As a proud long-time supporter of the Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) and the Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA), Kelley/Uustal was the presenting sponsor of the annual fundraising eventFor the Public Good, which was held on Thursday, October 27, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale. Now in its 15th year, this event honors members of the community who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to change lives and secure justice for the underserved and underprivileged in Broward County. It is widely recognized throughout Broward County as the premier pro-bono recognition event of the year.
This year, Kelley/Uustal made a donation to the Tracey McPharlin Pro Bono Dependency Project. Ms. McPharlin, the sister of Kelley/Uustal partner Todd McPharlin, was a Broward County children’s rights attorney who passed away in 2010. The Pro Bono Dependency Project was founded in 2011 by Ms. McPharlin’s former law partner, Mr. Howard Talenfeld, Esq.
“In a career lasting only 10 years, Ms. McPharlin did a lifetime of work to improve the lives of thousands of foster children,” said Mr. Talenfeld of Ms. McPharlin. “We do our best to carry on her work.”
The goal of the Project is to recruit, train and support attorneys who will carry on Tracey’s work by representing at-risk children at all proceedings affecting their safety, permanency, health and well-being. Since 2011, over 100 attorneys have been trained in Broward County and have volunteered their time as pro bono attorneys ad litem to represent the interests of children in the foster care system.
“I am pleased that Kelley/Uustal has made this commitment to the children of our community and is supporting Legal Aid and the Tracey McPharlin Pro Bono Dependency Project,” says Mr. McPharlin. “By joining together and doing what we can to protect our children we are able to build stronger futures for them and in turn for all of us.”
The proceeds from this event benefit legal aid programs in Broward County, allowing them to serve greater numbers of families and children in need. These organizations provide invaluable services to groups, including:
- The homeless
- Victims of domestic violence
- Families losing their homes to foreclosure
- Abused children in foster care
- Seniors and veterans in need of benefits
- Children in need of special education
Click here to learn more about Tracey K. McPharlin, Esq.
