No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

Coker Law at 50: A Legacy of Courtroom Mastery

Just after sunrise in Jacksonville, when the streets are still settling into the day, the lights inside Coker Law glow with the familiar hum of purpose. It is the same energy that has defined the firm for half a century, and if you walk its hallways early enough, you might still find Howard Coker there — reviewing a case file, sharing a story with a young attorney, or simply checking in to make sure the people around him have what they need to succeed.

Five decades after founding the firm that bears his name, Coker remains the steady center of one of Florida’s most respected trial practices. He would never describe himself that way, of course. Humility has long been one of his trademarks. But ask anyone who has crossed a courtroom with him — or learned from him — and they will tell you that his influence is both unmistakable and enduring.

Coker’s philosophy is as clear today as it was the day he opened the firm’s doors, and it remains the uncompromising standard that defines Coker Law. “We are trial lawyers,” he says, a simple sentence that doubles as both identity and expectation. “We’re ready and willing to go to trial. If you’re not a trial lawyer, you don’t belong here.”

It isn’t bravado—it’s the backbone of a culture built on courage, preparation, and standing tall for people who need it most. Coker Law’s 50-year history is a testament to that influence: built case by case, relationship by relationship, through a philosophy rooted in ethical decision-making, meticulous preparation, and an unwavering commitment to clients.

The firm’s reputation has been shaped by courtroom victories, yes, but even more so by the people who have carried Coker’s standard forward. Among them are two of its standout shareholders, Stefano Portigliatti and Chelsea Harris, both of whom represent the firm’s future while honoring the values that built its past.

We are trial lawyers. We’re ready and willing to go to trial.”

Howard’s Way

Long before Coker Law became a fixture in Jacksonville, Howard Coker began his career with little more than determination and a belief that clients deserve an advocate who will outwork anyone in the room. Over the years, he developed a style defined not by theatrics but by discipline: long nights of preparation, deep respect for the rules of the courtroom, and a level of fairness that won admiration from colleagues and opponents alike.

“He has always been the kind of lawyer who makes the entire room better,” says Portigliatti. And he did it not by demanding greatness, but by modeling it.

Not surprising, given his long and impressive career, Coker enjoys a long list of professional affiliations including his 2008 appointment by the Florida governor as a member of the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission and his 2010 appointment by the Florida Supreme Court to the Florida Innocence Commission.

He was awarded the ABA-TIPS Award for Lifetime Pursuit of Justice in 2011, received the 2016 Compassionate Gladiator Award for Strength, Skill, Drive and Heart from the Florida Justice Association and the 2017 Ultimate Attorney Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

However, Coker’s impact is perhaps most evident in the lives of the people he’s mentored. He has a gift for seeing potential long before the individual sees it in themselves — and a way of nurturing it with both warmth and frank honesty. His feedback is legendary in the firm. He will praise you one moment, hand you a page full of suggestions the next, and make you feel that both gestures came from the same place of belief and care.

That blend of compassion and rigor has become the firm’s hallmark. It is why lawyers stay. It is why clients trust. And it is why the culture he created remains the defining force at Coker Law, even as the firm enters a new era.

The Evolution of a Trial Firm: Enter the Trucking Era

Stefano Portigliatti represents this firm’s willingness to expand and innovate.

When Portigliatti joined Coker Law, he came with a clear vision: to build one of the state’s first fully dedicated trucking litigation divisions — a bold move at a time when the specialty was still in its infancy.

He remembers being drawn to two things. “First, I was excited to learn from trial lawyers who were constantly in front of juries,” he says. “And second, I saw the opportunity to develop a trucking practice before anyone else in Florida was really doing it.”

The firm embraced the idea without hesitation, offering him what young specialists rarely receive: full support, full backing, and the freedom to build something new. The results speak for themselves. Over the past decade, Portigliatti has become one of only two attorneys in Florida board certified in trucking litigation by the National Board of Trial Advocates. His cases have shaped statewide understanding of commercial transportation safety, and his expertise has been sought by lawyers across the country.

But his most memorable moments remain tied to the culture of the firm — particularly one trial that tested every skill he possessed.

Howard Coker and Daniel Iracki

A $14.6 Million Lesson in Teamwork — and Trust

Daniel Iracki and Howard Coker

The case was a truck-on-truck collision. The client faced enormous challenges: language barriers, delayed reporting of symptoms, and focus groups initially placing most of the blame on him.

During jury selection, one potential juror questioned why the client didn’t speak English and openly wondered whether he was in the country legally. Her social media profile photo featured Trump Tower. She eventually became the jury foreperson.

What followed was a grueling trial requiring extraordinary preparation: 10 experts, eight focus groups, complex medical and engineering evidence, and a trial team that filled the courtroom day after day. Coker shareholder Dan Iracki joined Portigliatti in trying the case, along with co-counsel Ivan Izquierdo. The firm’s appellate counsel, Aaron Sprague, as well as several staff members, handled everything from exhibits to logistics.

Against every odd, the jury returned a verdict of zero fault on the client and awarded more than $14.6 million — exceeding the amount Portigliatti suggested in closing arguments.

But what Portigliatti remembers most happened before the verdict.

“After closing arguments, Howard put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘I want to tell you this now, because it’s true regardless of how this verdict comes down: You did a hell of a job preparing this case.’ Then he handed me a notepad with a long list of things I could do better next time.”

He laughs when he tells the story. “That’s Howard. Love and discipline.”

Standing Firm as We Build the Future

Shareholder Dan Iracki is resolute about the future of Coker Law. “The firm’s future is a testament to Howard’s vision. When others were ready to wind down, he refused to let the legacy he built fade. He believed this firm had more to give—and he was committed to ensuring its strength for the next generation.” Today, Coker Law’s future is exceptionally bright. Iracki is steadfast in his belief that the firm is poised to advance, excel, and soar well into the future. “Our team brings diverse backgrounds and strengths, and when we come together, we elevate one another. We fill gaps, build on each other’s talents, and create something far stronger than any one of us alone. That collaborative spirit is the foundation of the firm’s next fifty years.”

Fraz Ahmed, Corinne Hodak, Chelsea Harris, Stefano Portigliatti and Dana Jacobs

Chelsea Harris: The Human Side of Trial Work

If Howard Coker embodies the firm’s legacy and Stefano Portigliatti its forward-leaning innovation, then Chelsea Harris represents the steady, disciplined excellence that anchors Coker Law’s reputation day after day. Nearly 20 years into her practice, Harris is known not only as one of Jacksonville’s most formidable trial lawyers, but as one of its most prepared.

Her colleagues describe her the same way judges do: meticulous, unflappable, and relentlessly focused on the truth.

Harris’ path to Coker Law was less a professional detour and more a professional sharpening. Before joining the firm’s elite trial team, she honed her craft handling a high volume of complex personal injury cases, litigating automobile collisions, premises liability matters, and bodily injury claims. That background—heavy on courtroom time and always demanding a command of facts—made her a natural fit for Coker Law’s culture of readiness.

Still, it’s her board certification in civil trial law, earned in 2022, that underscores her place among the state’s most respected litigators. Of the small percentage of Florida attorneys to hold that distinction, even fewer achieve it while maintaining an active trial schedule. Harris did.

Yet when she talks about her work, she rarely discusses accomplishments. She talks about people.

“I have the privilege of helping injured clients get justice when they cannot fight for themselves,” she says, describing every case as an opportunity to restore balance for someone whose life has been abruptly disrupted. To her, the courtroom is not a stage but a leveling ground: the one place where an injured person can stand on equal footing with the corporate interests arrayed against them.

Inside the firm, Harris is known as a mentor who invests in younger lawyers and as a collaborative strategist whose preparation elevates entire trial teams. She brings a calm, steadying presence to even the most contentious matters—an essential counterpart to the dynamic courtroom intensity Coker Law is known for.

Harris often credits Coker Law’s culture with giving her the freedom to be the type of lawyer she wanted to become. The absence of pressure to settle. The support needed to prepare cases thoroughly. The encouragement to follow the facts and the client’s needs wherever they lead. These principles did not just shape her career — they helped her find her voice.

Her colleagues rely on her judgment. Clients trust her clarity. And Howard Coker himself has referred to her as “one of the finest trial lawyers practicing in Florida today.”

Chelsea Harris often reflects on the influence Coker has had on her career. “Howard changed the way I try cases,” she says. “He changed the way I think.”

The Next 50 Years: Technology, AI, & a Future That Favors Expertise

While proud of its history, Coker Law is not a firm that clings to the past. Its attorneys are already integrating artificial intelligence into their workflow, using it to enhance research, streamline analysis, and accelerate decision-making — always with the same discipline and human judgment that have defined the practice since its inception.

Portigliatti believes the future will bring more complex cases and greater need for specialization. Simple disputes will resolve more efficiently; what remains will require deeper expertise and more nuanced strategy. Fortunately, Coker Law has spent more than a decade building internal practice groups that reflect this shift, allowing its attorneys to hone distinct skills while still benefiting from the collective wisdom of a unified trial team.

Through all this evolution, the firm’s guiding principle remains unchanged: do what is right for clients, and excellence will follow.

Howard’s Legacy – Built to Last

Joel Harris, Matthew Posgay and Steve Watrel

Five decades in, Coker Law is not simply celebrating an anniversary. It is reaffirming the values that built its reputation and embracing the innovation that will define its future. The mission is the same as it was when Howard Coker first opened the doors: Serve people. Seek justice. Do the work the right way.

It is the culture that has endured across generations. A culture where young lawyers are trained with care, not criticism. Where preparation is a form of respect — for clients, for juries, for justice. Where ethics outweigh expedience, and the long view always wins.

The story of Coker Law is, at its core, a story about character. About a founder who believed that preparation is a form of honor. About a team that became a family. About clients who trusted that their lives and futures were in capable hands. About lawyers — newer, older, evolving, learning — who carried a shared commitment into every deposition, every negotiation, every trial.

Because when a firm is built on integrity, excellence, and heart, its legacy is not measured in years — but in the lives it touches, the lawyers it shapes, and the justice it delivers.

AT A GLANCE

136 E. Bay, Suite 5438
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 356-6071
www.cokerlaw.com

Practice Areas

  • Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Trucking & Commercial Vehicle Litigation
  • Construction Accident Litigation
  • Premises Liability
  • Automobile & Motorcycle Crashes

Founded

  • May 1976 by Howard Coker

Shareholders

  • Howard Coker
  • Chelsea Harris
  • Stefano Portigliatti
  • Fraz Ahmed
  • Aaron Sprague
  • Corinne Hodak
  • Dana Jacobs
  • Daniel Iracki
  • Joel Harris
  • Matthew Posgay
  • Trevor Hawes
  • Steve Watrel

Select Community Involvement

  • Children’s Home Society of Florida
  • Dreams Come True
  • The “Rally Reader” Children’s Literacy Program
  • The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
  • The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
  • Child Cancer Fund
  • Pathfinders for Girls
  • The Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
  • Hands On Jacksonville
  • The Salvation Army
  • Hubbard House
  • Habijax
  • Hands On Jacksonville
  • UF Trauma One
  • Jacksonville Humane Society
  • Seniors on a Mission

Read More Stories

No Result
View All Result

© Copyright 2025 | Attorney at Law Magazine | Privacy Policy