Smith Banquet Honors Civil Rights & Legal Services Leaders
From bold acts of civil disobedience to innovative strategies for addressing the current justice gap, the 2026 William Reece Smith, Jr. Banquet was a moving exploration of how the law can transform lives.
Each year, the event honors two individuals who embody the values promoted by legendary lawyer Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. In his leadership of organizations from Florida Legal Services Inc. to the American Bar and International Bar Associations, Smith fought to expand legal services to those who cannot afford them. He was also a distinguished professorial lecturer at Stetson Law. This year’s banquet organizers honored former Florida State Senator Arthenia Joyner with its Lifetime Achievement Award, for her pioneering legal career rooted in Civil Rights Era activism. Pye Young, a 2005 alumna and managing attorney in Bay Area Legal Services’ St. Petersburg office, was honored with the 2026 Wm. Reece Smith Public Service Award.
Recognizing fearless leadership
Introducing Joyner, Law Professor Kristen Adams referred to her as “a trailblazer, a lawyer, a legislator, and a lifelong advocate for justice” and noted the former Florida Senate Minority Leader has practiced law longer than any other Black woman in Florida history.
“Where others might have been silenced, Senator Joyner was strengthened,” Adams said. “Some call her an activist. Others call her a pragmatist. All know that she is firm in her resolve to reflect positive change in our society.”
A return to campus
At the podium, Joyner said this was not her first time speaking at Stetson Law. In 1990, she was the first Black person to serve as the College’s commencement speaker. Thirty-six years later, she returned to honor the legacy of Smith, whom she knew through their shared profession and passion for equal justice.
“So, I’m home now,” she joked.
She recalled growing up in Tampa at a time when the Ku Klux Klan was a constant threat and her activism against segregation and other injustices, which included acts of civil disobedience that led to three arrests.
“That’s not a criminal record for me. It’s a freedom record,” Joyner said. “When your government is wrong, you have not just the right but the obligation to say so.”
The Florida A&M University alumna became the first Black lawyer to practice in both Polk and Hillsborough Counties in Florida. Elected to serve in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, including as Senate Minority Leader, Joyner championed civil rights, equitable justice, and opportunities for marginalized communities. She said the fight for progress never ends.
“I have lived 83 years on this earth; more than 50 years at the Bar,” she said. “And if there’s one thing I know, it is this: progress is never permanent. Every generation must fight for it. Over and over and over again.”
Joyner was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her tireless work. As she closed her lecture, she urged the law students and young lawyers in attendance to persevere against efforts to subvert the justice system.
“If you remember nothing else from what I’ve said this evening, remember this: the law is a living thing,” Joyner said. “It breathes through the people who practice it. It grows when we feed it courage and compassion. And it dies when we allow it to be captured by those who seek power over justice.”
Bridging the justice gap in Tampa Bay
The second honoree of the evening, Young was honored for her leadership and innovative approach to expanding legal services in Tampa Bay.
In her introduction, Law Professor Judith Scully said that while those accused of a crime are legally entitled to representation, people with other legal issues face fees ranging from $250 to $1,000 an hour. With a growing wealth gap in the US, more individuals lack access the legal support that would truly create equal justice under the law – which results in further injustice.
“Unfortunately, when people’s lives are not protected, inequality becomes entrenched and trust in the legal system begins to erode rapidly,” Scully said. “Consequently, addressing this justice gap should be of deep concern to all of us in the legal profession.”
Young’s work establishing legal clinics and medical partnerships at Bay Area Legal Services, Scully said, embodies the spirit of public service.
In her remarks, Young urged students in attendance to harness their legal expertise to help others, and to embrace pro bono opportunities the way they would billable hours.
“Some people feel that pro bono is free legal work,” she said. “But I submit to you that offering pro bono services and public service is much greater than a requirement of our profession. It is the very manifestation of why we seek to become attorneys in the first place.”
Invoking the namesake of the evening, Young said dedicating time and expertise to an important cause is one of the most fulfilling things a lawyer can do.
“I challenge each of you to find your inner William Reece Smith,” Young said. “Find your passion. Donate your time to a worthy cause and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who may not be able to afford legal assistance and legal representation. This is the call of our great profession.”
Post date: April 14
Media contact: Kate Bradshaw
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