Mike Papantonio
Encyclopedia
James Michael Papantonio (born October 24, 1953), popularly known as Mike Papantonio, is an American attorney and radio talk show
host. A prominent trial lawyer, he co-hosts Ring of Fire
, a nationally-syndicated weekly radio program, with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
, and Sam Seder
.
and received his law degree
from Cumberland School of Law
. He was admitted
to the Florida Bar in 1982 and the bar of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
in 1983. He was graduated from DeSoto County High School, Arcadia, Florida.
Papantonio is a senior partner in the Pensacola, Florida
-based Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner & Proctor law firm, a major tort
s firm. Since 1983, he has headed the firm's mass tort division. Papantonio is noted for his success in mass torts, product liability
, personal injury
, and wrongful death cases, and has returned verdicts of multi-million dollar damages
for the plaintiffs.
Papantonio has written several books, including Resurrecting Aesop: Fables Lawyers Should Remember, Clarence Darrow, the Journeyman, and In Search of Atticus Finch, A Motivational Book for Lawyers, as well as Defenses You Can Count on in an Asbestosis Case and How to Prove a Sick Building Case. He also co-authored Closing Arguments–The Last Battle with Fred Levin
. Papantonio says he wrote In Search of Atticus Finch as a "wake-up call to the legal profession" and has said that "seventy percent of kids coming out of law school want to represent corporations and get paid exorbitant amounts of money," he says. "They're willing to sell their souls to the highest bidder. We need to bring more quality to what we do as lawyers, we need to be better servants to the community and we need to have more political involvement for positive change in the country."
Papantonio co-hosts the Ring of Fire talk radio program on Westwood One
with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Sam Seder
, which airs weekly on Saturdays from 3-6 p.m. EST
. On the radio show Papantonio (a Methodist
) often criticizes the Christian right
. He has said that "I come from a pretty strong spiritual center, but it doesn't change the way I judge people. Simply put, the Sermon on the Mount
makes much more sense to me than the frenzied rantings of America's new 'religious right
.' They have become an element of American politics that threatens our sense of decency as well as our democracy."
His role in the show is featured in the 2006 documentary Jesus Camp
, in which he offers commentary on many of the scenes depicted. According to DVD commentary by the film's directors, Papantonio was added to the film later on because they felt there wasn't any "tension" in it, and they wanted another viewpoint.
Ring of Fire began in 2004 and was syndicated until January 2010 by the now defunct Air America Radio. Papantonio was also involved at Air America as a member of the Board of Directors, and as one of the main contributors to the New York Times bestseller, Air America, the Playbook, a collection of essays, transcripts, and interviews by network personalities released in the run-up to the 2006 congressional elections.
and often dives on the Emerald Coast
.
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
host. A prominent trial lawyer, he co-hosts Ring of Fire
Ring of Fire (radio program)
Ring of Fire is a nationally syndicated American talk radio program hosted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, and Sam Seder. The trio focuses on exposing people whom they consider to be "corporate fat cats, polluters and media spinmeisters". The show has been on the air since 2004 and is...
, a nationally-syndicated weekly radio program, with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr. is an American radio host, activist, and attorney specializing in environmental law. He is the third of eleven children born to Ethel Skakel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy and is the nephew of John F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy...
, and Sam Seder
Sam Seder
Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...
.
Biography
Papantonio graduated from the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and received his law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
. He was admitted
Admission to the bar
An admission to practice law, also called admission to the bar, is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. Becoming a lawyer is a widely varied process around the world. Common to all jurisdictions are requirements of age and competence; some jurisdictions also require citizenship...
to the Florida Bar in 1982 and the bar of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida serves the residents of thirty-five counties from eight courthouses....
in 1983. He was graduated from DeSoto County High School, Arcadia, Florida.
Papantonio is a senior partner in the Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
-based Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner & Proctor law firm, a major tort
Tort
A tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general...
s firm. Since 1983, he has headed the firm's mass tort division. Papantonio is noted for his success in mass torts, product liability
Product liability
Product liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause...
, personal injury
Personal injury
Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
, and wrongful death cases, and has returned verdicts of multi-million dollar damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
for the plaintiffs.
Papantonio has written several books, including Resurrecting Aesop: Fables Lawyers Should Remember, Clarence Darrow, the Journeyman, and In Search of Atticus Finch, A Motivational Book for Lawyers, as well as Defenses You Can Count on in an Asbestosis Case and How to Prove a Sick Building Case. He also co-authored Closing Arguments–The Last Battle with Fred Levin
Fred Levin
Fredric Gerson Levin is an American plaintiffs' attorney in the state of Florida, who is the owner of his own law practice in northwest Florida, Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner & Proctor, P.A. The Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida is named for him...
. Papantonio says he wrote In Search of Atticus Finch as a "wake-up call to the legal profession" and has said that "seventy percent of kids coming out of law school want to represent corporations and get paid exorbitant amounts of money," he says. "They're willing to sell their souls to the highest bidder. We need to bring more quality to what we do as lawyers, we need to be better servants to the community and we need to have more political involvement for positive change in the country."
Papantonio co-hosts the Ring of Fire talk radio program on Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Sam Seder
Sam Seder
Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...
, which airs weekly on Saturdays from 3-6 p.m. EST
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
. On the radio show Papantonio (a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
) often criticizes the Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
. He has said that "I come from a pretty strong spiritual center, but it doesn't change the way I judge people. Simply put, the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
makes much more sense to me than the frenzied rantings of America's new 'religious right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
.' They have become an element of American politics that threatens our sense of decency as well as our democracy."
His role in the show is featured in the 2006 documentary Jesus Camp
Jesus Camp
Jesus Camp is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing about a charismatic Christian summer camp, where children spend their summers learning and practicing their prophetic gifts and being taught that they can "take back America for Christ." According to the...
, in which he offers commentary on many of the scenes depicted. According to DVD commentary by the film's directors, Papantonio was added to the film later on because they felt there wasn't any "tension" in it, and they wanted another viewpoint.
Ring of Fire began in 2004 and was syndicated until January 2010 by the now defunct Air America Radio. Papantonio was also involved at Air America as a member of the Board of Directors, and as one of the main contributors to the New York Times bestseller, Air America, the Playbook, a collection of essays, transcripts, and interviews by network personalities released in the run-up to the 2006 congressional elections.
Personal life
Papantonio is married and has one daughter. He is an avid scuba diverScuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
and often dives on the Emerald Coast
Emerald Coast
The Emerald Coast is an area in the US state of Florida on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico which stretches about 100 miles through four counties, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay, from Gulf Breeze on the east side of Pensacola Bay to Panama City on the east side of the St...
.
External links
- Official biography from the Levin Papantonio website
- Official biography from the Ring of Fire website