Talisman, P.A.; Hirshhorn & Bieber, P.A.; The Arthur Jones Firm, P.L.; Jorden Burt LLP; Lawrence J. Kerr, P.A.; Law Offices of Beatriz A. Llorente; Lyons & Lurvey, P.A.; The McGuirk Law Firm, P.L.; Faith Mesnekoff, P.A.; Law Offices of John Francois Miquel; Law Office of Tony Moss, P.A.; Roberto R. Pardo, P.A.; Pozo Goldstein & Gomez, LLP; Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. (c/o Antwon M. Emery, Esq.); Law Offices of Samuel J. Rabin, Jr., P.A.; Bruce S. Reich; Joel D. Robrish, P.A.; Rothman & Associates, P.A.; Law Offices of Andre A. Rouviere; Shohat, Loewy & Shohat; Sinclair, Louis, Heath, Nussbaum & Zavertnik, P.A.; Neal R. Sonnett, P.A.; Law Office of A. Antonio Tomas, P.A.; Arnold Trevilla, P.A.; WNF Law, PL (c/o Donald I. Bierman, Esq.); and Woodward & Reizenstein, P.A.