John M. Fitzgibbons practices in the following areas of law: Criminal Defense; Criminal Trial Law; Appellate Practice Admitted: 1975, Iowa; 1976, U.S. Tax Court; 1979, U.S. Supreme Court; 1983, District of Columbia; 1986, Florida; U.S. Courts of Appeal: 1976, Eighth Circuit; 1978, Fifth Circuit; 1983, District of Columbia Circuit; 1983, Eleventh Circuit; 1989, Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Courts: 1975, Northern District of Iowa; 1976, Southern District of Iowa; 1981, Western District of Oklahoma; 1983, Eastern District of Kentucky; 1986, Middle District of Florida; 1988, Southern District of Florida (General Bar), District of Maryland and Southern District of Alabama; 1989, Southern District of Florida (Trial Bar); 1992, Northern District of California; 1993, District of Columbia; 1999, District of Connecticut, Northern District of Illinois (General Bar and Trial Bar). Pro Hac Vice: 1988, Northern District of Florida; 1989, Southern District of West Virginia, Western District of North Carolina; 1990, Southern District of Mississippi; 1997, District of Utah; 1999, Middle District of Tennessee; 2006, District of South Carolina Law School: The University of Iowa, J.D., 1975 College: St. Norbert College, B.A., 1972 Member: Hillsborough County (Executive Council, Trial Lawyers Section, 1988-1995; Vice-Chairperson, 1993-1994; Chairperson, 1994-1995), Sarasota County, Federal (President, Tampa Bay Chapter, 1988-1989) and American Bar Associations (Criminal Justice Section); 1987-1994, Ferguson-White Inn of Court (Master of the Bench); 2000—, Herbert G. Goldburg Criminal Inn of Court (Master of the Bench, President, 2001-2002); The Florida Bar (Member: Criminal Law Section); The District of Columbia Bar (Member: Criminal Law and Individual Rights Section); The Iowa State Bar Association (Member: Criminal Law Section); Criminal Defense Lawyers of Hillsborough County; Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Assistant United States Attorney's Association for the Middle District of Florida; Eleventh Circuit Historical Society. Biography: Listed in: The Best Lawyers in America (White-Collar Criminal Defense, Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense); Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Criminal Law); Law and Leading Attorneys in Florida (Criminal Law); Florida Super Lawyers (Criminal Defense, White-Collar); Florida's Legal Elite (Criminal Law). Author: with Kim W. Munch, "Post-Trial Inquiry into the Jury's Verdict," The Florida Bar Journal, January, 1990; "The Court of Public Opinion: Trial Lawyers and Trial Publicity," Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer, December, 1994; "The Tug of War Over Ex Parte Contact by Federal Prosecutors," The Federal Lawyer, June, 1995. Panel Member and Program Faculty Member, "Current Issues in Corporate Criminal Justice," American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and Stetson University College of Law, 2002. Speaker, "Current Legal Tangles and How to Prevent Them," University of South Florida College of Medicine, 2001; Panel Member, "Evidence and Ethics at Trial," Stetson University College of Law, 2001, Speaker and Program Faculty Member, Medicine for Lawyers - Law for Physicians, Health Care Fraud and Abuse, Stetson University College of Law and University of South Florida College of Medicine, 2000 and 2001; Speaker, "Defense Attorneys and the Cash-Paying Client: Recent Developments in the Courts and the New Federal Law," Hillsborough County Bar Association Seminar, 1985. Panel Member, "Covering the High Publicity Case: Juggling a Variety of Interests," The Florida Bar's Thirteenth Media Law Conference, 1987. Speaker, "Lawyers and the Media: Trials in the Public Forum," Hillsborough County Bar Association Ethics Seminar, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994; Panel Member, IRS Criminal Investigation Division's Continuing Professional Education Seminar for Special Agents, 1992. Speaker, "Interacting With The Media: Effective Practical Skills and Professional Concerns For Judges and Lawyers," American Inns of Court National Conference, 1996. Assistant Polk County Attorney, Des Moines, Iowa, 1975-1976. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Iowa, 1976-1978. (First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief, Criminal Division, 1977-1978). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Iowa, 1978-1979. Special Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., 1978-1980. Trial Attorney, Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 1980-1983. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Kentucky, 1983. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Florida, 1983-1987. (Deputy Chief, Criminal Division, 1985-1986). Special Achievement Award, U.S. Department of Justice, 1978, 1985. Honorary Special Agent, Criminal Investigation Division, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Treasury, Tampa, Florida, 1987. Lawyer-Delegate, Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference, 1988. Court-Appointed Member, Merit Selection Panel for U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1993; Court-Appointed Member, Merit Selection Panel for Reappointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1993. Court-Appointed Chairman, Grievance Committee, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa and Ft. Myers Divisions, 1996-1999. Member, Federal Judicial Nominating Commission of Florida, 2005—. Hillsborough County Trial Lawyers Section James H. Kynes Memorial Award for Excellence in Criminal Litigation, 1998. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers; American Board of Criminal Lawyers. (Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education) (Certified as a Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy) Born: Estherville, Iowa, August 17, 1950 |
