Four-Time Honoree: Jones Foster Chairman Scott G. Hawkins Recognized as Florida Trend Legal Elite Notable Managing Partner

Jones Foster, a commercial and private client law firm with offices in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter, Florida, is proud to announce that Chairman Scott G. Hawkins has been named a Florida Trend Legal Elite Notable Managing Partner in the magazine’s July 2026 special section, becoming a four-time honoree. Mr. Hawkins has been selected for this distinction since the recognition was first established in 2023, underscoring his enduring leadership within Florida's legal profession and business community.

This year, Mr. Hawkins is among just 119 managing partners and law firm leaders selected statewide. He is also one of only 15 honorees in Palm Beach County and one of seven recognized in West Palm Beach. Published by Florida Trend magazine, the Legal Elite Notable Managing Partner recognition honors law firm leaders who have demonstrated professional excellence, fostered strong workplace culture, championed mentorship, and made meaningful contributions to their communities and the legal industry.

Mr. Hawkins began his legal career at Jones Foster as an associate, and went on to serve as vice chair for 18 years before being elected chairman in 2024. In his role as chairman, he guides the firm’s strategic vision and long-term growth while maintaining a thriving practice as a Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney. His key initiatives include overseeing internal committees and a formal mentorship program designed to foster professional growth and a culture of collaboration and excellence; working with firm leadership to attract and retain top legal talent; and adopting AI-powered research tools to enhance efficiency and deliver exceptional client service in an evolving legal landscape.

“I am proud of Jones Foster’s ability to attract and retain exceptional talent as we continue building the next generation of attorneys and leaders,” Mr. Hawkins said. “We remain committed to investing in our people, and over the past 18 months, we have added 11 outstanding attorneys to our team in response to continued growth across many areas of the firm. We are also seeing increased demand for sophisticated trial and appellate counsel, and our team is well-positioned to handle complex, high-stakes matters at every stage of the litigation process.”

Mr. Hawkins has long applied his leadership philosophy to advancing the legal profession and strengthening the South Florida business community. He has maintained a longstanding commitment to the region's economic development efforts through his service on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County. In addition, he represents the Economic Council on the Board of Directors of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, helping to advance initiatives that support corporate relocation and business retention throughout the county, including plans to expand Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management with a West Palm Beach campus.

Also notable, Mr. Hawkins is a past president of The Florida Bar, the Palm Beach County Bar Association, and its Young Lawyers Section; a former director of The Florida Bar Foundation; and previously chaired the Search Committee for the Executive Director of The Florida Bar. He is consistently recognized by leading legal publications, including The Best Lawyers in America, Florida Super Lawyers, and Palm Beach Illustrated's "Top Lawyers."

Florida Trend is read monthly by more than 270,000 influential business executives, civic leaders, and government officials and is recognized for its coverage of statewide business news, industry trends, and Florida's economic and cultural landscape.

A Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney, Scott Hawkins represents public and private companies across a broad range of industries, including technology, healthcare, environmental, real estate, land use, insurance, and defense. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation matters involving intellectual property, trade secrets, trademark infringement, restrictive covenants, securities, real estate disputes, and claims arising under ERISA plans. He also regularly serves as attorneys' fees counsel and as an expert witness and has been appointed by courts as a receiver, trustee, statutory investigator, mediator, and special master in recognition of his experience, ethics, and judgment.