Stetson Law’s Hall of Fame inducts 3 alumni

Stetson University College of Law inducted three extraordinary alumni into its Hall of Fame on Nov. 1 in Gulfport, Fla. Hall of Fame inductees are selected for having a profound and positive impact on Stetson Law and the legal profession. This year’s inductees included:

LawHallOfFame-Magidson-editedJoshua Magidson JD ’80 (pictured left with Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz) has served as president of the Stetson Lawyers Association, chair of the Board of Overseers and member of the Stetson University Board of Trustees. As an adjunct professor, Magidson has taught numerous Stetson Law students about the values of professionalism. The Pinellas County judiciary presented Magidson with the prestigious Richard T. Earle Jr. Professionalism Award in 2007, presented annually to the lawyer who demonstrates the highest degree of professionalism in the practice of law. He is the recipient of Stetson’s Outstanding Alumni Award and the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for his continued support of the College of Law. Magidson became a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969.

LawHallOfFame-McKayRich McKay JD ’84 (pictured right with Dean Pietruszkiewicz), president and CEO of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, credits his Stetson education with preparing him for his unique career path. After graduating and practicing law in Tampa for several years, McKay became vice president of the Football Administration at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later general manager. McKay is extremely proud that his first two draft picks were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Under his watch, the Buccaneers won the Superbowl by defeating the Oakland Raiders in 2003. After leaving the Bucs, McKay was introduced as president and general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, where he became the only person to have negotiated two stadium agreements–one in Tampa and one in Atlanta. McKay has served on the influential NFL Competition Committee since 1994 and has been chairman since 1998. A strong supporter of Stetson’s experiential opportunities, McKay frequently urges students to engage in every aspect of the legal learning process and to apply all of the tools they hone in law school in their careers.

LawHallOfFame-RydbergMarsha Rydberg JD ’76 (pictured left with Dean Pietruszkiewicz) graduated first in her class at Stetson Law during a time when a Florida Bar survey revealed that women comprised only about 3% of the legal profession. Rydberg was the first woman president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the first woman president of the Tampa Exchange Club, the first woman to chair the Tampa Downtown Partnership, and the first woman member and later president of the University Club of Tampa. She twice chaired the Florida Commission on the Status of Women and the Jacksonville Branch of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board. She was the second woman to chair the Tampa Chamber’s Committee of One Hundred. The Girl Scouts of America presented Rydberg with their Woman of Distinction Award. Rydberg was honored with Stetson Law’s Outstanding Alumni Representative Award, The Ben Willard Award, and the President’s Award. She served as president of the Stetson Lawyers Association, chair of the Board of Overseers, and a member of the Board of Trustees. Rydberg played a pivotal role in helping Stetson Law build its Tampa Law Center. As an adjunct professor at Stetson Law, she has inspired numerous young women to pursue a legal career.

For more information, visit Stetson Law News.