News

BLES Foundation Sponsors FAMU Law School’s Bankruptcy Clinical Program Beginning Spring, 2014

The George C. Young Courthouse, housing the Orlando Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District, sits adjacent to Florida A&M University’s College of Law (FAMU) in Orlando, Florida.  These institutions not only share a view of downtown Orlando, they share a commitment to serve the legal needs of the Central Florida community.  This common goal will be furthered with the start of the 2014 Spring Semester, thanks to a generous donation from the Bankruptcy Law Education Series Foundation (BLES) establishing a clinical program aimed at providing FAMU students pro bono internship, mentoring, and service opportunities in the field of bankruptcy.

BLES’s financial support will serve to fund the necessary Adjunct Professor position to teach the clinical class and provide the requisite oversight to ensure students receive academic credit for their participation.  FAMU students have long been active in the bankruptcy community in Central Florida, but have not been able to receive credit for their work.  The clinic will provide FAMU students with even greater opportunities for practical application of their legal skills and education in the bankruptcy field as well as the option of earning academic credit for their efforts.

Both BLES and FAMU are founded on principles of educational advancement and public service.  BLES was incorporated in December of 2012 by Bankruptcy Bar Associations from Central Florida and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida to foster bankruptcy legal education and public service projects relating to bankruptcy in the Middle District of Florida and provide attorney representation to qualifying persons seeking bankruptcy protection on a pro bono basis.  The State of Florida authorized FAMU to establish a state-supported Law School in Central Florida with legislation specifically requiring the College of Law to develop and institute a program structured “to serve the legal needs of traditionally underserved portions of the population by providing an opportunity for participation in a legal clinic program or pro bono legal service.”  Fla. Stat. § 1004.40.

With the generous assistance of BLES, the Middle District and FAMU will not only be next-door neighbors, but partners in advancing legal education, opportunity, and service to the Central Florida community.

BLES Foundation Sponsors Stetson Law School’s Bankruptcy Clinical Program Beginning Spring, 2014

Following quickly on the success of the underwriting campaign for the FAMU bankruptcy clinical program the BLES Foundation is expanding the program to Stetson Law School and to support the Pro Bono efforts ongoing in the Tampa division.