BLES is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, or literary purposes, including but not limited to, (1) foster bankruptcy legal education in the Middle District of Florida; (2) provide attorney representation to qualifying persons seeking bankruptcy protection on a pro bono basis in the Middle District of Florida; and (3) organize and sponsor other public service projects relating to the practice of bankruptcy in the Middle District of Florida, to the extent that such purposes qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
The BLES foundation receives funding from a myriad of sources. Following its incorporation in 2012, BLES received start-up funding by way of generous contributions from the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association, the Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association, the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Association and the Southwest Florida Law Association. Sustaining funding is derived from unclaimed funds in chapter 11 Bankruptcy cases utilizing the Local Rule, a portion of the attendee fee for seminars sponsored by the various bar associations in the Middle District of Florida, an approved recipient for sanction awards at the election of the donor and from generous donations.
Sample Language: “Pursuant to Local Rule 3021-1(a), any distributions to holders of Allowed Claims that remain unclaimed after 120 days following any quarterly distribution, shall be re-distributed to the following not-for-profit organization: The Bankruptcy Law Education Series Foundation, Inc.”
