by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
For even casual followers of current events, the odds are that this isn’t the first time they’ve seen Hank Coxe’s name in newsprint.
The partner at Bedell, Dittmar, DeVault, Pillans & Coxe has generated one of the highest profiles in Northeast Florida’s legal community without ever putting his face on a billboard or phonebook.
It sometimes seems like any purveyor of newsworthy mischief has Coxe on speed-dial. His recent headline-grabbing clients include a public works official charged with fraud, one of the accused accomplices in the beating death of a University of Florida student and family members of the victim in a current St. Augustine murder trial.
Coxe’s profile will take another uptick Friday when he’s sworn in as president of the Florida Bar. But Coxe said in an interview Friday that he doesn’t seek the spotlight; we get a great deal of our work from referrals from other attorneys,” said Coxe. “If you think about why some of these cases attract attention, it’s because of the defendant’s station, or because of unique circumstances. They call their attorneys and ask what to do, and their lawyers know we have experience dealing with these situations.”
Attorneys all over the state who might be familiar with Coxe’s front-page photos, will likely become face-to-face familiar with him over the next year. The Florida Bar president’s travel itinerary is usually a full one. Coxe said he’s already been hit with as many as three appearance requests for a single day.
Outgoing president Alan Bookman’s precedent didn’t do Coxe any favors.
“I’m coming in on the heels of someone who did more in terms of visiting local bars (associations) than anyone I’ve seen,” said Coxe.
Like the overwhelming majority of past Bar presidents, Bookman practiced in Civil Courts. Coxe will have to juggle his travel schedule with the less-forgiving schedule of a criminal defense attorney. While schedules for civil proceedings can often be worked out among cooperative lawyers, criminal trials are harder to schedule.
“People usually don’t schedule their arrests ahead of time,” noted Coxe. “And it almost never happens Monday through Friday between 9 and 5.”
Without the added responsibilities of the presidency, Coxe said his typical work week easily surpasses 60 hours. It will take cooperation from his family, partners and the State Attorney’s Office to balance his work with his commitment to the Bar, he said.
He knows his firm will be supportive. Coxe will be the third Bar president with a name on the Bedell firm’s letterhead.
“When I joined this firm, I understood it was under the premise that part of my job is helping advance the profession,” he said.
Coxe resisted requests in the past to lead the Florida Bar. His work and family commitments were too great. Finally, last year he got the go ahead from wife Mary, a graduate of Duke law school.
“She actually brought up the suggestion that I do it. It surprised me a little bit,” said Coxe.
Coxe is counting on technology to keep him in closer contact with his family and clients during his presidency. Cellular phones, Blackberries, wireless Internet and laptop computers should allow him to balance his obligations to the Florida Bar with his professional and family commitments, he said.