The Innocence Clinic at the University of Miami School of Law has awarded the Markus Award to Sydney Perkins, recognizing her extraordinary dedication, leadership, and service over the past year.
The Markus Award honors students who exemplify compassion, dedication to clients, and a deep commitment to serving those most in need. Throughout her time with the clinic, Perkins has embodied these values throughout her advocacy, demonstrating the empathy, professionalism, and perseverance that define the spirit of the award.
Perkins, who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, also maintains a strong commitment to public interest and legal excellence beyond the clinic. She served as a junior staff editor for Volume 16 of the Race and Social Justice Law Review and is currently working as a summer associate in the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig.
Turning Complex Evidence into a Vital Defense
Perkins played a vital role in the clinic’s work on a highly complex post-conviction case, leading preparations for a crucial evidentiary hearing. Her meticulous approach proved invaluable when she took on the task of reviewing difficult-to-decipher jail-call recordings. She mastered their contents and used the information to draft a detailed timeline that became the foundation for the client’s alibi defense.
Her command of the case was so comprehensive that when co-counsel prepared to visit the client at a prison in Pensacola, they recognized that her presence was essential. Perkins stepped up without hesitation, taking time from her academic schedule to make the trip—a visit that left a meaningful impact and significantly strengthened the team’s preparation.
“Sydney brought such passion and enthusiasm for the work we do and the clients we represent,” said Tori Simkovic, adjunct professor of the clinic. “Her work ethic was matched equally by the quality of her work.”
A Champion for the Underdog
At the evidentiary hearing, the team relied heavily on the timeline Perkins created, and her active participation reflected both skill and a deep commitment to the mission of the Innocence Clinic. Throughout the year, she was consistently the first to volunteer, eager to take on new challenges, and willing to do whatever was needed to advance her client’s pursuit of justice.
“The work that the Miami Law Innocence Clinic engages in is difficult and emotional,” said Craig Trocino, director of the clinic. “It takes a person with a high level of compassion and dedication to continue to fight for justice in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Sydney has demonstrated over this past year that she is just such a person.”
That dedication mirrors the legacy of the award’s namesake. Miami Law alumnus Stuart Markus, J.D. ’57, began practicing law in Miami in 1958 and worked as a trial attorney for 55 years. He was well known for representing the “little guy,” often without accepting a fee. After his passing in late 2013 at age 81, his family established the Markus Award at Miami Law to recognize a student each year for outstanding work in one of the law school’s in-house clinics.
“We are so proud of Sydney,” said David Markus, son of Stuart. “She exemplifies what the Markus Award is all about—fighting for justice. My dad spent his career helping the underdog, and he would be so happy to know that law students like Sydney are carrying on that important tradition.”
Read more about the School of Law’s clinics.
