Adkins Award
The Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar is proud to bestow its highest honor, the James C. Adkins Award, upon Joel D. Eaton of Miami.
Joel D. Eaton of Miami
Joel was a giant of the profession. One of Florida’s premier appellate lawyers, Joel was known for his profound intelligence, beautiful writing style, and encyclopedic knowledge of cases. Colleagues and opponents alike respected him because he treated them all with respect and maintained a reputation for honestly reciting the record and the law. His death in January 2024, at age 80, was a great loss for Florida and the appellate bar.
A consummate professional, Joel served following his graduation from Yale University as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, flying 150 combat missions during two tours in Southeast Asia. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he joined Podhurst Orseck in 1975 and took over the firm’s appellate department just three years later. Over the next half-century, Joel’s appellate work took him to all of Florida’s appellate courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, and the Supreme Courts of Florida and the United States. Along the way, Joel’s cases established many important precedents in tort law.
Joel was also known for his service to the legal community. He published articles, co-founded the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, served two terms as a member of the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions for Civil Cases, worked on the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law of Torts (Third), and chaired the Florida Bar’s Appellate Court Rules Committee. He often flew his single-engine airplane to work obligations around the state.
No doubt, Joel Eaton was an example to appellate lawyers everywhere. The Appellate Practice Section is proud to honor him.
John R. Hamilton Pro Bono Award
The Appellate Practice Section presents its annual pro bono award, the John R. Hamilton Pro Bono Award, to Khairiya C. Bryant of Orlando for her dedicated pro bono service.
Khairiya C. Bryant
Over the past three years, Khai has devoted more than 350 hours to pro bono service, primarily through the Appellate Practice Section’s partnership with the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program (GAL). Khai has briefed 10 appeals, impacting 17 children in the dependency system. Because of her pro bono work, two of the children Khai helped were legally adopted by their grandmother. Khai is a consistent volunteer for the GAL and a dedicated advocate for giving kids a safe, secure future.
The Appellate Practice Section is thrilled to honor Khairiya Bryant for her exceptional pro bono service.
