S P E C I A L F E A T U R E A u t h o r : T o r i S i m m o n s – H i l l W a r d H e n d e r s o n
thethirteenthJudicialcircuit2020 ProBonoServiceawardWinners
“ youalwayshavetogive ; youmaynotneedhelpnow , butyouneverknowwhenyou wouldneedhelp , soyoumustgivewhenyoucan .” — fehintola “ kemi ” oguntebi
The Thirteenth Annual Circuit Pro Bono
Services Awards Ceremony was held virtually on October 27 , 2020 . At the ceremony , the award winners listed below , as well as all attorneys who performed 20 or more hours of pro bono service , were honored for their outstanding contributions of pro bono legal services to the community . The award nominations were submitted to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee , chaired by the Honorable Barbara Twine Thomas and vice-chaired by the Honorable Darren Farfante . The ceremony was hosted by the Committee and the Bay Area Legal Services ’ Volunteer Lawyers Program . The ceremony was sponsored by Quarles & Brady , LLP .
The Hillsborough County Bar Association ’ s Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Service Award : Fehintola “ Kemi ” Oguntebi
Fehintola “ Kemi ” Oguntebi has devoted a substantial portion of her career to providing pro bono legal services to those in need . Ms . Oguntebi was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1995 and has spent her career as a sole practitioner in the area of Family Law , Bankruptcy , Probate , Guardianship , and Estate Planning . Ms . Oguntebi began volunteering with Bay Area Legal Services ( BALS ) in 1999 and has continued to do so consistently for the last 20 years . She regularly assisted pro se domestic violence litigants for the Domestic Violence Assistance Project . In addition , Ms . Oguntebi has accepted over 20 pro bono cases through BALS since 2004 . As a seasoned practitioner in areas where pro bono services are needed , Ms . Oguntebi also donates her time to mentor staff and volunteer attorneys through BALS ’ Mentor Panel . Ms . Oguntebi is a regular volunteer for the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association ’ s Pro Bono Clinic and the HCBA Ask a Lawyer Project with Fox 13 . She is also an active member of the George Edgecomb Bar Association and has participated in pro bono events with that organization over the years .
BALS praised Ms . Oguntebi as a dependable volunteer who is always willing to step up and take a difficult case that cannot be placed . For example , Ms .
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