“We contributed to this incredible program during fundraising efforts at the event, but we aren’t done yet,” said Ira Leesfield, the board-certified attorney who leads both the firm and The Foundation. “The Park Steward Program is something that this city needs.”

Mr. Leesfield, who has been a part of The Underline’s Board of Directors since 2023, is in full support of the program, which was launched with Chapman Partnership and funded by the Lennar Foundation. By connecting a person who is unhoused — often in coordination with Chapman Partnership — with paid employment opportunities, the program offers these individuals a new set of skills and the chance to be financially independent. This opportunity, designed as a steppingstone for long-term employment, means they will be in charge of opening and/or closing areas within The Underline’s 10-mile linear park, monitoring conditions in the area, cleaning walkways and playgrounds, and maintaining green spaces.

For one young man who suffered a career-ending injury while playing football at Atlantis University, the program offered him a way “out of a bad environment.” Before being connected with the program, he had been living out of his car.

“It’s a pipeline for the homeless community,” he told The Underline. “I can build my resume, get my experience, and then transition into a new job. The growth is exponential.”

In addition to supporting the Park Stewards Program, The Foundation funded the transformation of a section of The Underline into a sculpture garden. Located directly across the street from Leesfield & Partners, the garden gives the firm a “new front yard.” At its center stands a bronze sculpture by renowned Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry. The Leesfield Family Garden serves as a welcoming space where parkgoers can admire the sculpture — Estrella De Luz — and pause before continuing on their way. For civic-minded individuals like Mr. Leesfield, projects like these offer a tangible way to make a positive impact on the community.

“‍With the Park Stewards Program, The Underline has created something more meaningful for our community and the people within it,” Mr. Leesfield said. “At the end of the day, supporting people is really an investment in Miami’s future.”

“We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to once again award this scholarship to a deserving student,” said Ira Leesfield, Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners and Chairman of The Leesfield Family Foundation.

The scholarship, first awarded last year to Dylan Martinez — a University of Central Florida student and member of Key West High School’s Class of 2025 — serves as a tribute to the life and legacy of Butler, a beloved teacher and coach at the school who passed away in 2024. Best known for fostering a sense of community and setting an example of kindness for his young students, the Dexter Butler College Scholarship will be awarded to an athlete who lives out the example he left behind.

Partner Justin B. Shapiro, Anita Butler, Dylan Martinez and Ira Leesfield posed for a photo

“The Butler family has done many great things for the Key West community, and this is one way that we can honor them and pay tribute to their son,” Leesfield said.

For Martinez, the scholarship has had a meaningful impact on his transition into college and, he said, it has allowed him to fully focus on his studies.

“I have come to discover that college is a full-time job; and this scholarship has given me the freedom to put my best foot forward in every one of my classes without the stress of financial burden,” he said. “Knowing that this support comes from a foundation rooted in Coach Dex’s values made it even more powerful. It reminded me to stay grounded, resilient, and committed to helping others, even in a new environment.”

For the first recipient of the scholarship, Martinez said that its significance is far more than financial.

“It reflects what Coach Dex stood for: resilience, kindness, and lifting people up when they need it most,” he said. “It has helped me start college with confidence and the motivation to carry forward the same sense of service and perseverance that Coach Dex inspired in so many of us.”

Click here for further instructions on how to apply or email Sanchez@Leesfield.com.

Contact Lydia Estenoz at Key West High School for additional questions. 

In Miami, where The Leesfield Family Foundation is headquartered, things are no different.

“Mostly, our Leesfield Family Foundation is trying to set an example for other potential donors and philanthropists to help make a difference, no matter where or how much,” The Foundation Chair, Ira Leesfield, said in a previous interview with Authority Magazine.

Over the last year, the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners has lived out this example, keeping firm to his organization’s motto of “generosity, warmth, and reassurance.”

‘Make a Difference’

The Foundation has spread its reach far beyond South Florida from providing disaster relief following harrowing wildfires in California, the tragic Fourth of July floods in Texas and ongoing relief efforts to World Central Kitchen in Ukraine. Closer to home, The Foundation has faithfully supported the work of organizations such as Live Like Bella, Amigos for Kids, the Fatherhood Taskforce of South Florida, and Monroe County food banks as a part of a decades-long tradition.

“You don’t have to be a giant charitable organization to make a difference,” Mr. Leesfield said.

Other organizations being supported by The Foundation include Friends of The Underline, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the previously unused land underneath Miami’s Metrorail system into a 10-mile linear park and urban trail.

On Dec. 2, 2025, Mr. Leesfield and The Leesfield Family Foundation celebrated the debut of Estrella de Luz, a bronze sculpture by Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry to mark the official opening of The Leesfield Family Garden. The space, located directly across the street from the Leesfield & Partners personal injury law firm on South Dixie Highway, has been a project over a year in the making, involving collaboration between Mr. Leesfield, the Piero Atchugarry Gallery, and The Underline.

“We got to change our front yard …. We got to change our view,” Mr. Leesfield said about the opening of the space. “And I said, ‘this is a natural fit!’ And we got to make a difference.”

‘An Admirable Goal’

With an emphasis on women’s and children’s initiatives, Mr. Leesfield has also sponsored numerous academic and athletic scholarships and organizations providing essential services such as housing, meals, medical care and financial assistance to those in need.

Next month, Key West High School will launch the second annual Dexter Butler College Scholarship sponsored by Leesfield & Partners and The Leesfield Family Foundation. The scholarship began last year as a tribute to Dexter Butler, a teacher and close friend of the Leesfield family, who died in March 2024. Since his death, Butler is perhaps best remembered for leaving a profound mark on the lives of his students, particularly the young athletes he coached and guided.

In speaking about the group of applicants — all of whom were college-bound athletes on the Key West High School’s basketball team — Mr. Leesfield said he was impressed by their kindness and unwavering support of their communities.

“These young men aspire to live out the example left behind by Dexter Butler — an admirable goal,” he said. “I commend their efforts and encourage them to continue this work going forward.”

For more information about the Dexter Butler College Scholarship, or how to apply, please call 305-854-4900 or email Sanchez@Leesfield.com.

“I am thankful and have sincere gratitude for everyone who made this possible,” said Ira Leesfield, Chair at The Leesfield Family Foundation and Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners.

The ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, marked the official opening of the garden, a new gathering space along The Underline’s 10-mile corridor. Anchored by Estrella de Luz, Atchugarry’s bronze masterpiece, the garden features benches where runners and walkers can pause for a break and where nearby office workers can enjoy lunch in a peaceful setting — save for the Metrorail’s steady interruption.

“It’s an honor to help bring this vision to life,” Mr. Leesfield has said previously of the project, which he has worked closely on for over a year with The Underline’s team.

Following the art selection, made possible by Rina Gitlin, The Underline’s Open Space Curatorial Manager, Mr. Leesfield and The Underline’s team got to work organizing a space that was previously unused.

Before the project began, the space, located directly across from the Leesfield & Partners office on South Dixie Highway, was nothing but “debris,” according to the Board Certified Trial Attorney. The Underline has taken this space and many others like it throughout Miami and turned them into places that foster connection.

“We got to change our front yard …. We got to change our view,” Mr. Leesfield said. “And I said, ‘this is a natural fit!’ And we got to make a difference.”

With the garden now open to the public, Mr. Leesfield hopes the space will be enjoyed by all — and that it will inspire others to sponsor their own sections of The Underline, helping the organization continue its work of bringing the community together.

“We should encourage our friends who want to participate in public art in a public space and who want to be involved in this 10-mile urban path to volunteer and get involved,” he said.

About The Underline

The Underline got its start after its founder, Meg Daly, was walking under the Miami-Dade County Metrorail in 2013. Unable to drive following a bike accident in which she broke both arms, Daly took to taking public transit to get to and from her appointments. It was on these walks that she noticed the large space underneath the tracks that was not being used.

Over a decade later, and the space is being transformed into a 10-mile linear park complete with a trail for bikers, runners and walkers, and a public art destination. The Underline’s work is outlined in three phases.

About Leesfield & Partners

Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience securing record verdicts and historic settlements for injured clients throughout Florida. The firm has three offices, including Miami, Key West, and Central Florida/Orlando. Started by Ira H. Leesfield in 1976, the firm has become one of the top personal injury law firms in Florida and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the leading personal injury law firms in the United States.

Leesfield & Partners has been routinely recognized by national and local entities including The Best Lawyers in America, Florida Legal Elite, South Florida Legal Guide Top Firm and Top Lawyers, South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award, and Super Lawyers.

In 1990, building on the success of Leesfield & Partners, Mr. Leesfield established The Leesfield Family Foundation. Chaired by Mr. Leesfield and supported by his wife, Cynthia, and daughter, Jennifer, The Foundation has become a vital lifeline for countless individuals across South Florida. With a primary focus on women’s and children’s issues, The Foundation has also provided numerous academic scholarships to those in need, making a lasting impact on the community.

The Underline

The Foundation’s contributions during the online fundraiser include Baptist Health, Friends of The Underline, Amigos for Kids, the Overtown Youth Center and more.

Give Miami Day began in 2011 to encourage essential contributions to organizations across South Florida that provide services for those in need. To date, the online giving event, which has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in the Southeast United States, has raised more than $100 million for local services.

Along with Give Miami Day, The Leesfield Family Foundation is donating to Monroe County organizations aiming to provide meals, shelter and other essentials to individuals and families this November in Key West, where Leesfield & Partners has an office on historic Whitehead Street. The Foundation is also contributing to several food banks in New Jersey during the holiday season.

For The Foundation, which also funds scholarships and contributes to disaster aid relief year-round, Give Miami Day is a reflection of its motto — generosity, warmth and reassurance.

The generosity regularly shown by Foundation Chair Ira Leesfield comes from the help he received as a young student to continue his education.

“I have a deep feeling of gratitude for what was done for me, and as soon as I could, I began to pay that generosity back,” Mr. Leesfield said.

About the Overtown Youth Center: 

The Overtown Youth Center has provided educational, recreational, and developmental support to young people and children for over 20 years in South Florida. As part of the organization’s goal to empower the youth through educational programs, OYC also provides mentorship opportunities, life skills development and leadership training.

For more information about the Overtown Youth Center and its programs, please visit: https://oycmiami.org/. 

About Friends of The Underline:

Meg Daly started Friends of The Underline after walking beneath the previously unused land beneath Miami-Dade County’s Metrorail system. Today, over a decade later, the space has been transformed into a trail for bikers, runners and walkers alike as well as community gathering spaces. The Underline’s work is outlined in three phases. Phase two, named the “Hammock Trail,” is in progress and covers over two miles connecting Southwest 13th St. to Southwest 19th Ave. Work on phase three of the project is expected to begin in 2025. The Underline relies completely on private funds, sponsorships and grants.

The Friends of The Underline Sneaker Ball, the organization’s first gala fundraiser, took place in September and The Leesfield Family Foundation Chairs Ira and Cynthia Leesfield were on the event’s host committee. In March 2023, Mr. Leesfield was elected to its Board of Directors.

For more information about Friends of The Underline, please visit:  https://www.theunderline.org/

About Amigos for Kids: 

Amigos for Kids got its start in 1991 to provide services for children and parents in South Florida such as after-school care, parent education and community resources. Since then, the organization has helped provide essential services to countless families and has spread child abuse prevention and awareness throughout the country.

For more information about Amigos for Kids, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Fatherhood-Task-Force-of-South-FloridaFTFSF-100064482498224/

About Live Like Bella: 

Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation is an organization dedicated to providing funding for pediatric cancer research in addition to supplying essential services to families affected by childhood cancer. It is named for Bella Rodriguez-Torres, a little girl who died in 2013 after a diagnosis of Stage Four Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Live Like Bella was started by her family after her death to promote her good-natured and jovial spirit and help families just like theirs who have suffered because of this disease.

As part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Live Like Bella hosted “Bella’s Ball,” the organization’s annual charity gala, in which The Leesfield Family Foundation and Leesfield & Partners were the event’s Special Awards Sponsors honoring family and community members who have supported brave children battling cancer.

“He [Mr. Leesfield] is a great connector for people with the best interest of the community in mind,” said Live Like Bella CEO, Nicole de Lara Puente, of The Foundation’s impact. “That’s the kind of person he is. He does it because it is the right thing to do.”

For more information about Live Like Bella, please visit: https://livelikebella.org/ 

About The YES Institute: 

Since the 90s, the YES Institute has provided essential services and a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ youth in South Florida. The organization began as Project YES and was created by Connie Barden and Martha Fugate to provide services to LGBTQIA+ youth in a bid to prevent suicide and self-harm. Numerous studies have shown that, historically, LGBTQIA+ youth are at a greater risk of dying by suicide or engaging in self-harm than their straight and cisgender peers. The Centers for Disease Control released a 2021 survey that showed that 26.3% of LGB high school respondents attempted suicide in the last year compared to 5.2% of straight high school respondents. The organization aims to create safe spaces in which young people feel that they belong despite gender or sexual orientation.

For more information about Live Like Bella, please visit: https://yesinstitute.org/

About Baptist Health: 

The Leesfield Family Foundation will honor the life and extraordinary legacy of Dr. Michael Zinner on Give Miami Day via a donation to the Baptist Health Foundation, which funds necessary medical research, clinical trials, and scholarships for future medical professionals.  Dr. Zinner’s positive impact on the lives of his patients, friends, colleagues and family cannot be measured and he will be missed dearly. The Leesfield Family makes this contribution in tribute to Dr. Zinner.

For more information about The Baptist Health Foundation, please visit: https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-foundation

For more information about The Leesfield Family Foundation, please visit: www.LeesfieldFamilyFoundation.org. 

At least 82 people have died, and 41 others remain missing as of Monday morning, according to reporting from the Associated Press. More than a foot of rain fell in less than 12 hours, causing the fast-moving water to rise 26 feet in under an hour early Friday morning.

Among the missing are a counselor and at least 11 girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Kerr County, Texas. Authorities have confirmed that over a dozen campers died in addition to the camp’s director and co-owner, Dick Eastland.

The “father figure,” as he has been described by his friends and community, died during the floods trying to save his campers along the bank of the Guadalupe River, where the camp is located, according to Texas Public Radio. At the time of the flood, there were over 750 people at the camp.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the loss of lives and the destruction in Texas,” said Ira Leesfield, the Managing Partner and Founder of Leesfield & Partners. “When you have the ability and the resources to do something to help amid a tragedy like this, you must act. We stand with Texas.”

Leesfield & Partners and The Leesfield Family Foundation has pledged support to World Central Kitchen (WCK), an organization that is sending teams to support Texas in the aftermath of this tragedy. In the past, The Leesfield Family Foundation has pledged ongoing support of WCK’s mission to provide meals to those in war-torn Ukraine. As part of The Foundation’s involvement, Mr. Leesfield has pledged to match contributions for the organization’s Ukraine efforts coming in from LFF community members dollar-for-dollar.

For any questions or concerns regarding WCK, call 305-854-4900 or email Leesfield@Leesfield.com.

Additionally, The Leesfield Family Foundation has worked to provide swift aid in the wake of mass shootings and natural disasters such as the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Hurricane Harvey, and the California Wildfires in 2025.

This date’s significance underscores the long and unfinished journey toward justice, said Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield.

“Through our work in the courtroom and our continued investment in education, housing and access to opportunity via The Leesfield Family Foundation, we honor this day not just in words, but in action,” he said. “Equality must be more than a principle — it must be a lived reality in every community we serve.”

The struggle to end slavery in the United States did not end with the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863. That executive order, issued by President Abraham Lincoln, declared enslaved people in Confederate-controlled states to be free — but in many areas, it could not be enforced without military intervention. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when over 2,000 Union troops marched through Galveston Bay, Texas, to enforce the emancipation that the more than 250,000 Black people still enslaved in the state were freed. This marked the end of about 200 years of enslavement in the U.S.

To commemorate this “day of freedom,” June 19 became known as “Juneteenth,” a day that today serves both as a celebration and a solemn reminder of the struggle for true liberation. What followed was an era of hope and a fight to rebuild a nation that had been divided. Families worked to reunite with their loved ones, schools were established, and some slaveholders were even sued for compensation.

For the first time in our nation’s history, Black people were given the opportunity to seek formal education and chase the coveted promise of an “American Dream.” Over the decades, the nation has taken steps toward greater equality — though not without immense struggle. Thanks to generations of activists and advocates, legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, reshaping the country’s social landscape.

These pivotal moments — and the people who risked everything to achieve them — remain critical lessons in resistance and the enduring pursuit of liberty, justice and freedom for all. And while progress has been made, the work is far from over.

Leesfield & Partners and The Leesfield Family Foundation stand for equity and equal opportunity.

“Juneteenth reminds us that freedom must be protected through action,” Mr. Leesfield said. “It’s a call to keep building a future rooted in justice and opportunity for all.”

About The Leesfield Family Foundation

The Leesfield Family Foundation was established in the 1990s by Mr. Leesfield and his family as a way to give back to their community. At its core, the Foundation was created to support students in need — reflecting the generosity Mr. Leesfield himself received from community members during his academic journey.

“I put a heavy emphasis on scholarships because that is what helped me most growing up,” he said.

The Foundation’s motto, “generosity, warmth, and reassurance,” echoes the spirit of those who once supported him and embodies Mr. Leesfield’s commitment to paying it forward.

Over the decades, The Foundation has expanded to support various scholarships, disaster relief, and focuses on women’s and children’s initiatives, supporting numerous organizations and essential services for those who need them most. Past partnerships include the Overtown Youth Center, Lotus House/Sundari Foundation, Kristi House, Voices for Children Foundation, the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida, local food banks, and many other agencies dedicated to helping those in need.

The scholarship pays tribute to Butler, a beloved Key West High School teacher and mentor who tragically died in March 2023. Butler is perhaps best known for leaving a profound mark on the lives of his students, particularly the young athletes he coached and guided.

For Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, choosing to honor Butler through the scholarship is a way to keep his legacy alive.

“I have known the Butler family for my entire 45 years working in Key West,” Leesfield said. “There is no finer family in the community who has done more for high school athletic programs. Dexter Butler was a true role model.”

Dylan Martinez has been selected as the first-ever recipient of the Dexter Butler Scholarship.

Created less than a year after his passing, the scholarship reflects the values Butler championed: kindness and an unwavering support for his students and athletes. Among this year’s applicants, one theme consistently emerged — “Coach Dex,” as the boys affectionately called him, made each of them feel seen and valued.

Joined by Partner Justin B. Shapiro, Mr. Leesfield personally presented the award to Dylan at Key West High School’s 2025 Class Night in the school’s auditorium.

“On behalf of the attorneys and staff at Leesfield & Partners, I want to congratulate Dylan Martinez and all the boys who applied,” Leesfield said. “These young men aspire to live out the example left behind by Dexter Butler — an admirable goal. I commend their efforts and encourage them to continue this work going forward.”

Other Scholarships Championed by LFF

The Leesfield Family Foundation has supported countless scholarships and grants to further the education of students in need since 1994. In partnership with organizations like the American Association for Justice and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, LFF has been afforded the opportunity to be a part of the journey of hundreds of students all over the country. Over the years, The Foundation had broadened its scope and expanded its initiatives to also support organizations dedicat4ed to women and children’s initiatives. LFF also significantly contributes to disaster relief organizations. No matter the cause, however, The Foundation has stayed true to its motto — generosity, warmth and reassurance.

“Our giving is rooted in gratitude, using my extra resources to help others instead of accumulating more,” Mr. Leesfield has previously said. “I gain great satisfaction from helping others.”

Last month, The Leesfield Family Foundation celebrated the recipients of the LFF/MDFAWL Sookie Williams Scholarship — Rebecca “Becky” Rodriguez and Genesis Navarrete. LFF is honored to support these two fledgling attorneys as they continue to strive for greatness in their legal careers. The staff and attorneys at LFF and Leesfield & Partners cannot wait to watch the successes of these recipients.

Congratulations to all the recipients and good luck!

• For more information on the Leesfield/AAJ Law Student Scholarship Program, contact Carmen Marrero at Marrero@Leesfield.com.
• For more information about the MDFAWL Scholarship, please visit MDFAWL.org
• Follow us on social media or email info@Leesfield.com for more information about the Dexter Butler Scholarship.
  

  Partner Justin B. Shapiro, Anita Butler, Dylan Martinez and Ira Leesfield posed for a photo

“I put a heavy emphasis on scholarships because that is what helped me most growing up,” said the Board-Certified Attorney and founder of Leesfield & Partners, an accomplished personal injury law firm.

In 1990, when he started The Leesfield Family Foundation, doling out scholarships to those who needed it most was a “natural outlet” for him and his family. Since then, numerous scholarships have been given, such as the Leesfield/AAJ Law Student Scholarship and the Sookie Williams Scholarship.

“I have a deep feeling of gratitude for what was done for me and, as soon as I could, I began to pay that generosity back,” he said.

Now, in 2025, over three decades of law students, athletes and under-privileged students have found financial support in The Foundation. The 2025 recipients of The Foundation’s scholarship with the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers (MDFAWL) are Rebecca Rodriguez, a second-year law student at the University of Miami, and Genesis Navarrete, also in her second year at St. Thomas University. This year’s pool of applicants had no shortage of impressive, fledgling attorneys in need of financial support, however, these two women stood out through their community contributions and tenacity.

The latest project for The Foundation is the Dexter Butler Scholarship, which will be given to a Key West High School athlete that demonstrates the legacy of mentorship, kindness and commitment to their community left behind by a beloved teacher and coach. The idea for the scholarship came from Mr. Leesfield’s long, personal friendship with the Butler family in Key West to honor Mr. Butler after his death.

“I have known the Butler family for my entire 45 years working in Key West,” Mr. Leesfield said. “There is no finer family in the community who has done more for high school athletic programs. Dexter Butler was a true role model.”

With the creation of new scholarships and other contributions to communities all over South Florida, The Foundation is showing no signs of slowing down. It is this altruistic attitude that has sparked a chain reaction in many previous recipients of Mr. Leesfield’s scholarships to go off and start their own. Katie Phang, a former prosecutor and MSNBC correspondent, as well as several others who previously received scholarships from The Foundation have followed in Mr. Leesfield’s footsteps.

Of watching these past scholarship recipients going off to start their own awards, Mr. Leesfield said:

“It’s truly gratifying to see this second generation taking it and making it their own and paying it forward.”

Located on U.S. 1, directly across from Leesfield & Partners—the esteemed personal injury law firm founded by Mr. Leesfield in 1976—the garden is a testament to his dedication to the Miami community. Named in honor of his generous contributions to The Underline project, the garden plays a vital role in transforming the once-unused land beneath Miami’s Metrorail into a dynamic, 10-mile linear park.

“It’s an honor to help bring this vision to life,” said Mr. Leesfield, reflecting on the project’s significance.

The star of the garden, aptly named “Estrella de Luz,” is a captivating bronze sculpture by Atchugarry. This thought-provoking piece invites contemplation on “a sense of the sacred” and the intersection of spirituality in daily life. Atchugarry’s works are known for channeling spiritual energy, offering viewers a chance to reflect on the divine and our connection to the world around us.

As the project nears completion, Mr. Leesfield is eager for the public to enjoy and benefit from this thoughtfully designed space.

“I want to extend my gratitude to Meg Daly, Jake Moskowitz, and Rina Gitlin for their dedication in bringing the Leesfield Family Garden to life,” Mr. Leesfield said. “It’s truly coming together beautifully, and I’m thrilled to see our new ‘front yard’ from my office across the street.”

About The Underline

The Underline was sparked by a “crazy idea,” according to its website, after founder, Meg Daly, was walking under the Miami-Dade County Metrorail in 2013. She noticed the large space beneath the tracks was not being used. A decade later, the space has been transformed into a 10-mile park complete with a trail for bikers, runners and walkers, and a public art destination. The Underline’s work is outlined in three phases. Phase two, named the “Hammock Trail,” is in progress and covers over two miles connecting Southwest 13th St. to Southwest 19th Ave. Work on phase three of the project is expected to begin in 2025. The Underline relies completely on private funds, sponsorships and grants.

About Leesfield & Partners

Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience securing record verdicts and historic settlements for injured clients throughout Florida. The firm has three offices, including Miami, Key West, and Central Florida/Orlando. Started by Ira H. Leesfield in 1976, the firm has become one of the top personal injury law firms in Florida and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the leading personal injury law firms in the United States.

Leesfield & Partners has been routinely recognized by national and local entities including The Best Lawyers in America, Florida Legal Elite, South Florida Legal Guide Top Firm and Top Lawyers, South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award, and Super Lawyers.

In 1990, building on the success of Leesfield & Partners, Mr. Leesfield established The Leesfield Family Foundation. Chaired by Mr. Leesfield and supported by his wife, Cynthia, and daughter, Jennifer, The Foundation has become a vital lifeline for countless individuals across South Florida. With a primary focus on women’s and children’s issues, The Foundation has also provided numerous academic scholarships to those in need, making a lasting impact on the community.

Mr. Leesfield spent the morning at the Leesfield Family Garden across the street from Leesfield & Partners.

Mr. Leesfield stands with Rina Gitlin, Jake Moskowitz, and Meg Daly with Friends of The Underline to go over plans for the Leesfield Family Garden.