Florida Attorneys Serving The Injured Since 1956
Biography
Justin Peterson was born in New Jersey and lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Lilburn, Georgia, before moving to the Tampa Bay area in 2005. He graduated from the University of Georgia with bachelors degrees in Finance and Business Management. He attended law school at the Florida State University of College of Law, served as a Student Ambassador, worked for the Florida Department of Transportation as a legal intern, and practiced law as a certified legal extern with Legal Services of North Florida.
After graduating from the Florida State University College of Law Justin was admitted to the Florida Bar and accepted a position as an Assistant State Attorney with the State Attorney's Office for the Sixth Judicial Circuit for Pinellas and Pasco Counties. As a prosecutor for the State of Florida he handled thousands of cases from inception to jury trial. He has advocated before a Grand Jury and secured indictments for first degree murder charges. As a prosecutor he tried over 75 jury trials as lead attorney, including capital offenses, sex crimes against children, aggravated child abuse, weapons charges, aggravated assault with a firearm, drug trafficking, robbery, aggravated battery, and murder.
After eleven years as a prosecutor with the State of Florida, Justin accepted a position as a trial lawyer with an insurance defense firm in St. Petersburg, Florida. Justin represented the largest property and casualty insurance provider, and auto insurance provider, in the United States, as well as its insureds. He litigated in state courts throughout Florida and defended both insurance companies and their insureds in personal injury matters. He tried multiple civil cases to verdict as lead trial attorney.
In 2021, Justin joined the law firm of Tanney, Griffith, & Bresler, P.A., which was founded in 1956 by William "Bill" Tanney. Since 1956 the firm has practiced exclusively in the area of personal injury law and wrongful death representing injured persons and their family members in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, premises liability cases, product liability cases, and dog bite cases.
Justin is an active member of the Florida Bar, the Georgia Bar, and the District of Columbia Bar. He is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He is a member of the St. Petersburg Bar Association and Clearwater Bar Associations. He volunteered with the Sixth Judicial Circuit's Juvenile Diversion Program, Teen Court, for over ten years. Justin and his wife enjoy traveling, spending time with their rescue animals, rescuing and fostering animals, and spending time outdoors.
Practice Areas:
- Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
Bar Admission
- Florida, 2005
- Georgia, 2015
- District of Columbia, 2014
Education
- Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida
- J.D.
- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
- B.A.
- Honors: Dean's List
- Major: Finance
- Major: Business Management
Honors
- AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
Pro-Bono Activities
- Teen Court, Sixth Judicial Circuit Juvenile Diversion Program, 2005 to 2016
Professional Associations
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The St. Petersburg Bar Association
- The Clearwater Bar Association
Past Positions
- State of Florida, Assistant State Attorney, 2005 to 2016