John Elliott Leighton
Leighton Panoff Law • FL
Personal Injury and wrongful deathMedical MalpracticeNegligent Premises SecuritySexual AbuseCar and Truck Accidents
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Contact
Email
John@LeightonLaw.com
Phone
800-566-6398
Website
Address
FL, 33131, US
Professional
Bar Admissions
FloridaU.S. District Court Southern District of FloridaU.S. District Court Southern District of Florida Trial BarU.S. District Court Middle District of FloridaU.S. District Court Northern District of FloridaU.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
About
John Elliott Leighton is a board certified civil trial lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice, nursing home, product liability, sexual abuse and inadequate premises security litigation. A nationally recognized advocate for crime victims, Mr. Leighton has been a leader in the field of inadequate premises security litigation and is the author of two volume treatise Litigating Premises Security Cases , published by Thomson-West (2006). It is the most comprehensive treatise on investigating, preparing and trying inadequate security cases and representing crime victims. He is the President-elect of the National Crime Victim Bar Association. His trial in Jeffery v. Publix Super Markets , a landmark inadequate security case, was the subject of an entire chapter in the treatise Persuasive Jury Communication: Case Studies from Successful Trials , Chapter 10 (Shepard's/McGraw-Hill, 1995). In addition to lecturing nationally on security and violent crime issues, Mr. Leighton has led training programs for crime victim advocates. His verdicts and settlements for injured clients include $49 million for a sexual assault client, $24 million for a medical malpractice case and $24 million for an ATM shooting death. Other published works by Mr. Leighton include chapters in Matthew Bender's Product Liability Practice Guide and Wiley Publishers' Litigating Spinal Cord Injuries books. His article on defective child car seats, entitled "Are Children Caught in the Seat of Disaster? Child Restraint Systems and Product Liability Cases" was published in the March 1998 issue of Trial magazine. This was followed by "Fighting New Defenses in Inadequate Security Cases," published in Trial (April 2000) and several others. Mr. Leighton has also published "The Recall Process: Removing Defective Juvenile Products from the Market" in the Product Liability Law Reporter (May 1991) and "Market Share Liability: The Need for a Uniform Market Share Liability Act" in Trial (November 1985). He is a frequent lecturer at trial lawyers programs and has spoken and taught at seminars, colleges and conventions in over 15 states. After serving as Chairman of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America's (ATLA) Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section, Mr. Leighton has gone on to chair ATLA's (now the American Association of Justice) Inadequate Security Litigation Group. He is a charter member of the National Crime Victim Bar Association and is the recipient of their Advocate of Justice award. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National College of Advocacy. He is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law, and holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Leighton has been voted as one of the Top Lawyers in South Florida in the South Florida Legal Guide for the last five years, which is a peer selected listing of the leading 250 attorneys out of 23,000 practitioners, has been named a Florida SuperLawyer (and voted as one of the top 100 of all the state SuperLawyers), and has been elected to the Florida Trend Legal Elite Top Lawyers in Florida by peer selection. He has also been chosen as "Orlando Legal Elite" by Orlando Style magazine. He received his undergraduate and law degrees with honors from the University of Florida, where he was an editor of the Florida Law Review, competed on the Trial Team , and taught first year jurisprudence. Mr. Leighton is the Chairman of the Academy of Trial Advocacy, a national invitation-only association of leading catastrophic injury attorneys. Mr. Leighton has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America , Florida SuperLawyers, Top Lawyers in South Florida, Orlando Legal Elite, and Florida Trend magazine’s “Florida Legal Elite.”
Credentials
Education
University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida, 1985 | Juris Doctor, with honors | Honors: Trial Competition Team | Honors: Jurisprudence Instructor, 1983 - 1984 | Honors: Who's Who Among American Law Students, 4th ed., 5th ed. | Honors: Recipient, American Jurisprudence Awards for Torts and Civil Procedure | Honors: Faculty, Teaching Fellows Program | Law Review: Florida Law Review, Editor and Board Member | University of Florida, 1982 | Bachelor of Arts, with honors | Honors: President, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honorary Fraternity | Honors: Florida Blue Key; Who's Who Among Students in American Universities/College | Honors: Student Senate Majority Leader | Honors: Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity
Certifications
Board Certified specialist in Civil Trial LawFlorida Board of Legal Specialization (certified 1996; re-certified 20012006201120162021)1996
Recognition & Involvement
Awards
Selected for Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Product Liability., 2025 | Selected for Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Product Liability., 2024 | Selected for Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Product Liability., 2023 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2023 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2022 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2021 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2020 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2019 | Selected as Orlando Legal Elite by Orlando Style magazine., 2018 | The Best Lawyers in America, 2008-2019, 2019 | Selected again for Top Miami Superlawyer, 2018 | Selected as Florida Legal Elite., 2018 | Selected for Best lawyers in America for Personal Injury (Plaintiffs), Medical Malpractice and Product Liability., 2018 | Top 100 SuperLawyers in Florida (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013), 1993 | Florida Trend Legal Elite 2006-2009, 2012-2018 (Top 2% of Lawyers in Florida), 1993 | Recipient, “Wiedmann-Wysocki Citation of Excellence”, 1993 | Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America, 2015 | National Law Journal Top 100 verdicts of 2011, 2015 | Florida SuperLawyers 2006-2018 (peer selected statewide), 2015 | Top 50 SuperLawyers in South Florida (2010, 2011, 2012), 2015 | AVVO.com attorney rating 10/10 (“superb” - highest rating), 2015 | Who's Who in America, Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, 2015 | International Who’s Who of Professionals, 2015 | “Attorney of the Month,” Attorney At Law magazine, Vol. 3 No. 2, April 2013, 2015 | Martindale-Hubbell AV preeminent rating, 2015 | Top Lawyers in South Florida, South Florida Legal Guide, For Medical Malpractice, Product Liability and Wrongful Death, 2003 through 2018, 2015 | Business Leader Media “Mover & Shaker Award”, 2009, 2015 | Who's Who in American Law, 2015 | Co-Nominee, Trial Lawyer of the Year, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (1995), 2015 | Wrongful death verdict hall of fame, 2015
Associations
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Sustaining Member) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Inadequate Security Litigation Group, 1996 - Present (Co-Chairman) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Inadequate Security Litigation Group, 1994 - 1996 (Treasurer) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section, 1996 - 1997 (Chairman) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section, 1995 - 1996 (First Vice Chair) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Nursing Home Litigation Group) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Professional Negligence Section | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2001 - 2005 (Co-Chair, Communications, Computers and Law Office Technology Committe) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003 - Present (Vice Chair, Press Advisory Board Committee) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003 - Present (Exchange Advisory Committee) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Medical Negligence Information Exchange Group) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Birth Trauma Litigation Group) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1992 - 1995 (Founding Co-Chairman, National Trial Advocacy Competition Committee) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1993 - 1995 (Co-Chairman, Law Student Services Committee) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1994 - 1995 (Permanent Endowment Committee) | Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Trial Magazine (Editorial Manuscript Reviewer) | National College of Advocacy (Faculty Member) | National College of Advocacy, 2000 - 2004 (Member, Board of Trustees) | National College of Advocacy, 2000 - 2003 (Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and Secretary) | Trial Lawyers for Public Justice | Academy of Trial Advocacy (Charter Member) | Academy of Trial Advocacy (Vice Chairman) | Academy of Trial Advocacy, 1989 (Member, Florida Tort Claims Study Commission) | The Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section (CLE and Civil Procedure Rule Committees) | Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers | American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, 1987 - 1988 (Vice Chair, Product, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee) | Cooperative Association of Medical Malpractice Attorneys (Charter Member) | Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, 1987 - 1991 (Board of Directors) | Dade County Bar Association | Monroe County Bar Association | Miami Beach Bar Association | Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, U.K. (Overseas Member) | International Personal Injury Network (Charter Member) | National Crime Victim Bar Association (Charter Member) | B'nai B'rith Bench and Bar | Cuban American Bar Association | Florida Association of Women Lawyers | Temple Beth Am, 2004 - Present (Board of Directors) | Committee of 100 Cocoplum Civic Association, 2001 - 2002 (Vice President) | Miami Council for International Visitors, 2001 - 2003 (Board of Directors)
Speaking
Lecturer, Deposition Techniques - Lay and Expert Witnesses, American Association for Justice, 2007 | Lecturer, Using Computer Animation in Civil Cases, 59th Annual Melvin Belli Seminar, 2006 | Lecturer, Fundamentals of a Hospital Chart - What's There and What's Not, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2006 | Lecturer, Insurance Issues in Inadequate Premises Security Cases, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2006 | Lecturer, Winning Through Discovery, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, 2006 | Lecturer,Creating the Silver Lining: Techniques for Opening Statement, New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association, 2006 | Lecturer, Trying Cases in Trying Times: Jury Selection in Today's Environment, Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2006 | Moderator, Association of Trial Lawyers of America Annual Convention, 2006 | Speaker, Civil Remedies for Criminal Acts, National Center for Victims of Crime Victim Advocate Training Program, 2006 | Lecturer, Inadequate Premises Security, PESI Premises Liability Seminar, 2005 | Lecturer, Comparing Fault - Current Status of Efforts to Include Perpetrators on Verdict Forms...Restatement Approach; Legislation; Case Law; Comparison to Crashworthiness Doctrine, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2005 | Course Chair and Lecturer, Litigating Nursing Home Cases Seminar, ATLA/National College of Advocacy, 2005 | Program Chair, Collateral Sources Seminar, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2005 | Lecturer, Opening Statement, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2004 | Lecturer, Jury Selection, National Crime Victim Bar Association Annual Conference, 2004 | Lecturer, Liability for Failure to Admit (EMTALA), Discharge and Transfer, Holding the Hospital Accountable Seminar, ATLA/National College of Advocacy, 2004 | Lecturer, Screening, Selecting and Investigating Inadequate Security Cases: What to Look For Before Taking A Case, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2004 | Lecturer, 57th Annual Melvin Belli Seminar, 2004 | Lecturer, Apportionment of Fault, Premises Liability: Inadequate Security Cases, ATLA/National College of Advocacy Teleseminar, 2004 | Lecturer, Jury Selection: Negligent Security, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2004 | Lecturer and Course Co-Chair, Effective Settlement Techniques, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, ATLA/National College of Advocacy, 2004 | Co-Chair, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2004 | Lecturer, Opening Statements and Today's Special Considerations, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Fall Convention, 2003 | Lecturer, Apportionment of Fault in Inadequate Security Cases, National Crime Victim Bar Association, 2003 | National Conference: Rights, Recourse & Recovery: Civil Litigation for Victims of Crime, 2003 | Lecturer, Creating and Reinforcing the Trial Story: Presenting the Expert Witness, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 2003 | Speaker, Linguistic Minorities, National Employment Lawyers Association, Annual Convention, 2003 | Co-Chair, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy, 2003 | Co-Chair and Moderator, Litigating Catastrophically Injured Infant Cases, National College of Advocacy, 2003 | Co-Chair and Moderator, Weekend With The Stars Annual Seminar, National College of Advocacy, 2002 | Lecturer, Effective and Efficient Use of Internet Discovery, Advocacy Track, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 2002 | Lecturer, How Daubert Can Help and Hurt Your Case, Annual Jazz Fest Seminar, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2002 | Lecturer, Handing the Jury a Package - The Art of a Closing Argument - Lecture and Demonstration, South Dakota Bar Association, 2002 | Lecturer and Teaching Faculty, Essentials of Civil Litigation Trial College, National College of Advocacy, 2001 | Lecturer: Opening Statement and Computers and Technology in the Courtroom | Course Chair and Lecturer, Screening Nursing Home Abuse Cases, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2001 | Lecturer, The Boob Tube: Making Videotaped Evidence Interesting, Advocacy Track - Trial Psychology and Persuasion, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada, July, 2001 | Lecturer, Expert Testimony: How to Deal With Daubert/Kumho Challenges, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada, July, 2001 | Course Chair, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Houston, TX, April, 2001 | Course Chair and Lecturer, Finding, Selecting and Handling Expert Witnesses, Premises Liability: Inadequate Security and Violent Crimes, National College of Advocacy/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Miami, FL, March, 2001 | Course Chair, Misdiagnosis, Mistreatment and Malpractice in the Nursing Home, Failure to Diagnose and Treat Diseases, National College of Advocacy, Waikiki, Hawaii, Feb., 2001 | Lecturer, The Nursing Home Industry vs. Government and Advocates: Legislation, Litigation and Bankruptcy, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, New Orleans, LA, February, 2001 | Teaching Faculty and Lecturer, Finding and Using Experts and Negotiation and Settlement Techniques, Medical Trial Skills College, Association of Trial Lawyers of America/National College of Advocacy, 2001 | Teaching Faculty and Lecturer, Essentials of Civil Litigation Trial College, National College of Advocacy, National Judicial College, October 13, 2000 - October 20, 2000 | Lecturer, Backyard Hazards: Pools, Trampolines and Other Recreational Dangers, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 2000 | Keynote Speaker, Recognizing and Evaluating Nursing Home Cases, Monroe County Bar Association Luncheon Meeting, 2000 | Lecturer, Demonstration of an Opening Statement: Setting the Stage, Litigating Nursing Home Cases, National College of Advocacy, 2000 | Program Chair, Cooperative Association of Medical Malpractice Attorneys, 2000 | Lecturer, Courtroom vs. Movie Set: Choreographing Your Case, Rediscovering the Magic: Taking Back Control of the Courtroom, Maryland Trial Lawyers Association, 1999 | Lecturer, Apportionment of Fault: How To Deal with Placing The Perpetrator on the Verdict Form in Inadequate Security Cases, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 1999 | Lecturer, Combatting Evidentiary Attacks on Expert Testimony: How to Deal With Daubert, Doubleheader Seminar: Litigating Catastrophically Injured Infant Cases and Inadequate Security and Violent Crimes Seminar, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1999 | Lecturer, Litigating Product Liability Cases, Federal Civil Litigation in Florida Seminar, Lorman Education Services, 1998 | Course Chair and Lecturer, Discovery and Rambo Litigation, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 1998 | Lecturer, Investigating, Preparing and Litigating the Inadequate Security Case, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association Premises Liability Seminar, 1998 | Lecturer, Overcoming Tort Reform, How To Practice Law in the Age of Tort Reform: Getting Leaner, Smarter & Tougher, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 | Lecturer, Countering the Seat Belt Defense, Jazzfest Seminar, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1998 | Lecturer, Association of Trial Lawyers of America Hornbook Series: Inadequate Premises Security, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, 1998 | Course Chair, Moderator and Lecturer, Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Educational Program, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 1997 | Course Chair, Moderator and Lecturer, Inadequate Security Education Program, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 1997 | Course Chairman and Lecturer, Terror in the Sky: Security Aboard Airplanes and in Airports, Mega Seminar: Premises Liability: Inadequate Security and Violent Crimes, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1997 | Course Chair and Moderator, Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section Educational Program, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, 1997 | Course Chair and Moderator, Inadequate Security Education Program, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, 1997 | Lecturer, Demonstrative Evidence in Settlement and Mediation, Motor Vehicle, Highway and Premises Liability Section, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Boston, MA, July, 1996 | Course Chair, Premises Liability: Inadequate Security & Violent Crimes, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Scottsdale, AZ, February, 1996 | Moderator, From Classroom to Courtroom, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, New York, NY, July, 1995 | Lecturer, Preparing, Litigating and Trying the Negligent Security Case, Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway & Premises Liability Section, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, New York, NY, July, 1995 | Lecturer and Moderator, Drafting Pleadings and Discovery, From Classroom To Courtroom: Trial Techniques for the New Lawyer, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Redondo Beach, CA, February, 1995 | Lecturer, Comparative Fault/Joint and Several Liability: Comparing the Fault of the Criminal Perpetrator with the Negligence of the Premises Owner, Premises Liability: Inadequate Security & Violent Crimes, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Las Vegas, NV, October, 1994 | Moderator and Chair, Classroom to Courtroom, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, July, 1994 | Lecturer and Moderator, Drafting Pleadings and Discovery, From Classroom To Courtroom: The New Lawyer's Start Up Kit, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Miami, FL, Feb., 1994 | Lecturer, Depositions: Strategy and Demonstration, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, San Diego, CA, January, 1994 | Lecturer, Anticipating, Addressing and Defeating Defenses and Exclusions, Premises Liability for Violent Crimes: Legal Issues and Practical Solutions, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Atlanta, GA, November, 1993 | Lecturer, Proving and Disputing Damages, National Business Institute, Miami, Florida, September, 1993 | Lecturer, Preparing For Trial: The Last 10 Days, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA, August, 1993 | Lecturer, Preparing, Developing, and Trying the Tough Negligent Security Case, Annual New Orleans Jazzfest Seminar: Liability, Causation and Damages, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Orleans, LA, April, 1993 | Lecturer, Drafting Pleadings and Discovery, From Classroom To Courtroom: The New Lawyer's Start Up Kit, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Los Angeles, CA, February, 1993 | Lecturer, Cross Examination, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., July, 1992 | Lecturer, Damages, National Business Institute, Miami, FL, February, 1992 | Lecturer, Real and Necessary Trial Preparation: Preparing for Trial Without Reinventing the Wheel, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Winter Convention, Boca Raton, FL, Jan., 1992 | Lecturer, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, Toronto, Canada, July, 1991 | Lecturer, Jury Selection, Recovering for Psychological Injuries: What You Don't Know Can Hurt Your Client, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, San Francisco, CA, November, 1990 | Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, National Business Institute, Miami, FL, November, 1990 | Lecturer, Determining and Proving Damages, National Business Institute, Miami, FL, July, 1990 | Lecturer, Winning the Product Liability Case Through Discovery, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, Warm Weather Seminar, Freeport, Bahamas, February, 1990 | Lecturer, Movies and Videotapes, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Demonstrative Evidence Seminar, San Francisco, CA, May, 1989 | Lecturer, Offer/Demand for Judgment/Settlement - How, When, and Why, Winning Cases Without Trial, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Nov., 1988 | Lecturer, Top 10 Things to Look (and Look Out) For in Evaluating Inadequate Security Cases, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, 1996
Updated: May 25, 2026