Class Act(ion)

Common Ground

Since it was founded in 2019, the Miguel C. Fernandez III Hispanic Bar Association has worked to help the community, including collecting annually to provide Thanksgiving meals.

The group was poised to do so again when Hurricane Ian arrived. “We knew there was definitely still a need, perhaps even more so with people without homes and income, but we weren’t sure about asking for money because so many people were dealing with their own issues,” said Karla Campos Andersen, co-founder and president of the Hispanic Bar Association.

But then Grace Church, their partner for the Thanksgiving drives, let them know about the Pondella Trailer Park, a North Fort Myers community of 89 homes occupied primarily by Hispanic families, many of them undocumented. “I didn’t really know about it, and I drive by it every day,” Andersen said.

Due to flooding from the storm, all of the trailers in the community are inhabitable. The residents have few resources to rebuild, and most are likely ineligible for government help.

Through a social media campaign, the Hispanic Chamber notified its members and collected close to $5,800 in partnership with the Lee County Bar Association Foundation, to host a Thanksgiving dinner with Grace Church for residents. With leftover funds, they purchased Christmas gifts for 40 children in the park. Grace Church continues to raise funds to help residents of the park rebuild and have safe, comfortable homes.

“I think it was important for anyone who could give back to give back,” Andersen said. “One of our goals it to unite as a community and provide outreach.”

WHAT MEMBERS OF THE LAW COMMUNITY LEARNED BY BECOMING HURRICANE IAN’S PUBLIC DEFENDERS.

Years from now, when the Southwest Florida community reflects on the impact of Hurricane Ian, it will likely recall heroic and harrowing stories as well as unprecedented change. What cannot be overlooked is the thousands of seemingly small, but significant acts with impacts that included providing lasting lessons learned.

Amicus Curiae

Recognizing that the legal system could be crippled with so many lawyers impacted by Hurricane Ian, the lawyers and judges of the Middle District of Florida made a grant to the Southwest Florida Federal Court Bar Association. Made through the Middle District Bench Bar Fund, the grant provided assistance to members of the legal community affected by the storm.

Because rules for use of the Bench Bar funds would not allow them to be used to provide relief to court employees, the Middle District’s judges, practitioners and Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville Federal Bar Associations provided personal donations.

The program distributed more than $210,000 to help more than 400 people.

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Helping the Helpers

KindLee, a nonprofit that promotes acts of kindness, connected Fort Myers Boy Scout Troop 3300 with Cape Coral resident Warren Bullock. Bullock, 70, has lung cancer, and spent every day after the storm trying to save his family’s home. Members of the scout troop knocked on his door, and then got busy cleaning up fallen trees in his back yard.

“You don’t know how much this means to me,” Bullock told them. The scouts also passed out water, cookies and American flags to families and work crews. Local attorneys Kelly Fayer, Andrea Smith and Katie Berkey, along with Cape Coral council member Jennifer I. Nelson and others, assisted the scouts. Handmade cards with messages of hope uplifted weary hearts.

It was not just Bullock who benefitted from the efforts. KindLee sets out to help area children facing challenges by creating ways for them to help others. Learn more at kindlee.org.

Pet Guardians

When Hurricane Ian ravaged Southwest Florida, it flooded the downtown Fort Myers office that Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz has occupied since its founding 60 years ago. It also hit Gulf Coast Humane Society (GCHS) hard.

Fortunately, all animals at GCHS were fine after the storm passed, but the facility, fences and grounds were damaged. Then shortly after landfall, GCHS began receiving animals that became lost after the storm or dropped off by families who did not have a home to keep them. GCHS took in 30 animals in five days, with more than 40 scheduled for another week.

As a result, Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz extended until May 2023 its plan to sponsor 60 free or reduced-price pet adoptions.

The Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz adoptions are made possible with “Golden Tickets” that are distributed at events hosted by the firm and the Humane Society to people wishing to give cats and dogs at the shelter “furever” homes.

“We believe that pets are important members of our family and through partnerships like this one, we know dozens of families will be enjoying 2023 and beyond with an appreciative new family member,” said Gary Willoughby, executive director of GCHS.

For the Public Good

Inns of Court are organized around the world. Southwest Florida’s Calusa Inn of Court was chartered in September 1995 by local attorneys and members of the judiciary who believe in the professionalism, civility and excellence of the practice of law.

Within each Inn, pupillage groups are organized to foster inter-generational mentoring. Each pupillage gives one presentation a year.

Following the storm, attorney George Knott proposed that his pupillage organize free “law on the mall” legal clinics to help people interested in some guidance for claims, dispute resolution, rights, responsibilities, obligations and other issues. Any clinic attendee wishing to hire an attorney was referred to the Lee County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service.

“Insurance policies are often impenetrable, and so many people have no idea of what their rights or responsibilities are,” said attorney PJ Scheiner. “It’s so unfair to the average consumer.”

In November and December, the group of about 20 legal volunteers offered four free legal clinics, helping about 100 people with resources and general guidance. One clinic was held for employees at Lee Health’s Cape Coral Hospital.

“Unfortunately, we live in a complex society, where we are often masters of our own niches,” Scheiner said. “Someone who is a fishing guide knows the water. A lawyer may go fishing, but he likely doesn’t know the waters like a fishing guide would. Lawyers have a unique understanding of the law that governs the claims process.”

Behind Bars

After the storm, the Broward County Bar Association and other local East Coast and area bar associations quickly mobilized a supply drive, bringing essentials to Southwest Florida.

Teresa Conte, CEO and executive director of the Clearwater Bar Association, met with her board members. The Clearwater Bar Association, like many others, also created an email campaign with their own members to collect relief donations.

Conte’s team packed up their supplies and caravan to Lee County, bringing gas cans and other supplies needed in the early days following the storm. They also worked with a local church to help with distribution in Southwest Florida.

Similarly, larger law firms with offices outside of Southwest Florida rallied their employees to donate to support storm recovery efforts. Hahn Loeser Attorneys at Law encouraged employees in other offices to raise money for Red Cross organizations based in Fort Myers and Naples.