Tenesia C. Hall knew she wanted to be a lawyer since elementary school.
Hall, now the Family Law Litigation Director at Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association in Orlando, was a summer fellow there 26 years ago. The fellowship, funded by The Florida Bar Foundation (now FFLA), changed everything.
“That exposure in the infancy of my career sparked the flame and paved the way for my lifelong service to Florida’s
families,” Hall said. “I returned to legal aid after graduating from law school and never left – I’m happily a legal aid lifer.”
The fellowship gave Hall hands-on experience in family, housing and consumer law, providing broad exposure to the legal challenges facing low-income clients. The practical nature of the work proved invaluable in ways she didn’t expect.
“The following summer, when I took The Florida Bar Exam, several essay questions mirrored issues I had already
encountered during my fellowship, reinforcing just how practical and valuable the experience was,” Hall said.
Hall comes from a family of “teachers and preachers”, making public service a natural fit. As a legal aid lawyer, she helps
Florida’s most at-risk, low-income families who lack the financial resources to protect their interests.
“Working in public interest law allows me to make a real difference in someone’s life, often with lifelong or even
generational impact,” she said.
The fellowship not only provided a professional home but also opened doors to leadership roles within The Florida Bar and the Orange County Bar Association. Today, Hall trains and mentors family law professionals while working on systemic changes to strengthen legal service delivery.
This summer, Hall will supervise two FFLA Civil Legal Aid Summer Fellows, continuing the cycle of mentorship that shaped her career.
She hopes that the fellows will gain confidence along with practical skills, and understand their responsibility to clients. She makes an effort to encourage law students to consider public interest work, noting they gain responsibility early, learn quickly and see direct impact.
“Even for those who do not remain in public interest long term, the experience creates better, more grounded and well-
rounded attorneys,” Hall said. “Summer fellowship programs are critical to the future of public interest law. They create
access to mentorship and opportunity while helping legal aid organizations continue serving their communities effectively.”
Hall, incoming chair of The Florida Bar Family Law Section, praised the section for sponsoring four fellows in summer 2025 and six in summer 2026.
“I think it’s critical that sections continue to support and contribute to FFLA,” Hall said. “The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar has done a tremendous job of this, and I hope and encourage other sections to do the same!”
