Meet John Malkowski
John Malkowski is a Tampa personal injury attorney lending his many years of cross-functional experience in law enforcement, the military, and in trial law to our pre-suit team. John has spent decades in first-party litigation, including many state and federal cases but now utilizes all of his knowledge, skills, and experience in auto accident and premises liability pre-litigation. John even spent a number of years running his own practice, so he knows cradle-to-the-grave what it takes to win.
With that kind of experience in their corner from the very beginning, John’s clients benefit by having a rock-steady professional every step of the way.
I’ve Worked From Associate to Partner to Owner, Now I Love Being Here
In my career as an attorney, I’ve seen a lot. But my career with the law actually started before I came to Florida as a police officer with the City of Milwaukee. That experience was incredible and I got to do a lot of good for my community, but it also gave me a frontline view of what these brave men and women sacrifice every day.
In total, I’ve spent some 20 years in personal injury, handling both auto accidents and premises liability cases like a slip and fall. I’ve worked my way up from an associate attorney all the way to partner in one firm and even ventured out on my own for a few years. I really enjoyed taking a case in front of a judge and a jury to secure a great outcome for my clients.
Now, I get to harness all of that experience and put it to use crafting a strong case from the get-go. In pre-litigation or pre-suit, we are the attorneys handling your cases as soon as you call our intake department and get assigned.
Doing What It Takes to Get Results for Our Clients
Having spent a number of years with different firms before coming to Farah and Farah, I can truly say that what we share here is special. There is a comfort level among employees that makes our entire firm feel accessible. Deciding to get an attorney can be intimidating, but our Tampa law office is filled with so many kind and generous professionals that you feel like a member of the Farah family instantly. We’re special being in a satellite office down in Tampa, but Eddie and Chuck keep us all connected and collaborating throughout the firm.
With any law firm, the sum is greater than the parts, and those that work together collectively can provide better representation for the client. After doing this for so many years, I can say all it takes to truly be successful as an attorney is to prioritize two things—making your clients happy and getting your work done.
Returning Phone Calls Every Day
I came from a modest background and my years as a patrol officer and infantry paratrooper helped me connect better with different kinds of people. I’ve worked hard throughout my career to make sure my clients are comfortable speaking with me and I make a point to return calls every day. It’s little things like that that our clients notice and appreciate. You have to be organized as an accident attorney because you have a lot of moving parts to maintain.
At the end of the day, this is a people business. To be effective as an attorney, you need to treat clients how they’d like to be treated. Doing your job in a way that makes them happy suddenly prioritizes the client in everything you do. Being client-first reflects on me, and it reflects on Farah and Farah as a whole.
Accident Law Is Where You Really Make a Difference in Someone’s Life
There is one particular case that I’ll always remember with fondness because of the gratitude my client showed after. This case was with a single mom who was in an auto accident with injuries that required treatment.
Working in a case like this, we need to make sure treatment is prioritized so the client can heal physically. Behind the scenes, I’ll be working with other parties like the insurance adjuster or the medical providers to negotiate bills. In the end, I was able to get this woman a decent settlement and she was grateful.
Some months later, I got a card in the mail with a picture of a pretty little house with flowers out front and the lawn mowed. On the back were words of thanks from my client who said it wouldn’t have been possible without winning her case. Helping other people and making a profound difference in someone’s life is truly what gets me out of bed in the morning and makes it all worthwhile.
Time Off Is Critical Too
My wife Christina is a big beach person, so being in Tampa Bay is pretty idyllic. We’ll head down to Clearwater or Redington Shores or fire up our RV and find a spot for the weekend. If it’s Saturday during football season, it’s a sure bet you’ll find me and my faithful old lab, Hazel, watching the Florida Gators in action. I’m also a big gamer and love playing Madden football online or trying to master Microsoft’s Flight Simulator program.
Even though I don’t get to do it as often as I used to, I love hiking and used to spend a great deal of time on the Appalachian Trail with my daughter when she was younger. I’ll cherish those times out on the trail where life moves at a slower, simpler pace. Cool side note: Eddie and I discovered we had a mutual love for hiking during a recent attorney retreat.
