Columbus black lawyers recognized for pro bono work

The Fountain City Bar Association, a group composed of black lawyers in Columbus, is being recognized for its recent work in the community.

The organization will soon receive a State Bar of Georgia William B. Spann Jr. Award for 2016.

“The Access to Justice Committee of the State Bar of Georgia and the Pro Bono Resource Center recognize the Fountain City Bar Association for its commitment to providing high quality, innovative legal services for the poor and marginalized as well as your support of pro bono publico and dedication to professionalism,” the state organization wrote in a letter to the local association.

Pete Temesgen, a local attorney and Fountain City Bar Association executive board member, said the group is excited. “It’s the first statewide honor for the Fountain City Bar Association, which had been kind of in operation, and then shut down for a while, and started back in earnest about three years ago as the bar association for African American lawyers,” Temesgen said.

In February, the Fountain City Bar Association co-sponsored an event reflecting on the life of Primus King and the history of voting in Muscogee County in conjunction with the Columbus Bar Association. In April, it joined forces with the Columbus-Fort Benning Medical Society in an effort that brought together area doctors and lawyers for a charity basketball game at Carver High School. The game served as a fundraiser for homeless, foster, and at-risk youth in the Muscogee County School District. In June, the group held its third annual summer Law Days, exposing area students to the profession.

“The FCBA is currently carrying out a non-partisan voter education service project consisting of seminars for various churches and organizations throughout the community aimed at educating voters on every issue to be contested on the November ballot,” according to information provided by Temesgen. “The FCBA has previously coordinated with Georgia Legal Services to set up clinics providing free legal services to those who cannot afford legal representation.”

The organization will officially receive the award Oct. 27 at a reception in Atlanta.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 7:37 PM with the headline "Columbus black lawyers recognized for pro bono work."