Raven Sword, a lawyer with the Rice & Rose law firm in Daytona Beach and Palm Coast, was awarded the Florida Bar Pro Bono Award for the Seventh Judicial Circuit which includes Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
The Award will be presented at a special ceremony before the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday, January 28th in Tallahassee. Local recognition will take place at the 26th Annual Pro Bono Awards Dinner in Daytona Beach on September 28th.
Ms. Sword, a lawyer with the Rice & Rose law firm in Daytona Beach and Palm Coast and a candidate for the Flagler County School Board, says she’s made pro bono work part of her mission. She works for Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida’s clients who cannot afford legal services. “I feel most fulfilled when the people feel less intimidated by the legal system,” Sword said.
Since becoming an associate with Rice & Rose, she has logged upwards of 100 hours a year in pro bono work. She also helps conduct weekly legal advice clinics through the Volunteer Lawyer project, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida’s pro bono program.
Some of the past Florida Bar Pro Bono Award winners from Volusia & Flagler Counties:
1982 – William M. Chanfrau, Sr.
1986 – Kimberly Sands
1989 – Pamela D. Cichon
1990 – Pamela A. Brown
1991 – Diego Handel
1994 – Frank D. Upchurch, III
1996 – Ivan K. Clements, Jr.
1998 – Michael B. Wingo
1999 – Stephen R. Ponder
2000 – Deborah J. Andrews
2001 – Michael S. Becker
2002 – Maurice Wagner
2003 – Susan A. Fagan
2004 – Irwin Connelly
2005 – Diego Handel
2006 – Julia A. Soerpeboel
2007 – Philip Henry Elliott, Jr
2008 – Debra Trevlyn Alexander
2009 – Judith Duggan Davidson
For more information about Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida click here for the full news release.
Opinion says
Congratulations Mrs. Sword.
Raven & Sam Sword (Retired NFL), are two of the most under appreciated and under utilized assets this community has. IN MY OPINION, both have tried, vigorously to be involved in with helping the community to build and evolve only to face bad politics, favoritism and the same good ole boy network behind the scenes. If Flagler County can’t find a way to appreciate a solid family, excellent attorney and humble husband with people skills on and off the field. I don’t know what else to say.