It is clear that the legal landscape in Hillsborough County is evolving toward a more accessible, community-centered model. As a Tampa attorney, I see daily how transportation barriers, rigid work schedules, and basic survival needs often prevent individuals from resolving legal issues before they escalate into life-altering crises.
Under the leadership of Lisa McLean, the Office of the Public Defender, 13th Judicial Circuit is meeting those challenges directly. By bringing services into neighborhoods rather than requiring residents to travel downtown, the office is removing practical obstacles that too often stand between people and justice. The inaugural Saturday session demonstrated that when legal professionals meet people where they are, they offer more than advice; they offer stability.
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