The Florida Bar will recognize 21 lawyers for their work on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged clients at a Jan. 18 ceremony at the Supreme Court of Florida.

Established in 1981, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are intended to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments. The awards also help raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees. Florida Bar President F. Scott Westheimer will present the 2024 awards.

The awards recognize pro bono service in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits as well as service by one Florida Bar member practicing outside the state of Florida. They are presented annually in conjunction with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service and other service awards, which are given by the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

In the most recent reporting period from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, Florida lawyers provided more than 1.5 million hours of pro bono services to those in need and $7.5 million to legal aid organizations.

Among the 2024 circuit honorees is:

Andrea Smith, 20th Judicial Circuit

(Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties)

Smith serves a dual role at the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, where she volunteers as a FAWL in Love with GAL mentor and as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer. In both roles, she consistently goes above and beyond to provide a consistent source of guidance and comfort to abused, abandoned and neglected children in the dependency system. Through the FAWL in Love with GAL program, Smith has mentored two individuals since 2019. She expanded her role with the GAL office in 2021, when she took her first case as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer, establishing herself as a persistent and compassionate advocate for the children she represents. A former president of the Lee County Association for Women Lawyers (2019) and fierce advocate for women in the legal profession, Smith was selected by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers as Lee County Leader in the Law 2018-2019.

This year’s awards ceremony, which also honors Voluntary Bar, Law Firm, Young Lawyers Division, Distinguished Judicial Service and Distinguished Federal Judicial Service pro bono efforts, takes place at the Florida Supreme Court Thursday, Jan. 18, at 3:30 p.m.

About The Florida Bar

Founded in 1949, The Florida Bar serves the legal profession for the protection and benefit of both the public and all Florida lawyers. As one of the nation’s largest mandatory bars, The Florida Bar fosters and upholds a high standard of integrity and competence within Florida’s legal profession as an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court. To learn more, visit FloridaBar.org.