James R. Hilbert, Jr.

James R. Hilbert, Jr. is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney. He limits his practice to individuals or small businesses. He does not represent insurance companies. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Princeton University in 1982, and Juris Doctor Degree, Cum Laude, from Thomas Cooley School of Law in 1985, graduating 3^rd in his class. While in law school, he clerked for the Michigan Attorney General.  Paying back his obligated service for education, from 1986 to 1991, Mr. Hilbert practiced on active duty as a member of the Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps.  Electing to stay in the Army Reserve, he presently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. From 1991 to 1994, he was an AUSA - Federal prosecutor, in the Tampa Civil Division. In 1993, he was selected as a co-recipient of the Employee of the Year Award. He had an extensive trial practice in the negligence and personal injury fields, including numerous actions involving suits against the federal government and its agencies. Mr. Hilbert’s litigation practice includes personal injury, multi-party litigation, along with multi-million dollar negligence and products actions. Mr. Hilbert’s experience includes successful trials in Federal and State courts, along with a number of successful appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit as well as the State 2^nd District Court of Appeals.

He currently serves on the Grievance Committee for the 6^th Judicial Circuit for the Florida Bar. Mr. Hilbert is a past faculty member of the U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Trial Advocacy Institute.  He is a frequent lecturer at the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. His professional associations include the American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association (Military and Federal Tort Claims Section), the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (EAGLE Program Sponsor), the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Saint Petersburg & Clearwater Bar Associations and the Ferguson White Inn of Court.  Mr. Hilbert has also been admitted to the State Bars of Michigan, Colorado and Texas. Mr. Hilbert’s Federal affiliations include the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of the Armed Forces and the United States Court of Claims.

Reported Cases:  Wolf v. Chater, 86 F. 3d 1072 (11^th Cir. 1996), Hunt v.Department of Air Force, A Division of the USA, 29 F. 3d 583 (11th Cir. 1994), Martinson v. Shalala, 843 F. Supp. 1448 (M.D. Fla. 1994), Holloway v. U.S., 829 F.Supp.1327 (M.D. Fla. 1993), Hunt v. Department of Air Force, A Division of the USA, 787 F. Supp. 197 (M.D. Fla. 1992).

15500 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 103
Clearwater, FL 33760
Ph (727) 531-6707
Fax (727) 531-5520
Toll Free 1-(877) 999-1200

advice@hilbertlawgroup.com