The Appellate Practice Section is now accepting nominations for our two most prestigious honors: the James C. Adkins Award, presented to a member of The Florida Bar who has made significant contributions to the field of appellate practice in Florida, and the John R. Hamilton Pro Bono Award, presented to a member of The Florida Bar who has made significant contributions to pro bono efforts in appellate matters.
These prestigious awards will be presented at the 2026 Florida Bar Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Please send all nominations to Amy Walker, Section Program Administrator, at Ajwalker@floridabar.org and include a brief summary of why the nominee satisfies the factors for this year’s award.
All nominations must be received by May 1, 2026, for consideration.
The James C. Adkins Award shall be presented to a member of The Florida Bar who has made significant contributions to the field of appellate practice in Florida. The selection of each year’s recipient shall be made by a committee appointed by the chair of the Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar. The committee shall accept nominations from any individual and may also nominate candidates on its own. Among the factors the committee shall consider in evaluating nominations are (1) the extent and nature of experience in the field of appellate practice, either as a practitioner, a member of the judiciary, or both; (2) service to the Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar; (3) other service to The Florida Bar in matters relating to appellate practice; (4) other professional activities relating to the field of appellate practice; (5) publications relating to the field of appellate practice; and (6) any other factors that the committee deems appropriate. The committee shall give such weight to each of these factors as it deems appropriate.
John Hamilton was a Board Certified Appellate Specialist with Foley & Lardner and pro bono advocate. He dedicated over 2,500 hours to the OCBA Legal Aid Society, along with handling appeals for the Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society and Harbor House. His many recognitions include the New Attorney Award of Excellence from the Legal Aid Society of the OCBA, the Award of Excellence for the Legal Aid Society of the OCBA, the Edward C. Smith Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award from the Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society, the Judge J.C. “Jake” Stone Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid Society of the OCBA, The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for the Ninth Judicial Circuit and the Appellate Practice Section’s Pro Bono Award in 2008.
The Section presents its John R. Hamilton Pro Bono Award to a member of the Section who has devoted significant efforts to pro bono appellate matters, whether civil or criminal.
