ORLANDO, FL. – Foley announced today that John Hamilton, a partner in the firm’s Orlando office, was awarded the 2007 Judge J.C. ‘Jake’ Stone Distinguished Service Award, the highest pro bono honor bestowed by the Legal Aid Society (LAS) of the Orlando County Bar. In addition, Christi Adams, also an attorney in the firm’s Orlando office, received the 2007 New Lawyer Award.
At the annual Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Awards ceremony held at the July 26, 2007 Orlando County Bar Association luncheon, Mina Hirhani, president of the LAS Board of Trustees, presented the awards to Hamilton and Adams for their commitment to pro bono service. The Jake Stone Award is given to one attorney each year who has shown a lifetime dedication to pro bono work. The New Lawyer Award is given to an attorney who has been practicing for five years or less and has devoted considerable hours to pro bono service.
Since 1990, Hamilton has handled 61 pro bono cases and donated 1,083 hours on closed cases for LAS. LAS recognized him for his lifetime achievement and commitment to pro bono service, including serving on the organization’s board, as a guardian ad litem for countless abused and neglected children and as an appellate counsel to death row inmates. Hamilton has been a member of the pro bono panel since 1991 and is a past recipient of the New Lawyer Award, the Individual Award of Merit and the Edward R. Smith Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney Award.
Hamilton is a member of Foley’s Appellate and General Commercial Litigation Practices. In addition to his pro bono cases focusing on custody, consumer, immigration and guardian ad litem, he has assisted with appellate work on cases handled at trial by other pro bono attorneys and provided training for pro bono staff and attorneys. Recently, he was also honored with the Pro Bono Award by the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar, one of two awards given out annually. This award is the Section’s highest honor and is presented to a section member who has dedicated significant hours to pro bono appellate work.
