Sean McDonough is the managing partner of the firm’s Florida Region, which comprises offices in Orlando, Miami, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach. He is the cochair of the firm’s Transportation Practice and a member of Wilson Elser’s Executive Committee. Sean has been selected to the prestigious Central Florida American Board of Trial Advocates.

Sean draws on his nearly 35 years of trial practice, in national counsel roles, and as a trusted counsel for self-insureds, captives, and major insurance carriers and their insureds to bring a proactive approach to litigating cases to achieve an efficient, quick, positive result whenever possible. When it is apparent that early resolution isn’t possible, Sean’s tenacity and history of trying significant cases provides clients the confidence to proceed toward a successful conclusion, whether by dismissal, summary judgment, or trial. 

Among his areas of concentration are transportation and trucking, professional liability (legal malpractice, D&O, and architects and engineers), product liability, and complex tort and general casualty. Sean also has extensive experience with emergency responses. 

Sean began his legal career as a claims attorney for a legal malpractice insurance company. He also was a sports journalist for the St. Petersburg Times in high school and college.

Areas of Focus

Trucking, Transportation & Cargo
Sean is a cochair of the firm’s Transportation, Cargo & Logistics practice. He has defended trucking companies in lawsuits ranging from straightforward to catastrophic personal injury losses or wrongful death cases and cargo losses. Additionally, Sean is a member of several 24/7 emergency response teams for Wilson Elser clients, providing 24-hour, on-site client assistance in mobilizing experts, investigators and client control immediately after catastrophic events.

Professional Liability
Sean’s practice emphasizes litigation and defense of an assortment of professional liability matters. He has obtained several summary judgments in favor of his clients. Sean has defended attorneys, nursing homes and doctors in professional liability cases. Intimately familiar with related state and federal regulations, Sean has handled nursing home malpractice claims, implementing carefully crafted strategies designed to limit or avoid punitive damages and attorney fee exposure that are available to plaintiffs under statute.

Product Liability
Sean has defended a wide range of product liability cases, including claims concerning tires, wheels, industrial equipment, food products, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and electronic equipment such as VCRs, televisions, microwaves, washers and dryers, laptop computers and battery packs.

Complex Tort & General Casualty
Sean has extensive experience litigating and trying complex and catastrophic claims involving uninsured motorists, automobile and trucking accidents; environmental property damage; premises liability and other general liability claims.

Lawyers’ Liability
Sean has defended numerous lawsuits against lawyers and law firms and has obtained several summary judgments in favor of his clients. Sean’s position as a claims attorney for a legal malpractice insurance company for two years before becoming a trial attorney gives him special insight into these cases.

Hospitality
Sean handles cases involving liquor liability, negligent security and premises liability, among other issues, for hotels, restaurants, resorts, outdoor recreational companies, golf courses and country clubs, condominiums and timeshares.

    Education

    • University of Florida, Frederick G. Levin College of Law (J.D., 1991)
    • University of Florida (B.S., 1988)

    Bar Admissions

    • Florida

    Court Admissions

    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
    • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
    • Supreme Court of the United States

    Professional Affiliations

    • Orange County Bar Association
    • Central Florida American Board of Trial Advocates
    • Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA)
    • Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA)
    • Canadian Transport Lawyers Association
    • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
    • Catholic Lawyers Guild of Central Florida

    Awards & Honors

    • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2025-2026
    • AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Sean M. McDonough

Sean McDonough is the managing partner of the firm’s Florida Region, which comprises offices in Orlando, Miami, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach. He is the cochair of the firm’s Transportation Practice and a member of Wilson Elser’s Executive Committee. Sean has been selected to the prestigious Central Florida American Board of Trial Advocates.

Sean draws on his nearly 35 years of trial practice, in national counsel roles, and as a trusted counsel for self-insureds, captives, and major insurance carriers and their insureds to bring a proactive approach to litigating cases to achieve an efficient, quick, positive result whenever possible. When it is apparent that early resolution isn’t possible, Sean’s tenacity and history of trying significant cases provides clients the confidence to proceed toward a successful conclusion, whether by dismissal, summary judgment, or trial. 

Among his areas of concentration are transportation and trucking, professional liability (legal malpractice, D&O, and architects and engineers), product liability, and complex tort and general casualty. Sean also has extensive experience with emergency responses. 

Sean began his legal career as a claims attorney for a legal malpractice insurance company. He also was a sports journalist for the St. Petersburg Times in high school and college.

Events

Sean McDonough is the managing partner of the firm’s Florida Region, which comprises offices in Orlando, Miami, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach. He is the cochair of the firm’s Transportation Practice and a member of Wilson Elser’s Executive Committee. Sean has been selected to the prestigious Central Florida American Board of Trial Advocates.

Sean draws on his nearly 35 years of trial practice, in national counsel roles, and as a trusted counsel for self-insureds, captives, and major insurance carriers and their insureds to bring a proactive approach to litigating cases to achieve an efficient, quick, positive result whenever possible. When it is apparent that early resolution isn’t possible, Sean’s tenacity and history of trying significant cases provides clients the confidence to proceed toward a successful conclusion, whether by dismissal, summary judgment, or trial. 

Among his areas of concentration are transportation and trucking, professional liability (legal malpractice, D&O, and architects and engineers), product liability, and complex tort and general casualty. Sean also has extensive experience with emergency responses. 

Sean began his legal career as a claims attorney for a legal malpractice insurance company. He also was a sports journalist for the St. Petersburg Times in high school and college.

Sean M. McDonough

McDonough and Neiberger Secure Jury Award Well Below Settlement Proposal for Loading Dock Equipment Manufacturer

Sean McDonough (Partner-Tampa) and Eric Neiberger (Of Counsel-Orlando) secured a favorable verdict in Duval County Circuit Court in Jacksonville, Florida, convincing the jury that the plaintiff did not sustain a permanent injury and was not entitled to damages for pain and suffering following a minimal-impact motor vehicle accident. The plaintiff alleged that the accident caused herniated discs in his neck and back, leading to injections, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and a $3.2 million life-care plan. Wilson Elser conceded negligence and past medical expenses on behalf of the client, and the jury awarded approximately $113,000 in past and future medical expenses – well below the client's proposal for settlement served more than two months before trial.  As a result, Wilson Elser is moving for fees and costs and will be seeking an award of fees and costs that exceeds plaintiff’s verdict.

Sean M. McDonough and Eric Neiberger

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