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"It is always an honor to work a small percentage of my time with the staff at the Legal Aid Society that works tirelessly all year long to help not only the children that need guardians ad litem, but for anyone that needs legal help and cannot afford it. The things that they accomplish every day are what need to be recognized and celebrated by the Orange County Bar Association and everyone that lives in their service area. I hope that every member of the OCBA will join the Legal Aid team in helping those that need help."

Robert L. Dietz received his J.D. from J.D. Vanderbilt University and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1984. Robert Dietz has been with Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe since the firm formed in 1984. He has defended workers' compensation cases throughout the state of Florida. He was Board Certified by The Florida Bar in 1992 in workers' compensation law and became a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator in 1995. He has mediated over 1,300 workers' compensation cases.

Robert has been recognized by his peers in his selection to numerous national and state positions including National Chair of the ABA TIPS Workers' Compensation and Employer Liability Committee and President of the Florida Defense Lawyers' Association (FDLA) (the only workers' compensation practitioner ever elected). His induction as a Fellow of the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers in 2008 was only the second Floridian ever selected. He was also invited to join the International Association of Defense Counsel in 2005, and was the first Floridian elected to the national board of directors of the Association of Attorney-Mediators. He was also the 2008 recipient of the FDLA's Doug Lawless Mediation Award. He is currently the Florida state representative of the Defense Research Institute.

Robert has taken Guardian Ad Litem cases since 1986. He has represented more than 150 children in cases involving 1130 hours. The cases have often involved medical issues as complex as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, shaken baby syndrome, cocaine babies, and injuries including spiral fractures, and severe burns. In addition to abuse cases, he has had abandonment, child development, failure to thrive and parental endangerment cases.

Robert received the 1993 Legal Aid Award of Excellence, the 1996 Judge Thomas S. Kirk Legal Aid Society Guardian ad Litem of the Year Award, the 1996 FDLA Pro Bono Service Award, the 2008 5th Annual Semper Fidelis Award at the 27th Annual Dick Batchelor Run for the Children, and numerous certificates of appreciation from the Florida Supreme Court and the Orange County Bar Association Legal Aid Society.

He has worked through Civitan International's flagship project, the Civitan International Research Center, with the developmentally challenged. He began and assists in running a golf tournament that is held at the Civitan International Convention each year. Begun in 1992, the tournament has raised over $3 million for developmental disability research. The 2007 tournament was held here in Orlando at the Bay Hill Club and raised a record $306,000.

Robert is a member of the Community Leadership Council of the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families and serves on the boards of directors of Open House Ministries, a free health clinic and children's center in Homestead started after Hurricane Andrew, and Touching Miami with Love, a homeless ministry in Overtown that has expanded into a children's community program providing after school and summer programs, and a computer lab. He continues to work with youth by serving on the PTA/SAC Committe at Lee Middle School (where his wife of 27 years, Laura, teaches sixth grade math), refereeing girls lacrosse and youth basketball, and judging parliamentary law competitions on behalf of the National Association of Parliamentarians Central Florida Unit.

Robert and Laura have two children that are students at the University of Miami. They are active in the ministries of College Park Baptist Church. Robert served as the state moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2007-2008.