Fourth Circuit honors 236 attorneys for their pro bono service
Aaron Irving of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Samantha Howell of Three Rivers Legal Services, keynote speaker retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince, and Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Steven Fahlgren at the 2025 William A. Van Nortwick, Jr. Presentation of the Pins Ceremony held April 25 at the Duval County Courthouse.
Attorneys in the Fourth Judicial Circuit were honored for their pro bono service at The William A. Van Nortwick, Jr., Presentation of the Pins Ceremony, an annual luncheon recognizing lawyers who contribute 20 or more hours of pro bono service as part of their commitment to access to justice.
This year’s event honored 236 attorneys from Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties, and was held April 25 at the Duval County Courthouse. Each attorney received a letter of appreciation from the Florida Supreme Court in addition to a lapel pin.
Retired Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Peggy Ann Quince was the event’s keynote speaker. Justice Quince has been an ardent pro bono advocate throughout her legal career spanning five decades, notably supporting Florida Funding Legal Aid’s One Campaign. In 2024, Justice Quince, who was the first Black woman to serve on the Florida Supreme Court, received the FFLA Medal of Honor Award recognizing her legal and judicial career in service to the public and her dedication to equal justice for all.
The ceremony is named for the late William A. Van Nortwick, Jr., a Jacksonville attorney and retired member of the judiciary who passed away in 2019. A champion for equal justice and pro bono legal services, Van Nortwick was a recipient of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award, the inaugural Florida Chief Justice’s Distinguished Judicial Service Award and FFLA’s Medal of Honor. During his career, he chaired The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, he served as a member of the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice established by the Florida Chief Justice in 2014, and he served as board president for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Florida Legal Services, and FFLA.
Circuit Judge Steven Fahlgren, who served as program emcee, encouraged attendees to remain committed to pro bono work through local legal aid organizations. Judge Fahlgren formerly served as JALA board president.
The annual Presentation of the Pins Ceremony is organized and hosted by the Fourth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, chaired by Judge Fahlgren and the Jacksonville Bar Association Pro Bono Committee, which is co-chaired by Laura Boeckman of the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville, Samantha Howell, Three Rivers pro bono director, and Aaron Irving, director of pro bono at JALA.
The event was sponsored by Akerman, Farah & Farah, Marks Gray, McGuire Woods, Fisher Tousey, and Spohrer Dodd law firms, with Duval County Courthouse administration staff providing assistance. For the second year in a row, Akerman covered the costs of the lapel pins for the entire Fourth Circuit.
Following the luncheon and keynote address, the honorees were greeted by members of the federal and state judiciary.
Those interested in getting involved with pro bono work may visit https://www.jaxlegalaid.org/pro-bono/ or send an email to [email protected].
