Celesq® Presenters

John Floyd, Sr., is the managing partner of Wicker Smith’s Nashville office, where he oversees day-to-day operations in addition to his full-time trial practice. He joined the firm in 2019. 

John has been a trial lawyer since 1990, but to hear him tell it, he has really been a trial lawyer since childhood. A first-generation lawyer, John borrowed a library book about how to take the bar exam when he was in sixth grade, and the book remains on his shelf to this day. 

In his more than thirty years of practice, John has tried over 100 jury trials to verdict. He is experienced in a variety of practice areas, including medical malpractice and disability matters, professional licensure defense, and construction defect disputes. He also regularly handles business and corporate litigation that includes partnership dissolutions, intellectual property disputes, and Lanham Act violations. He has represented a number of well-known corporations over the years, including a significant case in which he represented Fox Broadcasting, which was named as a co-defendant in an intellectual property dispute filed by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store arising out of the NASCAR Atlanta 500 race. 

John is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Board Certified in Medical Malpractice by the American Board of Professional Liability, and a Certified Civil Trial Specialist with the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He frequently represents emergency room doctors, chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists, family care doctors, physical therapists, and other medical specialists, and serves as national counsel for several medical malpractice carriers. Admitted to practice pro hac vice in eighteen states, John is frequently called in on short notice to assist on cases that involve catastrophic injury and high potential damages, due to his talent for developing unique defenses and case themes that may not have been obvious at the outset of a case. 

Regardless of the practice area, John’s approach to each matter is the same. He puts his clients first, and endeavors to craft a case strategy in line with their desired outcome. Whether a case should be resolved early or tried to verdict, John works with his clients the entire time to keep them informed and make sure they are satisfied with the end result. 

In addition to his trial practice, John has lectured extensively to various healthcare providers, attorneys, and claims specialists on a variety of subjects including trial strategies, claims avoidance, file handling, and traumatic brain injury litigation.

  A true lover of the law, John can be found in the office nearly seven days a week; but when he does take time off, he enjoys traveling with his wife, Caroline, and spending time with their family.