Awards & Scholarship Program

CLAUDE PEPPER AWARD

The Florida Bar Claude Pepper Outstanding Government Lawyer Award is presented to government lawyers with at least 10 years of service whose character and accomplishments exemplify the highest ideals of government service. The award is named in honor of Claude Pepper, a Florida attorney, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Congressman who advocated on behalf of the people and represented the highest ideals of government service through 12 presidential administrations. Recipients are well-rounded lawyers, whose importance to their agency or employer is irrefutable. The nomination deadline is April 15.

Nominee must be a member of The Florida Bar in good standing and currently a practicing government lawyer, who has provided legal services at least 10 years in full-time government employment. The nominee should exemplify the highest ideals of dedication, professionalism, and ethics in service to the public. The nominee should have made outstanding contributions in providing legal services for the public interest. (Elected officials or judges currently serving in that capacity are not eligible.)

Nominations are reviewed by the Claude Pepper Award Nominations Committee, which selects semi-finalists to be submitted to the Claude Pepper Selection Committee. The recipient of the award will be chosen by the Selection Committee, which is composed of the president of The Florida Bar, the chair of the Government Lawyer Section, and the chair of the Claude Pepper Award Nominations Committee. Additionally, two other members from the Government Lawyer Section Executive Council will be selected as alternate members of the Nomination or Selection Committee, who will only vote in the event of a conflict of interest of one or more members of a committee.

A “conflict of interest” is presumed and the committee member must recuse him or herself if one or more of the following factors occurs:

member is the employer of the nominee;
member is the employee of the nominee;
member is a co-worker of the nominee; or
member is a relative of the nominee.

“Relative” for the purposes of this procedure means any nominee who is the father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law of the committee member.

If a question arises as to the applicability of this provision, it shall be referred to the chair of the Section for resolution. If the question relates to the applicability of this provision to the chair of the Section, it shall be referred to the chair-elect of the Section for resolution.

Selected nominees from the two previous years will be “rolled over” and eligible to be considered for the current award.

2023 - A. Bryant Applegate
2022 - Dennis Moore
2021 - Abigail Price-Williams
2020 - Cedell Ian Garland
2019 - Chief Judge Robert S. Cohen
2018 - Julie Waldman
2017 - Richard Jay Weiss
2016 - Mary Ellen Clark & Mary Jewel White
2015 - Clarke Jennings
2014 - Charles M. Fahlbusch

2013 - Col. Joseph Bradshaw, Jr.
2012 - Michael J. Alderman
2011 - Stephanie Daniel
2010 - John S. Slye
2009 - Gerald B. Curington
2008 - Patricia R. Gleason
2007 - Judson M. Chapman
2006 - W. Anthony Loe
2005 - Jack Shreve
2004 - Sheryl Wood
2003 - William B. Hammill
2002 - Denise M. Nieman

• 2001 - Deborah K. Kearney
• 2000 - George Lee Waas
• 1999 - James A. Peters
• 1998 - Jorge L. Fernandez
• 1997 - George B. Barrs
• 1996 - Anthony C. Musto
• 1995 - Joseph Lewis, Jr.
• 1994 - Irene M. Quincey
• 1993 - Enoch “Jon” Whitney
• 1992 - John J. Copelan, Jr.
• 1991 - Chriss Walker

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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Lifetime Achievement Award is the Government Lawyer Section’s highest honor for long-term public servants, and is presented only when the section deems it appropriate – not necessarily annually.

Past Recipients

2014 - Bob Graham
2008 - Peggy Quince
2005 - Tom Tedcastle
2002 - Bob Butterworth
1996 - Janet Reno

DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

The Distinguished Public Service Award, presented at the midyear meeting, recognizes dedicated government lawyers typically with at least five years of public service whose recent contributions to the profession and the community deserve special recognition.

At least one and no more than six lawyers may be recognized. Evaluation criteria includes: government position attained, tenure, accomplishments and impact over time; recognition by fellow professionals, media, and the general public; and participation in other professional and community organizations and activities. All persons nominated for the Claude Pepper Award are automatically considered for the Distinguished Public Service Award, although nominators may supplement the application.

Tina Furlow received the 2016 Distinguished Public Service Award.

Past Recipients

2016 - Tina Furlow

Doug MacLaughlin

2007 - Geri Atkinson-Hazelton

2007 - Norman A. Blessing

2007 - John D. Maher

2007 - Robert Whaley

ROBERT A. BUTTERWORTH PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

If provided for in the annual budget, the Awards Committee may, on an annual basis, award one scholarship to a rising third year law students of an ABA-accredited law school with a demonstrated interest in government service in Florida and a stated need for financial assistance.

The scholarship is open to rising third year law students. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in public service and have a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average at the time he or she submits the application. The overall academic achievement of each applicant will be a considered in awarding the scholarship. Applicants must also describe a need for the scholarship, though tax records and other financial documents are not required.

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must complete the scholarship application form with the following attachments:

Official law school transcript,
Resume,
500-word personal essay that describes your commitment to and motivation for pursuing a career in public service.
At least one letter of recommendation from an individual familiar with the candidate’s public service background and aspirations, and
Legal writing sample.

Applications are due May 31.

The scholarship consists of a $1,000 stipend that may be used for law school tuition, course materials or other law school-related expenses. The scholarship recipient will also receive a plaque to be presented at the summer meeting of The Florida Bar and a student membership to the Government Lawyer's Section for the year immediately following the award of the scholarship.

The scholarship recipient will participate in Section activities, including interacting with executive council members, attending Section meetings, and submitting an article for publication in the "Voice."

The Awards Committee will review all submitted applications and recommend a winner to the Government Lawyer Section chair. The award winner will be announced no later than 14 days after the applications are due.

Awards & Scholarship Program

CLAUDE PEPPER AWARD

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Past Recipients

DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Past Recipients

ROBERT A. BUTTERWORTH PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

The Government Lawyer Section of The Florida Bar