Shawn Goforth
Partner
About
Shawn Goforth is a partner with Bleakley Bavol Denman & Grace, where he focuses his practice on automobile negligence, trucking, and premises liability matters. Shawn brings two decades of courtroom experience to the firm, having tried more than 120 jury trials and handled thousands of depositions throughout Florida. His practice includes all phases of litigation, from pre-suit investigation and exposure analysis through trial.
Before entering the legal profession, Shawn proudly served in the United States Air Force. Stationed at Misawa Air Base in Japan, he worked as an F-16 Fighting Falcon mechanic before being selected to cross-train as a paralegal at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Shawn was later hand-selected by The Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force to serve as an instructor at The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, where he taught future paralegals entering military legal service. During his military career, he earned a degree in Political Science from Troy State University, graduating with honors.
Following his honorable military service, Shawn attended Stetson University College of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor and Certificate of Concentration in Trial Advocacy. After law school, he joined the Public Defender’s Office for Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Tampa, where he built an extensive trial practice, ultimately rising to Division Chief and supervising attorneys in the Juvenile, Misdemeanor, and Felony divisions while handling numerous high-stakes criminal cases and jury trials.
Shawn later transitioned into private practice and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury litigation. His experience on both sides of the aisle provides valuable insight into case valuation, litigation strategy, and trial risk assessment. He now focuses his practice on insurance defense and civil litigation, representing carriers, businesses, and insureds in automobile, trucking, and premises liability tort claims.
Practice Areas
- Trucking and Commercial Auto Claims
- Premises Liability
- General Liability Defense
- Insurance Defense
Education
- Troy University, B.S., Political Science, Cum Laude (2001)
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (2006)
- Certificate of Concentration in Trial Advocacy
Bar & Court Admissions
- The Florida Bar (2006)
- United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
Professional Affiliations
- Florida Defense Lawyers Association
