Thomas Edwards Jr.

Tom is the senior partner in Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., is AV Rated (highest rating possible along with outstanding ethics) and Board Certified in Civil Trial by The Florida Bar since 1991.  His achievements as a trial lawyer are extraordinary. Tom and his team have million and multi-million-dollar verdicts in multiple states, including:

•  The largest medical malpractice verdict in the United States in 2012 and the second largest personal injury verdict in 2012; multi-million-dollar verdicts in numerous other areas of the law including bank trust fraud, nursing home cases, and trucking cases;
• Numerous years in Best Lawyers in America;
• Selected in multiple years as the top medical malpractice lawyer in his area by Best Lawyers in America; 
• Selected as the top personal injury lawyer in the area by Best Lawyers in America;
• Tom handles select appeals and his helped re-write the law more favorably to consumers and victims with appeals that have gone to both the Florida Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court;

Tom published numerous articles and chapters in legal books and was awarded the 1993 Barbara Sanders Award for The Florida Bar for the top legal writing in the State. 

In addition to recognition in Best Lawyers in America, Florida Trend, Florida Super Lawyers, and the Top 100 Lawyers in the United States, Tom received awards for outstanding professionalism and ethics.  The awards include:

•  B. J. Masterson Award for Professionalism from the Florida Justice Association (State Trial Lawyers) - 2014; 
• Justice Raymond Erhlich Trial Advocacy Award from the Jacksonville Bar Association - 2013; and 
• The Trial Lawyer of the Year from the American Board Of Trial Advocates -Jacksonville Chapter in 2009.

In addition, Tom has been a leader in numerous legal organizations including: 

• Past President of the following: 

- Florida Justice Association (State Trial Lawyers); 

- Jacksonville Bar Association; 

- Jacksonville ABOTA; 

Additional leadership includes: 

• Florida Supreme Court Judicial Management Council  (advises the Supreme Court on management of the State legal system) - Appointed by the Chief Justice (and reappointed by two additional Chief Justices);
•  Florida Commission on Access to Justice - Appointed by the Chief Justice; 
• National Board of Directors - American Board of Trial Advocates; 
• National Board of Directors - The International Academy of Trial Lawyers;  

 Additional Past Leadership includes: 

• The Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section Executive Counsel; 
• Florida Supreme Court Civil Jury Instructions Committee (writes jury instructions for the juries); 
• Florida Supreme Court Business Jury Instruction Committee; 
• Florida Fourth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee (past chair) - investigates and makes probable cause determinations regarding attorneys' ethics violations; 

Tom is a 1981 graduate of the University of the South - Sewanee and received his Juris Doctorate (law degree) in 1983 from Stetson University College of Law - the oldest law school in the State of Florida.  He has been a leader in not only the Bar but the Jacksonville community for many years.  Additional work includes past leadership in the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville, Downtown Ecumenical Services Council, the United Way, and the South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.  

As the leader of Edwards & Ragatz, Tom and the team are committed to aggressive and compassionate representation of clients and their families.  Our goal is to achieve justice for each client, even in cases where we are up against multi-billion-dollar corporations.  Edwards & Ragatz has repeatedly achieved extraordinary results including landmark verdicts against multi-billion-dollar corporations and insurance companies.  

Tom is married, raised three children in Jacksonville and works every day to help clients through difficult times and to improve the legal system and our community.