Holland & Knight Commemorates Founding Partner Chesterfield Smith’s 100th Birthday with Major Gift to Legal Services of Greater Miami
MIAMI (July 27, 2017) – Friday, July 28 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chesterfield Smith, the founding partner of Holland & Knight. To mark the occasion, Holland & Knight has announced a major gift of $100,000 to Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. to continue the legacy of Mr. Smith, a legendary lawyer and vocal advocate for pro bono legal services for the poor.
During his long career, Mr. Smith promoted his commitment to pro bono and continually challenged the legal profession to “Do Good!”. In 1999, Legal Services dedicated its office building as the Chesterfield Smith Center for Equal Justice in honor of Mr. Smith’s role as chair of the Legal Services Campaign for Justice, which raised funds to purchase the building.
“We could think of no better way to honor Chesterfield’s memory than to ensure that his adopted hometown of Miami would continue to benefit from the great work of Legal Services,” said Steven Sonberg, Holland & Knight’s managing partner. “Access to the legal system is a critical issue in our community, and we hope that our contribution will help those in desperate need.”
“Holland & Knight has always been a leader in the legal profession,” said Legal Services executive director Marcia K. Cypen. “We are so very grateful to the firm for this extraordinary lead gift to our Building the Cornerstone Campaign. The firm’s vision and philanthropic leadership will make a lasting impact in our community for generations to come.”
Legal Services of Greater Miami is a non-profit organization providing free civil legal services for vulnerable members of the community with nowhere else to turn for help, including women, children, seniors, veterans returning from combat, people with disabilities, low-wage workers and the homeless.
The gift will help ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors will have representation in our civil justice system. The representation provided by the Legal Services staff will protect their rights to safe, affordable, decent housing and access to health care.
Holland & Knight has had a long partnership with Legal Services. Partner Tiffani Lee currently serves on the board of directors. Partner Tracy Nichols served as co-chair and Rodolfo Sorondo and Wifredo Ferrer serve on the Building the Cornerstone Campaign committee. Partner Bill Bloom also provided pro bono real estate services to the organization during its recent headquarters relocation.