Grant Database

Katherine DeBriere focused on the failure of the criminal justice system to identify and accommodate individuals with developmental disabilities who have been charged with a crime. Focusing first in Alachua County, Katherine provided education and resources to those working within the criminal justice system and caretakers of people with MR/DD.

Leisa Morrill-Wintz provided education, outreach and representation to teenagers in Broward County in the areas of dating, domestic, repeat and sexual violence. In addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship, The Florida Bar sponsored $25,000 and Equal Justice Works matched $29,000.

Laura Chilcutt collaborated with social service providers, law enforcement and other agencies to provide holistic representation to clients. This project provided well-rounded services to victims of trafficking throughout all of Florida. In addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship, Greenberg Traurig LLP sponsored $26,000 and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation sponsored $52,000.

Peterson St. Philippe provided legal representation to Haitian immigrants in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Pinellas counties. Through the project, St. Philippe increased immigration relief through outreach and legal rights presentations. Additionally, he met the community’s needs by directly representing community members in immigration court. The Florida Bar sponsored $25,000 in addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship.

Ericka Garcia provided holistic representation to foster children with developmental disabilities. In addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship, Greenberg Traurig LLP sponsored $37,500 and Equal Justice Works matched $29,000.

Shelly Campbell reached out to veterans by providing free legal assistance and access to justice. She provided assistance on matters including VA benefits assistance, foreclosure prevention and bankruptcy. Other issues to be addressed include consumer issues, wills, housing issues, family law matters and re-employment issues. Cobb Cole sponsored $52,000 in addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship.

Ashley Ortagus provided dependent and delinquent teen mothers with holistic direct representation, systemic relief through litigation and education. She represented teen moms on issues such as dependency hearings, family law and child support and domestic violence injunctions. Greenberg Traurig LLP sponsored $90,000 in addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship.

Karen Winston provided legal outreach, advocacy, and representation to immigrant detainees at the Baker County Detention Center. Winston interviewed immigrants held at Baker and determined whether they may be eligible for VAWA, U-visa, asylum, or other forms relief. The Florida Bar sponsored $25,000 and Equal Justice Works matched $22,000 in addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship.

Dante Trevisani’s project project aimed to legally challenge some of the financial obstacles to civil rights restoration as well as produce manuals for ex-prisoners and practitioners on how to navigate the post-release system. Equal Justice Works matched $22,000 in addition to the Foundation’s sponsorship.

Beverly Brown’s project involved direct representation of parents who have children with disabilities or the children themselves. She advocated on behalf of parents and students to ensure that school systems, penal institutions, and community colleges provide services guaranteed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (504) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Franco Torres – Americans for Immigrant Justice, Miami. Provide legal representation to immigrants detained at Florida detention facilities and for detainees whose constitutional rights have been violated.

Betsy Havens – Florida Legal Services Inc., Miami. Help disadvantaged children in Miami access vital health care services by eliminating systemic barriers through direct client representation, community engagement, policy advocacy and impact litigation.

Hasti Barahmand – Florida’s Children First, Miami. Provide foster youth involved in the juvenile justice system with holistic direct representation that extends beyond the courtroom into the community, while creating an effective working practice model for the state.

Jaime Rubin – Legal Aid of Manasota, Sarasota. Provide legal assistance to low-income students and parents who qualify for Exceptional Student Education (ESE) services through direct representation and research into unexamined special education issues. Engage in community education and collaboration.

Amanda Sejba. Facilitate a Medical Legal Partnership and provide legal advocacy and representation to Broward County veterans and military personnel to assist them in receiving disability and veteran’s benefits.

Alexandra St. Pierre. Provide holistic direct representation and systemic legal advocacy to youths as they age out of the foster care system and transition to early adulthood in order to preserve legal rights and ensure a more successful transition into independence.

Charlotte Joseph Cassel’s project will identify and resolve barriers to health care access faced by low-income, disadvantaged populations in Miami-Dade County through a combination of direct representation, community outreach and training, and systemic advocacy. The Greenberg Traurig Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation and The Florida Bar Foundation each will provide $56,000 to support Cassel’s fellowship.

Antoinette Pollard’s project will provide direct and co-representation of foster children with unmet health-care needs and establish relationships with agencies and managed care organizations to resolve problems resulting from the transition to managed care under Medicaid, which has created confusion for Florida’s foster children, including unexpected changes in benefits, denial of care, loss of providers, and out of pocket payments for critical treatment. Children’s attorneys often lack knowledge of the complex Medicaid system and need support to protect their clients’ rights. Children without attorneys have an even greater need for help. Specialized legal representation is required to protect the rights of this vulnerable population to receive the care to which they are entitled and on which they depend.

Krystin Montersil will mitigate the effects of detention on children and families by helping parents prepare and appoint guardians. She is a graduate of Florida International University College of Law.

Reina Saco will help migrant and seasonal farmworker communities across Florida gain access to affordable, safe and sanitary housing. Saco graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.