Family and friends created a tribute for a former Jacksonville attorney and University of Florida graduate.
Allen L. Poucher Sr. would have been 93 this year and his son, Allen Poucher Jr., said he would have enjoyed the launch of the Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series Sept. 12 on the campus of the University of Florida.
“The topic was so timely and the panel was phenomenal,” said Poucher.
“It was a fantastic topic to have for the first lecture of the series,” he said.
More than 1,300 guests attended the event at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Florida.
A panel discussion featured retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Rosemary Barkett and Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince.
The topic was “A Conversation About Judicial reform.”
The panelists discussed the elimination of popular elections for judges and replacing elections with the federal system of appointing judges.
They agreed that it is difficult running a campaign and raising money from the same people that would appear before them in court representing clients.
They also discussed the difficulty of operating a court system with current budget restraints.
“It was a fitting tribute,” said Senior U.S. District Judge George Young, who was a friend of Poucher and attended the event.
Attracting O’Connor to the inaugural event will help organizers continue to host sought-after speakers, according to Levin College of Law Dean Robert Jerry.
“The speakers brought incredible experience to the program and when the Law Review asks for future speakers, they can say the first speaker was Justice Sandra Day O’Connor,” said Jerry, “which will help draw speakers.”
The Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series Fund was created in memory of Poucher, who died May 30, 2001.
It was created by Betty Poucher, Elizabeth Poucher Reynolds and Allen Poucher Jr. to provide support for a lecturer, professor, legal expert or expert panel to present an annual education event addressing relevant legal, political or business topics.
Poucher Sr. practiced law in Jacksonville with the firm of Knight, Kincaid, Poucher & Harris and he was a 50-year member of The Florida Bar.
Prior to his legal career, Poucher earned a business administration degree and juris doctorate from the University of Florida.
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