J. Wiley Horton

J. Wiley Horton is a shareholder at Pennington, P.A., where he focuses on intellectual property, business litigation, insurance defense, and product liability. He leads one of the largest intellectual property practices in northern Florida and southern Georgia. His work includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, and licensing, as well as representing clients in complex business and technology-related disputes. Wiley is admitted to practice before several U.S. federal courts, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He also serves on the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for the Northern District of Florida.

Wiley earned his B.S., magna cum laude, in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama and his J.D., with honors, from the Florida State University College of Law. His technical background gives him a unique advantage in handling cases that involve engineering, technology, and patent law.

Wiley worked as an intelligence analyst and guidance and control engineer in the defense sector, where he developed systems for air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles before beginning his legal career. He also provided mechanical design engineering services for leading corporations, including Motorola, Caterpillar, NCR, American Crane, and Siemens. This deep technical experience allows him to connect complex engineering principles with practical legal strategies for his clients.

J. Wiley Horton, recognized for his professional excellence, holds an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for ethics and legal ability. He has been named Legal Elite by Florida Trend Magazine and recognized as a Top Rated Lawyer for Intellectual Property by Martindale-Hubbell. Through his work, Wiley continues to help businesses, inventors, and creators protect their intellectual property and resolve challenging legal disputes with integrity and precision.

Law Office Affiliations

• Shareholder, Pennington P.A.
• Former Commissioner, Florida Commission on Ethics
• Member, American Inns of Court
• Former Chairman, Florida Aerospace Finance Corporation
• Former Commissioner, Florida Education Standards Commission
• Former Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Former Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Licensed State

• Florida

Education

• Florida State University College of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD) With Honors
• University of Alabama
  BA in Mechanical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude

Awards & Badges