Community Service

 

 

Our Community Service & Charitable Work

In 1955, David Levin and Reubin Askew started our law firm in Pensacola, Florida. Much has changed for us over the past 69 years.

Reubin went on to become a two-term governor for the State of Florida and candidate for President of the United States. The firm now has more than 40 lawyers; has represented more than 100,000 clients throughout America; and has helped to secure jury verdicts and settlements in excess of $80 billion.

The one thing that has not changed with our law firm, however, is we have never forgotten our roots, and have kept our office in Pensacola. Most importantly, we still support and encourage our 200 employees to engage in extensive community outreach in order to give back to those who have given so much to us.

To date, our employees have donated more than $75 million to charity, and tens of thousands of hours of their time.

 

 

Our Community Involvement

Fred Levin Way Fest

Our firm is a major sponsor of this free event for the entire community that occurs once each year in downtown Pensacola. Now in it's third year, the event consists of 60 nonprofit organizations distributing information on their services along with gifting essential items, such as backpacks, blankets, books, diapers, first aid kits, hygiene kits, pet food, school supplies, soap, socks, thermometers, toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and underwear.

Heart of Pensacola

Peter Mougey co-founded the Heart of Pensacola along with the American Heart Association (AHA) and other leaders. This project provides weekly boxes and backpacks of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy food to children and families in need.

Symphony, Sparks & Stars

On the Fourth of July, Levin Papantonio attorney Peter Mougey sponsors Symphony, Sparks, and Stars - a free, patriotic concert for the public, featuring a performance by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra on beautiful Pensacola Bay. The family friendly event, celebrating our country, community and military, also includes a presentation of colors and a military jet flyover, which draws thousands to the Hunter Amphitheatre in Downtown Pensacola, each year.

Communities Caring at Christmas

Levin Papantonio is one of the main sponsors of WEAR ABC 3’s Communities Caring at Christmas. The annual charitable effort provides new toys, clothing, and daily living needs for abused, neglected, and abandoned children living in foster care, as well as children living in poverty and adults with developmental disabilities across Northwest Florida.

Gulf Coast Kid's House

Attorney Fred Levin donated more than $700,000 to this Escambia County children's advocacy center. It combines under one child-friendly facility all of the professionals and resources needed for the intervention, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse cases. Gulf Coast Kid’s House was established in 1998. Thanks to Fred Levin’s generosity, the Marilyn Kapner Levin Center for Child Advocacy and Child Abuse opened in 2004, named in honor of Mr. Levin’s wife.

Soul Bowl

Levin Papantonio is proud to sponsor Pensacola’s annual premier, youth football show, the Soul Bowl. The community youth football event is held at the Blue Wahoos Stadium in Downtown Pensacola, and includes players from the Southern Youth Services Association and other teams from across the area, that are predominantly minority athletes from struggling communities. The Soul Bowl is an opportunity to showcase their talents and bring the community together to support youth sports and education.

Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida

The prestigious law school is named for attorney Fred Levin after he donated $10 million dollars to the university in 1999. It was the largest private charitable contribution made to any law school at the time and has helped the law school become the success it is today. At the 20th Anniversary celebration of his landmark donation, Fred Levin donated another $6 million to the school in honor of his wife, Marilyn. As part of his estate, he gifted another $40 million to the law school.

Magdalene's Gifts & Gatherings

Magdalene's Gifts & Gatherings was founded by a group of women who transformed a former massage parlor known for trafficking into a space aimed at educating the public about sex trafficking. The organization's board works to train volunteers and raise funds to create a safe home for survivors. The storefront serves as both a shop and an educational space, informing visitors about alarming trafficking statistics, such as Florida being third in the U.S. for human trafficking cases and Northwest Florida having the highest intake rate for trafficked children. Levin Papantonio supports these efforts, with contributions from authors Mike Papantonio and Carissa Phelps, who have helped raise awareness through their books and talks.

Fredric G. Levin Lung Cancer Symposium

In 2017, Fred Levin donated $2 million donation to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in gratitude for their successful treatment of his stage IV lung cancer. Fred’s donation to the world-class academic medical center established the Fredric G. Levin Distinguished Chair in Thoracic Surgery and Lung Cancer Research and arranged for the creation of the annual Fredric G. Levin Lung Cancer Symposium. Brigham and Women’s is affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The symposium, held in Fred Levin's hometown of Pensacola, FL, provides the latest in lung cancer data and research. Since the first conference, hundreds of local doctors, nurses, students, and patients have attended. The first two conferences were held in the then newly opened Levin Center for IHMC Research, named for Fred after he donated $1 million to its construction. Like he envisioned, the symposium has expanded a range of opportunities for collaboration and connection between some of the best doctors and medical care providers in the world.

Living the Dream

Levin Papantonio is a longtime supporter of the annual "Living the Dream and Tribute to Motown" celebration, an event to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s "dream" of equality and to honor Pensacola natives and residents who exemplify his legacy. Over the years Levin Papantonio has contributed generously to a variety of causes that support impoverished and economically disadvantaged youth, including the Southern Youth Sports Association. The non-profit organization is supported by the "Living the Dream" celebration and fundraiser and aims to benefit community youth by responding to their academic, social, and physical needs through sports and tutoring programs.

The People’s Law School

Each September, Levin Papantonio hosts The People’s Law School, a series of free nightly classes, open to anyone who wants to learn more about the law and how it affects us every day. The firm provides an experienced faculty of local attorneys, judges, and law enforcement personnel to answer a variety of legal questions covering a wide range of topics, including Insurance, Probate, Workman’s Compensation, Social Security Disability, Products Liability, Medical Malpractice, and areas of the General Civil and Criminal Court System. The People’s Law School is popular with the community and usually has a full registration.

Making Strides

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is a walk that unites cancer survivors and their supporters. The Pensacola event, held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, brings thousands of people together. Levin Papantonio sponsored the event and provided water to participants, as part of the firm's overall effort in the fight against breast cancer.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade

Each January, dozens of staff and attorneys with Levin Papantonio participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade to honor the slain civil rights leader. The Levin Papantonio float is among the many festive floats that rolls through the streets of Downtown Pensacola while employees throw out beads, MoonPies, and other souvenirs to the crowds lining the parade route.

AHERO Fishing

Attorney Tim O’Brien is a sponsor of the AHERO Foundation and regularly takes wounded veterans deep sea fishing as part of the Warrior "Hook-Up" Weekend organized by the AHERO Foundation. This event supports wounded veterans through giving them an opportunity to catch some monster fish in the Gulf of Mexico. AHERO is a non-profit organization that helps wounded veterans recover by connecting them with outdoor activities.

Bill Bond League of Pensacola

Attorney Rachael Gilmer is an annual Grand Slam sponsor of this city youth baseball league and also helps provide scholarships for players who cannot afford to play otherwise. The teams compete against youth players within the league and also throughout the city. Encouraging educational success through athletics, teamwork, and sportsmanship, the league services players from 4-years-old through 14-years-old.
selective focus photography of white baseball balls on ground

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Attorney Fred Levin was honored at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, for the establishment of the Fredric G. Levin Distinguished Chair in Thoracic Surgery and Lung Cancer Research, in recognition of his gift in the amount of $2 million.
a woman laying in a hospital bed with an iv in her hand

Ciclovia Pensacola

Levin Papantonio sponsored Pensacola’s first Ciclovia Open Streets. The health and wellness event included closing off part of Downtown Pensacola to vehicle traffic, allowing people and families to move around freely and exercise.
bicycle path, bike sign, bicycle

Council on Aging of West Florida

Levin Papantonio was a regular sponsor of the Rat Pack Reunion, an annual fundraiser for the Council on Aging of West Florida. The firm has supported the event since it began with the original Celebrity Rat Pack Star, attorney Fred Levin. The Rat Pack Reunion fundraiser is hosted to increase awareness and support for senior citizens in the area. The annual event and black tie gala has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the non-profit organizations, contributions that allow the organization to serve more seniors in the Northwest Florida community through a variety of programs and services.
team spirit, cohesion, teamwork

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Attorney Fred Levin was honored at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in Boston, for the establishment of the Fredric G. Levin Endowment in Translational Cancer Research. Mr. Levin was recognized for his gift of $2 million to the facility, which was part of the team that helped him recover from his own battle with lung cancer. A lung cancer survivor, Mr. Levin’s donation was in gratitude for their successful treatment and to further their life-saving research.

Disability Awareness Summit

Attorney Virginia Buchanan was recognized at the 13th annual National Disability Awareness Month Luncheon at the Pensacola Yacht Club. Virginia has worked diligently for years to bring employers and people with disabilities together and identify work opportunities for them.

First Responders & Families Picnic

The firm has been a proud sponsor of this event which brings dozens of first responders and their families together at Pensacola’s Ashton-Brosnaham Park. Police, sheriff’s deputies, paramedics, and firefighters are among the many people who attend and bring their families to the First Responders and Families Picnic. It’s held by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Families, especially children, have a great time eating hotdogs, running obstacle courses, and seeing first-hand the equipment, vehicles, and training our first responders use to keep our community safer. We appreciate all they do!
red and black car in tilt shift lens

FLREA High School Mock Trial Team

Every year, the Florida Law Related Education Association hosts a hands-on High School Mock Trial Competition for students across the state. A team of attorneys from Levin Papantonio volunteers their time and expertise for several months coaching the local student team from Gulf Breeze High School. The Gulf Breeze Mock Trial Team won Districts in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and went to State. In 2019, the team placed 4th in the State Final and 2018 was the first time in the school’s history the legal team made it to the Florida High School Mock Trial State Finals competition.
a large building with columns and a clock on the front of it

Give Kids a Smile Day

Levin Papantonio sponsored this event which provides free dental care to children who otherwise could not afford it. The dental clinic was hosted by Pensacola Kids Dentistry and Pensacola State College. Levin Papantonio attorneys and staff visited with the young patients during the two-day event and the firm was proud to provide hundreds of free dental hygiene kits for the children.
white plastic tray

Gospel & Gumbo

Gospel and Gumbo is a fundraiser featuring local food, fare, and music that benefits the Michael E. Green Prescription Fund for St. Joseph Medical Clinic. The clinic is a non-profit organization that provides much needed medical care to the indigent. Levin Papantonio sponsors the event, usually held every other year, and provides staff to help host it.

Habitat for Humanity – Playground

Camshire Meadows is a Habitat for Humanity neighborhood in West Pensacola, where the children do not have a playground. Levin Papantonio donated several thousand dollars to the Homeowner's Association's fundraising efforts to build one, so children would not have to play in the street.

Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build

Attorneys and employees with Levin Papantonio raised $8,500 and donated their time to build two homes for local homeowners, as part of the Pensacola Habitat for Humanity Women Build project. Two teams, made up almost entirely of women, including attorneys Rachael Gilmer and Kim Adams, were excited to be a part of the effort. One of the homes was for a single mother, Adele McCormick and her son, who had been living in a one-bedroom apartment before moving into their new Habitat home.

Law Week Free Legal Clinic

Legal Services of North Florida provides free, annual legal clinics to those who can't afford it, with the help of local litigators. Levin Papantonio attorneys Virginia Buchanan and Justin Lusko often take part in the clinic, volunteering their time and expertise to help people with a variety of legal problems.

Levin Center for IHMC Research

The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition opened the new, state-of-the art research facility "Levin Center for IHMC Research" in 2016, named for prominent and successful attorney and businessman, Fred Levin. Mr. Levin donated $1 million for the $8 million expansion, which allowed the IHMC to consolidate their research facilities, including the award-winning robotics lab. The Levin Center for IHMC Research provides ground-breaking and innovative research in variety of fields including robotics and economics and enables partnerships that connect Pensacola and Northwest Florida to the world.

Manna Food Drive “Fill the Mayflower”

Each year our firm helps collect food for our local food pantry. Manna is especially near and dear to the paralegals at our law firm as it was our local paralegal association (Northwest Florida Paralegal Association) who helped create Manna.

March of Dimes Mission Healthy Baby

Military families sacrifice so much to serve our country. Levin Papantonio sponsored and provided gifts for the March of Dimes, Military Baby Shower, July 2017, in Navarre. More than two dozen families received a variety of care packages and other items to help with their growing families.

Military Night at the Wahoos Stadium

Levin Papantonio sponsored Military Appreciation Night at the Blue Wahoos Stadium, where Pensacola’s local baseball team plays.

Out of the Darkness Walk

Levin Papantonio regularly sponsors the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, "Out of the Darkness" Walk. The event raises awareness and funds that allows the AFSP to conduct new research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss.

Project Formal

Levin Papantonio employee Taxie Lambert experienced the unimaginable loss of her daughter to domestic violence. Out of her tragedy, she formed Project Formal, which provides free formal wear to high school students to ensure all students have the opportunity to enjoy school-sponsored events, no matter their household hardships, trauma, and other challenges.

RAM Event

Nearly one thousand people received free medical, dental, and vision care at the Pensacola Remote Area Medical Clinic held at Pensacola High School in December, 2017. Levin Papantonio donated generously to the event with time, money, and volunteers to help get much needed medical care to those who could not normally afford it.

Real Men Wear Pink

Attorney Peter Mougey and his wife Katrina helped raise awareness thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society's Real Men Pink campaign, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Katrina Mougey is a breast cancer survivor and each year the Mougey family volunteers to promote early detection, prevention, research, and patient support.

Ronald McDonald House

Levin Papantonio attorney Kim Adams and her staff volunteer cook a meal for families at the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola. The charity is a home away from home for children and families suffering a medical crisis and the home cooked meals help provide a source of respite and comfort. Fred Levin has also donated $50,000 to the organization and in 2021 the Levin Papantonio sponsored the organization’s fundraiser, Casual for Kids event.

Southern Youth Sports Association

The SYSA is a Pensacola non-profit organization dedicated to developing the full potential of disadvantaged children by meeting their academic, social, and physical needs through sports, education, and personal encouragement. Over the years, Levin Papantonio has provided significant financial and volunteer support to help advance the mission of SYSA.

Special Olympics Florida

Our law firm and employees have donated money and time to the Northwest Region, Special Olympics Florida. The mission of Special Olympics Florida is to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people with intellectual disabilities who wish to participate, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

The Arc Gateway

Levin Papantonio is a proud supporter of The Arc Gateway, an organization that provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Three of our attorneys have served on the non-profit’s Board of Trustees. We have supported Arc events annually and in 2019, the firm not only sponsored their primary fundraiser, Wreaths of Joy, our production team also volunteered to produce a promotional video showcasing their services and programs. The Arc Gateway’s purpose is to provide the best possible life experiences for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing life-enhancing programs that help people with developmental disabilities reach their full potential and realize their dreams.

Theophalis May Resource Center at Legion Field

Levin Papantonio partners—including the late Fred Levin, Mike Papantonio, and others—contributed generous donations to fund the construction of the $2.7 million community center. The center is focused on building leadership skills, instilling hope, and developing brighter futures for local kids.

University of West Florida

Attorney Fred Levin has a longstanding history of generosity toward the University of West Florida. In 2018, he gifted his waterfront estate, "Tanglewood," as well as much of the art work, furniture, and other valuable collectibles inside the palatial home. The total value of the donation was more than $8 million, making it the largest gift by a living donor in the University’s history. Mr. Levin’s generosity to UWF began decades earlier when he gifted an endowed professorship in honor of his father, Abe Levin, which is now worth more than $400,000. In 2017, he gave $100,000 to support UWF football, as well as $550,000 to establish the Reubin O’D. Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies. The Institute furthers the University’s leadership in STEAM initiatives: combined applications of science, technology, engineering, art and math, and also creates a hub for students and faculty to work on innovative community projects to better prepare them for the workforce.

West Florida High School of Advanced Technology

Levin Papantonio funded scholarships to the Capstone program. Capstone is a project all 11th-grade students work on throughout the year, completing research, a technical paper, a product, and a presentation reflective of the academy in which they are enrolled. This is a cumulative project based on three years of specialized instruction in each student’s career academy.

WKRG Magical Christmas Toy Drive

Levin Papantonio sponsored WKRG's Magical Christmas Toy Drive, a partnership with Pensacola Salvation Army and Salvation Army of Coastal Alabama. The firm served as a drop off location for new and unused toys for local, needy children. Attorney Kim Adams and other firm staff went on a shopping spree with their own little ones to buy toys for the drive, helping to give more children a Magical Christmas. All presents donated in Northwest Florida benefit Pensacola area children.

YMCA Corporate Cup

Prior to COVID-19, the Levin Papantonio law firm had a team participating in the YMCA's annual Corporate Cup competition, held at the University of West Florida. Local businesses compete in a variety of events like egg toss, tug-of-war, and three-legged race to compete for the title of Corporate Cup Champion. The event celebrates health and wellness in the workplace.

YMCA of Northwest Florida

Attorney Fred Levin and his sister-in-law, Teri, donated $1 million to the construction of a new YMCA facility in Downtown Pensacola, in 2015. The state-of-the-art facility is now a center for health, wellness, and economic growth in the community and is named for the generous donors who made construction possible: the Bear, Levin, Studer YMCA.