Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, P.A. Named the 2010 Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award Recipient by LEGAL AID of MANASOTA

SARASOTA, FL, September 09, 2010

The law firm of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, PA., was named the 2010 recipient of the Outstanding Pro bono Service by a law Firm in Sarasota County Award, the Outstanding Service by a Mentor was presented to Alyssa Nohren and 17 members of the firm received Pro Bono Lapel Pins. This esteemed award was given in recognition for the organization's outstanding dedication to pro bono efforts on behalf of Legal Aid of Manasota and the 12th Judicial Circuit. Icard Merrill has a long standing reputation for providing pro bono service.

In additional to receiving Outstanding Pro bono Service by a law Firm in Sarasota County Award, 17 Icard Merrill attorneys received Pro Bono lapel pins for donations of 25 to 100 hours of their time.

The 17 recipients were: Paul D. Beitlich, G. Matthew Brockway, Mark C. Dungan, Michael J. Furen, Arthur D. Ginsburg, Steven R. Greenberg, F. Thomas Hopkins,
Thomas F. Icard, Jr, Robert K. Lincoln, William W. Merrill, III, Troy H. Myers, Jr,
Alyssa M. Nohren, Stephen D. Rees, Jr, Lindsey A. Schneider, Stacy Dillard-Spahn,
John J. Waskom and Richard S. Webb, IV.

"For almost 60 years our firm members have been supporters of providing legal aid and service for our community. We appreciate the recognition through this award and we will continue to use our expertise to expand our planned pro bono program to assist organizations such as Legal Aid of Manasota." Said Bob Lyons, president of Icard Merrill.

Established in 1991, Legal Aid of Manasota is a non-profit civil law firm that provides free legal services to low income individuals and families in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The goal is to provide equal access to justice for those who cannot afford to pay an attorney. The firm partners with local lawyers who donate their time and expertise to help. Legal Aid of Manasota also works with community groups and social service agencies to provide up-to-date information about legal issues affecting low income residents. Each month they hold free community education classes such as the Pro Se Divorce Clinic, where participants are taught how to represent themselves in a divorce action and Foreclosure Defense/Attorney Consultations where individuals can meet one on one with an attorney to discuss solutions on how one can save a home. Legal Aid of Manasota supports local non-profit organizations through the Community Counsel Project, where Pro Bono (free) legal assistance is provided to eligible agencies. Through service to indigent clients over $4 million dollars of free legal services and community education classes have been donated.

They have recently launched a pro bono initiative called the "ONE" campaign, a statewide marketing initiative by the Florida Bar Foundation to recruit pro bono attorneys.

Locally, the "ONE" campaign seeks to educate attorneys on the legal needs of the poor in Sarasota and Manatee counties and present them with volunteer opportunities to help in areas such as Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Domestic Violence, Senior Wills, Housing and more.

Founded in 1953, the law firm of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, P.A., is headquartered in Sarasota, with office locations in Lakewood Ranch and Punta Gorda. Icard Merrill is a full-service law firm with more than half a century of legal expertise in business, commercial and construction litigation, personal injury, real estate, land use, family law, probate, and tax and estate planning. Home to 31 lawyers and 70 employees, the firm has a strong commitment to supporting its communities through its patronage of the arts, civic involvement and significant pro bono contributions.

For more information about legal aid, 941-366-0038 or visit: http://www.legalaidofmanasota.org.
For more information about ICARD MERRILL, call (941) 366-8100 or visit http://www.icardmerrill.com.