Home Advocate Website  Consumer Website Disaster Information Legal Assistance Directory Legislative News Medicaid Prescription Helpline Migrant Farmworker Justice Project Pro Bono Training

Florida Legal Services, Inc.
Miami Advocacy Office
3000 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 102
Miami, FL  33137
Phone:  (305) 573-0092
Fax:  (305) 576-9664

Office Hours:  8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

Office Description:   The Miami Advocacy Office of Florida Legal Services, Inc. performs legislative advocacy for FLS priorities, works with local programs in areas of public benefits, housing, and homelessness.  It also conducts impact and class action litigation in areas of public benefits, homelessness and immigration.

 

Chuck Elsesser Jr., Staff Attorney:  J.D. University of Southern California 1971.  To e-mail, click here.

 

Valory Greenfield, Staff Attorney:  Specializes in public benefits and immigrant access to public benefits.  Graduated University of Florida B.A. with high Honors in Sociology 1972; University of Miami School of Law, J.D. 1975 where she was a member of the honorary leadership Society of Bar and Gavel.  Admitted U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; Supreme Court of Florida.  Staff attorney for Legal Services of Greater Miami 1985-1995 where she was co-head of the Public Benefits Unit.  Employed with Florida Legal Services, Inc. since 1996.  Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.  To e-mail, click here.

 

 

Miriam Harmatz, Staff Attorney:  Specializes in poverty health law issues and immigrant access to health care issues.  Graduated Stanford University 1975; University of Wisconsin Law School J.D. 1979.  Admitted to United States District Courts for the Western District of Wisconsin, Western District of Kentucky; the Southern District of Florida; Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.  Staff attorney for Legal Services of Greater Miami 1985-1995.  Employed with Florida Legal Services, Inc. since 1996.  To e-mail, click here.

Betsy Havens, Equal Justice Works Fellow/Attorney: Specializes in poverty health law with a focus on children’s health care access. Graduated University of Michigan B.A. in English and Women’s Studies 2003; University of North Carolina M.P.H. in Health Behavior and Health Education 2006; University of Miami magna cum laude J.D. 2011 where she was active on the Inter-American Law Review and Moot Court Board. Member of the Florida Bar. Experience in community-based public health initiatives, participatory research, anti-racism efforts, and women’s health. To e-mail, click here.

Jennifer D. Newton- Staff Attorney: Jennifer graduated from Florida State University in 2004 where she received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Science. She then received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans in 2007. While in law school, Jennifer clerked at the Legal Services of Greater Miami, Southern Legal Counsel and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOC) in Miami. Following law school, she accepted a Judicial Clerkship with the 32nd Judicial District Court of Louisiana. At FLS, Jennifer heads the Florida Attorney Saving Homes Project and works primarily on consumer and housing law.

 
 

Arthur Rosenberg, Staff Attorney:  Specializes in homelessness, employment issues, welfare to work and legislative advocacy.  Work includes litigation as well as legislative and policy advocacy.  Graduated New York University B.A. 1972; University of Miami School of Law cum laude J.D. 1978. Member of Florida California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York Bars.  Admitted to U.S. District Courts in New Jersey, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Eastern District of California, Southern District of Florida; Third Circuit Court of Appeals and United States Supreme Court.  To e-mail, click here.

Purvi N. Shah, Staff Attorney:  Ms. Shah is a Miami native.  Recipient of a prestigious New Voices Fellowship ('06-08).  A community lawyer, representing community organizations and low-income families in affordable housing and disaster-related matters.  J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at University of California, Berkeley - 2006.  B.S. in Social Policy and Political Science from Northwestern University, 2002.  Member of the Florida Bar.  Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  Currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, Community Economic Development & Design Clinic. 

Gloria Louis, Office Manager/Litigation Paralegal:  B.S. in Political Science from Barry University in 1997.  Organizing Institute - H.E.R.E.  Union Labor Apprenticeship in Washington, D.C. 1997-1998.  Certified Business Agent 1998-1999.  Certified Notary Public since 1998.  Community Organizer/Activist 1999-2001.  Immigration Law Paralegal 2001-2006.

 

 

Maria Guevara, Part-time Secretary/clerk