Thomas Emerson Scott is the Managing Partner in the firm's Miami office. He was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida from 1997-2000. During this time, his accomplishments include prosecution of racketeering and conspiracy charges against some of South Florida's most violent street gangs, Medicare fraud cases against four major health care companies, sweeping reforms in airline and airport security (with prosecutions ranging from cases against baggage handlers to airlines) for issues including drug smuggling and cargo safety, and prosecutions of corrupt politicians. He is an active participant in the firm's SIU Fraud Division representing carriers by bringing affirmative complaints and counterclaims on their behalf.
Mr. Scott is listed in Who's Who in American Law and serves as the chairman of The Florida Bar's Standing Committee on Professionalism. He was a Circuit Judge for the 11th Judicial Circuit for Dade County from 1979 to 1984. He was appointed as a United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida where he served from 1985 to 1990. He was also an instructor at St. Thomas University School of Law, the University of Miami School of Law, the University of Florida Law School and Nova University Law School.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami, and a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia.
Mr. Scott is a Martindale-Hubbell rated A.V. attorney. He is a member of The Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, The United States District Judges' Association and the Lawyers Advisory Cod States District Court of the Southern District of Florida and past Chairman of the Southern District Grievance Committee. Selected as one of the top 1.7% of Civil Trial Lawyers in the State of Florida by Florida Trend Magazine Committee for the Southern District of Florida. He is a member of The Judicial Nominating Committee, Northern, Southern and Middle Districts. Additionally, he is a member and fellow of the Product Liability Advisory Council Foundation, Co-Chairman of The American Bar Association Committee on Discovery Under the Litigation Section, past Chairman on the Security Committee of the Unite (2005-2006); Florida Super Lawyers (2006-2007, 2009-2018); The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2009 - 2025) and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2025).
His areas of expertise include banking and financial and class action litigation, aviation and marine/admiralty claims, defense of lawyers, directors, officers and corporate clients as well as handling appellate, SIU fraud investigations, coverage and bad faith matters. He is also a well-recognized expert in the defense of white collar criminal investigations and charges from inception through trial and appeal.
Awards & Recognitions
The Best Lawyers in America , Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants, recognized since 2009
Super Lawyers 2006 - 2007, 2009 - 2019
Newsroom
News
•Full Dismissal - Federal Matter Involving Criminal and Tortious Conduct in France
Recent Successful Trial, 1.10.2024
Publications
Co-Authored with Eric Rieger, ' A View From the Bench: New Challenges in Federal Practice, ' CSK Article, 2014
•A View From the Bench: New Challenges in Federal Practice
Publication, 8.12.2014
