Fred Levin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fredric G. Levin
Born	Fredric Gerson Levin (1937-03-29)March 29, 1937 Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Died	January 12, 2021(2021-01-12) (aged 83) Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Florida
Occupation	Attorney, boxing manager
Known for	Rewriting Florida's Medicaid Third-Party Recovery Act allowing the state of Florida to sue the tobacco industry; benefactor of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, manager of Roy Jones Jr., philanthropy
Spouse(s)	Marilyn Kapner Levin (1959–2011)
Children	4

Fredric Gerson Levin (March 29, 1937 – January 12, 2021) was an American lawyer known for helping people who were hurt by large companies. He was the leader of a big law firm in Northwest Florida. A law school at the University of Florida is named after him, the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, because he gave a large donation to the school in 1999.

He became very well known for changing a law in Florida. This change allowed the State of Florida to sue big tobacco companies. The state wanted to get back billions of dollars spent on treating people with smoking-related illnesses. Fred Levin was known for his strong personality and for always fighting for what he believed was right.

Fredric G. Levin: Early Life and Education

Fredric Gerson Levin was born in 1937 in Pensacola, Florida. He grew up in a Jewish family with his parents and six brothers. His father was a pawnbroker and also managed food stands at a dog racing track and on Pensacola Beach.

Fred went to the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida for his first college degree. He later went to the University of Florida College of Law in 1958. At first, his grades were not very good.

During his first weeks of law school, Fred learned that his brother Martin was very sick with leukemia. The dean of the law school told Fred he might not make it through law school. But Fred returned and worked very hard. He ended up finishing third in his class!

Fred had planned to work with his brother for a year after law school. He then wanted to study tax law. He did not plan to become a trial lawyer because he was afraid of speaking in public.

Fred Levin passed away on January 12, 2021, due to problems from COVID-19.

A Career in Law: Fighting for People

In 1961, Fred Levin started working at a law firm in Pensacola. The firm was started by his brother David and Reubin Askew. Reubin Askew later became the governor of Florida.

Fred first worked in family law. But he soon decided to focus on civil law. This type of law helps people solve disagreements and get justice. His first case was about an insurance problem after a house fire. Fred won the case, and this made him want to become a trial lawyer.

In the late 1960s, Fred handled a case about a child who died after taking a medicine called Chloromycetin. Fred won this case. The judge allowed him to ask for extra money called punitive damages. This helped lead to the medicine being taken off the market for most uses in the United States.

Fred Levin gained national attention with a case called Thorshov v. L&N. In 1977, a family was hurt when a train derailed near their home. The train released a dangerous gas. The parents died, and their children were seriously injured. In 1980, Fred won $18 million for the family. This was a very large amount at the time.

Fred won more than 30 cases where the jury awarded over $1 million. Six of these cases were for more than $10 million. He held national records for the largest jury awards in cases involving the death of a child or a parent. He was recognized as one of the best lawyers in America.

Tobacco Litigation: A Landmark Case

Fred Levin played a huge part in lawsuits against the tobacco industry in the 1990s. He learned that the State of Mississippi was trying to sue tobacco companies. They wanted money back for healthcare costs related to smoking. Fred thought about how Florida could do the same.

He realized that if he changed a specific Florida law, the state could sue tobacco companies more easily. This new law would stop tobacco companies from using their usual defenses. Fred worked with a friend in the Florida Senate and the Governor. They managed to get the law passed very quickly.

When tobacco companies found out about the new law, they tried to get it removed. They even donated money to senators. The Senate voted to repeal it, but the Governor stopped them. The law stayed in place.

This new law was a big deal. Experts called it "the single biggest blow against the tobacco industry." The law was even challenged all the way to the United States Supreme Court, but it was upheld.

Soon after, the tobacco industry settled with the State of Florida for a record $13 billion. Fred's law firm earned a large fee from this case. He even appeared on TV shows like 20/20 and in magazines like Time.

Fred Levin and the Florida Bar

Fred Levin had a long and sometimes difficult relationship with the Florida Bar. This is the organization that oversees lawyers in Florida. He often spoke his mind very directly.

He was investigated by the Florida Bar several times. Once, he talked about doctors on his TV show. Another time, he admitted to gambling on football games. He believed there was nothing wrong with it. The Florida Bar said he was breaking Florida law and making the legal profession look bad. He received a public warning for this.

Another time, he used the word "ridiculous" to describe the other side in two cases. He won both cases, but the higher courts said his words might have made the jury unfair. The Florida Bar then said he was breaking ethics rules by stating his personal opinion. But this time, Fred was found innocent.

Boxing Career: Managing a Champion

Roy Jones Jr. & Fred Levin

In 1989, Fred Levin started managing the boxing career of Roy Jones Jr.. Roy had just won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Many people felt Roy should have won the gold medal because he clearly out-boxed his opponent.

It was surprising that Fred was chosen to manage Roy. He had no experience in boxing. But Roy's father chose Fred because he didn't trust the big names in boxing after the Olympic decision.

Fred helped Roy get a championship fight against James Toney. Roy won that fight. Then, Fred helped Roy get a big contract with HBO. Fred was even named "boxing manager of the year" in 1995 by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Fred managed Roy's career until 2003. Their last fight together was against heavyweight champion John Ruiz. Roy, who was much lighter, won the fight! He became the first boxer in over 100 years to win a heavyweight title after starting as a middleweight.

Fighting for Fairness: Racial Justice Efforts

George Starke and Fred Levin at the law school naming

When Fred Levin started law school in 1958, George Starke was also there. George was the first African American student to attend a public university in Florida. Fred noticed that George was often alone and treated differently.

Fred felt sad about this. After his first semester, he asked George to be his study partner. They became good friends for the next two years.

Years later, when the law school was renamed the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, George Starke came to support Fred.

Fred Levin being inducted as a chief of Ghana

Early in his career, Fred also nominated Nathaniel Dedmond to be the first African American member of a local bar association. Some lawyers were upset by this. But Fred's wife, Marilyn, supported his decision. Even though the association voted against the nomination, Fred was very proud of his wife's response.

In 1999, Fred Levin was honored for his support of the African American community. He was named a chief in the country of Ghana. He also received an award from the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus. They thanked him for his "lifelong contributions to bettering the lives of the people of Ghana and the people of America."

Awards and Honors for Fred Levin

Fred Levin received many awards for his work. In 1994, he received the Perry Nichols Award. This is the highest honor from the Florida Justice Association, given for a lifetime of working for justice.

In 1999, The National Law Journal named him the top civil lawyer in Florida. He was also named one of the "Top Ten Litigators for 1999" in the whole country.

He was a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a group of only 100 top trial lawyers in the U.S. He was listed in every edition of Best Lawyers in America. In 2009, he was added to The National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was named Trial Lawyer of the Year.

In 2017, the University of West Florida gave him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Later Career and Philanthropy

Even at 80 years old, Fred Levin continued to practice law. He won a $3.4 million jury verdict in an ATV case when he was 76. At 77, he won a $12.6 million verdict in a car accident case.

Fred Levin was also a very generous person. He gave a lot of money to help others.

• In 1995, he created a special teaching position at the University of West Florida to honor his father.
• In 1998, he gave the University of Florida law school $10 million. This was one of the largest cash donations ever given to a public law school at that time. Because of this, the law school was renamed the Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 1999.
• He also gave money to the Levin & Papantonio Family Foundation in 1998.
• In 2006, he gave another $2 million to the University of Florida law school to help fund a special advocacy center.
• In 2013, he gave $1 million to a student center at the University of Florida in memory of his wife.
• He also supported the YMCA, the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (which studies artificial intelligence and robotics), and the University of West Florida.
• In 2017, he gave $2 million to the Brigham and Women's Hospital to support lung cancer research. This was to honor a doctor who helped him after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
• In 2018, he gave an $8 million home and its belongings to the University of West Florida.
• In 2019, he donated shares of stock worth $6 million to the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
• Also in 2019, he donated $2 million to a cancer research institute.
• After his death in 2021, he donated an additional $40 million to the University of Florida Levin College of Law through his estate.

Levin College of Law: A Lasting Legacy

The Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida is named after Fred Levin because of his $10 million donation in 1999. This was the largest cash donation ever given to the University of Florida at the time.

The naming of the law school caused some discussion. Some people felt that Fred Levin's personality and past actions made him an unusual choice for such an honor. However, Fred believed that his name on the school would be a lasting legacy.

Health and Passing

In January 2016, Fred Levin was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. The cancer had spread to his brain. He received treatment for his cancer.

Fred Levin passed away on January 12, 2021, at the age of 83. He died from problems related to COVID-19. He had survived his battle with lung and brain cancer.