American Jewish Committee Honors Bilzin Sumberg Attorney Michael Hanzman with Judge Learned Hand Award
Former Florida Circuit Court Judge is recognized for his impact on the legal profession and South Florida community
Press Release
May 2, 2024
Miami, Florida - The Miami-Dade and Broward Chapter of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) honored Bilzin Sumberg attorney Michael Hanzman with the 2024 Judge Learned Hand Award in recognition of his professional accolades and community engagement across South Florida. The award, considered among the highest of honors within the legal profession and business community, recognizes individuals’ dedication to humanitarian principles, individual rights and democratic values that advance a more just society.
Hanzman was presented with the award during the AJC’s annual Judge Learned Hand Award Reception, which took place at Miami’s Jungle Island on May 2nd. Brian Bilzin of Bilzin Sumberg, Stuart Grossman of Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, Rodney Barreto of Capital City Consulting, Albert Dotson Jr. of Bilzin Sumberg, and businessman and philanthropist Manny Kadre served as event co-chairs.
“Throughout his career, Michael has been an esteemed jurist, attorney, and member of the South Florida community,” said Bilzin Sumberg Managing Partner Albert E. Dotson, Jr. “His commitment to advancing the values of the AJC exemplify the high standards set forth by Judge Learned Hand as he championed judicial excellence and civil liberties.”
In his role as Senior Counsel at Bilzin Sumberg, Hanzman focuses on receiverships, alternative dispute resolution, and strategizing and consulting on litigation and trial matters. Prior to joining Bilzin Sumberg, Hanzman served in the Florida Circuit Court’s complex business litigation division, where he presided over the litigation stemming from the tragic 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South and guided a landmark $1.1 billion settlement for the victims who lost their property and lives.
Hanzman’s decades-long list of awards and accolades reflects both his professional accomplishments and his tireless service to the legal profession and wider community. Hanzman has been recognized with multiple awards and honors, including the 2022 William H. Hoeveler Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Miami School of Law’s Center for Ethics & Public Service, the 2022 Equal Justice Judicial Leadership Award from Legal Services of Greater Miami, and the 2022 William Hoeveler/Jack Welsh Innovation Award from the American Inns of Court. In 2023, he was honored with the Jurist of the Year Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates’ Florida Chapter, as well as the Florida Justice Association’s Judicial Achievement Award.
“We are honored to recognize Michael’s contributions to the profession, as well as his outstanding leadership in the community,” said Brian Siegal, director for AJC’s Miami and Broward Regional Office. “Like Michael, we at AJC reimagine what’s possible by working with key allies to ensure that our society remains pluralistic and democratic and by inspiring people of all backgrounds to stand as one against anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. We are proud to have Michael join an illustrious roster of legal luminaries who have received this award and who are helping make our world a better place.”
AJC is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the Jewish people. AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization and is committed to advancing human rights and democratic values in the U.S. and worldwide. AJC established the annual award in 1964 to recognize leaders in the legal profession for their excellence and contributions to the practice of law. The award honors the memory of Judge Learned Hand, a highly distinguished individual recognized as heir to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ legacy of a Jurist and Poet of Liberty. Judge Hand, a graduate of Harvard and its law school, was widely admired as a Dean among American jurists, and was well-known for the extensive range of decisions he tendered that centered on questions of constitutional rights and antitrust legislation.
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About the AJC of Miami-Dade and Broward
American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. Through our unparalleled access to diplomats, government officials, and religious leaders, AJC is able to impact opinion and policy at the highest levels. AJC is fighting for a safer, more peaceful future for the Jewish people, Israel, and all humanity. For more information, please visit https://www.ajc.org/miami.
About Bilzin Sumberg
Bilzin Sumberg counsels clients whose business and legal opportunities and challenges span Florida, the United States, and across borders to Europe, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East, and Asia. The Firm's growth has paralleled that of its South Florida home base, a region known for its cultural, social, and professional diversity. Bilzin Sumberg lawyers concentrate on services at the heart of both regional and international commerce, including real estate, land development and government relations, environmental, corporate law, joint ventures, domestic and international tax and estate planning, business litigation, finance, and public-private partnerships.
For more information, please visit bilzin.com.
Hanzman was presented with the award during the AJC’s annual Judge Learned Hand Award Reception, which took place at Miami’s Jungle Island on May 2nd. Brian Bilzin of Bilzin Sumberg, Stuart Grossman of Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, Rodney Barreto of Capital City Consulting, Albert Dotson Jr. of Bilzin Sumberg, and businessman and philanthropist Manny Kadre served as event co-chairs.
“Throughout his career, Michael has been an esteemed jurist, attorney, and member of the South Florida community,” said Bilzin Sumberg Managing Partner Albert E. Dotson, Jr. “His commitment to advancing the values of the AJC exemplify the high standards set forth by Judge Learned Hand as he championed judicial excellence and civil liberties.”
In his role as Senior Counsel at Bilzin Sumberg, Hanzman focuses on receiverships, alternative dispute resolution, and strategizing and consulting on litigation and trial matters. Prior to joining Bilzin Sumberg, Hanzman served in the Florida Circuit Court’s complex business litigation division, where he presided over the litigation stemming from the tragic 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South and guided a landmark $1.1 billion settlement for the victims who lost their property and lives.
Hanzman’s decades-long list of awards and accolades reflects both his professional accomplishments and his tireless service to the legal profession and wider community. Hanzman has been recognized with multiple awards and honors, including the 2022 William H. Hoeveler Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Miami School of Law’s Center for Ethics & Public Service, the 2022 Equal Justice Judicial Leadership Award from Legal Services of Greater Miami, and the 2022 William Hoeveler/Jack Welsh Innovation Award from the American Inns of Court. In 2023, he was honored with the Jurist of the Year Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates’ Florida Chapter, as well as the Florida Justice Association’s Judicial Achievement Award.
“We are honored to recognize Michael’s contributions to the profession, as well as his outstanding leadership in the community,” said Brian Siegal, director for AJC’s Miami and Broward Regional Office. “Like Michael, we at AJC reimagine what’s possible by working with key allies to ensure that our society remains pluralistic and democratic and by inspiring people of all backgrounds to stand as one against anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. We are proud to have Michael join an illustrious roster of legal luminaries who have received this award and who are helping make our world a better place.”
AJC is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the Jewish people. AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization and is committed to advancing human rights and democratic values in the U.S. and worldwide. AJC established the annual award in 1964 to recognize leaders in the legal profession for their excellence and contributions to the practice of law. The award honors the memory of Judge Learned Hand, a highly distinguished individual recognized as heir to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ legacy of a Jurist and Poet of Liberty. Judge Hand, a graduate of Harvard and its law school, was widely admired as a Dean among American jurists, and was well-known for the extensive range of decisions he tendered that centered on questions of constitutional rights and antitrust legislation.
# # #
About the AJC of Miami-Dade and Broward
American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. Through our unparalleled access to diplomats, government officials, and religious leaders, AJC is able to impact opinion and policy at the highest levels. AJC is fighting for a safer, more peaceful future for the Jewish people, Israel, and all humanity. For more information, please visit https://www.ajc.org/miami.
About Bilzin Sumberg
Bilzin Sumberg counsels clients whose business and legal opportunities and challenges span Florida, the United States, and across borders to Europe, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East, and Asia. The Firm's growth has paralleled that of its South Florida home base, a region known for its cultural, social, and professional diversity. Bilzin Sumberg lawyers concentrate on services at the heart of both regional and international commerce, including real estate, land development and government relations, environmental, corporate law, joint ventures, domestic and international tax and estate planning, business litigation, finance, and public-private partnerships.
For more information, please visit bilzin.com.
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