James “JJ” Maskowitz is a Partner in our office in Tampa Bay, Florida, and he specializes in defending physicians, hospitals, and insurers in all aspects of aging services, medical malpractice, and general liability lawsuits.
JJ has more than a decade of legal experience and was previously a Partner at a Tampa firm where he represented nursing homes, hospitals, and physicians before courts and arbitration panels as well as in mediation. He has extensive experience in managing litigation from inception through trial, including motions, pleadings, discovery demands and responses, and trying cases to verdict or judgment.
A natural leader, JJ has overseen teams of associates and mentored attorneys who are at the beginning of their legal career. Before switching to private practice, JJ worked as an attorney in the Office of the Public Defender in the 6th Judicial Circuit in Clearwater, Florida, where he tried more than 35 cases for serious violent felonies as well as misdemeanor drug charges. He also interned at two other public defender offices and served as a law clerk to pro bono attorneys for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
JJ earned a Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida. He received a Pro-Bono Certificate and a Sports Law Certificate, participated in the National Mock Arbitration Competition, and won the Best Group Advocate award for trial practice twice. He also completed a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Pre-law at the University of Arizona at Tucson. He and his wife Brandi have two children, Ava and Jax.
Experience
JJ has more than 10 years of legal experience and concentrates his practice on aging services, medical malpractice, and general liability matters. He has represented numerous nursing homes, hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers at trial, in mediation, and before arbitration panels.
Aging Services
JJ has extensive experience in defending nursing homes, physicians, and other health care workers in a wide range of malpractice, negligent care, and general liability claims. He has successfully obtained defense verdicts both at binding arbitrations and at hearings on various motions during the course of litigation.
General Liability
JJ represents nursing homes, hospitals, physician groups, and health care professionals in a broad range of general liability matters and oversees each case from inception through motions, pleadings, discovery, and trial. He also handles mediation, arbitration, and settlement negotiations.
Medical Malpractice
JJ defends doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals in medical malpractice disputes, including wrongful diagnosis and injury claims.
Presentations
•We Will Survive - Understanding and Surviving Medicaid Eligibility, Post Unwinding, and Legal Implications of the Legal Implications of the Changing Medicaid Climate
Florida Health Care Association (FHCA); Annual Conference and Trade Show; July 22, 2024
•Arbitration: Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
FDLA 27th Annual Florida Liability Claims Conference; June 5, 2024
•The New Frontier: Exploring Florida Medicaid
FHCA Annual Conference and Trade Show; July 27, 2023
Publications
•The Delta variant and long-term care: Key liability and risk considerations
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News; September 8, 2021
•Minimizing litigation risk in the post-COVID era
Physicians Practice; March 22, 2021
•Lessons From 2020: Be More Diligent With Policies and Documentation
Annals of Long-Term Care; March, 17, 2021
In the Press
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: JJ Maskowitz on Legal Considerations for Long-Term Care Facilities Related to Delta Variant
September 9, 2021
In an article published online in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on September 8, 2021, Partner JJ Maskowitz discusses legal risk considerations for long-term care facilities in light of the surge in the Delta variant and the importance of developing, implementing and updating policies and procedures to navigate future emergencies. “Looking ahead, attention to these updates
