Legal Services of Greater Miami (Legal Services), the largest provider of broad-based civil legal services for low-income residents in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, honored distinguished Equal Justice Judicial Leaders of the South Florida Community at this year’s 13th Annual Heart of Giving Celebration and Judicial Reception.  The charismatic Louis Aguirre, WPLG Local 10 News Anchor, served as Master of Ceremonies of one spectacular evening of celebration and community at the Paradise Plaza Event Space in the heart of the Design District.

These three exemplary leaders were presented with the 2022 Equal Justice Judicial Leadership Awards for their outstanding contributions to the pursuit of justice:

• The Honorable Cecilia M. Altonaga, Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• The Honorable Michael A. Hanzman, Circuit Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court
• The Honorable Nushin G. Sayfie, Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court

This year, Legal Services also presented the 2022 Equal Justice Public Service Awards to Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz and Commissioner Sally Heyman of the Miami-Dade County Commission, both leaders who recognize the importance of access to justice and how critical it is to ensure their constituents can enforce their legal rights.

There was incredible excitement and energy as over 300 members of the legal and business community gathered in person after a difficult two-year pandemic period.  The chair of this signature event, Lilly Ann Sanchez, principal of The L∙S Law Firm, along with prominent Host Committee members, Deborah Baker, Jason Alderman, Alex Bach Lagos, Tiffani Lee, Cary Lubetsky, Christopher Noel, and Sheila Oretsky, helped secure over 75 sponsors in support of Legal Services’ critical mission and to continue this annual tradition.  Title sponsors for the evening were Kozyak Tropin and Throckmorton and Ryder System, and Bacardi was the exclusive liquor sponsor.  Without the incredible generosity of our sponsors, attendees and event partners, this event would not be possible.