When the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office teamed up with members of the Appellate Practice Section in 2017  to launch Defending Best Interests (DBI), an initiative in which pro bono attorneys write answer briefs defending the child’s best interests in termination of parental rights appeals, neither entity imagined how many children would be assisted.

As of February, pro bono appellate attorneys have represented more than 1,000 dependent children on appeal, helping remove barriers to their permanency in safe and loving homes.

“The success of this collaboration highlights the dedication of The Florida Bar members to pro bono service and the determination of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office to partner with pro bono attorneys to provide children in the child welfare system with the highest-quality, independent legal representation,” said Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office Interim Executive Director Dennis Moore.