Mike Papantonio is a senior partner of Levin Papantonio, one of the largest
plaintiffs’ law firms in America, having handled thousands of cases throughout
the nation including Pharmaceutical Drug Litigation, Asbestos, Breast Implants,
Factory Farming, Securities Fraud, the Florida Tobacco Litigation, and other
mass tort cases. “Pap” has received numerous multi-million dollar verdicts on
behalf of victims of corporate malfeasance.
Mr. Papantonio is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar
and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a fellow in the International
Academy of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. Mr.
Papantonio is a member of The National Trial Lawyers (past president),
American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice
(formerly the ATLA), the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, and the Florida Justice
Association (formerly the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers), where he served on
the board of directors for five years.
Mr. Papantonio is listed in the publications Best Lawyers in America and
Leading American Attorney.
In 1998, Mr. Papantonio teamed with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Hudson
Riverkeepers, and Water Keeper Alliance to establish a Riverkeepers program in
Northwest Florida known as the Emerald Coastkeepers, Inc., a full-time
organization that serves the community as a public advocate for the waterways
of Northwest Florida. Coastkeepers and Riverkeepers are reputable for their
willingness to take polluters to court. In 2001, Mr. Papantonio filed two
lawsuits against polluters, which lead to a $70 million settlement. In 2007, as
lead trial counsel in the environmental class action case of Perrine v. Dupont,
Mr. Papantonio received a jury verdict award for a West Virginia community with
an estimated value in excess of $380 million.
In 2008, Mr. Papantonio was selected by the Public Justice Foundation as a
finalist for its Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. In 2011, Mr. Papantonio was awarded the Perry Nichols Award, the highest
honor given by the Florida Justice Association. The award recognizes
individuals who fight valiantly and with distinction for justice throughout
their lives. In 2012, Mr. Papantonio became President of The National Trial Lawyers. In 2014, the Stephen and Sandra Sheller Center of Temple University Beasley
School of Law presented Mr. Papantonio with the Inaugural Award for Social
Justice, honoring him for his outstanding contributions to social justice.
Mr. Papantonio has authored and co-authored instructional articles on
handling complex litigation for trial lawyers. He is the founder of the cutting
edge continuing legal education seminar organization, Mass Torts Made Perfect,
which trains thousands of lawyers on how to better their legal practice. The
organization has hosted speakers such as former President Bill Clinton, James
Carville, Johnnie Cochran, Bob Woodward, Elliot Spitzer, Jack Kemp, Al
Sharpton, Arianna Huffington, Dick Morris, Paul Begala, and Dan Rather.
Mr. Papantonio is an author of four motivational books for lawyers. He is
also co-author of Air America: The Playbook; listed by The New York Times as a
Political Best Seller.
Mr. Papantonio is currently the host of Ring of Fire, along with Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr. and Sam Seder, a nationally syndicated radio show.