The Power of Pro Bono

"If you have the privilege of possessing a license to practice law, you take on pro bono cases to try to help people. You do it because it’s what you are supposed to do — the right thing to do, not to mention the fact that you took an oath to do it.

But it’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s very hard. However, the difference you can make in someone’s life makes it worth it. That’s what happened in a recent case I took pro bono through the Legal Aid Foundation of Tallahassee. 

The case was difficult from the start. By the time the client reached me, she was emotionally drained from spending years on the losing side of the courtroom. All she wanted was for her children to feel safe, stable and secure. As a mother, I understood that. 

At some point during the years of litigation, because my client did not have an attorney representing her, the father was awarded primary custody of their children. The children were exposed to several different home environments and the mother was often kept in the dark about their well-being.

As a mom, my heart broke for her. As a practitioner, I knew it was simply a matter of giving her tools she needed to make her case in the courtroom. I wish I could take credit for doing something miraculous but the truth is, my client just needed her story to be heard. 

Like any parent, she is far from perfect. But she is overwhelmingly the more fit parent, and she was able to demonstrate she could provide the most stability for the children. Empowering her to tell her story enabled her to win her kids back..."

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