Stefano D. Portigliatti is a trial attorney specializing in commercial motor vehicle cases at Coker Law, PA in Jacksonville, FL. He has represented clients in over a hundred trucking cases and helped obtain millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. Stefano is among the first 20 attorneys in the United States to pass a rigorous exam on trucking laws and an intensive background check to prove that his practice is dedicated to litigating trucking crash cases. He was also one of the youngest attorneys to be included among Super Lawyer’s Rising Stars and the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40.

Stefano often presents on topics related to trial and trucking litigation. He is on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is also the founder of truck.law™, which assists other plaintiffs’ attorneys handling trucking cases with forms, resources, and seminars available at www.truck.law.

Stefano was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to a hard-working Italian family. Before becoming a lawyer, he was engaged in diverse business ventures across multiple continents. Stefano is the Vice President of SOAR Global Institute - a laboratory that researches human behavior and development. Stefano speaks internationally in the areas of emotional intelligence, innovation, and human development. He is a certified master coach and trainer and has developed several courses and systems that apply psychology and behavioral analytics to management and trial strategies.

Stefano is a musician and likes to sail, golf, cook and travel with his wife, Brittany. They welcomed their first child, Luca, to the world in July of 2019.

FORMAL EDUCATION

2010 - University of South Florida – BS International Business; Minor in Economics
2013 - Florida Coastal School of Law – JD; Certificates: Business Law, Research and Writing
2013 - Florida Christian University – MBA; Focus on Coaching and Human Development

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (partial)

2014 – Present: Coker Law, PA – Trial Attorney
Trial attorney handling primarily serious personal injury and wrongful death cases related to commercial vehicles and trucking.
2012 – 2014: Truck Accident Law Firm, PL – Trial Attorney
Trial attorney handling primarily serious personal injury and wrongful death cases related to commercial vehicles and trucking.
2010 – Present: Florida Christian University – Associate Professor
Courses in the business and psychology departments.
2005 – Present: SOAR Global Institute, Inc. – Vice-President and Master Trainer
Research, training and consulting in the areas of human behavior, communication, development and industrial psychology.
2003 – Present: Portigliatti Group, LLC – Director
Real estate investment, development and management.

ARTICLES, PRESENTATIONS & SEMINARS (partial)

Defeating Defense Doctors – Florida Justice Association Annual Convention June 24, 2020
Putting on the Plaintiff – Florida Justice Association Trial Webinar Series June 14, 2020
Litigating Logging Truck Cases – Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys June 3, 2020
The Real Culprits Behind Truck Accidents - Coker Law April 30, 2019
Cross Examining Lay Witnesses – FJA Al Cone Trial Advocacy August 2019
Preparing for Trial – FJA Boot Camp 2019
Inspiring Leadership – Florida Bar Fall Meeting 2018
Daubert Challenges in Trucking Cases – ATAA Symposium, 2018
A Motor Carrier’s Safety Record – ATAA Newsletter July 2018
Hot Topics in Trucking Litigation – FJA Annual Convention 2018
Closing Arguments – FJA Workhorse 2018
The Mind: It’s broader than your brain – InterBusiness Orlando 2018
NeuroPerformance: The Neurobiology of Success – FEBRACIS 2017, 2018, 2019
Key Trucking Rules & Regulations – FJA Workhorse 2017
Trucking 101 – FJA Webinar Series 2016
BottomUP Organization and Innovation – Interbusiness Orlando 2016
Defeating Requests for Confidentiality – AAJ Interstate Trucking Litigation Group 2016

HONORS & MEMBERSHIPS (partial)

Certification in Trucking Litigation by the National Board of Trial Advocates
Board of Regents – Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
Super Lawyer Rising Star – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Top 40 Under 40 – The National Trial Lawyers – 2018, 2019
Board of Governors - Florida Justice Association, Young Lawyer Division
Board of Trustees – Florida Coastal School of Law Foundation
Vice-Chair – Florida Bar Leadership Academy
Vice-Chair – ATAA New Trucking Lawyer Division
Member – Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section
Member – American Justice Association, Trucking Litigation Group & Motor Liability Group
Member – Florida Justice Association
Member – Jacksonville Justice Association

TRIAL EXPERIENCE

2014 – Stevens v. Family Kia – St. Johns County, Florida
2014 – Culver v. Taylor – Duval County, Florida
2015 – Valdes v. Smith – Duval County, Florida
2016 – Smith v. 21st Century – Orange County, Florida
2017 – Bailey v. Sharma – Duval County, Florida
2017 – Ferguson v. King, State Farm – Duval County, Florida
2017 – Folson v. Jacksonville Transportation Group, LLC – Duval County, Florida
2017 – Robinson v. Auto-Owners – Duval County, Florida
2018 – Culver v. Taylor – Duval County, Florida
2018 – Lieber v. Copley – Duval County, Florida
2018 – Culver v. Taylor – Duval County, Florida
2018 – Tennant v. Handi-House Mfg. Inc. – USDC; Middle District of Florida
2019 – State v. Aulik – St. Johns County, Florida
2019 – Tucker v. Ecosmart Trucks, Inc. – Columbia County, Florida
2020 – Choisser v. Consul – Duval County, Florida