The Law Offices of David J. Gillis

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Fort Lauderdale, FL
The Law Offices of David J. Gillis

My name is David J. Gillis and I am a South Florida attorney who values compassionate communication with clients and passionate advocacy in the courtroom.

03/18/2026

We are thrilled to welcome our newest addition to the firm, attorney Jonathan Baxter!

Prior to joining The Law Offices of David J. Gillis, Jonathan worked as an insurance defense attorney in Miami. That experience gave him valuable insight that he can now use on behalf of individuals in their fight to hold companies, insurers and bad actors accountable for their negligent and dangerous actions and practices.

Outside of the office Jonathan enjoys spending time with his wife Ana, and their puppy, Miso (not the soup, though they enjoy that too!). When Jonathan is not hanging out with Miso, he and his wife share a passion for traveling and have explored 11 different countries including Mexico, Iceland, and Japan.

Jonathan is a quick witted, compassionate and hard working attorney whose many skills include fluency in Spanish and Florida litigation. We are grateful to have him on our team!

If you or someone you know needs legal assistance, our bilingual team is here to help. Reach out for a case evaluation by Mr. Baxter or Mr. Gillis!

$Our sweet client slipped and fell, causing a serious fracture, as a result of a liquid substance that was left on the fl...$

02/04/2026

Our sweet client slipped and fell, causing a serious fracture, as a result of a liquid substance that was left on the floor at a luxury hotel brand. The hotel initially denied responsibility but ultimate paid our client a quarter million dollars to cover her medical bills and compensate her for the intense and unnecessary pain she experienced because of their negligence.

02/02/2026

Honored to co-chair Stand Up For Innocence with Dana Somerstein in order to benefit Innocence Project of Florida for the 4th year. Thanks to our many generous sponsors we’ve raised over $500,000 in just four years to aid IPF in its mission to find and free the innocent from Florida’s prisons!

11/19/2025

The State of Florida sentenced our client to spend the rest of his life in prison without possibility of parole for an accidental death that he did not cause, intend, or play any direct role in bringing about.

Our client and his co-defendant were allegedly opening unlocked cars looking for change and other valuables late one evening. Our client was quickly apprehended by the police and while he was in custody his co-defendant fled in a car. Sadly, while our client was in handcuffs, his co-defendant accidentally hit and killed two cyclists miles away.

Florida's felony murder rule meant that our client was sentenced to life in prison for the subsequent acts of his co-defendant. Our firm fought alongside the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the MacArthur Justice Center to bring an end this extreme sentence that was wildly out of proportion to his culpability for stealing change from unlocked cars.

Our firm and the SPLC, filed a motion for post-conviction relief in Florida state court based on newly-discovered evidence. In October 2025, in connection with that proceeding, our client accepted a negotiated plea agreement with the State of Florida that vacated his first-degree felony-murder convictions and mandatory life-without-parole sentences. Our client received a term-of-years sentence that sets his release for 2029. This outcome represents a significant and transformative victory, as it ensures that our client—originally sentenced to die in prison—will now be reunited with his family and loved ones at age 42.

Read more about his case here:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/12/18/felony-murder-laws

11/05/2025

We’re so thrilled to announce that we’ve just received our 100th five-star review on Google. We’re also excited that those reviews frequently mention great outcomes & compassionate communication which is exactly what we strive for. Thanks for trusting us with your most important legal challenges and we promise to keep working tirelessly on your behalf!

10/08/2025

The Defendant and its insurer initially denied responsibility for hitting our client as he crossed the street. They blamed our client for the accident! After filing suit and litigating the case they changed their tune and resolved the case for many multiples of the insurance policy limits. Honored to hold them accountable for a deserving client and happy that he’s emerged triumphant.

09/17/2025

Our client was facing up to 15 years in prison, but the state prosecutor relented and dismissed the case entirely after our investigation and filings shed doubt on the alleged eyewitness identification. Happy that our client has his life back!

04/30/2025

Our client was criminally attacked in her apartment where the absentee landlord refused to respond to calls or even provide functioning locks for the interior/exterior doors. This left our client unable to even lock her own bedroom and she was ultimately attacked and shot with a firearm while witnessing the killing of her best friend and roommate. We’re honored to help her seek vindication and to give credence to her calls for a safe home in exchange for a fair rent.

We are excited at the challenge of collecting such a large sum from the defendant

03/05/2025

The Defendant denied liability completely for years and made no meaningful offers until days before trial. Happy to make this client whole!

Hire a lawyer who actually tries cases and gets results!

02/05/2025

David received this award for his years of pro-bono service to the Florida Bar and most recently for chairing the Bar's local grievance committee. We’re always happy if we can "do good" while "doing well" for our clients.

10/09/2024

David is proud to announce that he has been selected to serve on the statewide Board of Directors for the Innocence Project of Florida. The Innocence Project of Florida (IPF) is a non-profit organization founded to help innocent prisoners in Florida obtain their freedom and rebuild their lives. David has volunteered with IPF for the past 15 years, including his involvement in major fundraising efforts, and is honored to help pursue justice and the preservation of innocence for our clients.

Address

200 South Andrews Avenue, Suite 700
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33301

Telephone

+19547656526

Website

http://www.justicesouthflorida.com/

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