Shutts & Bowen LLP is pleased to announce that Sarasota partner John Patterson was recently appointed Chair of the Innocence Project of Florida.
John, who has been a member of the board of directors since 2019, originally became interested in IPF following a presentation on lineups and eye witness identification in criminal cases, which highlighted how problematic these identifications can be, even if best practice protocols are followed.
“As I learned more, I became increasingly aware of the problem of convictions of factually innocent people,” said John. “It happens more often than is generally recognized.”
The Innocence Project of Florida is a nonprofit organization founded in 2003 that helps innocent prisoners in Florida obtain their freedom and rebuild their lives. Besides the research and legal work, the Innocence Project of Florida also provides transitional services to help freed individuals get on their feet and create stability in all aspects of their lives. Services range from helping pay for dental work to assisting with job training and education to finding suitable housing. The nonprofit receives nearly 1,000 requests for assistance each year from inmates and their families. In the last year, the Innocence Project of Florida has freed four innocent people, reuniting them with their loved ones.
"Stepping into the role of Chair of the Innocence Project of Florida is a humbling moment—each case is a reminder of the human cost of injustice for the wrongly convicted,” said John. “We have much work to do in exonerating the factually innocent, helping them transition to a free society, and seeking to reduce the occurrence of wrongful convictions. But we’re making progress, and I look forward to continuing to do so."
About John Patterson
John Patterson is a partner in the Sarasota office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Corporate Practice Group. John is a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney with over 50 years of experience. A former litigator and appellate lawyer, John regularly represents clients in commercial real estate, business, and financing matters in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, hotels and resorts, retail, marinas, personal storage, mobile home parks, and real estate development.