Florida Attorney John Phillips Appears on Court TV

John is originally from Mobile, Alabama, but made Jacksonville, Florida his home in 2001. He graduated from the University of Alabama, which is perennially one of the highest ranked public law schools in the southeast and was ranked 25th in the nation in a recent U.S. News Survey. He has obtained many million-dollar and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients, including one 2019 jury verdict of over $495 Million dollars, as well as changed the way that companies and governments operate. He has been consulted by government officials when they review important legislation. For instance, John was selected to help re-write Georgia’s citizen arrest statute after Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed. Although he has represented celebrities and athletes, John’s time is mostly spent helping the injured get justice.
Almost a decade ago, John Phillips became one of the youngest lawyers to be Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar. This allows him to be called an expert in civil trial law (personal injury, car accidents, civil rights). Board Certification requires years of advocacy at the highest level, additional peer review, substantial trial experience, hours of advanced seminars and a difficult full day exam. John will tell you, “Nothing worthwhile comes easy.”
Phillips can be seen in the Emmy award winning documentary, Armor of Light. He had a role in the film as the storyteller and lawyer for the family of Jordan Davis and was thanked from the stage by the film’s director Abigail Disney. He regularly seeks out opportunities to learn how to be a better lawyer, leader and father.
Phillips can frequently be seen on television news and has appeared in multiple documentaries and docudramas. Phillips was heavily featured in season two of the Netflix show, Tiger King, which follows his efforts to Free Joe Exotic. Joseph Maldonado-Passage is Phillips client.
In 2022, Phillips also obtained a record attorney’s fee against the Trump Campaign. Phillips represented Omarosa Manigault-Newman, who was sued for “disparaging” Donald Trump based on a non-disclosure agreement she signed. Phillips obtained a judgment holding the NDA’s terms invalid, award his firm attorney’s fees and on August 9, 2022, the Trump Campaign released everyone from the NDA’s terms. Phillips said, “I am not Republican. Or Democrat. I am reasonable. We take cases we believe in. This wasn’t political. It was protecting whistleblowers, political speech and the First Amendment.”
More about John’s awards are listed at floridajustice.com/our-team/j... but he is one of the most acclaimed attorneys in America. He is AV-Preeminent rated and has won many awards for both his actions in the courtroom and in the community, including being named one of the 29 most influential people in northeast Florida and the Face of Justice on the First Coast. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, New York, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, Oklahoma and Washington DC, and before the United States Supreme Court. He does so with passion and compassion.
In 2015, John was selected to give a TEDx talk on race and equality. It was one of the first speeches that TEDx broadcast live on its RUclips channel and it stands as one of the most watched talks in the State of Florida. He has also spoken at Howard University, at the NAACP Annual Meeting, at PeaceJam in Ghana, at many high schools and colleges and regularly gives seminars to other lawyers.
John was nominated by Jacksonville’s Mayor and confirmed by the City Council to Jacksonville’s Human Rights Commission. In addition to having an audience with multiple Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, John was invited to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
The vast majority of John’s time is spent in his offices, working up cases for his clients and telling stories of people who have been injured or lost loved ones. Trial work is his passion. Good Morning America even filmed and broadcast portions of one of his trials in 2014. However, much of the work he does is unseen by cameras and done with a wonderful hand-picked staff.
John is married to his best friend, Angela, and is the father of three boys, Bennett, Weston and Johnathan. He has dived the great barrier reef, run with the bulls and loves to travel. However, he is happiest with his children in tow, attending Jacksonville Jaguar games and spending time with family and friends.