Florida Legal Services, Inc
2425 Torreya Drive
Tallahassee, FL  32303
Phone:  (850) 385-7900
Fax:  (850) 385-9998

Office Hours:  8:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Friday

The Tallahassee office is the main office of FLS and is home to the executive director, seven attorneys, the training coordinator, the fiscal and administrative staff, the executive director assistant and two support staff persons.  Policy advocacy, legislative and administrative, is a major responsibility for all of the advocates in the Tallahassee office.  The staff is very experienced and is also regularly engaged in court and administrative litigation.   FLS advocates have expertise in all the major legal areas impacting the low income community in Florida and the staff is available for consultation with all those providing civil legal assistance to low income and disadvantaged persons in Florida.  Statewide training and technical assistance is coordinated from the Tallahassee office

Kent Spuhler - Executive Director:  Received his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University in 1968 and his JD from Harvard Law School in 1972.  He accepted the position of staff attorney with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) in 1972, and continued in that position until he became Deputy Director there in 1978.  Three years later, he was promoted to Executive Director of JALA, and held that position until August, 1994.  Kent is now the Executive Director of Florida Legal Services, Inc.  He is also the Director of the Florida Supreme Court Voluntary Pro Bono Attorney Plan. This project works to increase the availability of legal services to the poor, as well as to increase both opportunities and support for lawyers to use their professional skills in providing pro bono legal services to the poor.  To e-mail, click here.

Anne Swerlick - Deputy Director, Staff Attorney:  Specializes in legislative and administrative advocacy and litigation on health and elder law issues affecting the poor.  Ms. Swerlick was formerly employed as Managing Attorney with the Advocacy Center for Persons With Disabilities, Inc. (1987- 1991) and as staff attorney and Deputy Director with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. (1977-1987) Ms. Swerlick received her BA from the University of Virginia and her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.  To e-mail, click here.

Robert A Williams - Director, Migrant Farmworker Justice Project:  Specializes in employment law involving migrant and seasonal farmworkers.  Graduated with a BA in Economics, University of Michigan 1971, received JD from Harvard law School 1975.  Was a staff attorney with Florida Rural Legal Services from 1975 - 1991, when he became Florida Rural Legal Services legislative and administrative advocate in Tallahassee.  Joined Florida Legal Services in 1996.  To e-mail, click here.

Janet Anthony - Attorney Assistant:  To e-mail, click here.

Dorene Barker - Legislative Advocate:  Lobbies in the areas of public benefits, housing, health, family law and consumer law.  Graduated cum laude from Florida State University 1982 with an undergraduate degree in Education and a minor in Political Science; JD Florida State University 1986  Admitted to Florida Bar in 1987.  To e-mail, click here.

Jahmal Beasley - Information Technology Assistant: Jahmal, a Queens, New York native currently specializing in Information Technology Assistance for Florida Legal Services.

Carla Campbell - Assistant to the Executive Director: Carla was born and raised in Tallahassee. Prior to assuming her current position with FLS, Carla received her AA degree in Paralegal Studies in 1994 and began working for the Office of the Attorney General, Child Support Enforcement in 1995. She worked as a staff paralegal for four years and paralegal supervisor for seven years, and two years with the Department of Transportation as an Administrative Assistant.

Viletta Coombs - Staff Attorney: Viletta received her undergraduate degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and her JD from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston,Massachusetts. Viletta has experience in public and private law offices in Florida, Georgia, and Missouri. Prior to joining FLS, Viletta clerked for the Jackson County Circuit Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals-WD in Kansas City, Missouri. Viletta is a member of the Florida Bar. At FLS, Viletta advocates for low income families. To email, send to viletta (at) floridalegal.org.

Adrianne Davis - Pro Bono Liaison: Adrianne will be working to rejuvenate and expand attorney commitment to pro bono work statewide. A Tallahassee Native, Adrianne worked as a Community Organizer for the last 5 years both in Tallahassee and Toledo, OH. During this time she organized 4 public action meetings with over 3,300 people collectively, resulting in the successful implementation of policy changes in the areas of healthcare, unemployment, housing, and public education. She graduated from the University of Michigan where she doubled majored in Spanish and Community Development.

Suzanne V Estrella - Staff Attorney:  Graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1991, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Oral Roberts University in 1988.  Mrs. Estralla previously served on the Domestic Violence Hotline as a part-time staff attorney and is currently a full-time attorney on the Domestic Violence Hotline.  Prior to working with Florida Legal Services, Mrs. Estrella worked in state  government as a senior attorney for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  To email, click here.

Boni Gregory - Administrator:  Office and financial manager.  Responsibilities include budget management, personnel matters and general office assistance for four offices.  To e-mail, click here.

Kathy Grunewald - Attorney/Training Director: Is the Statewide Training Director/Attorney for Florida Legal Services. She received her B.A. from the University of Florida, a M.L.S. from Florida State University and a J.D. With Honors from Florida State University. Prior to assuming her current position with Florida Legal Services, Kathy was a staff attorney with Florida Legal Services specializing in family, elder and consumer issues and a managing attorney for the Quincy office of Legal Services of North Florida. During that time, Kathy was a contributing author on child support to the Florida Bar CLE publication on Florida Dissolution of Marriage.

Amy K. Guinan – Attorney:   A member of the Florida Bar since 1998, Amy earned her law degree from the Florida State University College of Law and completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University at New Orleans.  Prior to joining the FLS team, Amy was in private practice in the area of Consumer Protection Class Actions. She also previously served as the Legislative Counsel for the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, as the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, and as the Attorney for the Florida House of Representatives’ Committee on Health Care Services. At FLS, Amy’s legal work encompasses a broad range of practice areas in addition to her work in the area of legislative advocacy.  To e-mail, click here

Cindy Huddleston - Staff Attorney:  Specializes in public benefits law, is a 1982 graduate of Case Western University School of Law and has been a lawyer with Florida Legal Services for more than nine years.  Prior to coming to FLS, Cindy was on staff at Legal Services of Greater Miami for over five years, where she was co-unit head of the Public Benefits Unit.  Over the past twelve years, Cindy has been a public benefits advocate for low-income families with state agencies and the Florida Legislature as well as providing representation in federal and state litigation.  To e-mail, click here.

Bonnie Koon - Project Coordinator: for the Shirley Spuhler Health Care Fairness Project - Received AA degree in General Business from Tallahassee Community College in 2006 and began working for FLS in February 2007. She is currently a candidate for a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management. At FLS, Bonnie coordinates the Medicaid and Medicare Part D Helpline and advocates for low-income individuals who have been denied their prescription medications.

Patti McIlroy - Attorney Assistant: Patti was born and educated in Edinburgh, Scotland. Since emigrating with her family to the U.S.A. in 1989 her legal career began in Atlanta, GA where she worked for a private law firm practicing in the fields of Criminal Law, Bankruptcy, Divorce, Worker’s Compensation, etc. In Florida she has worked with Legal Services of North Florida, Panama City and The Salvation Army Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Centre also in Panama City. In Tallahassee Patti worked in The Victim Assistance Program at The State Attorney’s Office and also with Catholic Charities. Since joining FLS Patti has worked with Attorneys who practice in the fields of Health & Elder Law, Public Benefits, Family Law, The Florida Attorneys Saving Homes Project & with the Statewide Training Director.

Her leisure activities include volunteering as an “on-air“ fund raiser for WFSU 88.9 Public Radio Station in Tallahassee and she enjoys performing the music of Scotland & Ireland at Scottish & Celtic Festivals with her husband and daughter.

Sheila Meehan – Pro Bono Developer: Responsible for working with private law firms to develop pro bono opportunities with legal services programs throughout the state. Sheila earned her B.A. degree in English from the University of South Florida where she also attended graduate school majoring in Political Science. Previously she was the Pro Bono Administrator for a major law firm in Florida and was also a corporate researcher and organizer for labor unions in Washington, D.C.  To e-mail click here.

Dionne L. Meyers – Attorney:  A native of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Dionne received her undergraduate degree from Penn State University and her JD from Campbell University’s School of Law in 1997.  Prior to joining Florida Legal Services, Inc., Dionne accepted a Judicial Clerkship with the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.  She later served the Virgin Islands community in the capacity of Assistant Attorney General with the Virgin Islands Department of Justice.  Dionne is a member of the North Carolina Bar, Virgin Islands Bar and the Florida Bar.  At FLS, Dionne serves as a lobbyist in addition to her work in the areas of Health and Family Law.  To e-mail, click here.

Jennifer D. Newton- Staff Attorney: Jennifer graduated from Florida State University in 2004 where she received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Science. She then received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans in 2007. While in law school, Jennifer clerked at the Legal Services of Greater Miami, Southern Legal Counsel and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOC) in Miami. Following law school, she accepted a Judicial Clerkship with the 32^nd Judicial District Court of Louisiana. At FLS, Jennifer heads the Florida Attorney Saving Homes Project and works primarily on consumer and housing law.

Blanca Schuknecht - Receptionist: Blanca was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She began her career with FLS in 1994. She interprets and translates for the Domestic Violence hotline, serves as intake for the FASH (Florida Attorney Saving Homes) program, along with providing receptionist and general office support. To email, click here.

Alice Vickers - Staff Attorney:  Specializes in housing and consumer rights for the poor, primarily through legislative advocacy. Formerly employed as Staff Attorney and Managing Attorney with Atlanta Legal Aid Society and as staff attorney with Three Rivers Legal Services. She has been with FLS since 1991. Received her BS from the Florida State University and her JD from the University of Georgia School of Law.  To e-mail, click here.

Dustin Holbert - Student Assistant

Jo Shaw - Attorney Assistant

San Townsend - Case Referral Assistant - FASH Program (Florida Attorney Saving Homes)

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