Florida Supreme Court Justice James E.C. Perry will address Stetson University College of Law graduates on Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. at 1401 61st St. S. in Gulfport. Justice Perry, who assumed office in March 2009, is only the fourth African-American justice to serve on Florida’s high court. In 2000, he was the first African-American judge appointed to Florida’s 18th Judicial Circuit.Justice Perry has a history of dedication to civil rights work, youth mentoring and civic activity. As founder of the Jackie Robinson Sports Association, Justice Perry built the nation’s largest baseball league for at-risk youth. Perry worked for an economic development corporation in Seminole County's African-American community before going into private law practice.
Perry has received numerous awards for his community contributions, including the Seminole County NAACP Humanitarian Award, the Orange County Chapter NAACP Paul C. Perkins Award, and the 2005 Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Award for Social Justice. Perry was one of four individuals profiled in the 2005 United Negro College Fund’s national broadcast of An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence. His hometown of New Bern, N.C., gave him the key to the city in 2005. The Brevard and Seminole County Bar Associations presented Perry with the 2006 Williams-Johnson Outstanding Jurist of the Year Award. For more information, please see Justice Perry's Florida Supreme Court bio page.
This semester’s graduating law class includes 11 students who have earned a joint J.D./M.B.A. degree and nine part-time students who have earned a J.D. degree. LL.M. degrees will be presented to eleven students. Eight students are earning their LL.M. in elder law and three in international law.
Members of the December graduating class include the following:
- Derrick Connell is a member of the team that won the national American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition. He also won the Victor O. Wehle Award for Trial Advocacy and was a winner at the E. Earle Zehmer Moot Court Competition and the AAJ Yerrid Civil Trial Competition.
- Dr. Adam Levine is completing his part-time law degree. He is currently dividing his time between working as an obstetrician, gynecologist and reproductive endocrinologist and in a law firm.
- Jennifer Morris McPheeters served as executive editor of the Stetson Law Review, receiving the Law Review’s Outstanding Editor Award. She also earned the Leadership Award and Darby Award and was a member of Stetson’s successful Moot Court Board.
- Aisha Sanchez was a winner at the 28th Annual John Marshall Law School International Moot Court Competition in Information Technology and Privacy Law, was named Best Oral Advocate at the Florida Bar’s International Law Section Pre-Vis International Moot Competition and received the Moot Court Award of Excellence for her outstanding dedication to advocacy.
- Traci Wain is receiving Stetson’s Academic Merit Scholarship after placing on the Dean’s List four semesters in a row. She also serves as articles and symposia editor of the Stetson Law Review.