Al and Maureen Hadeed recently donated $5,000 to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid in honor of Megan Wall, managing attorney of St. Johns County Legal Aid and recipient of the Leaders in the Law award presented in June by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL).
For more than 20 years, Wall has served as the managing attorney and pro bono coordinator for St. Johns County Legal Aid in St. Augustine. St. Johns County Legal Aid is the local office of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Wall describes Al Hadeed as “the lawyer who talked me into going to law school and persuaded me to become a public interest lawyer.”
Wall did just that, graduating from the University of Florida College of Law in 1991 and going on to work initially for Legal Services of Greater Miami and then Central Florida Legal Aid before joining JALA as a staff attorney in 2005.
Hadeed was the founding executive director of Southern Legal Counsel, a public interest law firm in Gainesville, and went on to serve for 27 years as county attorney in Flagler County. While he was busy in that role saving environmentally sensitive lands, acquiring and preserving the Princess Place Preserve, and converting Marineland into a University of Florida oceanic research facility, among many other accomplishments, he continued to keep tabs on Wall’s career in legal aid.
“Always encouraging, mentoring, advising and staying by my side throughout my career in legal services, Al has been my hero and my guide, and to receive this recognition from him and his amazing wife touches me beyond words,” Wall said.
In a letter accompanying their gift, the Hadeeds called Wall “a steady advocate for underrepresented citizens” and made note of how she has influenced the legal community, both by engaging lawyers in pro bono work and through her service on the Judicial Nominating Commission.
“It is an honor for us to take this opportunity to recognize her for all of her service and dedication to those who can benefit from competent and caring attorneys. She is in every measure an advocate for the public interest,” the Hadeeds wrote.
In nominating Wall for the FAWL Leaders in Law Award, Merryl S. Haber, president of the St. Johns Association for Women Lawyers, also expressed admiration for Wall’s service.
“Our chapter nominated Megan for this award because of her continued selfless dedication to St. Johns County Legal Aid (Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc.), Haber wrote. “Megan's devotion, leadership and service to the legal profession inspire all of us.”
The award is intended to “promote members who have made meaningful contributions in their communities through their legal service or volunteer activities and who have provided a positive role model for FAWL members.”
