Marcia K. Cypen, the Executive Director of Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. ("LSGMI") has devoted her entire professional career to promoting equal justice under the law.'LSGMI, the largest provider of broad-based civil legal services for the poor in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, has a staff of more than 75, which includes 33 top quality attorneys who address daily Iegal problems and systemic issues each year. LSGMI is what it is today as a direct result of Ms. Cypen's leadership and commitment.

Ms. Cypen has been with LSGMI since June 1974,. She was hired as a law clerk, and upon graduating cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 1976, she was hired as a staff attorney. From 1979 through I981, Ms. Cypen was the Manager of the Health and Income Maintenance Unit, after which she was promoted to the Deputy Director. In June 1983, Ms. Cypen was promoted to and has since been the Executive Director of LSGMI.

Imagine receiving medically necessary services that are required to prevent you from being institutionalized. Now imagine having those services cut in half and not being given an opportunity to explain why you disagree. That is what happened to one of LSGMI’s clients who, at only 29 years old, required nearly $67,000 in medically necessary services to avoid being institutionalized for his cerebral palsy, profound mental retardation, autism and cerebral hypotonia.

When the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) placed a $35,000 cap on the medically necessary services which would be covered for our client by Medicaid’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver, LSGMI attorney Mandy Mills appealed to the Third District Court of Appeal with the pro bono help of Nancy Ciampa, Carlton Fields. The appeal sought a hearing and an opportunity for our client to present evidence and arguments supporting his disagreement with APD’s severe reduction in services. While the appeal was pending, APD requested that the appellate court relinquish jurisdiction so that it could grant our client a hearing. Before the hearing, APD reconsidered its original decision and restored our client’s medical services with no monetary cap, granting all the relief that we would have asked for during the hearing. Our client can now rest assured that he will receive all medically necessary services he needs to allow him to remain living at home with his family.

As the economy continues to slide, those requiring LSGMI’s services have reached record highs. In the first 4 months of 2010, unemployment compensation cases increased by 19%; consumer cases by 48%; and mortgage foreclosure cases by 160%.

Fortunately, members of the legal and business community and the community at-large have helped make up the deficit by supporting LSGMI’s “Together, We Must” Campaign for Justice. Through their generosity, the Campaign has raised over $850,000.00 in gifts and pledges enabling LSGMI to increase its attorney staff by 10%.

Our heartfelt thanks to each of you who have supported our Campaign. For those of you, who have not yet done so, please join us in making a gift to the Campaign and helping the poor in our community.

Click Here to View our Donors

On April 15, 2010, The Fisher Island Club at the Vanderbilt Mansion hosted a night of magical beauty on behalf of Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. The magnificently memorable Benefit Concert Performance featured Elizabeth Caballero, soprano, appearing directly from the Metropolitan Opera with Eduardo Aladren, Tenor and Nelson Martinez, Baritone. The performance was generously underwritten by Robert Pinkert, patron of the performing arts and of Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. – The Law Firm passionately committed to Equal Justice.

Praised by Steven Smith of “The New York Times” for providing “an evening of show stopping performance offering a thrilling balance of pearly tone, exacting technique and brazen physicality”, Ms. Caballero’s performance could not have been more brilliant! Immediately following the evening’s performance, guests enjoyed a coffee and dessert reception kindly sponsored by The Bluntzer Real Estate Group, the law firms of McLuskey & McDonald and Cypen & Cypen, and Steinway Piano Galleries, with Neo Pop Artist Ed King autographing his work in the reception drawing room. A spectacular evening was had by all.

Click here to view images

July 12th at 2:00pm
Topic:Know Your Rights In the Eviction Process
Attorney Presenting: Maria Sciolto

July 30th at 2:00pm
Topic:Know Your Rights When Facing Foreclosure
Attorney Presenting: Jacqueline Ledon

August 5th at 2:00pm
Topic:Know Your Rights In the Eviction Process
Attorney Presenting: Nicole Walsh

Click here for more information

On March 11, leaders of Miami’s top law firms and businesses were applauded for generously contributing over $775,000 in gifts and pledges to make sure that the poorest families and individuals in our community have free legal help with critical legal problems they face when they lose jobs and housing and are denied access to healthcare.

Channel 10's Senior Political Reporter Michael Putney praised LSGMI for providing institutional help to “bend the arc of history toward justice” for people in need. “You have saved lives, saved families, saved hope,” said Putney. Campaign Co-Chair Cori Lopez-Castro urged those who had not yet pledged to make a donation and “show our community that we have a passion to help. We have a heart. We have a soul.” Chief Justice Peggy Quince echoed the praise for LSGMI and its supporters. “What greater public good is there than to help those who truly do not otherwise have access to justice,” said Quince. “I encourage you to continue to give and to continue to work in your communities.”

Click here to watch video

Please visit www.SocialMiami.com to view photos from the “Heart of Giving” Celebration at the Margulies collection at the Warehouse.

On March 11, 2010, Chief Justice Peggy Quince shared an informal lunch with LSGMI staff attorneys. She spoke about her experiences working at a legal services clinic while in law school, and thanked them for the work that they do for the community. “These are the kind of people that we need in our profession,” said Quince. “They give unselfishly of their time, and we so dearly need that, especially in this kind of economy.”

LSGMI and Florida Legal Services recently won a federal court case on behalf of a severely disabled teen. Miriam Harmatz of Florida Legal Services served as lead counsel in the case. LSGMI Senior Attorneys Monica Vigues-Pitan and Jose Fons LSGMI were co-counsel, assisted by LSGMI staff attorney Anna Frusciante.

Thanks to Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.'s dedication and strong advocacy, justice was obtained for a victim of egregious discrimination. LSGMI addressed the injustice, and also obtained relief which will allow the victim to refocus her life. This is an example of how LSGMI seeks respect and justice for our clients every day.

Legal Services of Greater Miami provides free civil legal services to the neediest individuals in our community. Our clients are primarily women, children, seniors, and the working poor. In many cases, we are the safety net preventing these individuals from becoming homeless or dependent on welfare. On a daily basis, our team of attorneys, who are organized into legal specialty units and projects, provide high quality representation to clients with problems relating to housing, health care, education, disability benefits, family issues, and employment.