John M. Murray
Of Counsel
3550 Buschwood Park Drive; Suite #130
Tampa, Florida 33618
Telephone (813) 222-1800
Fax (813) 222-1801
jmurray@mmhlaw.com
John M. Murray is an internationally recognized defense lawyer, and one of the few lawyers in the state who has a dual certification as a civil trial lawyer and an aviation lawyer by the Florida Bar Board of Certification. Mr. Murray focuses his defense practice on civil litigation in the areas of aviation, insurance defense, insurance coverage, general liability, and construction defect. He is AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest peer review rating. An active pilot, Mr. Murray holds a commercial pilot certificate with instrument and flight instructor ratings.
Mr. Murray is admitted to practice in Florida and Alabama, including the Trial Bar of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida as well as the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida and the Middle District of Alabama. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and successfully argued Eastern Airlines v. Floyd before that court. Mr. Murray is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Defense Research Institute, an associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a member of the Florida Bar Aviation Law Committee and the Aviation Insurance Association in which he is a past director. He has been a Board Member of the Florida Aviation Trades Association as well as a visiting team member for the Council on Aviation Accreditation. Mr. Murray has been named to the Florida Super Lawyers List. He is also conversant in Spanish.
Mr. Murray lectures extensively at law symposia and seminars in the field of defense litigation. He has presented various papers including “Defending Manufacturers and Fixed Base Operators”, “Consequences of the Destruction of Tangible Evidence,” “What Plaintiff’s Lawyers Do Wrong in Handling Aviation Cases,” and “Legal Liability of Airport Operators.”
Recognition
Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Civil Trial and Aviation
AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Florida Super Lawyer
Memberships
Aviation Insurance Association, Past Director
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Defense Research Institute
American Board of Trial Advocates
Bar and Court Admissions
Florida Bar, Member, Aviation Law Committee
Alabama Bar
U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
Memphis State University, J.D.
Auburn University, B.S.
Speaking and Publications
“Defending Manufacturers and Fixed Base Operators,” Sixth Annual Aviation Law and Litigation Seminar, The Florida Bar
“Consequences of the Destruction of Tangible Evidence,” Twentieth Annual Southern Methodist University Air Law Symposium
Representative Experience
- Airline Crash near Cartagena, Colombia, January 11, 1995. Torres v. Intercontinental de Aviacion, 705 So. 2nd 911
- American Airlines Flight 965 Crash near Cali, Colombia, December 20, 1995. Tried damage cases resulting from airline crash
- Copa Airlines Flight 201 near Darién Provence Panama, 645 So. 2nd 55
- Aviateca Airlines, Warsaw Convention Article 28, 678 So. 2nd 387
- Transportes Aereos Nacionales SA (TAN-SAHSA) Flight 414, 21 October 1989, 127 deaths, 625 So. 2nd 4
- Trial of Lockheed 1049G Crash, Miami, Florida December 15, 1973, Aircraft crashed while transporting Christmas Trees to Venezuela. 354 So. 2nd 1222
- Reno Air Race crash September 16, 2012, 11 fatalities, Represented pilot of P-51 Mustang
- Represented Operator and Manufacturer in two successive crashes of Pilatus PC-12 aircraft
- Represented Airline in crash of MD-83 aircraft in Lagos Nigeria
- Represented Maintenance facility in crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Venezuela
- Represented Bahamasair in an action in the Courts of the Bahamas to recover loss of Dash 8 aircraft
- Represented engine overhauler in case involving crash of a Piper Cheyenne in which educational malpractice doctrine was an issue. 277 SW 3rd 696
- Represented Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in numerous successful trials dealing with product liability and automotive servicing
- Represented manufacturer of USAF T-3 Firefly in wrongful death trials
- Represented operator of Bell 212 helicopter which crashed in Mexico