Press Release

Washington, D.C. – During the American Association for Justice’s (AAJ) Winter Convention, held this year in Miami, AAJ members lent a helping hand to the city by volunteering at His House Children’s Home and giving presentations on the dangers of distracted driving.

“His House Children’s Home has an incredible mission to bring stability to the lives of children and we were honored to spend time there and get to know members of this wonderful community,” said AAJ President Elise Sanguinetti. “And in classrooms across the city, local students and parents joined us in our fight to end distracted driving through public education and peer to peer communication. Trial lawyers care about local communities and it was our privilege to spend time volunteering here in Miami.”

At His House Children’s Home, attorneys remodeled a cottage that houses 12 foster children ages 3-9. AAJ members from the LGBT Caucus, Minority Caucus, New Lawyers Division and Women Trial Lawyers Caucus provided the furniture, bedding, kitchen and décor based on wish lists from the house mother. Donations were also provided for an ice cream social for 50 students who attend their international program which helps children under the age of 18 who left their native countries due to gang violence, homelessness, economic hardship and abuse in the hopes of starting a new life in the U.S.

Additionally, attorneys spoke with 3,800 students across the Miami metro area on the dangers of distracted driving. The presentation was developed by trial attorney Joel Feldman and his wife Dianne Anderson who together founded the non-profit organization End Distracted Driving after their daughter was killed by a distracted driver. Presentations were given at 7 schools over 2 days by 21 different trial lawyers from Hawaii to New York and many states in between.

Activities were coordinated by the Trial Lawyers Care Committee, an AAJ membership group comprised of lawyers across the country who are committed to making a difference in the communities where they live and work. Giving back locally during the convention where members gather for educational and networking opportunities reflects their beliefs and is an important chance to foster positive relationships with the public.

During past conventions, AAJ lawyers have participated in many different community activities including donating books to elementary schools; Habitat for Humanity builds; providing books, blankets and stuffed animals to homeless children; donating school supplies to a community literacy program; cooking and serving meals in a summer community program; sorting food and bagging groceries at food banks; organizing canned food drives; building houses and cleaning parks; providing supplies at veterans shelters, and giving presentations at schools on the topic of ending distracted driving.