UNSUNG HERO
Steven Florendine By Ola Malik This feature titled “Unsung Hero” is intended to introduce a member of our profession who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, innovation, commitment, or made significant contributions to social justice and community affairs. We are delighted to introduce you to Steven Florendine. For those of you who believe young lawyers have become entitlement driven and mainly interested in furthering their own needs, meet Steven. He exemplifies a generation of smart, energetic young lawyers who are passionate about using their legal skills to make a real difference in Steven Florendine their communities. And like so many of his peers, Steven’s commitment to volunteerism is driven by the simple realization that helping others is, as many before him have remarked, “the right thing to do”. Steven grew up in Calgary and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Lethbridge where he met his wife (in a bar). His wife’s employment prospects brought Steven to Texas where he read law, obtained admission to the Texas State Bar and practised in Texas, Oklahoma and Montana. Steven returned to Lethbridge in 2007 and landed with the firm of Davidson & Williamson LLP where he practices today. Texas taught Steven an important lesson about what real poverty looks like – it’s the kind of poverty which traps people into a life of despair because those who need help the most cannot get the legal representation they so desperately need to find their way to a better future. Steven brought this lesson with him to Lethbridge where he resolved to do what he could for those who needed help. Lawyers who practise in rural communities as compared with those who practice in larger cities often have a better understanding of how they impact upon the fabric of their communities. It’s not easy to hide from those whom you’ve affected through your legal practice in a city the size of Lethbridge, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, or Grand Prairie when you’re likely to run into them at the grocery store, the baseball field, your kid’s school or the community bake sale. Rod Jerke (now the Honourable Mr. Justice R.A. Jerke) was an important influence in Steven’s approach to volunteerism. In Steven’s own words, “there are many folks who talk about living life the “right way” - Rod never speaks of living the right way – he just does it.” And so with Rod’s guidance and the backing of the partners, associates and staff at Davidson & Williamson LLP who have their own proud tradition of community volunteerism, Steven set out to make a difference. Since 2008, Steven has actively volunteered with Lethbridge Legal Guidance (on whose Board of Directors he now sits) by providing free legal advice at clinics which are organized throughout the year for anyone who has a legal issue irrespective of their
10 | Law Matters
financial means. In 2012, Steven was approached to volunteer for the Lethbridge Legal Grounds Clinic which provides the public with free legal advice. He committed his support and inquired if he could solicit the services of the rest of his law firm to assist with this project. He was successful in securing assistance from most of his fellow lawyers along with administrative staff. Steven and his firm followed up with a Legal Grounds Clinic which was held this fall in the Crowsnest Pass. Steven remains committed to providing free legal services for smaller communities in Southern Alberta which are in need of legal advice clinics. Steven is still in the early stages of his career but the leadership which he has shown in making a real difference to his community is likely to endure. The volunteer work which Steven and his colleagues have undertaken is critically important because it is much more difficult for those living in smaller centers or in rural areas to find a lawyer as compared with larger urban centers. Steven’s commitment to serving his community should remind us how powerful we can all be in changing the lives of those who could use a helping hand. We celebrate Steven’s achievements – Steven is an “unsung hero” – and he represents some of the finest qualities of our profession.
Do you know an Unsung Hero? Tell us about them. If you know a lawyer who deserves to be recognized, please send us an e-mail to newslet@cba-alberta.org with the lawyer’s name and the reasons why you believe they are an “unsung hero”. The only formal requirements for nomination are that our “unsung hero” be an Alberta lawyer and CBA member. D
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