Each year, the Florida Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (FLABOTA) presents the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award to one individual that has exemplified their selection criteria: being an excellent advocate with a distinguished career, having a superb reputation of high ethics and fair play, and having achieved outstanding results for his or her clients. A lawyer can only receive the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award once in his or her career. Part of the esteemed award includes a $5,000.00 cash donation to the law school of the recipient’s choosing.
Members of FLABOTA select the recipient of the award, and this year Jeff Garvin, of the Garvin Law Firm with offices in Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale, received the once in a lifetime honor. Garvin chose his alma mater and Jennifer Zedalils of the University of Florida College of Law was on hand to receive the cash portion of the award.
The Garvin Law Firm focuses their practice on personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death law. Garvin was a charter member of the local FLABOTA Chapter and is the immediate past president of the statewide organization. Garvin has been recognized for taking aggressive measures to help stop legislative initiatives that threatened to harm the Florida court system and impair the independence of the judiciary.
Garvin states, “While I have enjoyed leadership roles in both community and statewide organizations during my 37 years as an attorney, the Trial Lawyer of the Year award from FLABOTA means more to me than any award or acknowledgment I have ever received, and I am deeply honored by it.”
In addition to the Trial Lawyer of the Year, the Jurist of the Year Award was presented to the Honorable J. Thomas McGrady, Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, and the Fran Peacock Coker Community Service Award to Attorney Wayne Hogan of Jacksonville, FL. The attendee list for the evening included Chief Justice Charles T. Canady and Former Chief Justice Peggy A. Quince of the Florida Supreme Court, as well as, Circuit Judges and Trial Lawyers from around the state.
The awards were presented last Saturday July 23rd at the 14th Annual FLABOTA Convention at the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, FL.
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Jeffrey R. Garvin: Garvin has practiced law for over 35 years in the state of Florida, and is currently in practice with his son, Leland Garvin, with offices in Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale. The Garvin Law Firm focuses their practice on personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death law, in addition to, select criminal defense cases. Among many distinctions, Garvin has been included in the Best Lawyers In America ® from 2006-2011, and chosen as the top personal injury lawyer in Fort Myers for 2011. He is also listed in Florida Super Lawyers, as well as, Law and Leading Attorneys in Florida. Garvin has been a member of ABOTA for 14 years, and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the ABOTA Legislative Review Committee.
