Lawyer congratulates client who once spent time in jail on his admission to the Florida Bar
Raymon Burns once dreamed of working at Sports Authority after his release from jail, but he has achieved much more.
Burns has gained admission to the Florida Bar, and it was Burns’ lawyer, Brian Tannebaum, who broke the news on Monday. “Today I drove to Palm Beach” to tell Burns the good news, Tannebaum wrote on Facebook. The Florida Bar took a screenshot of Tannebaum’s Facebook post, posted it on the bar’s Facebook page, and tweeted it under the hashtag #StoriesWeLove.
The story has gone viral. “In the five years I’ve been here,” says Florida Bar social media manager Danny Aller, “it’s probably our highest-performing post that we’ve ever had.”
Tannebaum said Burns didn’t think he would get the Sports Authority job. “He filled out the application and told them about his past and assumed he wouldn’t get the job, so he left with his mother and went and applied at Burger King where he heard he may have a better chance,” Tannebaum wrote on Facebook.
But Sports Authority called Burns back as he was walking through the parking lot of Burger King. The retailer gave Burns an interview and hired him. “Based on his intelligence and work ethic,” Tannebaum wrote, “his manager encouraged him to go to college.”
Burns followed that advice. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University and then earned his law degree at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, CBS 19 reports. Local10.com also has coverage.
Burns began working with the Palm Beach County Public Defender’s office in October, according to his Facebook page.
Tannebaum did not immediately respond to the ABA Journal’s request for comment. Burns told the ABA Journal in an email that the support of others helped him. “I am so appreciative of the support I have received—most of all from my wife who encouraged and supported me in pursuing my dream—and my lawyer, Brian Tannebaum, who made it all happen for me,” he said.
We're just going to leave this here without much comment.
— The Florida Bar (@TheFlaBar) November 27, 2018
After all, there's not really anything more we can add to what Florida Bar member @btannebaum has already (so eloquently) written.
Congrats to this young man. Truly.#StoriesWeLove ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aQ35gpLV0X
Story updated at 2:25 p.m. to add the quote from Burns.
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