Tom Dukes has been with the firm since receiving his Juris Doctorate. Mr. Dukes concentrates his practice in the area of medical malpractice defense. He is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.A. 1981) and the University of Florida College of Law (J.D. 1984). In 1984, he was admitted to the Florida Bar and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In 1993, he was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Mr. Dukes is AV-rated by the Martindale-Hubbard Law Directory. He was president of The Florida Defense Lawyers Association in 2001 and 2002. He received the 1996-1997 and 1999-2000 President’s Award from the Florida Defense Lawyers Association for outstanding service to the organization. He also received the 2005 Joseph P. Metzger Outstanding Achievement Award for lifetime service to The Association. He received CLE awards from The Association in 2006 and 2011. He also served as the founding Chairman of the Florida Liability Claims Institute, a statewide organization seeking to improve the working relationship between insurers and defense counsel. Mr. Dukes has served on and chaired one of The Florida Bar’s local grievance committees.
While specializing in medical malpractice defense, Mr. Dukes has tried a wide variety of cases, including wrongful death, automobile negligence, civil fraud and civil negligence. He is also a frequent lecturer and writer on trial and litigation-related topics. Mr. Dukes is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by The Florida Bar, The National Board of Trial Advocacy and The American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. He is Board Certified in Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy by The National Board of Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy. He is a member of The American Board of Trial Advocates. He also serves on The Florida Supreme Court Jury Instruction Committee.
Thomas E. Dukes, III has been admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers. The recent induction ceremony in which Tom became a Fellow took place in Philadelphia, PA before an audience of more than 700 at the 2016 annual meeting of the College. The College was founded in 1950 and is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.
