Christopher Thomas Byrd
The Byrd Law Group
3505 Lake Lynda Drive
Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32718
(407) 929-4628
Email: Christopher@byrdlawflorida.comQuilla E. Miralia
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 S Meridian St
Tallahassee, Florida 323996543
850.487.1764
Email: quilla.miralia@myfwc.com
Public Interest Committee Purpose:
- To provide a forum where attorneys who represent and advocate for the interests of the public in a safe and healthy sustainable environment, can meet to share information, educational opportunities, and experience.
- To raise awareness of and sensitivity to environmental concerns among others in the legal profession.
- To encourage increased participation in environmental advocacy in the legal profession.
Goals:
- Coordinate and communicate among public interest attorneys, whereby the committee can supply a useful resource base to provide practical assistance for environmental advocacy throughout Florida.
- Increase the number and influence of environmental advocates in Florida. Activities/Projects:
- Supply written contributions to the Reporter and the Bar Journal.
- Sponsor an annual seminar or workshop.
- Publish directory of public interest attorneys, annotated with areas of expertise, to be used as a resource base.
- Develop an information network to encourage awareness of and participation in environmental issues by environmental advocates.
- Organize nature outings to increase appreciation and awareness of environmental problems and concerns.
Access to Justice Sub-Committee Purpose: To increase the delivery of legal services to indigent persons and others who are threatened by environmental and land use problems.
Goals:
- Increase understanding among those capable of providing legal services to the indigent about environmental and land use law problems in Florida.
- Increase understanding among indigent persons of the types of polluting activities which may endanger their health and well-being.
- Increase participation by ELULS members in providing pro bono services to indigent persons and others regarding environmental and land use problems.
- Increase the ability of technical experts to assist indigent persons and others threatened by environmental and land use problems.
Activities/Projects:
- Earth Day legal clinics, whereby lawyers will operate booths at Earth Day celebrations and respond to general information requests.
- Legal assistance through Legal Services, Inc. and the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association, whereby section lawyers will provide consultation to Legal Services lawyers or direct assistance through these lawyers to indigent persons threatened with environmental and land use problems.
- Information package for pro bono lawyers, whereby the section will prepare a general handbook on environmental and land use law for use by lawyers assisting indigent and other persons threatened with environmental and land use problems.
- Public workshops on environmental and land use law, whereby the section will sponsor workshops to educate the general public on environmental and land use law decision-making.
- Educational materials for citizens, whereby lawyers will prepare general educational materials on measures to address environmental and land use problems.
- Case referral service, whereby the committee will prepare abbreviated case summaries of environmental and land use problems affecting indigent persons and others for which pro bono services are needed and distribute these summaries to section members who have indicated a willingness to provide pro bono services.
- Florida Supreme Court program updates, whereby the committee will apprise section members of opportunities to meet professional obligations by providing legal assistance to indigent persons affected by environmental and land use problems.
