LSC to Convene Tampa Forum on Disaster Legal Services

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Carl Rauscher          
Director of Communications and Media Relations          
rauscherc@lsc.gov          
202-295-1615         

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TAMPA, FL – The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) will welcome distinguished members of the Florida legal community to a forum on disaster legal services on Monday, January 27.  Attendees will gather at the Embassy Suites Tampa Downtown Convention Center from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET. The event will also be streaming on LSC’s YouTube channel

The forum will feature a panel discussion among Florida legal aid staff. Their discussion will shed light on the critical role of civil legal services in disaster response and preparedness, as well as lessons learned from hurricane recovery efforts and key collaborations between service providers.

Coordinating to Meet Community Needs: A Conversation with LSC’s Disaster Grant Recipients

  • Peter Dennis, Regional Managing Attorney, Florida Rural Legal Services
  • Kathy Grunewald, Disaster Coordinator Attorney, Legal Services of North Florida
  • John Martino, Director of Litigation, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida
  • Jason Susalla, Managing Attorney – Disaster Relief Team, Bay Area Legal Services
  • Moderator: Ron Flagg, PresidentLegal Services Corporation

In addition to the panel, Floridians will share rapid-fire presentations on their first-hand experiences as disaster recovery service providers. Presenters include legal aid attorneys and disaster response experts. A video will demonstrate a disaster survivor’s story of recovering with the help of legal aid.

LSC Board Chairman John Levi will give remarks, and LSC President Ron Flagg will recognize 45 Florida legal aid staff with over 25 years of service. An awards reception, hosted by Foley & Lardner LLP, will follow the forum from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET. U.S. Senator Ashley Moody (FL) and Florida Supreme Court Justice John D. Couriel will be honored with Champions of Justice Awards. Five Florida lawyers, the firm of Ausley McMullen and the Lake County Bar Association will be presented Pro Bono Service Awards. More information about the awardees and reception is available here.

Press inquiries about the forum and reception should be sent to rauscherc@lsc.gov.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974. For 50 years, LSC has provided financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 130 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.