T.J. McElhinney
Associate
Overview
T.J. McElhinney is an accomplished attorney in Holland & Knight's Jacksonville office who has a national practice focused on complex, high-stakes commercial and business litigation, securities and investment disputes, corporate governance, class actions and internal investigations. He vigorously advocates for his clients in traditional and alternative dispute resolution tribunals, from pre-trial through appeal.
As an experienced litigator, Mr. McElhinney represents individuals and a broad range of organizational clients, including financial institutions, technology companies, hospitality providers, government contractors, and foreign states and their instrumentalities.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. McElhinney practiced in Washington, D.C., for an international Am Law 10 firm. While there, he practiced in a similar capacity but with an emphasis in representing global and multinational organizations in contentious litigation in U.S. courts.
Mr. McElhinney also has extensive experience in the engineering and construction industries. He is intimately familiar with civil engineering design and construction management, having worked at a top 10 national engineering design firm and a top 20 national contractor, as recognized by Engineering News-Record, prior to becoming a lawyer.
Representative Experience
- Obtained a defense verdict in a jury trial on claims for business disparagement, defamation, intentional interference and civil conspiracy
- Obtained an early dismissal of a $200 million New York Debtor and Creditor Law (NYDCL) fraudulent conveyance claim allegedly arising from foreign investment
- Obtained an early dismissal of a $40 million Cayman Island claim for "fraudulent trading" in a precedent-setting decision
- Obtained an early dismissal of a class action seeking more than $20 million in damages against an employer
- Obtained an early dismissal of foreign defendants for lack of personal jurisdiction in New York
- Obtained a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit judgment reversing a trial court's application of the federal officer removal statute in a precedent-setting opinion
Credentials
- Emory University School of Law, with honors
- Florida State University, B.S., magna cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- American Bar Association
- Jacksonville Federal Bar Association
- Chester Bedell American Inn of Court
- Greenwood School, Board of Trustees, 2025-Present