Hunton's Miami office celebrates its 20th anniversary by honoring the late Judge John D. Johnson

Reaching a 20th anniversary is a significant milestone. How one chooses to celebrate it requires reflection on the occasion. In view of this, Hunton Andrews Kurth wanted to return to the past to reaffirm the values and principles they still hold today.

History has a way of shaping us, hopefully for the better. But life lessons often come at great cost, and so the firm deemed it appropriate to remember someone who has left an indelible mark, not only on their profession, but society at large.

They chose to celebrate the Miami office’s 20th anniversary by recognizing the enduring legacy of black pioneer judge, the Honorable John D. Johnson (1913-2011), who broke down racial and social barriers.

“This year we celebrate 20 years in Miami, and we wanted to do so in a meaningful way,” said Miami managing partner, Juan C. Enjamio. “We felt that recognizing a pioneer like Judge Johnson, and showcasing an important piece of Miami’s history, would be a special way to demonstrate our commitment to the community and to honor those who had the courage to pave the way.”

In honor of Judge Johnson, a bust was commissioned from well-known artist, Brian R. Owens, and will be housed at the Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum in Overtown which has on display the African American experience.

The event was also held in conjunction with the Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation (KMMF) which raises funds for summer fellowships. It awarded a scholarship to Richard Perez, a KMMF fellow. “Commissioning the bust of Judge Johnson, as well as funding one of our KMMF fellowships, shows that Hunton recognizes our history and is committed to our future,” said John Kozyak, founder and managing director of KMMF. “Judge Johnson had an extraordinary legal career and his legacy lives on as we recognize the role he played in helping to break down racial and social barriers in Miami.”

Now, when anyone visits the museum and sees the bust of Judge Johnson, they will be reminded of the past and feel a sense of gratitude toward those who impacted their future.