James H. Nance
January 6, 1931 - August 1, 2021
Jim Nance, whose lifelong nickname is “Booty”, obtained the first $100,000 verdict and the first $1 million dollar verdict in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit which includes Seminole and Brevard Counties. Mr. Nance was also one of the nine Florida lawyers appointed by the late Governor Lawton Chiles who successfully sued the tobacco companies on behalf of the State of Florida, resulting in a remarkable settlement of more than $13 billion in 1997.
Private Practice with Miami and Orlando law firms, 1958-1963.
Practice limited to personal injury and wrongful death, in Melbourne, 1963-present.
Certification/Specialties:
- Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, 1956
- John B. Stetson University, 1953
Classes/Seminars Taught
- Author of “Comparative Negligence in Florida,”, Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association Advocate
- Lecturer at various seminars for Academy, Florida Trial Lawyers
Honors and Awards
- March of Dimes Citizen of the Year, 1999
- Recipient, Stetson University’s ‘S’ Club Lifetime Achievement Award
- Best Lawyers in America
- Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
- Who’s Who in American Law
- Melbourne Police Foundation
- Nursing Scholarship, Brevard Community College
- Athletic Scholarship, Stetson University
- Pre-Law Scholarship, Flagler College
- James H. Nance Fountain at the University of Miami School of Law
- Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
- Christ School, Ashville, North Carolina
- Lee’s McCrae College, Banner Elk, North Carolina
- Space Coast Citizen of the Year, March of Dimes, 1999 – Present
- Stetson University ‘S’ Club Lifetime Achievement Award
- The Inner Circle of Advocates, Secretary, 1988 – 2009
- James H. Nance Oceanside Park, Indialantic, Florida
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating for at least 30 years by Martindale-Hubble
- Safari Club International African Big Five
- Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation Henry Kelsey Big Game Records
- Listed in Super Lawyers of Florida
- Listed in Law Dragon
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers (limited to 500 internationally)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- The Inner Circle of Advocates (membership limited to 100 nationally, who have obtained $1 million verdicts)
- The Haven
- Honorary Member of the Board of Directors
- Brevard Community College Foundation
- Lawdragon
- 500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America
- American Cancer Society
- Honorary Member of the Board of Directors
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Melbourne Police Foundation
- Brevard County Bar Association
- Florida Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- National District Attorneys Association
- Law Science Academy of America
- District of Columbia of Bar
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- California Trial Lawyers Association
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
- The American Association for Justice
- The Inner Circle of Advocates (membership limited to 100 nationally, who have obtained $1 million verdicts), 1981 – 1983
- The National Trial Lawyers
- National Board of Trial Advocacy (the organization that Board certifies trial lawyers nationally)
- Board of Directors of The Inner Circle of Advocates, 1979 – 2009
Past Employment Positions
- U.S. Army, 1956 – 1957
- Dade County, Florida, Assistant State Attorney, 1957 – 1958
Pro Bono Activities
- Executive Committee, The National Trial Lawyers
- Board of Directors, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
- Board of Directors, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers
- Brevard County Sheriff=s Civil Service Board, Chairman, 1979 – 1980
- Honorary member of the South Brevard American Cancer Society
- Previous School Board Member, Holy Trinity Episcopal School, 1982 – 1986
- Honorary Member of the Board of Directors of The Haven, a Melbourne home for abused children
- Lifetime Member, Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council
- Lifetime Member, Brevard County Police Chiefs Association
- Member, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
- Sons of Confederate Veterans
- Sons of the American Revolution
- Stanford University Cancer Research
- The Haven, a Melbourne home for abused children
- Space Coast Early Intervention, a school for Down Syndrome children
- Children’s Home Society of Florida
- Breast Friends of Florida
- Grandfather Mountain Home for Children, North Carolina
- Crossnore School Children’s Home, North Carolina
- Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation
- Bright Star, Health First Foundation
- American Lung Association
- March of Dimes
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
