Shanthy Balachanthiran

The Florida Bar will recognize 21 lawyers for their work on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged clients at a Jan. 28 ceremony streamed live online by the Supreme Court of Florida.

Established in 1981, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are intended to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments and to raise public awareness of the substantial volunteer services provided by Florida lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees. Florida Bar President Dori Foster-Morales will present the 2021 awards.

The awards recognize pro bono service in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits as well as service by one Florida Bar member practicing outside the state of Florida. They are presented annually in conjunction with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award which is given by the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Awards recognizing pro bono contributions also will be presented in the categories of Voluntary Bar, Law Firm, Young Lawyers Division, Distinguished Judicial Service and Distinguished Federal Judicial Service.

In the most recent reporting period from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, Florida lawyers provided more than 1.2 million hours of pro bono services to those in need $6.3 million to legal aid organizations.

This year’s ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 28, at 3:30 p.m. Watch it live on Facebook,  WFSU: Gavel to Gavel and the Florida Channel, as well as on YouTube.

Among the honorees is Shanthy Balachanthiran from the 20th Judicial Circuit (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties).

Balachanthiran has a passion to help those less fortunate inspired by the determination and success earned by her father when the family immigrated to the United States when she was four years old. Her commitment and her leadership in providing pro bono service is inspiring. As the Lee County Bar Association Pro Bono Committee chair, Balachanthiran has opened up various social service channels within the organization and community to expand opportunities and access for legal representation to the poor. Balachanthiran has offered free legal services and assistance to clients in the areas of landlord/tenant matters, disability rights, family law matters, federal tax controversy, consumer rights, and guardian advocacy. Besides the hours she has performed in pro bono service, she recruited more than 350-plus hours of pro bono assistance for a local legal services organization after training multiple attorneys in the areas of legal need. She has dedicated more than 250 hours over the years to providing pro bono legal services.

To learn more, visit FloridaBar.org.