Lawyer at Lakeland firm earns second honor from Florida Bar for volunteer work
Kristie Hatcher-Bolin left a recent ceremony honoring her and other lawyers for their altruistic efforts with the sense that she isn’t doing enough to help others.
The Winter Haven resident would probably find few to concur with that judgement.
Hatcher-Bolin, a shareholder with the Lakeland office of GrayRobinson, P.A., was one of 21 lawyers recognized at The Florida Bar’s Pro Bono Service Awards in Tallahassee on Jan. 26. The state association chose her to represent the 10th Judicial Circuit, which comprises Polk, Highland and Hardee counties.
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The awards, established in 1981, honor lawyers who volunteer free legal services to the poor, a practice known as pro bono work. The program seeks to raise public awareness of the volunteer services provided by lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees, The Florida Bar said in a news release.
Hatcher-Bolin is a repeat winner, having received the same honor in 2017.
Hatcher-Bolin, a Polk County native, began volunteering in 1997 — before she became a lawyer — with Guardian ad Litem (GAL), a state program that provides volunteer representatives for children in Florida’s foster care programs. Guardians help children with legal proceedings, family visitations, educational support, medical and mental health needs.
The Pro Bono Award specifically recognizes Hatcher-Bolin for a more recent endeavor, her work with the Defending Best Interests Project, a statewide GAL program in which lawyers volunteer to write briefs in appeals cases for which a judge has terminated parental rights.
Hatcher-Bolin, 48, grew up just outside Winter Haven and graduated from Auburndale High School. She studied at Polk Community College (now Polk State College) before earning a degree in English from Florida Southern College in Lakeland.
She worked for a time as an English teacher at Lake Region High School. Influenced by a close friend who had always planned to become a lawyer, Hatcher-Bolin decided on a career change and enrolled at Florida State University College of Law. Upon earning her degree, she returned to Winter Haven and served a clerkship under Judge Susan Bucklew of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa.
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Upon completion of her clerkship, Hatcher-Bolin accepted a job with GrayRobinson in 2003. She specializes in litigation, local government and appellate work.
Hatcher-Bolin mentioned a possible factor influencing her volunteer work with children.
“My sisters are far older than me — my older sisters are 14 and 15 years older than me,” she said. “So I've been an aunt since I was a little kid, since I was like 10. And so, there have always been kids around in my family.”
In the late 1990s, Hatcher-Bolin said she saw a notice that Guardian ad Litem was recruiting volunteers, and she joined the program. She has since represented children ranging from babies to 17-year-olds.
“I usually have just taken one case at a time because I want to be sure that I'm not overdoing it,” she said. “And you want to make sure that you have time to devote.”
Hatcher-Bolin took time off from volunteering while in law school and while doing her clerkship. She resumed her contributions with Guardian ad Litem after she began working for GrayRobinson.
When she learned about the Defending Best Interests Project, Hatcher-Bolin realized it was a natural opportunity for her.
“I got involved in the Defending Best Interests Project because, while I like being a volunteer with Guardian ad Litem, I wanted to actually put my legal skills to use,” she said. “And I really enjoy appellate work. I like the review of records. I like the drafting of the briefs. I like making the arguments on paper. I enjoy that. And I thought, ‘Well, this is a good way to put that to use for a greater cause.’”
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Hatcher-Bolin, who is married to Brian Bolin, said the appeals work also gives her more flexibility with her time.
“I work on appeals on the weekends or in the evening when I've done my other work for the day,” she said. “Or if I'm not super busy, I just block out time and do those. Granted, you’ve got deadlines, obviously, but I can still work on them at odd hours. I can't visit a child at 10:30 on a Friday night.”
In three years, Hatcher-Bolin has tallied 374 volunteer hours and prepared briefs on 13 cases. She has used her appellate expertise to help establish permanent living situations for more than 20 children, The Florida Bar said in a news release.
Hatcher-Bolin still does some representation as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer and picked up a new case on Wednesday.
The Florida Bar held the awards ceremony at the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee.
“It's so nice,” Hatcher-Bolin said. “I mean, doing this work is really a reward in itself. … You are speaking for children who don’t have another voice. And so, I think that in itself is rewarding; that is enough. To have, the Guardians office and the president of The Florida Bar recognize that is just, it's icing on the cake.”
Herman honored for 13th Circuit
Harley Herman of Plant City received the Pro Bono Service Award for the 13th Judicial Circuit, based in Hillsborough County.
Herman began his free legal work 44 years ago as a law student volunteering at the University of Florida’s Civil Legal Clinic, The Florida Bar said in a news release. By graduation, he had provided services to more than 30 clients.
Since 1990, Herman has served as a panel member of The Florida Bar’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers program. He has donated nearly 1,000 hours with Volunteer Lawyers Program of Bay Area Legal Services since 2008, the release said.
He has assisted 17 clients for the program and is working four open cases either as primary counsel or mentor, the release said.
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland lawyer earns second honor from Florida Bar for volunteer work
