JOHN L. HOLCOMB SWORN IN AS NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES
TAMPA, FL - January 12, 2009 - Hill Ward Henderson attorney John L. Holcomb will be sworn in as National President of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) at the organization’s National Board of Directors meeting at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota on January 17th. Mr. Holcomb was elected by the general membership of more than 6,300 members, comprised of a balance of plaintiff and defense lawyers, as well as judges. In its 50 year history, Mr. Holcomb will be the first National ABOTA President to hail from the sunshine state.
“It is rewarding to work with members of both sides of the civil trial bar to protect and advocate the right to a trial by jury, guaranteed by the Seventh Amendment to our Constitution,” Mr. Holcomb said. “Trial by jury is – unfortunately – a forgotten constitutional right that most Americans don’t even realize is in threat of being taken away from them. Eliminating the jury system in favor of justice by a bureaucracy is an attack on the very reasons this country was founded.”
As a shareholder at Tampa-based Hill Ward Henderson for over 22 years, Mr. Holcomb is an active defense lawyer who has tried approximately 100 jury trials to verdict in both state and federal court in more than ten different cities throughout Florida. His cases have included products liability, medical malpractice, personal injury, long-term health care and pharmaceutical litigation. Over the course of his career, Mr. Holcomb has represented major national corporations in defense of personal injury litigation. He has served as counsel for pharmaceutical corporations and long-term health care providers, hospitals and physicians in cases throughout Florida.
As a longtime member of ABOTA’s National Board of Directors, Mr. Holcomb helped organize seven new chapters and worked to expand ABOTA’s national membership. He has also served for several years on ABOTA’s Executive Committee and as a Trustee for the ABOTA Foundation.