Stephen Pitel

A Jacksonville native, Stephen Pitel has dedicated his legal career to public interest work. After earning his law degree in Vermont, he joined Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) in 2015, first serving as director of the Fair Housing Unit and later becoming director of the Northeast Florida Medical-Legal Partnership (NFMLP) in 2019. In this role, Stephen works with medical partners—including Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, UF Health Specialty Pediatrics Clinics, and Community PedsCare®—to address civil legal issues affecting pediatric patients’ health. His practice spans housing, Medicaid benefits, and family law, with a focus on reducing burdens for families facing significant challenges. Stephen’s leadership has helped the NFMLP adapt and expand, even through the COVID-19 pandemic, improving referral systems and strengthening collaborations to better serve the community.