At a membership luncheon at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center on Jan. 20, the Lee County Bar Association (LCBA) will officially induct its slate of 2017 officers, including its president, Kelly L. Fayer. She is joined in leading the 69-year-old organization by Daniel Endrizal as vice president, John Webb as secretary and Matthew Roepstorff as treasurer. Board members include Public Defender Kathleen Smith, Spencer Cordell, Scot Goldberg and Blake Hampton. Kayla Richmond is president of the LCBA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD). Scott Atwood is president emeritus.
Since joining the LCBA’s Executive Council in 2013, Fayer’s primary goal has been the establishment of LCBA Cares. This enduring initiative was officially launched in 2015, representing aspirations for enhanced benefits to member attorneys and judges and the greater community that they serve. LCBA Cares acknowledges members’ primary motivation in joining the legal profession in the first place: to help others.
Fayer said, “LCBA Cares is a worthwhile endeavor that will prove to be a lasting benefit to the community and the legal profession. It’s long-ranging and multi-faceted in scope, but simply honors our members’ position as helpers and empowers them to do even more.”
The Lee County Bar Association Foundation was established last year to fully realize the organization’s fundraising and philanthropic objectives. This year, the foundation will be able to start providing grants for worthwhile community causes. Attorney Beverly Grady is president of the foundation.
Continuing support will be provided to the Lee County Legal Aid Society, which the LCBA founded 50 years ago to provide free legal assistance to low-income Lee County residents. A partnership with Florida Rural Legal Services continues to promote pro bono work by LCBA member attorneys. Now, that non-profit organization will underwrite $100 of membership dues for any LCBA member who accepts a pro bono case through April 1. Legal services outreach activities such as Law in the Mall, which provides free legal advice to citizens at Edison Mall in May, and the Veterans and First Responders Legal Clinic will continue.
The YLD will also continue its focus on children’s issues with Holidays in July, which provides a holiday experience for children in foster care, and fundraising for the Guardian ad Litem Foundation. The TRY-athlon returns to introduce exciting new activities to kids through the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida.
Fayer also announces a new Bench-Bar Exchange, offering lawyers focusing in a particular practice area a direct line to their judges. In addition to presenting educational and networking opportunities to their members, LCBA Practice Sections chairs will meet quarterly with their respective administrative judge to assure all members’ concerns about advocating for their clients in the justice system are addressed.
Now is the time for members to renew their membership at leebar.org/renew. New members may visit leebar.org or call (239) 334-0047 for information. Citizens in need of an attorney are invited to take advantage of the LCBA’s Lawyer Referral Service at leebar.org.
About the Lee County Bar Association
The Lee County Bar Association, a 501c6 not-for-profit organization, has served the citizens and legal community of Lee County since 1949 and has a current membership of almost 800. For more information, visit www.leebar.org or contact President Kelly L. Fayer, Esquire (239) 415-3434 or kelly@fayerlaw.net or Executive Director David Seitz at (239) 334-0047 or dseitz@leebar.org.
