John (Jack) Scarola

Top rated Business Litigation attorney in West Palm Beach, Florida

Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.

Practice areas: Business Litigation, Personal Injury

Licensed in Florida since: 1973

Education: Georgetown University Law Center

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2006 - 2025

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Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.

2139 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33409 Phone: 561-686-6300 Email: John (Jack) Scarola Visit website

JOHN (JACK) SCAROLA graduated with honors from Georgetown University in 1969 and from Georgetown Law Center in 1973. Before joining the firm in 1978, he was Chief Felony Prosecutor in the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s office, where he was lead counsel in the trials of more than 50 major criminal cases, including the nation’s first gavel-to-gavel televised murder trial.

Mr. Scarola is Board Certified in both Civil Trial Practice and Commercial & Business Litigation. While he devotes a substantial portion of his practice to personal injury, wrongful death, and medical negligence cases, he has developed a special interest in representing individuals and small businesses damaged by abuses of corporate power.

A former president of the Palm Beach County Trial Lawyers Association, Mr. Scarola has played an active leadership role in both county and statewide professional associations. He is a recipient of The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award and the Legal Aid Society’s Community Service Award honoring his involvement in giving free legal help to individuals and community groups.

Mr. Scarola is a director of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, whose invitation-only membership is limited to 500 attorneys. He has been listed repeatedly in Best Lawyers in America in five separate practice areas, is a 2019 Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year, and is the 2018 recipient of the Florida Justice Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

First Admitted: 1973, Florida

Professional Webpage: https://www.searcylatino.com/abogados/jack-scarola/

Bar/Professional Activity:

International Academy of Trial Lawyers
The American Society of Legal Advocates
The National Trial Lawyers
Palm Beach County Justice Association (founding member and past President)
Palm Beach County Bar Association (various committee memberships and chairmanships)
Florida Bar Civil Rules of Procedure Committee (Vice Chairman)
American Association for Justice, f/k/a American Trial Lawyers AssociationAmerican Bar Association
Florida Justice Association, f/k/a Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers
Florida Bar, 1973
11th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1981
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida - General Bar1974, Trial Bar 1982, 1982
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 2002
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida 2018, 2018
The American Trial Lawyers Association 2007 Top 100 Trial Lawyers for the State of Florida;International Academy of Trial Lawyers;Florida Justice Association, f/k/a Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers;American Association for Justice, f/k/a American Trial Lawyers Association;American Bar AssociationFlorida Bar Association (Standing Committee on Individual Rights & Responsibilities): Vice Chairman 1986-1987, Chairman 1987-1988;Florida Bar Civil Rules of Procedure Committee (Vice Chairman);Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. Board of Directors (appointed by the Board of Governors, Florida Bar);Florida Equal Justice Center (Board of Directors);Palm Beach County Bar Association (various committee memberships and chairmanships);Palm Beach County Justice Association (founding member and past President);Bioethics Law Project Advisory Committee;Palm Beach County Homeless Advisory Board;Craig S. Barnard American Inns of Court;The National Trial Lawyers (Membership by invitation and limited to 100 Florida lawyers);The American Society of Legal Advocates;Fellow of the American Bar Foundation;Best Lawyers 2019 Lawyer of the Year in the practice area of Medical PracticeLaw/Plaintiffs in West Palm Beach, FL;Fourth DCA Historical Society;Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyer;2020 Fellowship/International Society of Barristers

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

State v. Herman: (first degree murder conviction in State's first gavel-to-gavel televised trial);Farish v. MacArthur: (verdict $2.5 million);Scheller v. American Medical International: (verdict: $7.25 million);Giersbrook v. Mathis: (verdict: $2.3 million);Cohen v. National Ben Franklin Life: (verdict: $1.3 million);Wilmington Trust v. Manufacturers Life: (verdict: $1 million);Tuccicaselli v. Stowers: (verdict: $1.8 million);Singleton v. Al Packer, Inc.: (settlement: $2.5 million);Farish v. Bankers Multiple Line Insurance Company: (verdict: $15.9 million);Wallace & Falcon v. Gooding: (settlement: $1 million);Pretscher v. Siegel: (settlement: $2.5 million);Ruff v. Steak & Ale, etc.: (settlement: $10 million);Intermark v. CIGNA/Dental Health (settlement: $1 million);Scheller v. American Medical International: (verdict: $19.2 million);Scheer v. Entel: (verdict: $1.9 million);Ferguson v. North American Van Lines: (verdict: $15 million);Talbot v. Williams: ($62 million judgment);Eastern Cement v. Halliburton: (verdict: $4.1 million);Robinson v. Caulkins: (settlement after Plaintiff's verdict $13.5 million);Leardi v. Manatee Memorial Hospital: ($6 million settlement);Hungerford v. Palm Beach County: (settlement: $4 million);Walks v. Gulf & Warrier: (settlement: $1.5 million);Menendez v. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office: settlement after trial ($2.5 million);Calves vs. Lennar: (in excess of $3 million);Coleman (Parent) Holdings, Inc. v. Arthur Andersen: ($70 million settlement);Coleman (Parent) Holdings, Inc. v. Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.: (Verdict: $1.454 Billion);Beers v. Hulick and Reynolds & Reynolds, (Verdict: $21,600,000);Doctor v. Lawyer, ($4million settlement);Vasa v. Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. ($3 million settlement);White Water v. Ethicon (Verdict in excess of $1.9 million);Waterbury v. State Farm (Verdict $1.8 million);Keil v. Keller (Verdict $3.2 million);Schein v. Ernst & Young, LLP (Judgment after trial and appeal in excess of $33 million);Uddin v. Patel, et al (Settlement in excess of $900,000);Mignogna (Pre-suit settlement $8,400,000);Piendle v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris USA, Inc. (Verdict: $2,470,000 plus attorneys’ fees);Commercial Consultants, LLC v. BBA U.S. Holdings, Inc., et al. (Verdict: $2.175 million plus interest and fees);Murphy v. Morton (Verdict: $1,365,632.07 plus interest);Weir v. Barot (Verdict: $2,000,000 plus fees);AB, Inc. v. Lawyers (Settlement after trial of approximately $20 mil.);Insureds v. Insurer (Settlement after trial in excess of $25 mil.);Simms v. Kraft (Verdict: $7 mil. plus);Sammarco v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris USA, Inc. (Verdict: $1,125,000);Crossley v. Bethesda (Verdict: $16,000,000);Stephens v. PBSO (Verdict: $23,000,000);Gould/Goldman v. Check Cashing USA, Inc. (combined total judgments $1,799,115.17)

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney; Board Certified Commercial and Business Litigation

Pro bono/Community Service:

The Lord's Place, Inc., Board of Directors/Chairman; Advocate Marriage Tribunal, Archdiocese of Miami and Palm Beach; Candidate for the Democratic Nomination for the Office of Florida State Senate, 1978; Growing Together, Inc. (substance abuse treatment program) Board of Directors; Guild of Catholic Lawyers (Board of Directors); Snug Harbor Foundation - Board of Directors
Palm Beach County Homeless Advisory Board; Bioethics Law Project Advisory Committee; Florida Equal Justice Center (Board of Directors); Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. Board of Directors (appointed by the Board of Governors, Florida Bar)
Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award;Florida House of Representatives Commendation for Public Service;Palm Beach County Bar Association Community Service Award;

Honors/Awards:

President's Pro Bono Service Award, Florida Bar
500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyer, Lawdragon
Community Service Award, Palm Beach County Bar Association
Attorney of the Year, Guild of Catholic Lawyers
2019 Fellow of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Fellow, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2019
2018 Recipient of the Florida Justice Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Florida Justice Association, 2018
2006 Daily Business Review Top Civil Litigator of the Year;, Top Civil Litigator of the Year, Daily Business Review, 2006
Attorney of the Year, Guild of Catholic Lawyers

Educational Background:

Georgetown University Law Center - Juris Doctor, 1973
Georgetown University - Bachelor of Arts, 1969

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Mr. Scarola is a frequent lecturer on various litigation-related topics

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Fellowship/International Society of Barristers, 2020
National Trial Lawyers Top 100; International Who’s Who of Professionals; The Best Lawyers in America in the specialties of commercial, mass tort, medical malpractice, personal injury, and ‘bet-the-company’ litigation; Florida Consumer Guidebook Law and Leading Attorneys; Marquis Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World; Top 250 South Florida Attorneys; Top 500 Lawyers in the U.S.; Florida Super Lawyers; Litigation Counsel of America; Super Lawyers-Corporate Counsel Edition