Recognizing the contribution of lawyers to the community was the reason the Financial News & Daily Record “Lawyer of the Year” trophy was created. The 2012 recipient has contributed on a worldwide scale.
Part of The Jacksonville Bar Association’s annual Law Day celebration is the presentation of the “Lawyer of the Year” award, which was developed after Daily Record Publisher Jim Bailey received the first of two Liberty Bell awards recognizing the work of a non-lawyer in support of the legal community.
When Bailey received the award in 1983 he realized that there was not an award recognizing the contributions that lawyers made to the community and he set out to change that.
“(Lawyers) are part of the fabric of our community that truly makes a community grow. (The award) is not a Bar issue. This is about people giving back to our community,” said Bailey, during the Law Day Luncheon.
While most of the recipients have been recognized for their efforts in the local community, the 27th recipient was recognized for his efforts to bring Jacksonville to the world and the world to Jacksonville.
“This year’s recipient has inspired so many of us in so many ways, but not just locally. He has done this worldwide. People of Jacksonville are beneficiaries of what he has done to help globalize Jacksonville,” said Bailey.
George Gabel is the national litigation practice development partner and deputy section leader of Holland & Knight’s National Litigation Section, which has more than 400 lawyers in more than 20 practice groups.
Gabel previously served on the firm’s directors committee and as executive partner of the Jacksonville office. He is well-known for his passion to brand Jacksonville “America’s Logistics Center.”
He has been a strong advocate at the local, state and federal levels of government for the development of Jacksonville’s maritime and logistics industries. He has worked to support the Jacksonville Port Authority’s efforts to improve shipping lanes both through Mile Point and dredging projects.
Gabel serves on a long list of committees and boards to promote and improve Jacksonville, including the JAX Chamber as its international chair of the board of directors from 2004-12.
He has served on the Jacksonville International Business Coalition from 2005-12. He was on the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville executive committee from 2001-10. He founded the North Florida Logistics Advisory Group in 2010 and currently serves as its chair.
Gabel has been recognized with the “Maritime Person of the Year” by the Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Jacksonville, in 2011; “Volunteer of the Year Award” by the Florida Economic Development Council, Northeast Region in 2009; and the Tillie Kidd Fowler Leadership Award in 2008.
When presented with the latest honor, Gabel looked around the room and said he wasn’t different from most of his colleagues.
“This room is full of community volunteers trying to make Jacksonville a better place to live, which is a hallmark of those who are in the legal profession,” said Gabel.
Gabel has donated time to the development of children as well as business in North Florida. He also is involved with the Boy Scouts of America and served as its North Florida Council president from 1993-96.
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