Our Results Speak for Themselves
Phillips, Hunt & Walker has spent over 25 years building a record in Jacksonville’s courtrooms and beyond. John M. Phillips is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar — one of the youngest attorneys in Florida to earn that designation in 2013. In 2025, Forbes named him one of the Top 200 Lawyers in America and one of the Top 20 Lawyers in Florida. Famed attorney Robert Shapiro has called him “the best lawyer in America.”
These aren’t rankings you can buy. They are the result of what happens in courtrooms, arbitration rooms, and legislative chambers when our team goes to work.
$495,123,680 Verdict — Kalil McCoy (January 15, 2019)
The largest known jury verdict in Northeast Florida history — and it still stands. When Kalil McCoy was murdered, John Phillips took her case to trial. Her killers had no corporate shield, no massive insurance policy — only the weight of what they did. At trial, John had the detective seal the crime scene photographs in an envelope and told the jury: if you think I’m asking too much by asking for $50 million, open it. On January 15, 2019, the jury returned $495,123,680 — more than ten times the request.
$1.3 Million in Attorney’s Fees Against the Trump Campaign
John represented Omarosa Manigault Newman against the Trump campaign’s attempt to enforce a nondisclosure agreement. On September 24, 2021, the American Arbitration Association granted summary judgment declaring the NDA invalid. Attorney’s fees were awarded; the Trump Campaign subsequently released everyone from the NDA’s terms on August 9, 2022. The case was covered by the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC News, CNBC, Politico, Fox News, and the ABA Journal.
John’s statement at the time: “The award hopefully will send a message that weaponized litigation will not be tolerated and empower other lawyers to stand up and fight.”
When Phillips, Hunt & Walker warns opponents about prevailing-party attorney’s fees, it is not an abstract threat. It is a promise backed by a collection record — including fees collected from opponents with resources far greater than most.
$2.6 Million Verdict Against Volusia County — Erin Joynt
One of the largest personal injury verdicts against Volusia County — obtained while Good Morning America cameras filmed and aired the trial live. The County appealed; John filed a declaratory judgment action against the County’s own insurance carrier.
Jordan Davis — “The Loud Music Case”
In 2012, John was retained by Ron Davis and U.S. Congresswoman Lucy McBath after Jordan Davis, 17, was shot and killed in Jacksonville by Michael Dunn. John guided the family through criminal prosecution, national media scrutiny, and civil resolution. The work was featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Armor of Light, directed by Abigail Disney, and included legislative advocacy to tighten Florida’s laws.
Howard Schneider Pediatric Dental Abuse
A Jacksonville pediatric dentist was charged with Medicaid fraud, abuse, and performing unnecessary procedures on children — extracting multiple teeth while telling parents only one needed work. John represented more than 130 child victims. The result: settlement of 104 cases, revocation of the dentist’s license, and criminal prosecution. The case was featured on Nancy Grace, Nightline, and Crime Watch Daily.
Additional Notable Matters
- Georgia Citizen Arrest Statute — Selected to help rewrite Georgia’s citizen arrest law following the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
- YNW Melly — Estate of Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas, Jr. — Filed wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Christopher Thomas Jr., a high-profile matter that brought death threats and public harassment.
- Tiger King — Don Lewis Family — Retained by Don Lewis’s daughters and former assistant Anne McQueen; filed lawsuit against Carole Baskin seeking information about Don Lewis’s disappearance. Later retained by Joe Exotic to file for a new trial.
- George Zimmerman — Copyright Case — Stopped George Zimmerman from selling a copyrighted photograph of prosecutor Angela Corey as a painting.
- Gregory Hill v. Fort Pierce Police Department — Man shot by police through his closed garage door. A controversial $4 jury verdict that drew national attention to civil rights and policing issues.
No Fee Unless We Win
Phillips, Hunt & Walker handles personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover for you. We also do not pass copy costs, postage, or in-house fees to our clients, and we do not charge interest on litigation costs. Call us at (904) 444-4444 or contact us online for a free consultation.