Holland & Knight Receives Multiple Awards From Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (May 18, 2015) – Holland & Knight was honored by the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County at its 27th Annual Pro Bono Recognition Evening held on May 9 before a crowd of more than 700 attorneys and judges.

The firm's West Palm Beach office received the prestigious Law Firm Award and partner Jason Lazarus received the Civil Litigation Award. That same evening, the Legal Aid Society also inducted Mr. Lazarus into its Pro Bono Hall of Fame. 

Holland & Knight was selected to receive the Law Firm Award based on two significant pro bono matters its West Palm Beach-based attorneys, including Jason Lazarus, William Shepherd, Alison Brown, Seth Welner and Derrick Hibbard, have handled over the past year. For example, the firm worked on a case on behalf of a woman who, during the course of her arrest, received a broken arm and additional injuries from the arresting deputy. The firm obtained a significant settlement for the pro bono client during mediation.

The firm also acted as amicus counsel on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in an important U.S. Supreme Court case, Yates v. U.S., highlighting the problem of over-criminalization. The court granted certiorari, heard the case this term, and reversed the conviction in a landmark decision on statutory construction grounds. 

Mr. Lazarus received the Civil Litigation Award for his many years of service to the Legal Aid Society. He has handled a wide variety of pro bono matters, including defense of eviction, foreclosure and contractor lien cases, lemon law cases, contractual disputes and, most recently, the excessive use of force case. He has also obtained recovery for non-profit entities. In 2008, Mr. Lazarus received the Legal Aid Society's "And Justice for All Award."

Pictured left to right: Allison Brown, Jason Lazarus, Seth Welner and William Shepherd