Law Firm Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith Supports Animal Rescues
Tina is a four-year-old terrier mix. She misses her four-legged friends who have found forever homes, but she is also happy for them. She hopes someone will eventually adopt her as well, although she has been rejected time and again.
Tina is blind, but what she lacks in vision she certainly makes up for with a huge heart. She has a lot to give. One local law firm is determined to find Tina, and other dogs like her, a forever home.
Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith is dedicated to giving back to the communities it serves. The personal injury law firm, with 11 lawyers and four local offices, including one in Wellington, still abides by the moral directive of its founder, Joe Lesser.
In 1927, Lesser founded the firm by opening an office in West Palm Beach. He believed in providing excellent representation for the firm’s clients — that was a given. Lesser also believed strongly in giving back to the community, noting, “In the time we have on this earth, we have the opportunity and obligation to make a difference in some way.”
One of the many ways in which the firm tries to make a difference is through its Paws for Patriots campaign. Longtime Wellington resident and law firm partner Mickey Smith is particularly proud of this initiative.
“This program is a partnership with Big Dog Ranch Rescue,” Smith said. “We seek to place dogs from the ranch, ages two and up, with veterans and first responders. The law firm has committed to paying the adoption fee for 100 such placements.”
What he loves about the Paws for Patriots initiative is that he is unsure who benefits the most from it. “Anyone who has ever had a rescue animal knows that the emotional tide quickly turns,” said Smith, who has had several rescue animals through the years. “Initially, we feel the rescue was fortunate to find us. We soon come to realize, though, how truly fortunate we were to find the rescue. That’s a universal truth.”
The initiative began in November 2017, and there are still openings for interested veterans and first responders.
Paws for Patriots grew out of another partnership with Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Every Dog Deserves a Home. Smith said he is extraordinarily proud of firm partner Glenn Siegel’s tireless work with the local nonprofit, and with Every Dog Deserves a Home specifically.
“Glenn created this program,” Smith said. “Every month, the firm uses its social media clout to place the spotlight on a dog that is harder to adopt because of factors such as age or physical disability. Since the program began in May 2017, 27 dogs have been showcased and 21 have been adopted.”
For his part, Siegel humbly calls it “a labor of love.” Every Dog Deserves a Home is also an ongoing program, with the law firm again paying the adoption fee. The firm’s goal is to find a forever home for all of its sponsored dogs, including Tina.
The law firm has been involved in other projects for animals in the western communities. For example, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith sponsored a room at Big Dog Ranch Rescue that is painted in a courtroom motif. Earlier this year, the firm sponsored the Rotary Club of Wellington’s Kevlar for K9s raffle that raised money to buy Kevlar protective vests for PBSO K9s.
Smith believes that the firm’s affinity with these animal-related projects arises from the personal injury work that is the firm’s focus.
“We fight insurance companies all day long on behalf of individuals and families who are suffering,” he explained. “Our heart is with the underdog and trying to make things better.”
Smith added that the law firm has been very impressed by the tireless work done by the animal rescue groups in the western communities, but they cannot do it alone.
“It is vitally important that local businesses and professionals leverage both their dollars and their contacts to help support these deserving groups,” he said. “After all, Wellington is known worldwide because of its connection with horses, and the local economy certainly benefits from that connection with animals. It’s only fair that we give back to less fortunate animals right here in our midst.”
For more info., contact Smith at msmith@lesserlawfirm.com or (561) 655-2028.
