Leesfield/FAWL Law Student Scholarship Endowment
LEESFIELD LEIGHTON FOUNDATION
HONORS LAW STUDENT WITH $1,000 LEGAL GRANT
On December 22, 2006, The Leesfield Family Foundation, in conjunction with The Florida Association of Women Lawyers (FAWL) Miami-Dade Chapter, recently granted a $1,000 scholarship to Christina Anderson, a third year law student at St. Thomas University.
Founded by Ira Leesfield, managing partner of Miami-based trial law firm Leesfield Leighton & Partners, the Leesfield Family Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation designed to support organizations that work to enrich and enhance the lives of the underprivileged throughout South Florida and the world. The Foundation has provided nearly $1 million in funding to charitable organizations throughout South Florida over the past decade.
Anderson, who is working towards earning a dual degree in law and a masters in marriage and family therapy at St. Thomas University, was presented with the grant at the FAWL luncheon at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove this week. A Native American Indian, Anderson is an active member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a single mother. She received a BS in computer Technology Management from Oklahoma City University where she graduated with honors. She is also the founder of Forum Quality Care Services, Inc., a Florida non-profit corporation, which provides services and resource links to the elderly, disabled, and abused children and adults.
"Through the support of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, commendable female law students like Christina are able to continue working toward their goals within the legal field," said Patricia Kennedy, a partner with Leesfield Leighton & Partners. "We're extremely pleased to present Christina with this scholarship and will continue to seek and support worthy law students throughout the years to come."
Christina Anderson (left) and Partner Patricia Kennedy (right)
At the 20th Annual Judicial Reception of the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers held on January 23, 2003 in Miami, Florida, the Leesfield/FAWL Law Student Scholarship was presented to first-year law student Christine Palin, who attends Florida International University Law School. This scholarship is awarded to law students who exhibit the highest commitment to trial advocacy and public justice. This year marks the sixth anniversary of the endowment by the Leesfield Family Charitable Foundation to the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers.
Left: Ira Leesfield,
Center: Scholarship recipient, Christine Palin
Right: Patricia Kennedy
Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship Re-endowed through 2010
The Leesfield Family Foundation, in conjunction with Leesfield Leighton & Partners, P.A., is pleased to announce the re-endowment of the LEESFIELD/ATLA Law Student Scholarship through the year 2010. Ira Leesfield, founder of the ATLA Law Student Section, originally endowed the Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship in 1994. It was created in recognition of ATLA Law Student members who exemplify a high commitment to trial advocacy and public justice. Every year, the award is presented at the ATLA Annual Convention, thus providing financial support to ATLA law student members to attend the annual conventions. The annual conventions offer the law student members many challenging opportunities to learn, network and establish professional relationships by participating in workshops and events designed specifically for law students, and provided by some of the finest trial lawyers in the country. "From the time we started our Classroom to Courtroom efforts in 1986, it has been remarkable to see the accomplishments of ATLA law students as they enter the world of representing injured clients. I am privileged to be part of this challenging experience," says Ira Leesfield.
Past recipients include Marythea Irving, who distinguished herself as an outstanding student at Suffolk University. In 1995, Ann Richards, Governor of Texas, presented the award to Marythea.
Ira Leesfield (left), Marythea Irving (center), recipient of the 1995 scholarship,
and Ann Richards, then governor of Texas.
In 1996, the scholarship was presented to Debbie Cotton at the Annual Convention in Boston. Debbie, who received her law degree from Western State University, College of Law, demonstrated her remarkable commitment to trial advocacy defending the rights of children through such organizations as Legal Education for Youth, while serving as President of the Student ATLA Chapter.
Whitnie Henderson, ATLA Law Student Chapter organizer at the University of San Francisco Law School, received the scholarship in 1997.
Todd A. Walburg, who joined ATLA in 1997 and started an ATLA Law Student Chapter at the University of San Francisco, was one of the recipients of the 1998 scholarship.
Ira Leesfield (left) and Todd Walburg, recipient of the 1998 scholarship.
Every year, the Selection Committee is faced with the difficult task of choosing a winner from an overwhelmingly impressive group of candidates. This year, the Leesfield Family Foundation and ATLA honored Josephine Ko, a second-year student at Duke University School of Law, where she has distinguished herself as a staunch advocate of the under-represented. Recognized for her dedication and excellent service, Josephine was selected Project Director of the Duke Innocence Project which reviews claims of actual innocence by prisoners in North Carolina. Her involvement with ATLA includes attendance at the "Nuts and Bolts of Effective Trial Advocacy Seminar, conducted by ATLA in the Fall of 2002. Josephine epitomizes ATLA's commitment to preserving victim's rights. Ira Leesfield presented the 2003 Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship to her at the Annual Convention held in San Francisco last month.
Ira Leesfield and Josephine Ko, recipient of the 2003 Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship at the ATLA 2003 Summer Convention in San Francisco.
Josephine Ko, recipient of the 2003 Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship (Left), Ira Leesfield (Center) and Moses Kim, recipient of the 2002 Leesfield/ATLA Law Student Scholarship at the ATLA 2003 Summer Convention in San Francisco.
The scholarship is available to first and second year ATLA Law Student Members. The criteria for the scholarship are a statement of financial need; and a 500-word written request substantiating the applicant's commitment to preserving the civil justice system. For more information, please contact us online at info@leesfield.com
