John Calhoun Bales

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John is the President of Bales Security Agency, Inc., is a licensed investigator, brings many years of experience in management and is an active participant in staff meetings.  His knowledge and experience will ensure that our quality of service is the best in the industry.

John Bales practices primarily in the areas of tort, insurance coverage, securities, commercial, construction, and professional liability matters. He received the highest rating for a lawyer, "AV", that is given by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and has been certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist in Business Litigation Law.

He has lectured on various topics, including torts, litigation procedure, ethics, construction, and professional liability for professional organizations, as well as for national corporations.

John strives to enhance his profession and himself through participation in professional organizations. He is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and has served as President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, and Treasurer, and in leadership roles as a member of the Board of Directors, Editor of the monthly Lawyer Magazine, Chair of the Justice Television Committee, Chair of the Bill of Rights Bicentennial Committee, Chair of the Speakers Committee, and a member of other committees. John is a member of The Florida Bar and serves on the Standing Committee on Advertising. He was a member of The Florida Bar Grievance Committee for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (13A) and ultimately became Chair of that committee. He acted as Chair of an arbitration panel on legal fee disputes for the Thirteenth Circuit Fee Arbitration Committee and is active with the Trial Lawyers Section. Also, he is a member of the American Bar Association (Trial Lawyers Section, Business Law Section, and Construction Industry Forum) and the Federal Bar Association. He is also a member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.

He is an active participant in the American Inns of Court, which has a mission of fostering excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students of law in order to perfect the quality, availability, and efficiency of justice in the United States. He has been elected to a national position as a Trustee of the American Inns of Court Foundation's Board of Trustees, and served as Treasurer and Executive Committee member. He was a Barrister with the Justice William Glenn Terrell Inn of Court. He is proud to have participated in organizing the Tampa Bay Inn of Court. He has served as its Secretary and Treasurer, and is the Executive Director and a founding Master.

John is committed to serving his community. He provides pro bono legal services through Bay Area Legal Services. He was a member of the Hillsborough County Charter Review Committee, which reviewed and made recommendations about the County Charter. He is involved in the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Enrichment Grant Program. He served on the City of Tampa Variance Review Board as Chair and on the Tampa-Hillsborough Cable Advisory Committee. John was a participant in the Board of Directors of the Florida Bay Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation since 1987 and was Chair of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, the Recruiting Committee, the Long Range Planning Committee, and the Campaign Committee. He was a member of the Fund Raising Committee of the Gulf Ridge Counsel of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, Florida Affiliate, Inc and was Chair of the inaugural Tampa HeartWalk, which was one of the most successful first year HeartWalks in the history of the American Heart Association. John also participated in the Leadership Tampa and Leadership Tampa Bay Programs. He has been a member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Tampa Alumni Association, Leadership Tampa Bay Alumni Association, United Way, Keel Club, and several social organizations.

John is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to (1) U. S. Supreme Court; (2) U. S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (3) U. S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; (4) U.S. District Court, Northern District Court of Florida; (5) U. S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; and (6) U.S. District Court, Southern District. He received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting, with honors, from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida, where he was elected to Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies. John also was Vice Chair of the Justice Campbell Thornton National Moot Court Board and honored as an outstanding member.

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