Colson Hicks Eidson Attorneys Spearhead Pivotal Back-To-School Supply Drive for Miami-Dade Youth

Legal Community Delivers More Than $10,000 of Supplies and Donations to Underprivileged Students

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Sept. 12, 2016) – Colson Hicks Eidson attorneys Latoya C. Brown, Stephanie Casey, and Natalie Rico successfully wrapped up a month-long back-to-school supply drive benefitting hundreds of underprivileged students in Miami-Dade County, collecting more than $10,000 worth of donations and supplies with the support of the local legal community.

The trio of trailblazers – who are members of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (MDFAWL) and the Dade County Bar Association (DCBA) — teamed-up with the local legal organizations to spearhead the drive and raise awareness for youth in need.

In addition to MDFAWL and the DCBA, more than 35 law firms and local organizations participated in the event. In total, the team raised more than $5,000 in monetary donations and received more than 100 backpacks as well as an abundance of school supplies — from composition books and notebooks to rulers, paper, index cards, pencils and more.

“In an ongoing effort to support underprivileged students in our community, we reached out to our colleagues and peers in the legal community for help… and the response has been tremendous,” said Brown, an associate at Colson Hicks Eidson who initiated the program. “We are grateful for the kindness and generosity offered to ensure the drive was a success for so many deserving students that otherwise would not have access to basic school supplies. It was truly a community effort.”

Donations were given to parents and children at the Camillus House and the Division of Student Services for Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Project UP-START, which assists students living in homeless shelters, on the streets, in motels, or “couch surfing.”  Over the course of the school year, the Division of Student Services identifies and serves approximately 6,000 underprivileged students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The students and their families go to the “UP-START Shop” to retrieve items they need, such as these important tools for the classroom.

The school supply drive ran throughout the month of August and Brown and her colleagues hope to build on the program’s success next year.

“I hope this year’s effort and impact inspires more people to give next year,” added Brown.

Participating law firms and organizations included: Akerman LLP, Bercow Radell & Fernandez, BNI Biscayne Connection, Brian F. Spector, LLC, Carlton Fields, Coffey Burlington, Colson Hicks Eidson, De Cardenas Freixas Stein & Zachary, P.A., Dimond Kaplan & Rothstein, P.A., DLA Piper LLP, Genovese Joblove & Battista, Grossman Roth, P.A., Gunster, Hamilton Miller & Birthisel, LLP, Hogan Lovells US LLP, Kozyak Tropin Throckmorton, LLP, Jackson Lewis, Jarbath Pena Law Group, Jones Day, Law Offices of Karim Batista, P.A., Legon Fodiman, P.A., León Cosgrove, Miami Parking Authority, Mitrani, MRD Consulting, Inc., Robinson Commercial Real Estate, Rynor, Adamsky & Toland, P.A., McDermott Will & Emery, Panter, Panter & Sampedro, P.A., Peckar & Abramson, P.C., Podhurst Orseck P.A., Sandra Echevarria, P.A., Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Weiss, Alden & Polo, P.A., and Western Union.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

The Law Firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm with nearly 50 years of experience handling local, national and international litigation, and arbitration. Members of the firm have been involved in some of the country’s most high-profile and landmark cases resulting in impactful and precedential rulings. A mid-size firm with a diverse staff comprised of more than 50 percent women and minorities, Colson Hicks Eidson prides itself on a track record of developing future leaders within the legal profession and its civic and community involvement. Members of the firm have held notable positions serving on the boards of prominent institutions, such as the State University System of Florida and the Florida State Board of Education, and holding high-ranking offices, including President of the 60,000-member American Association for Justice; President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; President of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; President of the Dade County Bar Association; President of the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers; United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Chairman of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission.