The FFLA Board of Directors met in Gainesville, Fla., on March 14, 2025, at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. FFLA is grateful to the University of Florida for hosting as this hospitality allowed FFLA to save considerable money and expenses associated with its committee and board meetings. Prior to the meeting, a moment of silence was observed for the passing of Senator Geraldine Thompson, wife of Retired Judge Emerson Thompson, former President and Board member of FFLA. A presentation was also made by Donna MacRae, Executive Director, and Tonya Lipscomb Smith, Managing Attorney, of Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. The Board is grateful for the presentation and the work Three Rivers Legal Services does in its community and throughout the state.
The major actions of the board and reports received included:
Board Ratifies Medal of Honor Awards Committee Selections for 2025
The Board ratified the Medal of Honor Awards Committee’s selections of the following recipients:
- Medal of Honor (Lawyer): Jose Villalobos, Esq.
- Medal of Honor (Non-lawyer): Maria Henderson
- Jane Curran Distinguished Service Award: Lesley Mendoza, Esq.
These distinguished recipients will be invited to attend FFLA’s annual breakfast and awards ceremony in June to be recognized and presented with these awards.
After Comprehensive RFP Process, Board Retains Investment Advisor
The Investment Committee, through a work group, engaged in a comprehensive process over the span of seven months whereby 19 investment firms were invited to submit proposals for consideration. The process was initiated as a matter of course and due diligence. 13 firms responded and six semi-finalists were then selected for interviews. A second round of interviews of three finalists were conducted which resulted in a recommendation that FFLA retain Morgan Stanley/Graystone Consulting as its investment advisor.
Ian Comisky, chair of the Investment Committee, presented the committee’s recommendation and further explained that the recommendation was accompanied by a request that further discussions with Morgan Stanley/Graystone be held to discuss fee structure and amount, subject to review and approval by the work group. After discussion on the committee’s own motion, the Board approved the recommendation and authorized the work group to proceed.
Author’s Note: Subsequent to the board meeting, discussions were held with Morgan Stanley/Graystone Consulting that resulted in a fee reduction of approximately $18,000 per year, which was approved by the Executive Committee on April 9, 2025.
Report on Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Maria C. Gonzalez reported on behalf of the Grants Committee and reported that the Grants Committee voted and approved of the staff’s recommendation to:
- Rescind $100,097.43 in unused LRAP awards by 31 participants that fully or partially declined their LRAP loans or defaulted prior to their second disbursement.
- Forgive 136 LRAP loans in the total amount of $625,142.27. (Note: $21.30 was moved by the committee from repayment to forgiveness due to its small size.)
- Accept repayment totaling $35,154.23 from 10 participants that either did not apply for loan forgiveness (2); returned unspent funds (1); received Public Service Loan Forgiveness on their 2024 LRAP loans (1); or resigned (7).
The Board approved the Grants Committee’s recommendation.
Improvements in the Administration of Justice Grants Awarded
The Improvements in the Administration of Justice (AOJ) grant program is designed to assist in the improvement in the administration of justice in areas within the broader framework of the justice system, with emphasis on the process of operating the courts in an effective and expeditious manner. It has historically been used to fund programs that are not otherwise or regularly funded by FFLA’s other grant programs.
The board approved an allocation of $900,000 to fund AOJ projects this fiscal year. FFLA received eleven applications requesting a total of $2,275,842. A scoring group, consisting of Directors Carithers, Moon, Currie, Robisch, Tasher as well as Laura Boeckman and staff recommended, and the board approved, funding four applicants for a total of $675,000 with Other Funds (non-IOTA) as follows:
| Organization | Project | Funding Requested | Amount Approved by Grants Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossroads for Florida Kids, Inc. | Advocates for Children Who Have None: Increasing Access to Justice for Disadvantaged Youth | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| CABA Pro Bono Legal Service | Neurodivergent Legal Assistance Program (NLAP) | $125,000 | $125,000 |
| Florida's Children First | 2025 – Improving Justice for Children by Focusing on Enforcement & Implementation | $350,000 | $350,000 |
| United Way of Indian River County | Access to Justice: Indian River County 2025 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
