Jay Howell
Jay Howell is a Jacksonville attorney who represents victims of accidents and injuries, including all victims of criminal acts.
Howell served four years as an Assistant State Attorney in Jacksonville. As a state prosecutor, he specialized in cases involving sexual crimes and child abuse. He represented the prosecutors office in community based victim agencies addressing the issues of child abuse, rape, and domestic violence.
In 1981 Howell was appointed Chief Counsel to the United States Senate Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. He conducted Senate investigations and drafted federal legislation addressing the issues of missing children, child kidnaping, child pornography, and the investigation and apprehension of serial murderers.
From 1984 until 1987 Howell founded and served as the first Executive Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. While serving at the National Center, Howell authored various publications concerning child safety and advocating a wide variety of state legislative initiatives designed to protect children.
Since 1987 he has been in private practice in Jacksonville representing individuals who have been hurt in automobile accidents, those who have been victimized by drunk drivers, and children and adults who are victims of assaults, sexual crimes, child abuse and other criminal activity.
In 1990 the Governor of Florida appointed him to represent the viewpoint of crime victims on the Florida State Crime Commission. He has chaired the Florida Bar Crime Victims Subcommittee on the Rights of Women and Children, and has drafted state and federal laws addressing the issues of sexual predators, the privacy of sexual crime victims, the protection of child witnesses, and other issues concerning the legal rights of crime victims.
He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Youth Crisis Center and the Children’s Crisis Center in Jacksonville. He is a member of the Mayor’s Victim Assistance Advisory Council and the Northeast Florida Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
In 1997 he was honored at the White House by the President and the Attorney General with The National Crime Victims Service Award.