James D. Young

After working as an in house attorney at a publicly traded company, James embarked on a remarkable 10 year career as Special Counsel to the Florida Attorney General’s office serving three Attorneys General. In 2013 Mr. Young joined Morgan & Morgan's complex litigation unit focusing on qui tam whistleblower cases nationwide. Among his other duties, James supervises two retired FBI agents who investigate cases across the country involving complex fraud schemes against the government.

Mr. Young also established and heads up the firm’s Public Client practice, which represents governmental clients in cases involving opioids, tobacco, automobile emissions, price gouging and environmental litigation. Mr. Young played a key role in the nationwide opioid lawsuit in filing one of the very first cases against drug distributors and was appointed to the Plaintiffs Executive Committee of the Opioid MDL. More recently, James and his team expanded the litigation by including claims against national corporate consultant McKinsey and Company. With James’ leadership, Morgan & Morgan has built an army of e-discovery and law & briefing attorneys to support these practice areas.

Mr. Young has broad experience and is nationally known in the areas of consumer protection, health fraud, and pharmaceutical litigation. He has served in other leadership positions in numerous multi-state Attorney General investigations, including starting and co-leading the largest consumer protection drug settlement to date, In Re: Risperdal. He was appointed co-lead of the government plaintiffs group in the Vioxx Multi-District Litigation and has served as lead of several litigation subcommittees.

In addition to his responsibilities as an attorney, Mr. Young is the current chair of Florida Bar Grievance Committee 'A', former Chair of the Jacksonville Ethics Commission, a regular contributor to the Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group’s whistleblower blog, and a frequent lecturer.

Awards & Recognitions

•Law 360- MVP in Product Liability 2021
•Co-Chair, AAJ Public Client Practice Group 2021- present
•Chair, Jacksonville Ethics Commission 2012-2013
•Chair, Florida Bar Grievance Committee 'A', Fourth Judicial Circuit, 2014-2018 and 2020-present
•Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism 2020-present
•Florida Bar Governmental Policy and Public Advocacy Committee 2020-present
•Florida Bar Federal Court Practice Committee- 2014- 2021
•Consumer Protection Law Committee of the Florida Bar (2008-2014)
•Jacksonville Bar Association, Government Lawyer Section (Chair 2011, 2012)
•Jacksonville Bar Association, Government Relations Committee (Chair, Education Subcommittee 2012 - Present)
•Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary
•Martindale-Hubbell (R) Peer Review 'AV' Rating
•JAX-PLI Political Leadership Institute (Class of 2012)
•Prudential/Davis Productivity Awards, 2010 and 2011
•Florida Attorney General Distinguished Service Award, 2009
•Recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as a '40 Under 40 Leader,' 2008
•Florida Attorney General Award of Merit 2008
•ATLA Book Awards in Trial Advocacy, Negotiations, and Health Law

News & Insights

Thinking About Blowing the Whistle? What Every Employee Needs to Know About Retaliation

Did grudge push gunman in Jacksonville Landing mass shooting?

Wound Care Center Operator Pays $22.5M To Settle FCA Suit

Federal judge calls for quick settlement in opioid lawsuit

Beshear Announces Legal Firms Assisting AG’s Office in Litigation against ‘Contributors’ to Opioid Crisis

AG Andy Beshear hires law firms for opioid investigation

Recent Wins

Private Settlement $15,000,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2018

Dr. Montejo v. Florida Hospital $5,400,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2016

Heather Huddleston v. Florida Hospital $2,090,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2016

Kelly Oxendine v. HCA $2,000,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2017

Government v. John Doe, M.D, et al. $1,950,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2017

Siwicki, Kathleen v. Portnow, Arthur S., M.D. $1,950,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2017

Montes de Oca v. Conway Lakes $1,500,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2019

John Doe v. Company $1,375,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2018

Private Settlement $1,000,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2017

Williams v. HCA $500,000 Whistleblower & Qui Tam 2018