Holly R. Skolnick

Skolnick, Holly R, passed away Sunday, June 23, after a courageous battle with melanoma. She was surrounded by her husband, daughter, parents and loving friends. Holly was born and raised in New York City. While in high school, Holly's teachers called her parents to encourage them to send Holly to college following her junior year. She did and went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1976. It was in Wisconsin that she met and fell in love with her husband, Richard Strafer. She later received her law degree from Harvard Law School in 1980. Her parents took great pride in telling people that their only daughter never graduated from high school but that she had a Harvard Law degree. Holly and Richard were married in 1980 and had one daughter, Jordan. Holly loved to read and travel. She was a great photographer and amassed a unique and impressive collection of photographs. Holly was a fabulous athlete who could often be seen biking with Richard on the weekends or traveling in Europe, South America, British Columbia and Alaska for bike trips. She raised money for charities participating in bike rides for MS and AIDS research, pedaling from Miami to Key Largo and across New York. She also loved hiking on trails out West with friends on vacation. She began her legal career in Washington D.C. as a staff attorney at the Public Defender's Office. She later clerked for the Honorable Eugene P. Spellman. After that clerkship, she and Richard decided to call Miami home. She began her career as a lawyer in Miami in 1984 and later joined Greenberg Traurig where she practiced for more than 20 years, enjoying a brilliant career as one of the community's top litigators. Throughout her legal career, Skolnick was also driven by a passion for giving back to her community and seeking justice for those who could not afford legal representation. For years she served and was recently appointed as the President of the Board of Directors for the Americans for Immigrant Justice, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting and promoting the rights of immigrants through a unique combination of free direct services, impact litigation, policy reform and public education at local, state and national levels. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Miami Science Museum and was excited about its new home in Downtown Miami. At Greenberg Traurig, she chaired the firm's Pro Bono initiative and was President/Founder of the Greenberg Traurig Fellowship Foundation. Since Holly started this venture in 1999, the program has sponsored nearly 100 Equal Justice Works Fellows in 38 cities across the United States. She received numerous awards and recognitions while at GT, including being listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White Collar; Litigation, 2005-2013; Chambers USA Guide, 2004-2013; and South Florida Legal Guide "Top Lawyers in South Florida," 2004-2005, 2010-2013. During her career as a lawyer she was involved in many high profile matters, including the pro bono representation of Sonia Jacobs. That case went on to become a TV movie and later a play, The Exonerated. Holly is survived by her husband, Miami attorney Richard Strafer, daughter, Jordan; and parents, Esther and Danny Skolnick. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Sunday, June 30, 2013, in Miami at the Gusman Hall at the University of Miami, with a reception immediately following at the Law School. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Holly's name to the Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miami. AIJ has created the Holly Skolnick Humanitarian Fellowship in her honor (www.aijustice.org)