Jim Wilkes
Encyclopedia
Jim Wilkes was recently named as one of the top 10 most influential people by Long Term Living Magazine.
Mr. Wilkes was (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 his law firm, Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. 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
).
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, (under discography), of multi-platinum musical producer Ron Oates.
Mr. Wilkes was (born November 6, 1950) is a well-known Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
native, who has made national news for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
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
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
and his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
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 his law firm, Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. was recognized by The National Law Journal
The National Law Journal
The National Law Journal, a U.S. periodical founded in 1978, reports legal information of national importance to attorneys, including federal circuit court decisions, verdicts, practitioners' columns, coverage of legislative issues and legal news for the business and private sectors.The...
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
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
, 48 Hours
48 Hours (TV series)
48 Hours is a documentary and news program broadcast on the CBS television network since January 19, 1988. The program originally presented documentaries of various events related to a particular subject occurring within a 48-hour period, and is credited as one of the first to air a "reality show"...
and CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
. 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
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and is a member of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, and the American Association for Justice, (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
The American Association for Justice , formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America is the leading organization for lawyers representing plaintiffs in the United States...
).
Beyond the practice of law
Mr. Wilkes’ notoriety extends beyond the courtroom. For over two decades 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 former Executive Director of Families for Better Care was elected to serve as the president of the nation’s largest and oldest nursing home resident advocacy group, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.Mr. Wilkes was recognized as among the first Americans to make a significant donation to the 2004 tsunami relief in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, 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
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
and Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
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
Jeff Lacy
Jeffrey Scott Lacy is an American boxer. He is a former International Boxing Federation super middleweight champion.-Amateur career:...
and junior middleweight champion Ronald Winky Wright
Winky Wright
Ronald Lamont "Winky" Wright is an American boxer, the former undisputed world light middleweight champion and a current middleweight contender....
. 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, (under discography), of multi-platinum musical producer Ron Oates.