John Michael Phillips

On January 15, 2019, Phillips and his firm received a jury verdict of $495,123,680.00, the largest known jury verdict in northeast Florida and one of the largest wrongful death verdicts in the country. Kalil McCoy, of Jacksonville, Florida, was shot in the head by Frederick Lee Wade, 19, while they rode in a car with four other friends, after an argument about opening a window. McCoy’s friends then dumped her body in a wooded area and lied about what happened. Fox News reported the victim's mother mother, Lynette Roebuck, saying, "that while the judgment won’t bring her daughter back, it acknowledges the pain her family has suffered for seven years." This was on top of another prior settlement in the case.

In 2015, Phillips was nominated by the Mayor of Jacksonville to the City's Human Rights Commission. Not without controversy, a Brunswick, Georgia pastor once asked the Mayor to force Phillips to resign his position, claiming he was biased, saying Phillips "has shown he cannot be a fair person and serve on the city's Human Rights Commission." Incidentally, the person who claimed that is serving time in prison. The mayor's office sided with Phillips and he remained on the Commission. On November 14, 2017, Phillips resigned from the Commission in order to relieve any perceived conflict before filing multiple civil rights lawsuits against the City of Jacksonville.

Phillips still works with the Davis family both in aspects of the wrongful death of Jordan, but also to assist the discussion over changing controversial gun laws across the country and encourages people to be more civil with each other. His family was featured in the Emmy award winning documentary by Abigail Disney, the daughter of Roy O. Disney and niece of Walt Disney. The movie is called Armor of Light and features Phillips' story alongside his client Lucy McBath and Reverend Rob Schenck. The film premiered at Tribeca and went on to receive much acclaim. In 2017, it won an Emmy Award for best "Outstanding Social Interest Documentary."

Phillips name has been discussed in regards to political office. In 2016, he was named one of the 29 most influential people in Jacksonville, Florida by Folio Weekly. He is very active in community outreach.

Additionally, Phillips has handled several other nationally reported cases, including a woman was run over while sunbathing on Daytona Beach, for which he was interviewed on Today Show. Good Morning America also filmed and broadcast portions of this trial in 2014, where Phillips can be seen hugging his client after a $2.6 million verdict. See also Aviana Bailey v. Daytona Beach Police (where Bailey was shot by Daytona Beach Police while a passenger in a vehicle).

Just during the last few years, Phillips and his office have been named as: Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine, SuperLawyer, by Florida Super Lawyers, Litigator Award, Trial Lawyers Board of Regents, Top 100 Trial Lawyer, by the National Trial Lawyers Association, Top 40 Under 40, by the American Society of Legal Advocates, AV – Preeminent (the highest rating obtainable), by peers according to Martindale-Hubbell, 10 / 10, by Avvo, "One of 29 Most Influential People in Jacksonville," by Folio Weekly, "Best Lawyer," by readers of the Folio Weekly, "Righteous Crusader," by readers of the Folio Weekly, "Attorney of the Month (with Photo on the Cover)," by Attorney at Law Magazine of Florida, "Attorney of the Month (with Photo on the Cover)," by Attorney at Law Magazine of Georgia, "#1 Lawyer," by readers of Void Magazine, "Face of Justice in the 904," by 904 Magazine, "Top Lawyer," by 904 Magazine, "Company with Heart," by 904 Magazine, "Best Lawyer," by Jacksonville Magazine, "Who's Who in Law," by Ponte Vedra Recorder, and many others.

In 2012, Phillips was hired by Ron Davis and Lucy McBath after the Shooting of Jordan Davis by Michael Dunn which stemmed from an argument over loud music on November 23, 2012. Police say 45-year-old Michael Dunn fired 10 times at a vehicle in which 17-year-old Jordan Davis was a passenger just after 7:30 p.m. in Jacksonville, Florida. Michael Dunn was convicted of Jordan Davis's murder after two trials and remains behind bars. Jordan's death made news around the nation much like the murder case of Trayvon Martin. Phillips' perspective and a photo with the family appeared in Rolling Stone magazine in 2013.

Phillips started his career as a civil litigation defense attorney, defending companies like Coca-Cola, Hertz and State Farm from injury claims. After over 8 years with his firm, he worked beside John Morgan and represented victims of traumatic injuries. In 2011, Phillips founded his own law office. It has since expanded to a multi-state practice. He is known as a preeminent civil rights lawyer, wrongful death lawyer, sports lawyer, personal injury lawyer, commercial litigation lawyer and criminal defense lawyer.

Another notable case includes Gregory Hill v. Ft. Pierce Police Department (where a man was shot by police through his closed garage door), It resulted in a controversial $4 jury verdict. The $4 verdict was reversed by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals after Phillips argued the trial judge erred by allowing in inappropriate evidence. It will be retried.

From 2011 to 2013, Phillips hosted a podcast, which was aired regionally in Jacksonville, Florida called Courts & Sports. He still regularly appears on the morning radio show Lex and Terry. He represented the duo in 2012 and frequently has a call in segment where listeners ask Phillips for legal advice.

Since 2009, Phillips has spoken hundreds of times on various legal topics. He gave a TEDx talk which has been viewed over 300,000 times. He also has spoken internationally in Ghana and on the BBC and to groups at Howard University and before the NAACP.

Phillips was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, before moving to Jacksonville, Florida in 2001. He received a BA from the University of Alabama in Political Science and Criminal Justice in 1997. He attended the University of Alabama School of Law, receiving a JD in 2000. He subsequently became licensed to practice law in Florida, New York, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Washington, DC and is also licensed before the United States Supreme Court.

John Michael Phillips (born February 4, 1975) is an American lawyer, consumer and civil rights advocate, legal commentator for national media and recently obtained a $495 million verdict on behalf of a victim of gun violence. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, New York, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and Washington, DC. Phillips has been lead counsel in numerous nationally reported cases, including in the shooting of Jordan Davis, and represents many celebrities and athletes. Although he is known for his work in personal injury and wrongful death cases, he stopped George Zimmerman when he was trying to sell his client's copyrighted photograph of notorious prosecutor Angela Corey as a painting and also successfully represented an Orlando man who made "Left Shark" 3-D figurines against claims of copyright infringement by singer Katy Perry. He serves as lead counsel for Omarosa Manigault Newman in the litigation filed against her by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and the Department of Justice.