Nikki E. Hawkins

Nikki Hawkins is a Managing Partner in the Jacksonville office of Kelley Kronenberg. She focuses her practice of civil litigation defense in the areas of Third Party Insurance Defense to include: automobile negligence matters, trucking accidents, special investigative unit (SIU) and fraud-related matters, personal injury protection (PIP), and first-party property insurance defense.

Prior to joining Kelley Kronenberg, she practiced as a Partner with a state-wide insurance defense firm where she handled hundreds of third party insurance defense matters in both pre-suit with bad faith exposure and post-litigation through Trial concentrating on automobile negligence, personal injury, general liability, appellate work, coverage disputes, special investigations, premises liability, and fraud.  Nikki formerly also worked as the Director of PIP Litigation with a state-wide insurance defense law firm where she headed their Jacksonville office and handled all insurance defense-related matters for Northeast Florida. She has handled insurance defense matters with several other Jacksonville law firms and has participated in multiple Trials as co-counsel or second chair during her tenure.

Nikki understands insurance defense from the “ground up”.  She spent 18 years handling bodily injury/uninsured motorist, property damage, personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage (MPC), auto negligence and liability investigations, as well as policy coverage investigations with a Fortune 500 property and casualty insurance carrier. Additionally, she spent three years as a Special Investigator of medical billing fraud and insurance fraud. Her time and expertise within Special Investigations led to two arrests for insurance fraud and the recovery of over $1,000,000 to a fortune 500 insurance carrier. Ms. Hawkins led a coalition Task Force in the investigation of medical billing fraud working with the Florida Department of Insurance Fraud (DIF), National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), International Association of Special Investigation Unit (IASIU), and Special Agents for the state of Florida Medicaid/Medicare and Worker’s Compensation.

Nikki has tried nine jury trials and authored several appellate briefs.  She authored the Writ of Certiorari in the matter of Lightfoot v Hunt on a discovery matter which was granted by the First District Court of Appeals and the lower court was overturned and successfully defended a Motion for New Trial after receiving a complete defense verdict which was per curiam affirmed by the First DCA in the matter of Wininger v Robinson.  Currently, she co-authored a Writ of Certiorari related to a discovery issue which was accepted by the First District Court of Appeals.

Nikki received her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law in December 2009 and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Central Florida in 1993. She worked in a full-time capacity while attending law school.

Nikki is licensed to practice law in Florida and is a member of The Florida Bar.

• The Florida Bar
• The Florida Defense Lawyers Association

• Webinar – Punitive Damage Claims Arising out of Alcohol, Cell Phones & The Operation of a Motor Vehicle, May 2020
• Webinar – Bad Faith – Most Common Perils to Avoid, May 2020

• Kelley Kronenberg Expands with Addition of Partner Nikki E. Hawkins, Attorney at Law Magazine, May 2020
• Nikki Hawkins Joins Kelley Kronenberg as Partner, South Florida CityBiz List, May 2020 

• Motor Vehicle Accident v bicyclist. This matter was a dispute on liability and damages following a vehicle vs bicycle accident resulting in personal injury to Plaintiff Merrell. Tried before a jury to Verdict, No liability found on Defendant Lufrano.  Demand pre Trial was $1,000,000.00. Verdict – no liability.  $0
• Motor Vehicle Accident. This matter was a dispute on liability and damages following a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury to Plaintiff Hollenbeck.  Tried before a Jury to Verdict.  Verdict for Plaintiff.  Unable to recall pre Trial demand.  Verdict for Plaintiff $1,900,000.
• Motor Vehicle Accident. This matter was a dispute on damages following a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injuries to Plaintiff Cole.  Tried before a Jury to Verdict.  Verdict for Plaintiff for the amount suggested by defense counsel in closing argument based upon CME doctor’s testimony.  Demand prior to Trial was $150,000.  Verdict – $21,000. Verdict returned was less than PFS filed in this matter.
• Bad faith case against Defendant. Tried before a Jury to Verdict. Verdict for Defendant. Demand prior to Trial $275,000.  Verdict – $0.
• Motor Vehicle Accident. This matter was on damages and liability following a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injuries to Plaintiff. Tried before a Jury to Verdict. Demand pre-Trial $700,000.00.  Verdict for Defendant – $0. Result on appeal to First DCA. Appeal Denied. Defense Award stands.  I handled all post-trial motions including arguing before the Court in opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for New Trial and authoring Defendant’s Response in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Appeal to the First DCA.
• Motor Vehicle Accident. This matter was on damages and liability following a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injuries to Plaintiff. Tried before a Jury to Verdict. Demand pre-Trial was $5,000,000.  Verdict for Plaintiff $4,200,000.  Settled Post Trial.
• Motor Vehicle Accident. This matter was on damages and liability following a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injuries to Plaintiff  Tried before a Jury to Verdict.  Verdict for Plaintiff for past damages only, no futures awarded. Demand pre-Trial $225,000.00.  Verdict $65,000.  Verdict reduced after post-trial motions to $24,800.  I handled all post-trial motions including a five-hour evidentiary hearing for Fees and Costs which ultimately resulted in the Judge reducing the Jury’s verdict by $40,200. The final judgment fell below the policy limit of $25,000.
• Motor Vehicle Accident. Trial beginning on August 12, 2019.  Demand pre-Trial was $2,500,000.00. Verdict $11,200,000.00. Matter on appeal to the First DCA for a variety of judicial errors.