Jim is a second generation native Floridian. A graduate of Florida State University, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970. Following graduation, Jim was commissioned as an Air Force officer; however, he deferred active duty in order to complete law school at Florida State University and graduated with honors in 1972.
Jim served four years in Texas as an Air Force Assistant Staff Judge Advocate prosecuting and defending criminal cases. He returned to Florida in 1977, and served as an Assistant State Attorney in Clearwater for 5 1/2 years. At the State Attorney’s Office, Jim was part of a special prosecution team handling only career criminal prosecutions until he became the supervising attorney for the entire Clearwater office.
After leaving the State Attorney’s office, Jim joined the Tampa office of the Justice Department as an Assistant United States Attorney. He defended the United States in civil suits in Federal Court, including personal injury and medical malpractice claims.
Jim entered private practice in 1984, joining an established Clearwater firm, where he became a partner, and remained for 17 years. During this time his practice became one exclusively focused on personal injury litigation.
In 2001, Jim opened his own practice devoted to representing those whose lives have been affected by the wrongful act of another, including: wrongful death, motor vehicle accidents (automobile, truck and motorcycle), unsafe premises (falling merchandise, slips and falls, and inadequate security), and product liability.
Jim is a member of numerous professional organizations in addition to the Florida Bar Association, Florida Justice Association, American Association for Justice, St. Petersburg Bar Association, Clearwater Bar Association (where he served as President 1992-93), and the Mid-County Bar Association, (which he currently leads). Jim is also a member of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
In the community, Jim has served for many years on the board of Isaiah’s Inn, a non-profit ministry serving families in need of temporary housing and support. He and his family have been active members of St. Cecelia Church since 1977. For over twenty years, Jim has also attended, and often assisted in leading, a Thursday morning men’s Bible Fellowship.
Jim and his wife, Pam married in 1972. Pam has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and taught for many years. They have two grown children, Courtney and Mark. Courtney resides in San Francisco with her husband and daughter. Mark is a medical school student at UCLA.
Away from the office, Jim and his wife enjoy traveling. Jim’s other interests have always included running and fitness, as well as other outdoors activities such as golf, biking and boating.
Sean M. Conahan
Sean was born in 1968 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. With a bloodline of anthracite coal miners and railroad workers, Sean was raised with a blue-collar work ethic, and a strong sense of right and wrong
He was raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania and following his graduation from high school in 1986, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as an Airborne Spanish Linguist assigned to Howard A.F.B., Republic of Panama. Sean later served as a linguist at the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland.
In 1991, Sean permanently moved to Pinellas County, Florida, where he has resided with his family ever since. He became employed with the City of Largo Police Department, first as a 911 operator/police dispatcher, then later as a uniformed patrol officer. He eventually was assigned as a Field Training Officer, responsible for training new officers. As part of his duties during his employment with the City, Sean personally investigated hundreds of traffic accidents. This experience gives Sean a unique perspective when representing individuals injured in automobile accidents caused by the negligence of others.
During his tenure with the City, Sean attended the University of South Florida, and in 1998 was awarded a B.A. degree in Criminology. That same year, Sean left the City to attend law school full-time. He attended Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida and graduated with his juris doctor degree in 2000.
During Sean’s first year in private practice, he was with the firm of Carlson & Meissner, representing injury clients in both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. He then switched sides and learned first hand the defense of personal injury claims by representing insurance companies and their insureds. He gained litigation experience in the Circuit Courts of Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Polk, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties, as well as the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in both Tampa and Orlando.
On January 1, 2008, Sean again joined his longtime friend, James W. Dodson. Sean is fluent in Spanish and regularly consults with members of the Hispanic community on a variety of cases. Sean limits his practice to the representation of victims of all types of injury claims, and works with his clients to determine the best course of action for each individual claim, whether it be negotiation and settlement or pursuing the case to a jury trial.
In his free time, Sean enjoys spending time with his family and has coached Little League Baseball since 2000. He serves on the Clearwater Little League Board of Directors, and has volunteered numerous hours to other youth activities such as Scouting and YMCA programs.
