TALLAHASSEE -- Tampa attorney Edward M. Waller, Jr. has been selected to receive the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award from Chief Justice Harry Lee Anstead on Thursday, January 29. The award is Florida's highest public honor conferred by the Supreme Court on a private lawyer.

The Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award commemorates Miami civil rights lawyer Tobias Simon, who died in February 1982. Each year the award is bestowed upon an attorney to encourage and recognize extraordinary contributions by Florida lawyers in making legal services available to persons who otherwise could not afford them, and to focus public awareness on the substantial voluntary services rendered by Florida lawyers in this area. The term "pro bono," derived from the Latin phrase "pro bono publico" means "for the good of the public."

Edward M. Waller, Jr. began the practice of law 36 years ago with Fowler White in Tampa. Mr. Waller was inspired by the late Dewey Villareal, a senior partner who was one of the most respected admiralty lawyers in the country and by the late Vernon Evans, another very successful lawyer, both devoted to representing the poor.

Mr. Waller has throughout his career donated hundreds of hours to pro bono clients. In addition to representing indigent clients, Mr. Waller has devoted hundreds of hours to improve the delivery of legal services to the poor. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Bay Area Legal Services (BALS) and served as its president. Further, Mr. Waller was instrumental in establishing a Development Council to create an endowment for BALS. Also, taking advantage of his class action experience, he has been responsible for obtaining several awards for BALS.

His commitment to pro bono service goes hand-in-hand with his participation in the Bar’s professionalism movement. He is currently a member of the Florida Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and has served as chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism. He also served as president of the William Glenn Terrell Inn of Court. Mr. Waller served on the Executive Council of the Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section and co-chaired a series of professionalism programs.

Mr. Waller is a shareholder of Fowler White Boggs Banker P.A. and heads its Health Care Practice Group and its Class Action/Complex Litigation Team. He graduated from Columbia University and the University of Chicago Law School. He and his wife Laura have three children, one of whom is a legal services lawyer in Washington, D.C., and three grandchildren.

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[Updated: 07-01-2005 ]