About Scott
Scott Bates is a attorney specializing in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases at Morgan & Morgan in Orlando, Florida. He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1982. In 1992, he joined Morgan & Morgan as one of its four equity partners, contributing to its growth into the state's largest plaintiffs' personal injury firm. Born on January 19, 1956, in Frankfurt, West Germany, Bates earned his B.A. in 1978 and his J.D. in 1981 from the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Tennessee Bar since 2000. Bates began his legal career in 1981 with his father, Richard W.
Bates, a well-known Central Florida trial lawyer. In 1987, their firm, Bates & Bates, merged with Mateer and Harbert to become Mateer, Harbert & Bates. From 1987 to 1992, he focused on medical malpractice defense for Orlando Regional Medical Center. In 1992, he transitioned to Morgan & Morgan, where he has been instrumental in its expansion — Throughout his career, Bates has been recognized for his expertise in medical malpractice litigation. He has tried over 100 medical malpractice cases to verdict and participated as appellate counsel in more than 15 reported cases, including the Florida Supreme Court decision in Amente v. Newman, M.D. In 1996, he secured what was believed to be the largest plaintiff's medical malpractice verdict in Seminole County's history in the Amente case. Beyond his legal practice, Bates has been active in civic and professional organizations. From 1995 to 1999, he served on the Board of Directors of the Metro Orlando Unit of the American Cancer Society, including roles as Chairman of the Income Development Committee and Treasurer.
He founded the Orlando Invitational Team Golf Championship in 1996, a charity fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame and was Chairman of the 2019 Hall of Fame Induction Gala in Orlando. In 2011, Bates became a minority owner of Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer. Bates is married to his wife, Terri, and they reside in Orlando with their four children: Rick, Jaclyn, Will, and Tori. His sons, Rick and Will, are also attorneys with Morgan & Morgan, specializing in medical malpractice and personal injury law, respectively. In recognition of his legal expertise, Bates has been selected to Super Lawyers from 2007 to 2014 and 2017 to 2021. He is also Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Florida Bar's Board of Certification. In 1989, at the age of 32, he was one of the youngest lawyers in Florida to achieve this certification. Bates continues to serve clients in Orlando and throughout Florida, leveraging his experience and commitment to justice in the field of medical malpractice and wrongful death litigation.
**Sources:** - - - - - **Disclaimer:** The information provided is based on publicly available sources and may not reflect the most current details. For the latest information, please consult official records or contact the attorney directly. **Found Data:** ```json { "bar_number": "337803", "bar_admission_year": "1982", "license_status": "Active", "death_date": null, "firm_name": "Morgan & Morgan", "case_types": "Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death", "legal_stages": "Trial, Appellate", "courts": [ { "court_name": "U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida", "court_type": "U.S. District Court", "admission_year": null, "state": "Florida" }, { "court_name": "U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida", "court_type": "U.S. District Court", "admission_year": null, "state": "Florida" }, { "court_name": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit", "court_type": "U.S. Circuit Court", "admission_year": null, "state": "Federal" }, { "court_name": "Tennessee Supreme Court", "court_type": "State Supreme Court", "admission_year": null, "state": "Tennessee" } ] }
