Legacy Gala honors the trailblazing black lawyers of the ’80s
Legacy Gala honors the trailblazing black lawyers of the ’80s
Mark D. Killian
Editor
“Who are you, the defendant?”
That was the jarring question Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince recalled being asked by a judge during one of the first cases she handled after being admitted to the Bar in 1978.
“I had to take a deep breath, present my Bar card to the judge, and proceed with my case,” Justice Quince told those gathered at a Legacy Gala honoring the trailblazing black lawyers who were admitted to The Florida Bar in the 1980s. “But my mind was racing and asking. ‘How is he going to treat my client?’”
Much has changed since then, Quince said, noting that moving into the 1980s the complexion of the court system began to more reflect the changes that Florida’s first black lawyers had envisioned.
Nine years ago, The Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter National Bar Association released a book, “Florida’s First Black Lawyers (1869-1979),” as part of its continuing efforts to chronicle the rich history of Florida’s first black attorneys. At its Legacy Gala in Orlando June 16, more than 500 packed a ballroom for the release of “Florida’s First Black Lawyers — Volume 2 — 1980-1989,” which features biographies and photos of those admitted to The Florida Bar during that time period.
The cover of Volume 2 includes powerful imagery of a black hand carrying a torch, representing the trailblazers “carrying forth the strong legacy, rich history, and experiences passed down from ‘Florida’s Firsts’ featured in Volume I,” said June C. McKinney, an administrative law judge from Tallahassee, who was also instrumental in the project.
“We acknowledge these individuals as trailblazers because of their pioneering contributions to Florida’s legal landscape,” McKinney said. “Their accomplishments have become the change that ‘Florida’s Firsts’ sought.”
1989, The Florida Bar had approximately 44,000 attorney members, but fewer than 700 of them were black.
VHFCNBA President Ashlee Pouncy, an assistant county attorney in the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office, said her generation proudly stands on the shoulders of the 395 trailblazers profiled in the book who were not afraid to craft legal careers that best suited them, despite often being rejected or the only minority on the board, in the law firm, in the courtroom, or on the bench.
In the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek’s ballroom, guests gathered for a celebratory dinner, dancing, and story-telling while two large screens flanking the stage displayed the pictures and stories of the honorees. Once the main program began, some of “Florida’s Firsts” who were recognized nine years ago, introduced the newest trailblazers by categories, which was then followed by a multimedia video tribute on the big screens.
Justice Quince introduced the “Champions of Justice,” those black lawyers admitted in the ’80s, who went on to serve on the bench, including:
• Judge Mary Scriven, admitted in 1987, the first black woman to serve in any capacity on the federal court in Florida and the second to serve on the federal court in the U.S. 11th Circuit.
• Judge Joyce Williams, admitted in 1982, the first black woman appointed to be a county judge in the First Circuit.
• Judge James Ruth, admitted in 1985, who became Duval County’s first elected black judge. A JAG officer, Ruth was also the first Florida judge deployed to a combat zone during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“Not only should our courts be fair and impartial, the courts must also appear to be fair and impartial,” said Quince, who will be retiring in January and also received a Judicial Icon Award from the VHFCNBA. “There is nothing more disconcerting than for litigants to walk into a courthouse and see no one that looks like them.”
H.T. Smith of Miami presented the “Bold Problem Solvers,” black lawyers who went to work inside the “power centers” of Florida and the United States — the Legislature, the military, and bar associations, such as:
• U.S. Air Force Col. Will Gunn, admitted 1986, the first ever chief defense counsel in the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions, where he supervised all defense activities for detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison camp selected for trial before military commissions.
• Dianne Gaines, admitted in 1980, the first black lawyer elected to The Florida Bar Board of Governors. She also chaired the Southern District of Florida’s Judicial Nominating Commission.
• Eugene Pettis, admitted 1985, was sworn in as the first black president of The Florida Bar in 2013.
• Daryl Jones, admitted in 1988, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate. He also retired from the Air Force Reserve as a colonel and now chairs Farm Share, an organization that distributes about 100 million pounds of food annually to Florida’s poor and hungry.
As a Vietnam combat veteran, Smith said it was a source of pride to watch the young lawyers of the 1980s enter the legal ranks of the military.
“They put an emphatic stake into the heart of the big lie that black lawyers were less patriotic, less competent, and less accomplished than their white counterparts,” Smith said.
T.J. Cunningham, Sr., introduced the “Self-Starters,” those who worked to create their own opportunities, such as:
• Gwendolyn Alexis, admitted in 1982, who started her own law firm specializing in wills and estates in Chester, New Jersey. She has maintained her practice for more than three decades, even while serving as lead instructor for business ethics at Monmouth University.
• Don Stephens, admitted in 1986, a partner and co-founder of Olds & Stephens. He and his partner, Lonniell Olds, are among the few black-owned law firms in Palm Beach County, and has been successfully practicing for 25 years.
• Dorothy Mae Walker, admitted in 1981, was the first black woman to open a law office in Belle Glade and was elected the town’s youngest commissioner at the age of 24.
“There has always been a tradition of black entrepreneurial spirit in the black legal community as a result of prior discrimination,” Cunningham said. “Throughout history, black lawyers often had to create their own opportunities to achieve success or to sustain their livelihood.”
Retired Judge Emerson Thompson presented the “Servant Leaders,” those who work for nonprofits, government agencies, and public interest law firms, including:
• Pamela Brown, admitted in 1984, the first black general counsel for the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer, ensuring the District of Columbia government centralizes its information technology and telecommunications systems.
• Cynthia Everett, admitted in 1982, who began her career as an assistant state attorney in Dade County and was the first black women appointed a division chief.
• Don Isaac, admitted in 1984, who spent his entire career with Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc., in Ft. Myers, including serving as executive director, the first black person to hold the position.
“When I began my career in the early 1970s, there were very few opportunities for black lawyers in the private sector,” Thompson said. “Majority law firms would not even interview black law students, so many sought jobs in the public sector.”
Sen. Arthenia Joyner, the fifth black woman lawyer in Florida, and the longest practicing black woman lawyer in Florida history at 49 years, presented lawyers who work in the corporate sector, in higher education, and for majority law firms, including:
• Juliet Roulhac, admitted in 1988, who for the past 18 years has worked for Florida Power & Light Company, where she now serves as the regional manager for corporate external affairs. She was also the first black president of the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar.
• Marilyn Holifield, admitted in 1980, the first black lawyer hired by Holland & Knight; first black partner at the firm; and the first black female partner at any major firm in Florida.
• Hubert Grimes, admitted in 1981, the first black circuit judge in the Seventh Circuit. Upon his retirement from the bench, he was hired to develop the Center for Law and Social Justice at Bethune-Cookman University and subsequently becoming university counsel and most recently being named interim president.
“In a state as diverse as Florida, the individuals selected for key roles whether in corporations, majority law firms, or universities offer a mirror to us and our future,” Joyner said. “Infusing these leadership positions with people of color, especially, those grounded and trained in the law, means diversity is widened, understanding is broadened, and recognition is deepened.”
Janeia Ingram, the book’s research chair, said there now exists two “amazing anthologies” that chronicle the largely untold history of black lawyers in Florida.
“To all of our trailblazers, thank you for carrying the torch for these lawyers that follow you and for passing it on so that we can carry and continue to carry it forward for legal generations to come,” McKinney said.
