Large insurance companies call on John Meagher, a seasoned trial lawyer, to litigate cases throughout Florida and the United States. Chairman of the Insurance Practice Group and a partner in the Litigation Department, Mr. Meagher has developed a niche within his litigation practice. While he has tried cases in industries such as real estate and banking, he now focuses on defending insurers in trial and appellate actions throughout the state and federal court systems of Florida.
Experience
Within the area of life, health and disability insurance litigation, Mr. Meagher focuses on first-party claims and bad faith defense, where punitive damage claims are a major concern. With clients such as UnumProvident, MetLife, Swiss Re, Berkshire Life and others, he regularly handles large, sophisticated cases. He has defended clients against first party claims under large indemnity policies and has addressed ERISA- and HIPAA-related issues.
Mr. Meagher’s experience as a speaker and presenter works to his clients’ advantage in appellate courts as well. He was lead counsel in an important insurance case, Doan v. John Hancock, where the Third District Court of Appeal, en banc, reversed itself, holding that no bad faith cause of action exists unless and until the insured prevails on his/her breach of contract claim. Prior to that decision, insurers faced the prospect of trying contract and bad faith cases together, greatly increasing potential exposure to the company.
Professional Affiliations
Mr. Meagher has spoken about insurance fraud, trial preparation and other legal issues at events such as the International Claims Association annual meeting, Defense Research Institute conferences, the AIM Conference and the Eastern Claims Conference. He is a member of the International Claims Association, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys and the Defense Research Institute.
Recognition
- Martindale Hubbell A-V Rated
- The Best Lawyers in America®, selected for inclusion in 2009, 2010, 2011
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., with honors, 1985
- University of South Florida, B.S., with honors, Political Science, 1982
Bar Admissions
- The Florida Bar
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Affiliations
- International Claims Association
- Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
- Defense Research Institute
