08/19/2020
Miami-Dade County's First African-American assistant public defender, and then as the County's First African-American assistant county attorney. He was a partner in the First African American law firm to locate its office in Downtown Miami. For the past 47yrs, H.T. has practiced law in Miami, specializing in civil rights,personal injury,and criminal defense. He was voted Top Trial Lawyer of 2017 by the Dade County Bar Association, and the National Law Journal recognized him as one ofthe top 10 trial lawyers of the year. He was inducted into the “Legal Legends” Miami-Dade County. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, SuperLawyers, Law and Leading American Attorneys. H.T. was one of the lead attorneys in the successful legal challenge to Ward Connelly’s effort to pass a Constitutional Amendment-outlawing affirmative action in public education, public employment, and public contracting. In his argument to the Florida Supreme Court, H.T. described Connelly’s so-called “Civil Rights Initiative” as a “cruelhoax” on the people of Florida.H. T. was the founding President of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, and Founding Member of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. He also served as President of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association, which is the largest bar association for people of color. 1986-1990, H.T. chaired the Free South Africa Movement, leading the successful effort to persuade governmental entities, universities, and pension funds to divest theirfinancial interests in companies doing business in apartheid South Africa. From 1990-1993, H.T. led the highly successful Boycott Miami Campaign whichwas organized after local politicians snubbed the legendary Nelson Mandela during his historic visit to Miami and lasted 1,000 days – costing Miami Tourism Industry in excessof $100 million. The boycott settlement resulted in significant economic and educationalopportunities for African Americans, including the development of the First Black-owned convention-quality hotel in the United States–on the ocean, in Miami Beach.
