MATTHEW SOWELL

Matt is one of the few lawyers in Florida who is not only Board-Certified in Civil Trial by The Florida Bar, but also Board-Certified in medical malpractice by the American Board of Professional Liability. Matt focuses his practice on medical malpractice exclusively. Matt is a national leader in stroke litigation, having served as the founding chairman of the Stroke Litigation Group of the largest organization of trial attorneys in the United States. Matt has also written for and made presentations to trial lawyer groups on how to successfully prosecute stroke cases. Over his 30 years of practicing law, Matt has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients on incredibly complex medical malpractice cases.

Matt is a sixth-generation Floridian who has spent his entire career repre­senting clients harmed by professional negligence or corporate misconduct. After earning a law degree from the University of Alabama, Matt spent two years researching banking law and creditor’s rights with the Dean of his law school. He then joined the commercial litigation department of a large Jacksonville law firm where Matt developed a special interest in prosecuting profes­sional malpractice lawsuits.

Matt and his wife Sara are in their twenty-ninth year of marriage. Sara is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practi­tioner who helps evaluate many of the medical malpractice cases Matt handles. They have two daughters, Megan and Rachel, who have achieved the athletic success that Matt never did. Megan attended The Citadel where she is was the women’s volleyball team and then obtained her law degree from Florida State. Rachel is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where she was on the rowing team. Matt’s family is active at the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville where Matt has served in the Youth Department and Sara has taught Sunday School to kindergartners.

Education

Juris Doctor (1986). University of Alabama, School of Law.
Bachelor of Business Administration, Economics and Finance (1983). Baylor University.

Publications

Sowell MW, Expert Analysis: When can stroke claims result in a malpractice action? Stroke: Challenges, Risks, and Liability Issues, Medical Law Perspectives, September 2016.

Sowell MW, Present the whole picture in stroke cases. Trial, Vol.51, No. 1, 16-23 (January 2015)

Sowell MW, Lovelady CL, Brogdon BG, Wecht CH. Infant Death Due to Air Embolism from Peripheral Venous Infusion, J. Forensic Sci. 2007 Jan; 52(1): 183–8.



Hansford VN, Sowell MW. Loan Participations and the UCC: The rights of secured and priority creditors when a bank fails, 106 Banking L.J. 62 (1989)

Presentations

“Current Trends in Stroke Litigation,” American Association for Justice, Stroke Litigation Group, Annual Convention, Palais des congrès, Montreal, Canada, July 2015

“Identifying Meritorious Stroke Cases,” American Association for Justice, Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD, July 2014



“Avoiding Legal Malpractice” Paralegal Association of Florida, Spring Seminar, Jacksonville, FL, June 2014

Board Certifications

Civil Trial, Florida Bar Board of Education and Specialization
Medical Malpractice, American Board of Professional Liability

Member

The Florida Bar
Alabama State Bar
American Association for Justice
Stroke Litigation Group (Chair 2013–2015)
Republican Trial Lawyers Caucus
Florida Justice Association
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Stroke Advocacy Network, National Stroke Association

Practice Areas

Medical Malpractice