Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA) are proud to announce the return of their annual For the Public Good Gala fundraiser on Wednesday, December 1 at the Signature Grand. This year’s event is particularly noteworthy as the programs will honor LAS’s longtime Executive Director, Anthony J. (Tony) Karrat, Esq., as well as The Honorable Thomas Lynch.
Prominent Broward County business professionals Belinda Keiser of Keiser University and Howard Talenfeld of the Justice for Kids Division of Kelley Kronenberg will serve as honorary event chairpersons. Each has supported Legal Aid Programs in Broward and the annual gala for several years, contributing their time and reaching into their pockets to assist those in need.
More than 400 lawyers, judges and members of the business community are anticipated to join LAS and CCLA for an evening of networking, cocktails, and seated dinner to benefit the more than 20,000 children, seniors, veterans, homeless persons, survivors of domestic violence and other crimes, unaccompanied immigrant minors, and persons living with HIV/AIDS served by LAS and CCLA each year.
Tony Karrat has been at the helm of LAS in Broward and Collier Counties for the past 46 years and has more than 50 years of legal experience as an attorney. Under his direction, LAS has grown from a three-attorney office with a $250,000 budget to a regional law firm of 73 attorneys with a budget of $12 million. He has been recognized by WPLG-ABC Local 10 with the prestigious LIFEtime Award and received the Florida Bar Foundation’s 2021 Jane Elizabeth Curran Distinguished Service Award for his tireless work over the past four decades to ensure low-income communities have access to the judicial system.
In honor of Karrat’s incredible, unmatched contributions to our community, LAS and CCLA are thrilled to announce the Anthony J. Karrat Endowment Fund to memorialize Tony’s legacy and ensure that his work will live on in the future. This endowment will be utilized to support “impact advocacy,” which is advocacy that not only addresses an individual’s legal problems but also seeks to address the root cause of these problems.
The evening will also celebrate the significant impact of The Honorable Thomas Lynch, an attorney who previously served Broward County as a judge for more than 30 years. Among his many achievements, Judge Lynch served as a mentor for 10 new Circuit Judges and was appointed by Justice Fred Lewis to lead “Justice Teaching” in Broward County, which places a judge or an attorney in every school in Broward County to educate students in law related areas. Judge Lynch will be honored with an “Excellence in Justice” award created to celebrate his life-long dedication to ensuring access to justice for all.
The 19th Annual For the Public Good Gala fundraiser will begin at 6 pm with a cocktail reception and silent auction. The evening includes a live auction, seated dinner, two (2) complimentary drink tickets, and a cash bar. This event concludes at 9:00pm. Tickets are available for $125 until November 19 and will increase to $175 thereafter. All proceeds to benefit LAS and CCLA. For more information, visit www.browardlegalaid.org/events.
Sponsors of the 19th Annual For the Public Good Gala fundraiser include: Kelley Kronenberg and Justice for Kids; Birnbaum, Lippman & Gregoire, PLLC; BoardroomPR; Glantzlaw; JM Family Enterprises Inc.; Jacquelyn & Bruce Rogow; Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk; Shutts; Van Horn Law Group; Zebersky Payne; Shaw Lewenz, LLP; Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, PC; Florida Power & Light; GrayRobinson, P.A.; Kelley Uustal; Kim Vaughan Lerner, LLP; LAN Infotech; Liberman Cabrera Thompson & Reitman, PLLC; Tripp Scott, P.A.; Valley National Bank; Daily Business Review; South Florida Business & Wealth/Lifestyle Media Group; Carlos E. Sandoval P.A.; Centennial Bank; Daszkal Bolton; Florida Forensic Accounting, P.A.; Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm, PA; Jaclyn K. O’Connor, Esq. & James W. Heaton, Esq.; St. Thomas University College of Law; Truist Bank; Akerman, LLP; Boies Schiller Flexner LLP; Brenda D. Forman, Broward County Clerk of Court; Fiske & Company; Lorna Brown-Burton for Florida Bar President Elect; Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel; Rosen Injury Law; The Quackenbush Law Firm; and more.
Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) is a nonprofit law firm established in 1973. The mission is to provide high quality free civil legal advice, representation, and education to the poor of Broward County so as to improve the lifestyle and living conditions of the low income community and to encourage self-sufficiency.
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA) is a nonprofit law firm established in 2003 and funded, in part, by the Legal Services Corporation. The mission is to improve the lives of low income persons in our community through advocacy, education, representation, and empowerment.
LAS (#SC-02337) and CCLA (#CH19226) are 501(c)(3) corporations registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer services. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free 1-800-435-7352 within the state or visiting www.freshfromflorida.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by the State. CCLA is a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) grantee. CCLA is required to notify donors that our funds may not be used in any manner inconsistent with the Legal Services Corporation Act or Section 504 of Public Law 104-134. The LSC Act and regulations may be viewed at www.lsc.gov. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
