Serving Those Who Serve: Florida Attorneys' Pro Bono Law Project Aids Active Duty Military

Jacksonville attorneys Josh Roberts and Jake Bohn were featured in a Florida Trend article highlighting their pro bono work for military veterans and active duty servicemembers. Mr. Roberts recalled one of his first cases involved assisting an active duty member of the U.S. Navy with regaining custody of his son. Mr. Bohn, who served in the U.S. Army for seven years before becoming a lawyer, said what drew him to Holland & Knight was the firm's commitment to aiding veterans and their families through initiatives like the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project. He added that he finds this work rewarding and that it brings a sense of humanity to his job.

A recent case involving both lawyers consisted of helping a sailor who had paid an auto shop to repair his car, only to have it sit there unrepaired while he was deployed. The firm got a judgment for the sailor to collect the money he had paid the shop. Mr. Roberts explained that the case illustrates what kind of legal dilemmas servicemembers can face, especially when abroad.

"When you focus on serving the country, often in dangerous situations in foreign lands and with limited access to communications, it can make an average issue snowball," he said.

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