Date/Time
Date(s) - 16/07/2021
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Categories No Categories
Judge Lisa Davidson presents Attorney of the Year Award to Kimberly Bonder Rezanka at Brevard County Legal Aid’s 33rd Annual Gala
Over 100 invited guests from the legal and business community attended Brevard County Legal Aid’s Annual Pro Bono Awards and Recognition Gala on Friday, July 16, 2021 at Suntree Country Club. The annual dinner and awards event is a tribute to Brevard’s attorneys who contribute free legal assistance to help persons who are unable to afford private counsel.
Circuit Court Judge Lisa Davidson was the special guest for the evening. Judge Davidson’s distinguished career began in 1978 and she has served Brevard County as a judge since 1994. Judge Davidson has a long history of community service which includes founding and chairing the Brevard County Domestic Violence Task Force, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County and Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida. She has received many awards for her leadership and service on important community and legal issues including the Gladstone Award (for judicial leadership and service to Florida’s children), the Florida Association for Women Lawyers Golden Star Award and, most recently, the Florida Supreme Court’s Distinguished Judicial Service Award.
Judge Davidson presented awards to local attorneys who went above and beyond in their pro bono contributions. Attorney Kimberly Bonder Rezanka was recognized as the “Kenneth F. Tworoger Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.” The award is named for Ken Tworoger, a longtime Legal Aid supporter and volunteer, who passed away on March 12, 2020.
Ms. Rezanka is a partner with the law firm of Lacy Lyons Rezanka with offices in Melbourne and Rockledge. She is a seasoned litigator with more than 28 years of experience representing business entities and individuals in matters involving complex business contracts and concerns. Her practice involves cases pertaining to land use and zoning issues and she has extensive courtroom experience, including jury and non-jury trials as well as appellate hearings.
Ms. Rezanka’s pro bono activities are extensive. She has served as pro bono counsel to numerous nonprofit organizations including: Brevard County Homeless Coalition, Brevard County Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Services Council of Brevard, St. Stephen’s Way, Daily Bread, Inc., and Brevard County Legal Aid, Inc. Donating thousands of volunteer hours over the years, she has utilized her unique legal knowledge and expertise to assist organizations with a wide variety of legal issues including: seeking to establish an independent taxing district to fund programs and services that improve the lives of children, advocating for zoning changes to pave the way for low-income and affordable housing, and assisting with legal issues related to the construction of a community center in Melbourne for underprivileged children.
Ms. Rezanka also assists individual clients with their legal problems through BCLA’s pro bono program. Her service to one legal aid client, Sheila, was especially gratifying. Sheila had executed a second mortgage to her real estate broker under duress, for a house that had many undisclosed defects. Through demand letters and negotiations, the second mortgage was renegotiated. Through contacts in the community, Ms. Rezanka arranged for a plumber to fix a broken pipe and sink as well as a contractor to repair the flooring – all at no cost to Sheila. Indeed, Ms. Rezanka’s legal services have directly impacted many low-income and underserved individuals and groups.
Other award winners included “Outstanding Pro Bono Service Awards” to John Daly, Amy Romaine, Tino Gonzalez, William Johnson, Scott Krasny, Keith Kromash, Richard Shuster, Nicholas Vidoni, Timothy Williams, James Torres, Pierre Mommers, and Thomas Yardley.
The law firm of Shuster & Saben was Platinum Sponsor for the event. Gold Sponsors were: Allender & Allender, P.A.; Brevard County Bar Foundation; Faro & Crowder, P.A., Lacey Lyons Rezanka; Michael and Roma Kahn, Michael Kahn, P.A.; Nance Cacciatore; and The Vicaryous Law Firm.
Silver Sponsors were: Alpizar Law; Douglas R. Beam, P.A.; Caruso & Swerbilow, P.A.; GrayRobinson; Jacobus Fielding; The Law Office of Michael Howard; Rob and Shelley Johnson; The Honorable J. Preston and Betts Silvernail; and Watson, Soileau, DeLeo & Burgett, P.A.
