The University of Miami School of Law’s Center for Ethics & Public Service recently celebrated the 23rd annual William M. Hoeveler Ethics & Public Service Award Ceremony, honoring U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker for his exemplary career.
The prestigious Hoeveler Award recognizes extraordinary members of the bar and bench, nonprofit organizations, and individuals whose careers are distinguished by a profound and long-standing dedication to ethics and public service.
Celebrating a distinguished jurist
Walker is a highly respected jurist and public servant whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to ethics, justice, and the rule of law. Serving with distinction on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida since December 2012, he also held the position of chief judge from June 2018 to June 2025.
In recent years, Walker has presided over significant cases that have had a major impact on civil liberties and democratic access. His rulings have been pivotal in safeguarding voting rights, defending the First Amendment, and challenging laws and policies that risk disenfranchising historically marginalized communities. Judge Walker earned both his Bachelor of Arts and his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Florida.
“U.S. District Judge Walker embodies the best traditions of the federal judiciary and the highest aspirations of the William M. Hoeveler Award and the Center for Ethics and Public Service,” said Anthony Alfieri, the Michael Klein Distinguished Scholar Chair and director of the Center for Ethics and Public Service. “Like Judge Hoeveler, Judge Walker is guided by deep commitments to judicial independence, integrity, and the rule of law. His long-standing dedication to the principles of fairness, equal protection, voting rights, and First Amendment freedoms in Florida distinguishes him both as a leading jurist and as a public servant of even-handed justice.”
Past awardees of the Hoeveler Award represent a truly distinguished group, including former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, former Florida Supreme Court Chief Judge Rosemary Barkett, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan (J.D. '87, B.A. '84), and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle.
The Hoeveler Award was established as a lifetime achievement recognition in honor of the late Honorable William M. Hoeveler, a senior U.S. District Court judge and the inaugural recipient. Hoeveler passed away in 2017 at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy of integrity that the award continues to champion.
About the Center for Ethics & Public Service
Founded in 1996, the Center for Ethics and Public Service is a vital part of Miami Law. It is dedicated to nurturing the values of ethical judgment, professional responsibility, and public service among its students. The center aims to educate law students to serve their communities as citizen lawyers through a unique blend of ethics education, experiential skills training, and community engagement.
For 30 years, the center has acted as an incubator and accelerator for numerous public service initiatives, including a wide array of on-campus clinics (such as the Children and Youth Law Clinic, Environmental Justice Clinic, and Social Enterprise Clinic) and distinctive programs like the Community Equity Lab, Black Church Program, Legal Profession Program, and Oral History Film Project.
Read more about the Center for Ethics & Public Service.
