Joseph H. Shaughnessy

Biography Overview

Joseph “Sean” Shaughnessy was raised in Pittsburgh, PA and following graduation from Peabody High School he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Over the course of his enlistment, he served with distinction at home and abroad and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant before being Honorably Discharged in 1991. Mr. Shaughnessy attended Florida State University and received his Bachelor of Science degree, Cum Laude, in International Affairs in 1994. He then attended the University of Florida College of Law, where he graduated in 1997.

Mr. Shaughnessy began his legal career working for a statewide civil trial defense firm, specializing in medical malpractice, nursing home, catastrophic personal injury, and wrongful death cases. In 1999, he joined Morgan & Morgan to lead the firm’s First Party Insurance Department where he represented individuals and physicians who had insurance benefits denied for injuries and treatment related to car crashes.  After establishing a thriving first party plaintiff’s insurance practice on behalf of the firm he transitioned into the firm’s personal injury department and began aggressively pursuing claims on behalf of clients injured by the negligence of others. Since joining the firm, he has represented thousands of clients and their families and has obtained a significant number of seven figure verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

Mr. Shaughnessy has been with the firm for over twenty-five years and over that time has previously served as the firm’s Managing Partner for Personal Injury as well as serving for close to 15 years as Managing Partner for all of Morgan & Morgan, P.A.’s Central Florida offices. Over the course of his career Mr. Shaughnessy has also been a member of the firm’s state-wide Risk Management Committee and the Firm’s National Executive Committee and has also been actively involved with The Florida Justice Association and in concert with them has actively lobbied the Florida Legislature to ensure consumer friendly legislation is passed and block any attempts to restrict the constitutional right of access to the Courts. During his time with the Florida Justice Association, he previously served as a board member and was subsequently elected to serve as one of five statewide executive members of this statewide organization.

During Mr. Shaughnessy's work with the Florida Justice Association he was honored to be recognized by them with both Gold and Silver Eagle “Lawyer to Legacy” awards for his contributions towards supporting the Florida Justice Association efforts to continue to promote the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial system, and elevating the standards of integrity, honor, ethics, civility, and courtesy in the legal profession.

In 2024 Mr. Shaughnessy moved on from serving as Managing Partner of Morgan and Morgan’s Central Florida Offices and over the last few years now dedicates his practice solely to representing the firm’s clients in complex personal injury litigation as well as serving as a mentor to the firm’s younger attorneys as they begin and progress through their careers. In his role as a mentor, he makes a point to stress the vital importance of staying attuned to changes in the law and in honing their skills in jury trials. More importantly, in his capacity of as a mentor to the firm’s younger attorneys he makes sure that they understand they can only be successful in the workplace if they are as equally successful at home with their families. As such he conveys that maintaining a healthy work/life balance isn’t just important but is a necessity.

Mr. Shaughnessy previously served on the Community Leadership Committee for the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families. This non-profit organization provides an invaluable contribution to our Central Florida Community via programs that promote dignity and healing for children, families, and individuals who face overwhelming challenges like child abuse, sexual trauma, developmental disabilities, and lack of access to medical care. He and his family continue to support local and national charitable organizations that provide needed services for the less fortunate in our society.