John Cooper grew up in North Florida and joined the US Navy soon after graduating from high school. He served for 6 years on active duty and while serving earned his Bachelor of Science in Hospital Administration. After his discharge, he continued in the US Navy reserves while he attended law school at the University of Florida.  He graduated from law school in 1991 and opened his own law practice in 1992.

He practiced law as a solo practitioner for nearly 30 years, and handled family law, personal injury, criminal law, and probate cases.  He handled hundreds of jury and non-jury trials and became well versed in Florida law. He also served as a county commissioner for 8 years and was actively engaged in lobbying the State Legislature on behalf of small counties.

He retired from the practice of law in 2020 with the intention of “slowing down” and enjoying time with his family and tending to his small farm.  He joined Shield Law Group in 2023 and works for the firm as a case manager, overseeing cases to ensure that they are progressing properly and that the clients assigned to him are properly represented in the courts.  He also handles many other duties including the drafting of appeals, drafting of pleadings used within the firm, and any other tasks that he is assigned.  His long history and extensive knowledge of the law make him an invaluable asset to the firm and to our clients