Jim Wilkes

Who is Jim Wilkes?

Jim Wilkes is an American lawyer. Mr. Wilkes is a Tampa, Florida native. He is known for his advocacy on behalf of nursing home residents who have been victims of abuse.

Mr. Wilkes received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and his Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1983 and founded the law firm of Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. in 1985.

Jim Wilkes gained national recognition for handling nursing home abuse and neglect lawsuits and his law firm, Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. was recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the top 20 go-to law firms in the nation for its work in the area of nursing home abuse and neglect. He has been featured in People Magazine, as well as on television shows such as Dateline, 48 Hours and CBS Evening News.

He has been both praised and criticized for his aggressive representation of his clients. One profile cast him as either “Angel or Anti-Christ” saying he was an angel to plaintiffs but a “demon” to nursing home operators and was once called a “migratory predator” by the director of the Alabama nursing home association.Long-Term Living Magazine wrote that Mr. Wilkes could be “described as a ‘holy terror’ for nursing home administrators everywhere…” in an article that named him one of the top 10 most influential people in the industry.