MARIA ABATE ELECTED CHAIR OF FLORIDA BAR’S PUBLIC INTEREST LAW SECTION
Oct 23, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARIA ABATE ELECTED CHAIR OF FLORIDA BAR’S PUBLIC INTEREST LAW SECTION
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (October 23, 2008) – Maria Elena Abate was elected Chair of the Florida Bar’s Public Interest Law Section (PILS). PILS provides a statewide forum for the discussion and understanding of the various areas of public interest law, including consumer protections, disability law, homelessness, the legal needs of children, and the delivery of legal services.
Abate has been actively involved with PILS for several years as a member of its Executive Committee. She has assisted in organizing several CLE seminars, speaking engagements, and award ceremonies for the Section including the 2007 panel discussion “Practical Issues With Child Hearsay From Various Perspectives” and the Hugh Glickstein Award. This coming January, at the Florida Bar’s midyear meeting, Abate has invited former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul G. Cantero, III to preside over an ethical discussion regarding the importance of representing those in need.
PILS members advocate for the legal needs of people who are generally disenfranchised, under represented or lack meaningful access to traditional public forums. It is an organization within The Florida Bar open to all members in good standing and non-Bar members, who have a common interest in advocacy and enhancement of constitutional, statutory or other rights which protect the dignity, security, justice, liberty, and freedom of individuals.
At Colodny Fass, Abate focuses her practice on employment law, civil rights, insurance and class action litigation.
Abate received her law degree and bachelor’s degree cum laude from the University of Miami, and is a member of the Florida Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Broward County Bar Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and Stephen R. Booher American Inn of Court.
Abate is a resident of Miami Springs.