Bay Area Legal Services

29/05/2026

29/05/2026

📢 Pinellas County - come see the Disaster Relief Team and the Mobile Intake Unit TOMORROW at the Pinellas County Hurricane Preparedness Expo! 🌀

27/05/2026

Sustaining Law Firm Spotlight: Brannock Berman & Seider 🌟

With offices in Tampa and Tallahassee, Brannock Berman & Seider practice appellate law, trial support, mediation, and arbitration.

As a 2026 SLF, their support helps Bay Area Legal Services provide free legal assistance to low-income individuals and families facing serious legal challenges.

We’re grateful to Brannock Berman & Seider for standing with us to help create pathways to justice.

Sustaining Law Firms give $350+ per attorney each year. Learn more or join at bals.org/slf

26/05/2026

21/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us across the bay for the Collective Happy Hour at Bayboro Brewing in St. Pete! Friends and supporters gathered over drinks and conversation while learning how Bay Area Legal Services’ new Mobile Intake Unit will expand access to justice for clients in hard-hit and rural communities.

Special thanks to our featured speaker, Jason Susalla, for sharing the importance of the Mobile Intake Unit and the far-reaching impact it will have, and to John Lawless for helping provide guests with an inside look at this state-of-the-art vehicle.

Thank you also to our event sponsor, LMCU, for making the evening possible!

The Collective brings together local businesses and professionals at unique venues across the community.

Become a member to access exclusive benefits at our next happy hour: bals.org/support/collective/join

20/05/2026

The Collective Happy Hour comes to Bayboro Brewing in St. Pete TONIGHT from 5:30-7:30.

Come network with legal and business professionals and get an exclusive look at our new Mobile Intake Unit 🚐 See you there!

18/05/2026

On Thursday, May 7, legal professionals from across the Hillsborough County 13th Judicial Circuit Court gathered to honor lawyers, law firms, paralegals, and organizations that made a significant contribution to pro bono legal services this past year at the 2026 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony. ⚖️

The awards were co-hosted by the Volunteer Lawyers Program at Bay Area Legal Services and the 13th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee.

Thank you to our event sponsors for making this important night possible:
Platinum Sponsor: Carlton Fields
Gold Sponsor: Foley & Lardner LLP LLP
Gold Sponsor: Hill Ward Henderson
Silver Sponsor: Crossroads For Florida Kids

Congratulations to the honorees, and thank you for your commitment to justice!

Read the full list of honorees at: bals.org/2026ProBono

13/05/2026

In recognition of , we're proud to highlight the work of Attorneys Ellen Cheek and B. Maria Carrubba-Fuentes, who have developed significant expertise in protecting the rights of vulnerable older adults and long-term care residents across Florida. 🤝

What began as a 2022 grant from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs to strengthen collaboration with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program has evolved into lasting advocacy and training efforts focused on elder rights and protections. Despite the grant ending in 2025, Ellen and Maria have continued building on the knowledge and partnerships they developed to better advocate for nursing home residents and vulnerable seniors statewide.

"The familiarity we developed with the laws and regulations and the negotiation strategies we learned from our grant partners has allowed us to effectively advocate for nursing home residents and to mentor others outside of our service area," they shared.

Today, Ellen and Maria are regularly called upon to provide statewide trainings and share their expertise with attorneys, investigators, ombudsmen, and other professionals working to protect older adults. Through this work, they are helping professionals recognize warning signs of abuse and encouraging them to "ask one more question" before dismissing a situation as "just a civil matter."

We look forward to continued training and collaboration opportunities in this important and niche area of law. ⚖️