TALLAHASSEE— With a $100,000 gift to the Florida State University College of Law, Guyte P. McCord III and his father Guyte P. McCord Jr. have endowed the Guyte P. McCord Memorial Scholarship. McCord III, a 1975 Florida State University College of Law graduate, and McCord Jr., retired First District Court of Appeal judge, created the endowment in honor of their grandfather and father. 

“My father and I decided to make this gift to the College of Law based upon our family's 100 years of service to the legal profession in Tallahassee and based upon our high regard for both Florida State University and the College of Law,” Guyte P. McCord III said. “Our hope is that this donation to the law school will help attract top students exhibiting both merit and need.” At least one Guyte P. McCord Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to a law student with academic merit and financial need. 

Guyte P. McCord, recognized as the founder of Tallahassee’s commission-manager form of government, was appointed clerk of the Supreme Court of Florida in 1939, a position he held until his retirement in 1964. Prior to this appointment, McCord served as mayor of Tallahassee, U.S. commissioner for the Northern District of Florida, deputy clerk of the U.S. District Court, city attorney and Leon County’s first prosecuting attorney. He attended Florida State University before receiving his law degree at Washington and Lee University, and was a past president of the Tallahassee Bar Association. 

Guyte P. McCord Jr., a World War II and Korean War veteran, was a circuit judge for the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court of Florida from 1960 to 1974 and served as First District Court of Appeal judge for Florida from 1974 until his retirement in 1983. His son, Guyte P. McCord III is managing partner of Tallahassee law firm McCord, Bubsey & Ketchum, LLP.