The Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division has selected Chief Judge Manuel Menendez Jr. of the 13th Judicial Circuit as the Outstanding Jurist of 2002.
Judge Menendez is the recipient of one of five awards presented by the Bar’s Young
Lawyers Division.
The winners will be recognized June 21 during the Bar’s annual meeting.
The other winners:
• Orlando attorney Diego “Woody” Rodriguez, the 2002 Lynn Futch Most Productive Young Lawyer Award. Rodriguez is an assistant state attorney for the Orange County Attorney’s Office.
• The Palm Beach County Bar Association Young Lawyer Section’s Adopt-A-School Project was selected as the Most Significant Single Project for 2002.
Since its inception, the project allowed for more than 200 children at Palm Beach Public to receive new school supplies in August 2001. The Young Lawyers also funded and organized a field trip in April 2002 to Jupiter, Florida’s Bush Wildlife Sanctuary, a Read-With-Me Literacy Day and a Career Day.
• The 2002 Diversity Award will go to the 11th Judicial Circuit, Office of General Counsel. The award recognizes law offices and similar entities that demonstrate the highest morality and respect for all persons and for efforts and allegiance to creating diversity and promoting a diverse workplace.
• The Michael K. Reese Quality of Life Award recipient is Ft. Myers attorney Vicki L. Sproat. Sproat joined Henderson Franklin in 1980 and eventually became the firm’s first female stockholder.