E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R’ S M E S S A G E J o h n F. K y n e s – H i l l s b o r o u g h C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n
what’ s Your hcBa i. Q.?( hint: it’ s not Measured in cle credits)
this is a reminder that tampa’ s legal community is built on a long and rich history. that legacy began 129 years ago with a small group of lawyers who established the hcBa, and it continues to thrive today with 3,500 members strong.
Research consistently shows that engaging in puzzles, quizzes, and brain teasers is an excellent way to maintain cognitive function and mental agility.
So, as we move into 2026 and as you dive into that stack of motions or embark on your next complex deposition, take a few minutes for a little mental calisthenics!
In the spirit of the late Alex Trebek, the beloved host of“ Jeopardy!,” we present the inaugural HCBA“ Office Pool” Trivia Quiz.
Test your knowledge of Tampa’ s rich legal history. As the saying goes, you can’ t win if you don’ t play. Multiplechoice answers at the bottom.
1. What year was the HCBA founded? a) 1896; b) 1909; c) 1918.
2. George Edgecomb became the first Black attorney appointed county judge in Hillsborough County in what year? a) 1967; b) 1981; c) 1973.
3. Judge Susan Bucklew became the first female appointed county judge in Hillsborough County in what year? a) 1968; b) 1982; c) 1975.
4. What year did the Chester H. Ferguson Law Center open? a) 2008; b) 1998; c) 2014.
5. Lanse Scriven became the first Black president of the HCBA in what year? a) 1994; b) 2005; c) 1985.
6. Which three( 3) different generations of lawyers from one Tampa family have served as president of the HCBA? a) Knight; b) Hill; c) Himes.
7. Marsha Rydberg became the first female president of the HCBA in what year? a) 1978; b) 1985; c) 1991.
8. Which HCBA president also served as president of the Florida Bar, American Bar Association, and the International Bar Association? a) Cody Fowler; b) Reece Smith, Jr.; c) Doyle Carlton.
9. Arthenia Joyner became the first Black female attorney in Hillsborough County in what year? a) 1969; b) 1974; c) 1964.
10. The Hillsborough County Bar Foundation was established in what year? a) 1987; b) 2004; c) 1996.
11. Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington became the first Hispanic appointed as a U. S. District Judge in the Middle District of Florida in what year? a) 1994; b) 2004; c) 1989.
12. Gwynne Young became the first female assistant state attorney in Hillsborough County in what year? a) 1974; b) 1966; c) 1979.
13. The Sam M. Gibbons U. S. Courthouse in downtown Tampa opened in what year? a) 2005; b) 1992; c) 1998.
14. Judge Mary Scriven became the first Black female federal judge in Florida in what year? a) 1991; b) 1985; c) 1997.
15. Judge E. J. Salcines became the first Hispanic state prosecutor in Florida in what year? a) 1962; b) 1968; c) 1975.
This is a reminder that Tampa’ s legal community is built on a long and rich history. That legacy began 129 years ago with a small group of lawyers who established the HCBA, and it continues to thrive today with 3,500 members strong.
We hope this little quiz provided a fun workout for your legal mind! n
Answers: 1) a; 2) c; 3) b; 4) a; 5) b; 6) c; 7) c; 8) b; 9) a; 10) c; 11) b; 12) a; 13) c; 14) c; 15) b.
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