ALUMNI SUCCESS
SLAA RECOGNIZES ALUMNI FOR SERVICE AND DEDICATION
T
he Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association (SLAA) presented awards on June 18, 2020, to six individuals who have made a positive impact in the community and supported Stetson University College of Law.
Outstanding Alumni Representative Award Lori Baggett, J.D. ’02, received this award, which is designed to recognize dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association through involvement in local alumni activities, for her membership on the SLAA Board, hosting many alumni events, serving on the BLSA Reunion planning committee, and establishing the Baggett Family Scholarship Endowment.
Distinguished Service Award This award is presented to a non-alumnus in recognition of their significant, meritorious and continuing contributions to support Stetson Law. To honor the life and memory of her late daughter, Meredith E. Level, a 1994 graduate of the College of Law, June Level established the Meredith E. Level Endowed Scholarship that provides financial resources to a second-or third-year female student at Stetson.
Ben Willard Award This award recognizes an alumnus who expends that extra effort to prevail for the benefit of the citizens of Florida and whose humanitarian achievements have brought distinction to themselves and Stetson. Joseph W. Landers, Jr., B.A. ’64, J.D. ’70, spent an early part of his legal career serving as aide to Florida Secretary of State Tom Adams and then chief Cabinet aide and principal environmental adviser for Gov. Reubin Askew. In 1974, he was appointed executive director of the Internal Improvement Fund (the state land management agency), and then first secretary of the newly established Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Later, Landers agreed to serve as interim executive director of the Florida Department of Natural Resources. He left government in 1979 to join a Tallahassee law firm before co-founding his own firm, Landers and Parsons. He resigned from his law practice to create a niche
patient finance company, USMed. Ten years later, JPMorgan Chase purchased the company and named Landers CEO of ChaseHealthAdvance. He retired in 2007.
Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award This award recognizes an alumnus for showing continued support for Stetson through the contribution of both time and gifts. Seymour Gordon, J.D. ’60, taught classes at Stetson Law as an adjunct professor and served as an alumni mentor for 1L students. He helped organize a joint 50-year reunion for the Classes of 1959 and 1960. Gordon and his wife have established an endowed scholarship. He practices in the area of real estate, commercial law and estate planning.
Distinguished Alumnus Award This award goes to an alumnus who is recognized as being outstanding in his chosen profession and for his service to humanity, which has brought honor to himself and Stetson. State Rep. Chris Sprowls, J.D. ’09, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2014. In his first session, he passed legislation to assist craft breweries and reform the Public Service Commission, and a bill to protect property owners from losing their homes at the hands of out-of-state corporations. He was re-elected in 2016 and is the first Stetson Law alumnus to serve as the Speaker of the House.
President’s Award This award is presented to the outgoing president of the SLAA in recognition of their term of service. During Amy Rigdon’s, B.A. ’05, J.D. ’08, term as president, she led the board through a time of unprecedented change, including welcoming a new dean and the transition from classroom instruction to online learning in response to COVID-19. She also led the board in developing new fundraising initiatives and created a series of events to encourage student leaders to remain involved following graduation. Rigdon is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Latham & Watkins.
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