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Jim Wilkes (born November 6, 1950) is a well-known Tampa, Florida native, who has made national news for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of nursing home residents who have been victims of abuse. To some, Wilkes is a hero, to others he is a controversial figure.

Mr. Wilkes received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and his Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1983 and founded the law firm of Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. in 1985.

Jim Wilkes has gained national recognition for handling nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuits and was recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the top 20 go-to law firms in the nation for its work in the area of nursing home abuse and neglect. He has been featured in People Magazine, as well as on television shows such as Dateline, 48 Hours and CBS Evening News. He has been both praised and criticized for his aggressive representation of his clients. One profile cast him as either “Angel or Anti-Christ” saying he was an angel to plaintiffs but a “demon” to nursing home operators (Arkansas Times, December 7, 2001) and was once called a “migratory predator” by the director of the Alabama nursing home association.

He is licensed to practice law in 8 states including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee and is a member of the American Bar Association, and the American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America).

In December 2006, Jim Wilkes, along with his partner Timothy McHugh, and their law firm Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. were sued by former clients in a class action suit filed in a U.S. district court in Memphis, Tennesseee. The suit alleged that Jim, his partner and their law firm had knowingly collected millions of dollars in unlawful and excessive contingency fees in violation of Tennessee's medical malpractice act, which limits an attorney's contingency fee to one-third of all damages paid and which requires court approval. These clients alleged that Wilkes & McHugh never obtained court approval of its fees and intentionally charged clients in excess of one-third. The district court certified the case as a class action against Jim and his law firm. The case was ultimately settled for $4 million, without any finding of liability. However, in approving the class settlment, the district court noted that "attorneys considering charging fees in excess of statutorily-prescribed limits will take note of the resolution of this matter."

Beyond the practice of law

Mr. Wilkes’ notoriety extends beyond the courtroom. For over a decade he has been a fixture in the halls of government in several state capitals and in Washington D.C., and has worked to protect the legal rights of the elderly. It is in this arena where he has been the most outspoken advocate for preventing abuse before it starts. That is why, in part, he created a full-time advocacy group, The Coalition to Protect America’s elders, now known as Families for Better Care. The group serves as a voice for nursing home residents and advocates for change to our nation’s long-term care delivery system. In recognition of the effectiveness of this advocacy group, the Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect America’s Elders was elected to serve as the president of the nation’s largest and oldest nursing home resident advocacy group, the National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform.

Mr. Wilkes was recognized as among the first Americans to make a significant donation to the 2004 tsunami relief in Southeast Asia, donating to the effort to aid orphan children whose parents were taken by the disaster. Following his tour of tsunami-ravaged areas, he was met, in "small-world" fashion by the entourages of the then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Colin Powell as they commenced their efforts to bring attention to the disaster.

Jim Wilkes also serves as a personal mentor and legal advisor to two nationally-recognized sports champions. As featured in the New York Times, Jim Wilkes has been an advisor and friend to former boxing super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy and junior middleweight champion Ronald Winky Wright. Mr. Wilkes was nominated for the Al Buck Manager of the Year for 2004-2005 by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Mr. Wilkes also released several musical compilations ranging from country/rock to jazz standards and top 40. His albums include “Then & Now”, “Bittersweet”, and “Beyond the Blue”. Mr. Wilkes is also a featured artist on the website of multi-platinum musical producer Ron Oates.

Sources

  1. ^ McAree, Dee: "Carving Out a Lucrative Niche". National Law Journal, July 26, 2004
  2. ^ Charles, Nick & Sider, Don: "Make Them Pay, Attorney Jim Wilkes Takes Neglectful Nursing Homes to Court for Their Carelessness". People Magazine, November 11, 1999
  3. ^ Datline: "Video Cameras in Nursing Homes". NBC, August 1, 2000
  4. ^ 48 Hours: "Saving Mom & Dad". CBS, July 30, 1998
  5. ^ CBS Evening News: "Nursing Homes in Trouble". CBS, May 18, 2000
  6. ^ "The Rise of Malpractice in Long-Term Care: An Attorney's View of Clinical Care". American Geriatrics Society's National Convention
  7. ^ "Interdisciplinary Planning as a System to Achieve Resident Standards of Care". Senior Services Network's Senior Services Seminar
  8. ^ Smith, Brad: "Local Lawyer Sees Tsunami Devastation", Metro Section, Page 1. Tampa Tribune, January 12, 2005
  9. ^ Kennedy, John and Mahlburg, Bob: "Bush Sees Familiar Face in Thailand", Section B, Page 5. Orlando Sentinel, January 23, 2005
  10. ^ Berkow, Ira: "BOXING; Fighter and Lawyer Are Hard to Beat as an Unlikely Team", Section D, Page 7. New York Times, August 2, 2005
  11. ^ Cotey, John C.: "Fortune Finds Way to Fame", Section C, Page 1. St. Petersburg Times, August 3, 2005
  12. ^ Wilkes, Jim: "Then & Now". Stevan Pippin, Tough & Tender Records in association with Windhaven Productions
  13. ^ Wilkes, Jim: "Bittersweet". Stevan Pippin, Mainstar Entertainment 2000
  14. ^ Wilkes, Jim: "Beyond the Blue". Stevan Pippin, Mainstar Entertainment 2005

Other Sources

Douherty, Geoff (1999-03-29). "Mr. Nursing Home Lawsuit / Wild Wild Wilkes". St. Petersburg Times. pp. 1, sec. A . http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/44296862.html?dids=44296862:44296862&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Aug+29%2C+1999&author=GEOFF+DOUGHERTY&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1.A&desc=MR.+NURSING+HOME+LAWSUIT+%2F%2F+Wild%2C+Wild+Wilkes .  

Reincheld, Aaron (2004), Part-time Student Awarded Largest Stetson Scholarship Ever , Stetson Lawyer, p. 32  

Florida Justice Association's President's Award , 1997; Florida Justice Association's John E. Krupnick Award for Perserverence, 2005; and the National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform's Special Appreciation Award, 2006  

Smith, Doug (2001-12-07). "Angel or Anti-Christ.". Arkansas Times.  

Miller, Adam (2001-01-01). "Angels of Death.". Law.com.  

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