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Awards & Recognition

ABA-EPA Climate Challenge Partner: Our commitment to “going green”

Marks Gray was awarded the title “Law Office Climate Challenge Partner” through the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge is intended to promote “green” practices in law offices through the implementation of specific environmental initiatives. Over 100 law offices have qualified to participate as ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge Partners or Leaders.

Women of Influence

Shareholder Giselle Carson was recently awarded the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Woman of Influence award showcasing her current involvement in the community and success in her immigration law practice at Marks Gray.

Diversity Award

Our firm was honored as Legal Provider in the 2009 Jacksonville Business Journal’s Diversity Awards ceremony. This award highlighted the assistance we provide various minority-owned businesses in the Jacksonville area, including TTV Architects, the business that nominated us for the Diversity Award. In addition to providing legal services for minority-owned businesses, our attorneys are also involved in multicultural organizations around the city; including Giselle Carson who is president of the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“AV” Rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Over half of the attorneys at our firm have been given an “AV” rating from their peers; which means they were deemed to have very high professional ethics and pre-eminent legal ability. Only lawyers with the highest ethical standards and exceptional qualifications receive a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.

Florida Super Lawyers

Jeptha F. Barbour, a shareholder at the firm, was named to the Top 100 list in the 2009 Florida Super Lawyers® magazine. The Top 100 lists the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the 2009 Florida Super Lawyers nomination, research and blue ribbon review process. Victor M. Halbach, Gerald W. Weedon, Nicholas V. Pulignano, Jr., William M. Corley, Jeptha F. Barbour, Allison H. Hauser and Marianne Lloyd Aho were also named by Florida Super Lawyers magazine as some of the top attorneys in Florida for 2009. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers and our firm is proud to have over one quarter of its attorneys on the list. Additionally, Giselle Carson and Paul E. Bueker have been named to the 2009 Florida Super Lawyers - Rising Stars list and Allison H. Hauser will also be listed in the Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition under Workers’ Compensation.

2010 Best Lawyers®

Four of our attorneys were named to the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers®:

Jim Rinaman has been listed in Best Lawyers® for over 20 years, with his first appearance on the list in 1989.

2009 Florida Trend Magazine’s Florida Legal Elite

Allison Hunnicutt Hauser appeared as one of only six attorneys in Florida on the Florida Trend Magazine’s 2009 Florida Legal Elite list in the Workers’ Compensation category. In addition, Jeptha F. Barbour and Gerald W. Weedonwere also named to the list in their respective categories: Mr. Barbour under Civil Trial and Mr. Weedon under Business Law.

Jacksonville’s Healthiest 100

Marks Gray received the bronze level award for worksite wellness during the City's 2009 inaugural fitness and well-being conference at the University of North Florida. Attorneys and staff at Marks Gray participate at many levels of physical activity. Giselle Carson, a shareholder at the firm, is a spirited triathlete and avid cyclist. She has competed in a number of triathlons and has cycled all over the globe. Fred Kent and Susan Erdelyi, both shareholders at the firm, are enthusiastic runners. Attorneys and staff members alike participate in a number of local physical activities such as the Ortega River Run, the Gate River Run and the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure and attend in-house nutrition and wellness seminars sponsored by the firm.