SkylawSRQ connects potential clients to attorneys.
By Nic Steinig
Original Air Date: April 29, 2026
Host: Got an eviction notice? A legal support program run by Sarasota County recently launched an initiative to connect locals with affordable lawyers. The program arranges a one-time fee of $125, for one hour with a lawyer. Nic Steinig reports.
Nic Steinig: If a person faces criminal charges under state or federal law, the Sixth Amendment guarantees their right to a public attorney and a fair trial. However, in non-criminal civil cases—whether someone is being sued or bringing a lawsuit—they must pay for their own lawyer and any additional costs. A large number of important conflicts are resolved in civil law, including tenant disputes, child support, guardianship, and small claims, to name a few.
Yet, given the high rates charged by many private law firms, individuals often decline to pursue civil cases or choose to represent themselves in court, which carries inherent risks for those unfamiliar with the law.
The Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center| Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court website
The Sarasota County Law Library launched the program SkylawSRQ in early March, which intends to connect individuals seeking legal counsel with lawyers at a more affordable rate. The program offers a one-time $125 fee in exchange for one hour of consultation with a lawyer of appropriate legal background.
WSLR spoke with Judge Charles Williams, who helped found the program as a member of the Sarasota County Law Library board. Here’s what he had to say.
Judge Charles Williams
Charles Williams: The genesis of this—judges really encourage litigants—people that come in front of them—to have lawyers. Many times, they have very viable causes of action, but because they’re not trained in the law, they just miss opportunities. So this provides people who really do need lawyers an opportunity to at least consult with a lawyer to help them with their case.
NS: When asked how they determined the $125 rate, here was his response.
CW: There are lawyers in this town that charge $700, $800, $900 an hour for consultations and representations. $125 really is really sort-of a compromise between the attorney giving what could be $800 worth of time for this discounted rate—I can tell you this: There’s not an attorney in town that charges $125 an hour. But at the same time, it gives the attorney some good faith that the client is serious about the possibility of engagement. If they decide that they want to retain the attorney, then they can negotiate their rate, and it’s up to the attorney what that rate may be.
NS: Lawyers who choose to participate in the program receive the entire $125 fee when they meet with a client. Individuals are paired at random with a lawyer of relevant background to their case from the pool of participating lawyers.
When Judge Williams was asked why the program matters from the perspective of someone who serves from up on the bench, he had this response:
Sarasota County courtroom
CW: To me, coming into a courtroom without a lawyer is like trying to treat yourself without a physician if you have an illness. The judge isn’t allowed to treat the person who’s unrepresented any different than the person who’s represented. And so that person has a distinct disadvantage. And they may have a very good case, but because they don’t have a lawyer representing them, they either lose the case or they become discouraged. And so this program is something that we think protects the public by allowing them the opportunity to make certain that when they go into a courthouse, they are protected in terms of their legal rights.
NS: When asked whether an hour is sufficient to provide legal advice, Judge Williams said that, although it depends on the case, even a single hour could be enough to orient someone to the proper channels of action to pursue. It could also inform someone of the potential risks associated with pursuing a specific case, such as being counter-sued. He indicated that the most common cases that go unrepresented and often result in unnecessarily poor outcomes are tenant eviction cases and childcare cases.
According to the program’s manager, Bailey Smith, over forty lawyers have signed up for the program in just over a month. They cover most areas of civil law, including family, estate and business law but aren’t able to assist with criminal cases.
The Judge H. Lee Haworth Self-Help Center helps coordinate this program and also assists in connecting low-income and vulnerable persons to free, grant-funded pro bono legal representation. For those seeking a briefer meeting, the Florida Bar also offers 30-minute consultations for $25. This new program intends to expand this service by bridging the gap between those who earn too much for pro bono but still can’t afford a private attorney. Those interested can find more information on the Judge H. Lee Haworth Self-Help Center website.
Reporting for WSLR News, Nic Steinig.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.