by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
“I hope they pick a better lawyer than last year.”
The comment was issued with a grin to those at Jake Schickel’s table at the Jacksonville Law Day Luncheon Friday. It was a joke and no slight to previous winners. Rather, it was a playful hint toward what everyone at the table already knew except Schickel — he was about to be named the Jacksonville Bar Association Lawyer of the Year.
Daily Record publisher Jim Bailey took the podium and began to list the merits and accomplishments of the lawyer of the year. Smiles and glances shot toward Schickel and he finally caught on.
“Apparently they knew,” said Schickel of his luncheon neighbors. “After they got a few words into who it was, I realized that it fit me fairly well.”
Nominated by his peers and selected by committee, Schickel and his quiet legacy of community involvement finally received well-deserved recognition.
“It’s cool to have your partners recognize you,” he said. “They’re the ones that know, probably more than anybody else, what you’re doing. As I’m out and about, I’ll have people come up to me and say, ‘Golly, Jake, I didn’t know you were involved in so many things.’ I never tried to be real vocal about it. I’d rather get in and do my thing and help to the extent that I can in different areas. It was cool that they did that.”
Schickel’s resume and list of accomplishments reads like a compilation of several people. He is a partner with Coker, Myers, Schickel, Sorenson, Higginbotham & Green, P.A., where he has practiced since 1977. Before that, he worked as an assistant state attorney for five years. He is board certified in civil trial law and workers compensation with The Florida Bar, a certified civil trial attorney with the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a certified civil trial mediator with the Florida Supreme Court.
Schickel served on various committees of The Florida Bar. He is a member of The Florida Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors, the American Bar Association and the Jacksonville Bar Association. He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, president of the Jacksonville Defense Lawyers Association, adjunct professor with the Florida Coastal School of Law and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy.
While Schickel’s involvement with professional associations helped him enhance his career, his civic involvement helped him win the award.
Schickel has earned respect from JEA’s managing director and CEO Walt Bussells as a member of JEA’s board of directors.
“He is a rare individual who combines a sharp and inquisitive intellect, high personal respect for the rule of law and the obligation for service from each of us for the common good,” said Bussells. “He has a good and caring heart.”
Schickel’s professionalism has not gone unnoticed as a member of the Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Governors.
“Jake is one of the most versatile, energetic and committed leaders with whom it’s been my privilege to work,” said Wally Lee, president of the Chamber of Commerce. “He has provided incredible leadership in the areas of economic development and education and workforce development. We are fortunate to have someone of his talents as a leader at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.”
His resume of community involvement continues. He has served as vice president for the Alliance for World Class Education, president of the Sertoma Club, president of the Alumni Commission of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a member of the University of Florida Law of Trustees.
Schickel is a Jacksonville native and attended the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1970 and his law degree in 1972.