The Jacksonville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association recognized Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger and attorney Darcy Galnor for their service to the community at the 15th annual Spirit of Giving awards luncheon Dec. 10 at The River Club.
U.S. District Judge Brian Davis presented the awards.
The association recognized Galnor for her service on the Criminal Justice Act Panel and her representation of indigent defendants in federal court.
A former assistant state attorney and assistant public defender in the 4th Judicial Circuit, Galnor is in private practice at Galnor Shumard P.A.
She is one of only two women lawyers practicing in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, who is board certified in criminal law by The Florida Bar, Davis said.
Schlesinger was selected for the civil law Spirit of Giving Award for his 50 years of service to the public and the court.
“He has gone above and beyond,” Davis said.
Since beginning senior judge status in 2006, instead of retiring, Davis said Schlesinger has maintained a full caseload and mediated cases including the racial discrimination lawsuit brought by members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and a class-action Constitutional challenge filed by death row inmates in Florida prisons.
“Judge Schlesinger brings a special gift to mediation – patience,” Davis said.
Keynote speaker Nina Waters is president of the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
It is Florida’s largest and oldest community foundation and awarded $60 million in grants in 2020.
Waters said the foundation’s mission is to stimulate philanthropy to build a better community.
“Philanthropy is not just about money, it’s about increasing the well-being of humankind,” Waters said.
Forms of capital that support philanthropy include social capital that helps build and maintain networks, such as Bar associations and civic clubs. Moral capital is leveraged when someone or an organization takes a stand to help alter the public conversation about a controversial issue, Waters said.
Reputation capital can be wielded to promote public trust in new ideas and organizations, such as when a corporation or law firms helps sponsor an event.
“Intellectual capital helps the community better understand issues so issues can be addressed,” Waters said.
She encouraged chapter members to consider how they can contribute to philanthropy and improve conditions in the community.
“There is a lot of capital in this room. My hope is for you to find new and meaningful ways to deploy it in 2022,” Waters said.
