Attorney James B. Tilghman

Miami Personal Injury Lawyer with a National Reach

Jim Tilghman graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1972 and was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. He also received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida, where he graduated with honors in 1975, was a published member of the law review, and was selected as a member of the Order of the Coif.

Career Background

Upon graduation, Jim joined the firm of Frates, Floyd, Pearson, Stewart, Proenza and Richman, and became a partner there in 1978. He left in 1984 to start his own firm with Larry Stewart, Gary Fox, and David Bianchi, and has practiced there ever since. During the first 20 years of his career, Jim was a trial attorney, representing clients in cases involving everything from commercial disputes, business torts, partnership dissolutions and tax liabilities to defamation and invasion of privacy to products liability, professional malpractice, and personal injury. He was Board Certified as a Civil Trial Attorney by the Florida Bar from 1986-1996.

During that time Jim became the de facto legal expert and appellate lawyer for the firm, and in 1995 started to devote his practice exclusively to appellate litigation and the legal issues inherent in the trial of cases. For both the firm and other attorneys who retain his services, Jim brings a unique trial lawyer's perspective to his appellate practice. He was Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Appellate Practice in 1999 and has handled the legal work in cases throughout Florida, both in State and Federal court, and appeals in all of the Florida District Courts of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.

Awards & Recognition

Jim is perennially named one of South Florida's Top Attorneys in the South Florida Legal Guide; selected for inclusion on the Florida Super Lawyers list (2006 - 2018); named as one of the "Legal Elite" by Florida Trend Magazine; and rated AV Preeminent by Martindale- Hubbell. He has also been recognized by Best Lawyers for The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Appellate Practice.

Representative examples of Jim Tilghman cases include:

• Granicz v. Chirillo, 147 So. 3d 544 (Fla. 2d DCA 2014)
• Florida Health Sciences Center, Inc. v. Division of Admin. Servs., 974 So.2d 1076 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007)
• Pope v. Winter Park Healthcare Group, Ltd., 939 So.2d 185 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006)
• Klay v. All Defendants, 389 F.3d 1191 (11th Cir.2004)
• Klay v. Humana, Inc., 382 F.3d 1241 (11th Cir.2004)
• Kaplan v. Daimler Chrysler, A.G., 2003 WL 22023315 (11th Cir. Aug. 1, 2003)
• In re Humana Inc. Managed Care Litig., 285 F.3d 971 (11th Cir. 2002)
• Van Sickle v. Zimmer, 807 So.2d 182 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002)
• Parker v Graham & James, 715 So.2d 1047 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998)
• G.I.C. Corp. v. United States, 121 F.3d 1447 (11th Cir. 1997)
• Beiswenger Enterprises Corp. v. Carletta, 86 F.3d 1032 (11th Cir.1996)
• Lifecare Int'l, Inc. v. CD Medical, Inc., 68 F.3d 429 (11th Cir.1995)
• Adams v. Fidelity & Cas. Co. of New York, 591 So.2d 929 (Fla. 1992)
• Weiner v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maryland, 925 F2d 81 (4th Cir. 1991)
• Korman v Iglesias, 736 F. Supp.261 (S.D. Fla 1990)
• Weiner v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Md., 543 So.2d 794 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989)
• Weiner v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Md., 868 F.2d 1550 (11th Cir. 1989)
• Trend Coin Company v. Honeywell, Inc., 487 So.2d 1029 (Fla. 1986)
• Valentine v. C.B.S., Inc., 698 F.2d 480 (11th Cir.1983)
• Pledger v. Burnup & Sims, Inc., 432 So.2d 1323 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)

Demonstrating that opposites do indeed attract, Jim can't stand to hear himself lecture and comes by his aversion to Bar activities honestly, but nevertheless finds himself a member of:

• The Florida Bar (Appellate Practice Section)
• The American Bar Association (Torts and Insurance Practice and Litigation Sections, Appellate Advisory Committee)
• The Chief Judge's Ad Hoc Trial Committee of the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court
• The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Diplomate)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Jim's dedication to his practice has contributed to our success as a firm today. At Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A., we are proud to have over 100 years of combined experience, as well as hundreds of millions in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.

 James Tilghman is currently retired from the active practice of law.