2017 Law Commencement Program

7 D istinguished H onoree C ommencement S peaker James E. C. Perry, J.D., served as the 85th Justice to the Florida Supreme Court fromMarch 2009 until his retirement in December 2016. Prior to Florida Governor Charlie Crist appointing him to the state Supreme Court, Perry served as a circuit judge and chief judge in Florida’s 18th Judicial Circuit. When Governor Jeb Bush selected him in 2000, Perry was the first African American appointed to the judiciary in the 18th Circuit. In appointing Perry, Bush noted Perry’s “high level of professionalism, knowledge, and skill” and his commitment to community service. As an attorney, Perry served as a senior partner in the law firm of Perry & Hicks, where he specialized in civil and business law and was widely recognized for his legal skills. In addition to his service in the legal arena, Perry played an active role in improving the lives of children. As founder and president of the Jackie Robinson Sports Association, Perry built a baseball league serving 650 at-risk boys and girls–the largest in the nation. In addition to his work with children, Perry served as captain of the Heart of Florida United Way Campaign, and his firm served as general counsel for the Florida Chapter Branches of the NAACP. Perry has received numerous honors and awards. Those include the Florida Memorial University 2014 President’s Award; the 2014 North Brevard County Branch NAACP Award of Appreciation, the Seminole County NAACP Humanitarian Award, the Orange County Chapter NAACP Paul C. Perkins Award, the 2014 Key to the City of Titusville Award, the 2005 Martin Luther King Drum Major Award for Social Justice, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Orlando’s Urban League. A native of New Bern, North Carolina, Perry’s hometown honored him with the key to the city in 2004. The United Negro College Fund selected him as one of four honorees to be profiled for its national broadcast, An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence . Also, the Brevard County and Seminole County bar associations gave him the prestigious Williams-Johnson Outstanding Jurist of the Year Award in 2006. Perry is the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Stetson University College of Law, and is a frequent speaker at schools, churches, and civic organizations. He has delivered the commencement address at several universities, including his alma mater, Saint Augustine’s University, where he is a member of the Board of Trustees. He has been a member for more than 30 years of the Carter CME Tabernacle Church of Orlando, where he is a former member of the Board of Trustees. Perry earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1972 and his B.A. in Business Administration and Accounting from Saint Augustine’s University in 1966. Prior to attending law school, he served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army.