September 18, 2012

Contact:
Rick Goldstein
352-273-0650
goldstein@law.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three distinguished graduates of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Lucius Durham Battle, Rebecca Bowles Hawkins and Gerald A. Williams, will be inducted posthumously Friday into the Heritage of Leadership Society. The ceremony is 3:30 p.m. in the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center, 1714 SW 34th St.

The event is closed to the public, but media are invited to cover the ceremony.

Battle, Hawkins’ and Williams’ images, along with their most significant accomplishments, are etched into glass on the second floor of Holland Hall on the law school campus as a permanent tribute to their contributions to the nation, the state and the university. An electronic display accompanies the etchings.

Battle, 1918-2008, was a 1946 graduate of UF Law. The Dawson, Ga., native reorganized State Department operations in the 1960s and was chosen by President Lyndon B. Johnson as ambassador to Egypt and as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs.

Hawkins, 1910-2000, graduated in 1935 and continued to blaze paths for women as the first assistant attorney general of Florida in 1948. The native of Big Sandy, Tenn., served as the long-time chief of the Attorney General Office’s Opinions Division. She served as president of the Florida and National Association of Women Lawyers.

Williams, 1950-2010, was a 1975 graduate born in Pensacola. He was a labor lawyer and counsel for major South Florida school districts, including Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. He was among the first African-American graduates of UF Law and in 1992 became a managing partner of Atlanta-based Mack, Williams, Haygood & McLean, one of the largest African-American-controlled firms in the country.

Battle, Hawkins and Williams join 29 others in the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society, representing illustrious personalities in the history of the University of Florida College of Law since it was founded in 1909. Members are pre-eminent graduates and others who have been involved in the college in very significant ways. They assumed national leadership positions and distinguished themselves in legal, governmental, academic and corporate sectors. They labored to improve the administration of justice and received the highest commendations for contributions to the profession and service to education, civic, charitable and cultural causes.

Members of the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society are selected by the Heritage of Leadership Committee, which presents the slate for discussion and approval to the full membership of the University of Florida Law Center Association, Inc. Board of Trustees.

Cason, once a partner with the Florida-based law firm Holland & Knight, and Kibler III, who served as the firm’s chairman from 1983 to 1995, will be inducted into the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom (Holland 180).

Cason and Kibler’s images and a few of their most significant accomplishments are etched into glass on the second floor of Holland Hall as a permanent tribute to their contributions to the nation, the state and the university. An electronic interactive display accompanies the glass etching.

The event will be sponsored by Holland & Knight.

Kibler, 1924-2009, served as second lieutenant during World War II in Europe where he was a forward artillery observer and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was a tireless advocate of higher education and served as chairman of the Board of Regents, governing body for Florida’s university system.

Cason, 1924-2010, served during World War II in the Pacific Theater, was chairman of the Law Center Association Board of Trustees, director of the UF Athletic Association and president of the UF Foundation. He was a State Road Board member, Tampa city attorney, Hillsborough County attorney and senior partner with Holland & Knight.

Cason and Kibler join 27 others in the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society, representing illustrious personalities in the history of the University of Florida College of Law, since it was founded in 1909. Members are pre-eminent graduates and others who have been involved in the college in very significant ways. They assumed national leadership positions and distinguished themselves in legal, governmental, academic and corporate sectors. They labored to improve the administration of justice and received the highest commendations for contributions to the profession and service to education, civic, charitable and cultural causes.

Members of the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society are selected by the Heritage of Leadership Committee, which presents the slate for discussion and approval to the full membership of the University of Florida Law Center Association, Inc. Board of Trustees.

Contact:
Rick Goldstein
352-273-0650
goldstein@law.ufl.edu

Atkins was known as defender for those who were less fortunate as well as a passionate supporter of the legal justice system. His achievements in this arena included advocating for the rights of the homeless, upholding the rights of Cuban and Haitian refugees to lodge petitions in U.S. courts, and working for the desegregation of public schools. Atkins’ academic career began at the UF, where he earned a degree in law in 1936.

In 1941, he joined law school classmate Bill Lantaff (JD 36) at Casey & Walton in Miami, where he worked for the next 25 years and became a name partner. Practicing as an active trial lawyer in the areas of corporate, real estate, railroad and insurance gave him the foundation for his exceptional 33-year career as a federal judge.

Atkins was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as the judge of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, and served as the chief judge of the district from 1977 to 1982. President Jimmy Carter recognized his willingness to serve others by appointing him to the National Commission for the Review of Antitrust Laws and Procedures from 1978 to 1979. Atkins presided over thousands of cases and was known by many for his astute judgment, fairness, impartiality and commitment to the law.

“If he’s convinced it’s guaranteed by the Constitution, he is fearless,” the late Chesterfield Smith (JD 48) once said of Atkins’ commitment to law. “He doesn’t care if it’s unpopular. He’ll stand alone.”

Some of Atkins’ most publicized cases included presiding over the desegregation of Dade County schools beginning in 1969 and continuing jurisdiction for more than 25 years; a ruling allowing Allen Ginsberg, a poet who was denied his freedom of expression when the chief of police turned off his microphone, to give another reading free of charge; the action brought by the Justice Department seeking to prevent Florida Power & Light from building the Turkey

Point nuclear power plant in Dade County; and a wildcat machinist strike at National Airlines, in which he refused to reinstate striking machinists after they disobeyed his injunction to return to work to allow the airline to resume operations. Atkins also presided over serious drug cases that earned his district court a national reputation as one of the finest in the 1970s.

In the 1990s, Atkins ruled against both the Bush and Clinton administrations’ policies to repatriate Cuban and Haitian refugees housed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 1992, he ruled on arguably his most influential case involving the homeless in Miami. He ordered the creation of “safe zones” for the area’s homeless to congregate without the threat of police arrest. Much of the nation’s subsequent attitude to rehabilitate the homeless through training and the creation of shelters was influenced by this decision.

Over his illustrious career, Atkins received numerous public service awards, including being named as a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Paul VI, having the University of Miami’s Moot Court named in his behalf, and being honored with the National Conference for Community and Justice Distinguished Community Service Award. Atkins died in 1999.

McCarty (pictured right) graduated from law school in 1941 and immediately went into private practice with Liddon & Fee in his home town of Ft. Pierce, Fla., focusing on general civil practice. His civil practice duties were cut short when he was called to active combat duty in the Army during World War II, where he served in the Pacific theater of operations, earning the Bronze Star while commanding the 292nd Joint Assault Company of the 77th Infantry Division, and taking part in the amphibious landings on Guam, the Phillipines, and Okinawa, as well as the original occupation of Japan.

Upon returning from the war in 1945, he established his own law practice and began to put his maturity and leadership skills to work to pave the way for a truly exceptional career.

In 1948 and 1952, he served as campaign manager and chief of staff to his brother, Florida Gov. Dan McCarty, which enabled him in 1953 to play a key role as part of a small group that lobbied for and implemented the legislation to establish the College of Medicine at UF. In 1957, McCarty was appointed judge of the 9th Judicial District, and served as a circuit judge until his resignation in 1959, when he mounted an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 1960. He was elected to the Florida Senate in 1962 and reelected in 1966. McCarty also was a member of the influential 1968 Constitution Revision Commission, which allowed him to participate in the last major changes to Florida’s Constitution, which established the state’s modern-day judicial system.

For more information, contact Jim Hellegaard at 352-273-0652.

Gainesville, Fla. — Four of the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s most distinguished alumni — two chief justices of the Florida Supreme Court, a president of the American Bar Association and member of the U.S. House of Representatives — have been selected for induction into the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society.

“The society is the law school’s highest mark of distinction for preeminent graduates who assumed leadership positions on national and international levels,” said Dean Robert Jerry. “These individuals distinguished themselves in remarkable ways and it is a true privilege to honor their accomplishments.”

Justice Ehrlich and the families of the other three inductees, who are accepting posthumous awards, will be recognized at an April 8 banquet, which also will be attended by members of the college’s Law Center Association Board of Trustees and Law Alumni Council.
The Class of 2005 inductees are:

• Charles Bennett, a 1934 graduate, was Florida’s longest serving congressman and the second longest-tenured member of the House when he retired in 1993 after 44 years. He sponsored legislation that created the House Ethics Committee and Americans with Disabilities Act and made “In God We Trust” the U.S. motto. Bennett became the second-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee and chaired the investigative committees that oversaw the Watergate and Abscam scandals.
• Raymond Ehrlich, a 1942 graduate, practiced law for 35 years before serving on the Florida Supreme Court for a decade, including as chief justice. He was appointed special counsel to U.S. Sen. Bob Graham in 1991 and received the Florida Bar Foundation’s Medal of Honor of Award in 1993 for outstanding contributions to the administration of justice, including his work to automate courts, assign law clerks to circuit judges, promote alternative dispute resolution, and defend judicial independence.
• Richard Ervin, Jr., a 1928 graduate, was elected three times as attorney general of Florida, serving with five governors from 1949 to 1964. He is credited with desegregating Florida schools with a minimum of friction and launching a drive to rid the state of illegal gambling. As a Florida Supreme Court justice from 1964 to 1975 and chief justice in 1969 and 1970, Ervin wrote countless opinions in support of the rights of the individual, especially the “poor and disadvantaged.”
• Chesterfield Smith, a 1948 graduate, founded one of the largest law firms in the country, Holland & Knight. As chairman for almost three decades, he led the way in hiring women and minorities and encouraging pro bono work. In 1973, he served as president of the American Bar Association and challenged President Richard Nixon during the Watergate investigations. Smith received numerous honors including the ABA Medal from the Board of Governors, American Civil Liberties Union’s Nelson Poynter Award, and the Laurie D. Zelon Pro Bono Award, presented by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society was officially activated in 2003 with the induction of 12 men, who collectively served as five chief justices, two governors, two Florida Bar presidents, two U.S. senators, two university presidents, two law school deans and one U.S. district court judge.

“The UF College of Law has served Florida and the nation for almost a century and has a rich legacy of educating men and women who demonstrate a lifelong dedication to education, civic, charitable and cultural causes,” Jerry said, “Throughout their careers, they brought distinction to their families and our law school, and they set the standard for all of us.”

Sidebar:
Nominations Sought for Leadership Society

The University of Florida Levin College of Law and its Law Center Association Board of Trustees are accepting nominations for 2006 inductees into the Heritage of Leadership Recognition Society through July 30.
Nominees must meet several criteria:

1. Be a graduate of the University of Florida College of Law or must have had direct involvement with the college in a very significant way.
2. Have demonstrated dedication to the principles of duty and service to the public, to the improvement of the administration of justice, and to the advancement of the science of jurisprudence.
3. Have been actively engaged in the profession as a practicing lawyer, judicial officer, teacher in the legal field, or through service in a capacity directly involving legal jurisprudence, or otherwise have made a major contribution of service to the public welfare.
4. Have been of high ethical character.
5. Currently only accepting nominations for posthumous awards.

A slate of inductees is selected by the Heritage of Leadership Committee, which presents the slate for discussion and approval to the full membership of the Law Center Association Board of Trustees.

Nominations should be sent to Scott Hawkins, who can be contacted at 561-626-4356 or shawkins@jones-foster.com; or to Kelley Frohlich, at 352-392-9296, frohlich@law.ufl.edu.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two Florida Governors and U.S. Senators, two college presidents and five State Supreme Court Chief Justices are among 12 graduates of the University of Florida Levin College of Law who will be inducted posthumously Friday in to a new Heritage of Leadership (HOL) Recognition Society.

Others to be named to the HOL by the school’s Law Center Association (LCA) include a distinguished U.S. District Court Judge and Miami-Dade County civic leader, first chairman of the old Florida Board of Regents, and a member of the Nazi War Crimes Tribunal at Nuremburg.

Induction ceremonies will be part of the law school’s annual Spring Reunion Weekend, with members of 11 of the inductee’s families on hand for the 4 p.m. event in Bruton-Geer Hall. Law school Dean Jon Mills and LCA officials will preside. Space honoring these and all future HOL inductees will be featured in the expanded law school complex on which construction is due to start this December.

“Since our founding more than 90 years ago, many of our more than 17,000 graduates have been among the nation’s leaders in law, business, education and government,” said Mills. “It is time to begin formally and permanently recognizing these outstanding UF law alumni who have done so much for their country, this state and our university.”

First inductees, with year of law school graduation, are:

• Alto L. Adams, 1921. First UF law graduate to become State Supreme Court Justice (1940), and Chief Justice (1949), and prominent farmer/rancher in St. Lucie County.
• James C. Adkins Jr., 1938, of Gainesville. Served as assistant attorney general, assistant state attorney, Circuit Court Judge and State Supreme Court Justice (1969-87) / Chief Justice (1974-76).
• Sidney M. Aronovitz, 1943. U.S. District Court Judge (Southern District of Florida) with distinction,1976-97, and prominent City of Miami and Miami-Dade County government official with multiple honors and awards for service to South Florida religious, educational and health organizations.
• E. Dixie Beggs Jr., 1931. Received multi-national citations for World War II coordination of Allied battle plans in Italy, was a 50-year civic leader in Pensacola, served as 1947-48 president of Florida Bar, and lead efforts starting in 1939 to codify what are now known as the Florida Statutes.
• Lawton M. Chiles Jr., 1955. Fourth generation Floridian who served 12 years in the state’s House and Senate, 18 years as a U.S. Senator, and the last eight years of his life as Florida governor. The enlarged UF law library, on which construction will start this December, is to be named in his honor.
• Harold B. Crosby, 1948. Circuit Court Judge, professor and assistant dean at UF law school, chairman of the Florida Endowment for the Humanities, founding president of University of West Florida and interim and second president of Florida International University.
• Spessard L. Holland, 1916. Polk County Judge, governor of Florida, U.S. Senator 1946-71, and founded a law firm in the 50s in Bartow that grew and merged to become Holland & Knight LLP, now among 15 largest law firms in world.
• Baya M. Harrison Jr., 1935. Decorated for actions in leading Japanese-Americans squadron in World War II, Tampa Bay / St. Petersburg civic leader, Florida Bar president and Board of Governors, and helped desegregate State University System as first chairman of old Board of Regents, 1960-64.
• Frank E. Maloney, 1942. Recognized internationally as water law expert, drafting Florida Water Resources Act of 1972 and Tennessee Water Quality Act of 1971, and served 12 years as UF law dean (30 years on the faculty) leading initiatives in 60s to build Holland Hall Law Center.
• Stephen C. O’Connell, 1940. Honored college athlete and student leader, 15-year practicing Broward County attorney, served 12 years on State Supreme Court and as Chief Justice in 1967, and lead University of Florida to national prominence during his six-year tenure as its president.
• Harold “Tom” Sebring, 1928. Head UF football/track/boxing coach while attending law school, Circuit Court Judge, member Nazi War Crimes Tribunal at Nuremburg, 12 years on State Supreme Court and 1951-53 Chief Justice, dean of Stetson University College of Law.
• Campbell Thornal, 1930. Orlando City Attorney nine years, Orange County Attorney, legislative aide to two governors, 15 years on State Supreme Court and 1965-67 Chief Justice, first chairman Florida Turnpike Authority, member Florida State Road Board, honored by four colleges.

Mills said selection of the 12 was by an appointed committee of UF law alumni headed by Jake Schickel of Jacksonville, with Marybeth McDonald and Judge Patricia Fawsett, Orlando; Andy Hall, Miami; Charles Pillans, Jacksonville; former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ben Overton and E.C. Deeno Kitchen, Tallahassee; Johnson “Buddy” Savary, Sarasota; and Professor Emeritus Roy Hunt of Gainesville.

Plans are for additional inductees to be added each spring.

Additional information and ceremony details:

• Kelley Wood, Alumni Affairs Office, 352.392.9296 / eMail: woodkm@law.ufl.edu
• Press Note: Advance copies of printed program notes about and photos of each inductee are available by contacting the Communications Office (352.392.9586 or eMail: wycham@law.ufl.edu)