Attorney Profile

John W. Merting 
Gulf Breeze, Florida
Sole Practitioner, since 1968
phone (877)912-4100 (TOLL FREE)
(850) 916-9645
fax (850) 916-9787
email Email Me

A Pensacola native, John W. Merting has been in practice in the Pensacola area continuously since 1968.  He has decades of experience in Admiralty and Maritime claims, as well as serious personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and workers' compensation matters.  Mr. Merting has been appointed as a Mediator by Federal Judges, and he has been selected to mediate numerous complex maritime matters in his areas of expertise by attorneys in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and throughout Florida.

A three-time Director of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Mr. Merting was elected Chairman for 2005, and is only the second plaintiff's lawyer to serve in this capacity in the Institute's 40 year history.  Mr. Merting served as Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute in which council is composed of all of the former chairmen of the Institute.  His experience and reputation help each case get resolved in the most efficient manner possible.

Mr. Merting was recognized as a 2006 Florida Super Lawyer, the inaugural year of the publication.  He has since been named as a Florida Super Lawyer in 2007, 2008 and 2009.  He was selected through an extensive process of balloting, blue ribbon panel review, and independent research.  Only 5% of the attorneys in Florida have been selected as Florida Super Lawyers.  Of the more than 78,000 Florida attorneys, just 19 were selected as 2007 Florida Super Lawyers in the field of "transportation/maritime" - the vast majority of these attorneys represent maritime employers and their insurance companies.  Mr. Merting was the only attorney in the entire Florida Panhandle who represents seriously injured individuals and their families, rather than employers, shipping companies, and their insurors.

Areas of Practice:
Admiralty & Maritime Law
Legal Malpractice
Federal Tort Claims
Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
Certification/Specialties:
The First Board Certified Admiralty and Maritime Law Attorney, (FL Panhandle) "Legal experts dedicated to professional excellence"


Admiralty and Maritime Law, State Bar of Florida, 1996, 2001, 2006


Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1992
Florida, 1968
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1969
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1984
U.S. District Court Southern District of Alabama, 1989
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 2000
Education:
University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1970
J.D.


University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1968
LL.B.
Honors: Editor, Virginia Law Weekly, 1967-1968
Honors: Student Delegate, American Bar Association, Honolulu, 1967


Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 1965
A.B.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Rhodes Scholar nominee, 1964
Honors: Student Body President, 1964-1965
Honors: Florida State Gold Key
Honors: White House Conference for Distinguished Students, 1964
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa - National Scholarship Society


Published Works:
Cross-Examination of Medical Experts, Handling Accident Cases, Albert Averbach, Supplement, 1993


Update on Handling Federal Tort Claims, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Breckenridge, Colorado, 1994


Structured Settlements, Annual Seminar, Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Savannah, Georgia, 1995


Admiralty Law and Marine Insurance Consideration for Plaintiff Attorneys, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Seminar, 1997


Boat Insurance - A Checklist, Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association, Pensacola, Florida, 2000


Admiralty Law Considerations for Personal Injury Attorneys, National Internet CLE, Celesq, Inc., 2000 to date


Federal Tort Claims Act Practice and Procedure, National Internet CLE, Celesq, Inc., 2000 to date


Maritime Law Update, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2001


Maritime Insurance - A Checklist and Other Legal Issues, Pensacola Yacht Club, Pensacola, FL, 2001


Maritime Insurance - A Checklist and Other Legal Issues, Fort Walton Power Squadron, 2002


Medicare Set-Asides - What You Must Know Before You Settle, Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute Annual Seminar, Atlanta, Georgia, 2003


Maritime Insurance - A Checklist and Other Legal Issues, Pensacola Power Squadron, 2003


Personal Injury Medicare Set-Aside Requirements: What You Must Know (And Do) Before You Settle, American Association for Justice (formerly known as Association of Trial Lawyers of America), Toronto, Canada, 2005


Navigating in the Treacherous Waters of Medicare Liens (Secondary Payer Issues) and Medicare Set Asides in Maritime Claims, Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute Annual Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2009


References:
Coastal Bank and Trust (formerly Bank of Pensacola)
Honors and Awards:
Florida Super Lawyers - 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009


Recipient, The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award, 2000


Who's Who in the World - 1984


Who's Who in American Law - 1983


Who's Who in Florida - 1982


Outstanding Young Men of America - 1979


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
Member, Chairman, Inter-Professional Relations Committee


The Florida Bar, Sections on Trial Lawyers
Member, Admiralty Committee


American Association for Justice
Stalwart Member; Sustaining Member


American Association for Justice, Admiralty Law and Federal Tort Claim Sections
Member


Florida Justice Association (formerly Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers), 1976 - Present
Sustaining Member


Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Director, 1985-1987, 1989-1997; Treasurer, 2002; Secretary, 2003; Vice Chairman, 2004; Chairman, 2005


Maritime Law Association of United States, 1989 - Present
Proctor in Admiralty


New York State Trial Lawyers Association, 1987 - Present
Member


Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 1994 - Present
Member


Fiesta of Five Flags, 1989 - Present
Member, Board of Governors, 2005 - 2009


Florida Super Lawyers - 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009


Pensacola Community Maritime Park
Trustee


Academy of Trial Advocacy (formerly Academy of Catastrophic Injury Attorneys)
Member


Pensacola Yacht Club, 1970 - Present
Fleet Counsel - Honorary Life Member


Gulf Coast Mariners Association
Attorney Member


The Propeller Club of the United States
Bay Area Port of Historic Pensacola, Board of Governors


Fraternities/Sororities:
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Kappa Phi
Omicron Delta Kappa
Lambda Chi Alpha

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