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Jacksonville veteran facing eviction receives help just in time

Eric Strickland was 24 hours away from being evicted when Jacksonville Area Legal Aid came to the rescue. Eric Strickland served our country for 13 years with 4 overseas deployments in the United States Army.  Currently, he's on disability from his job as a truck driver after dealing with a heart issue. He was served with an eviction notice after falling behind on rent.  "I always keep this with me, that's why I still have it," said Strickland while holding onto the American Flag that was given to him during his father's funeral. Strickland served in the Army during the Persian Gulf War, his father was in the military during WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

2022-04-02T08:43:22-04:00April 2nd, 2022|Fair Housing, News, Veterans Services|

Pajcic & Pajcic Yard Golf and Lawn Party is April 2

After play was suspended for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Pajcic & Pajcic Yard Golf and Lawn Party returns from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 2 along Montgomery and Richmond streets in Avondale. All donations and sponsorships are matched 100% by the law firm to benefit Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. Attorneys are asked to make a $50 donation, the public is invited for a $25 donation per person and children are admitted free.

2022-04-01T11:11:58-04:00April 1st, 2022|News, Pajcic & Pajcic|

Orange Park man facing eviction while waiting for Our Florida rent payments

Florida’s emergency rental assistance relief program, Our Florida, announced it sent more than $51 million to families between March 10 and March 23. Just how much of that money was actually deposited, and how much of it is really helping people? Action News Jax has been receiving emails and calls for help from several viewers, claiming their money was reportedly sent by the state but never arrived. A month ago, a Jacksonville woman was waiting on several checks. This time, it’s the same story again; a man in Orange Park was supposed to be evicted Wednesday, March 30. Eric Strickland’s apartment is currently empty. He has packed up all his belongings and moved his furniture to a friend’s house.

2022-03-31T11:45:08-04:00March 31st, 2022|Fair Housing, News, Uncategorized|

Jacksonville University president says new law school answers Fortune 500 demand

Jacksonville University President Tim Cost said Feb. 28 the institution’s decision to launch a College of Law meets demand from Fortune 500 companies to recruit talent and leadership with a legal background.  At a news conference at City Hall, Cost and Mayor Lenny Curry announced JU’s plans to open a law school in Downtown Jacksonville in the fall with $5 million in city backing. The JU president said Jacksonville-based companies, including Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Florida Blue and Black Knight Inc., look for leadership with a legal education.  Cost said about 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs have a Juris Doctor degree.

2022-03-01T10:32:43-05:00March 1st, 2022|News|

Demand is growing for civil legal aid in Northeast Florida

Business is booming at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. With offices in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties, JALA employs about 70 attorneys and support staff to provide representation for low-income residents who have civil legal issues but cannot afford to hire a lawyer. “We’re just like any other big law firm,” said attorney Jim Kowalski, JALA president and CEO. The number of people asking for help from JALA is rising dramatically. In 2019, the total intake was 5,591 cases. In 2020, it grew to 6,471 cases and last year, 7,991 people asked for help with a civil legal problem. Domestic violence and other family law matters lead the list each year, increasing from about 1,300 cases in 2019 to more than 1,800 in 2021.

2022-02-25T11:43:00-05:00February 25th, 2022|News|

St. Johns County Legal Aid Honors its Volunteers

St. Johns County Legal Aid presented its 2021 Pro Bono Awards via zoom to the following attorneys and “Most Helpful Clerk” of the year. On the top row from the left are legal aid staff Megan Wall, Savannah Stevens and Elizabeth Teelon. In second row from the top are honorees Vincent Sullivan and Pam Holcomb, staffer Michael Pelkowski, and Judge Kenneth Janesk. In the next row down are Jim Kowalski, director of Jacksonville Legal Aid, Judge Howard McGillin, and honorees Tania Schmidt-Alpers and Carol Daniels. On the bottom are honorees Tom Pycraft, Jay Grife, Christina Collins (winner of the Most Helpful Clerk of Court Award), and Jim Middleton. Others recognized but not pictured are Donato Ronaldi and Eva Paulk.

2022-01-27T13:08:57-05:00January 27th, 2022|News, Pro Bono|

Freed to Run Raises Millions for Pediatric Legal Needs for Five Years Running

Jacksonville attorney Mike Freed was motivated in 2016 to find a purpose that would bring together individuals in a positive effort focused on doing good. Raising money for indigent populations that were unable to obtain legal services was a logical choice for a lawyer, and Freed knew he wanted to go big to make an impact. But how? “I decided I would run across the state,” said Freed, a business litigation shareholder at Gunster. “But I wasn’t a runner! I taught myself over the next two months to run long distances, then ran a marathon. Eight months later, I ran six marathons in six days from the Supreme Court in Tallahassee to the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville and raised $67,000 for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA).”

2022-01-26T12:34:45-05:00January 26th, 2022|Children's Health, Freed To Run, News|

It Should Take More Than 10 Minutes to Evict Someone

Two-minute trials in crowded courtrooms. Ten-minute evictions. Incalculable suffering. Before Covid, this was — and had long been — the reality in many eviction courts. But during the pandemic, an influx of federal funds has helped courts begin dozens of eviction prevention and diversion programs for landlords and tenants. Often coupled with other reforms, like remote court hearings and community outreach efforts, these programs make eviction court easier to navigate and more accessible.

2022-01-14T13:35:40-05:00January 14th, 2022|Fair Housing, News|

Jacksonville Office

Serving Residents of
Duval & Nassau Counties
126 W. Adams St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 356-8371

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St. Johns County Legal Aid

Serving Residents of
St. Johns County
222 San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-9921

Clay County Legal Aid

Serving Residents of
Clay County
825 N. Orange Avenue, Rm 308
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
(904) 284-8410

Nassau County Legal Aid

Serving Residents of
Nassau County
1901 Island Walk Way
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
(904) 356-8371

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