James D. "Mitch" Vilos is a prominent Utah trial lawyer. He has the notable distinction of being a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for having obtained numerous six and seven figure recoveries for his injured clients involving tractor-trailer accidents, car and motorcycle accidents, birth injuries, medical malpractice, product liability, and on-the-job injuries. His focus has been on brain, spinal cord, burns and other serious injuries, including those caused by firearms. He has been nominated by his peers (attorneys, judges) as one of Utah's Top Lawyers for 2008 & 2009 as reported in Utah Business Magazine.

Mitch's success as a personal injury lawyer has allowed him to delve into a unique area of the law in which he has an interest and passion - firearms law. In May, of 2006 Mitch won a "NOT GUILTY" jury verdict to the charge of "brandishing" in a case highly publicized in the Salt Lake City area; the case of computer store magnate Dell "SUPERDELL" Schanze. Another notable victory for Mr. Vilos was his participation in the defense of premier candle company, Salt City Candle Company, which was sued for $150 Million dollars by a related company, Party Wicks and Scents, Inc. Mr. Vilos was retained by Salt City's team of attorneys as lead trial counsel and was instrumental in getting the majority of the claims against Salt City Candle completely dismissed. Mr. Vilos is a graduate of J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University.

He has practiced law since 1978 in Utah and Alabama (Alabama license currently inactive). Mr. Vilos' law practice focuses on primarily two areas of law, representing

For over thirty years,
I have been helping
accident victims recover
fair and just compensation.

accident victims and handling criminal cases involving self-defense and weapons charges. He has authored and co-authored articles relating to personal injury litigation and insurance law in legal publications such as the Utah State Bar Journal and Utah Trial Lawyers Journal. He is the author of Utah Gun Law: Good, Bad and Ugly, Utah Gun Law II: Pancho's Wisdom, Utah Gun Law, 3rd ed. and the Utah Spotlighting and Night Hunting Manual.

Mr. Vilos has participated in educating the public, including on radio and television, about legal topics such as negligence law, medical malpractice, insurance law, representing people with traumatic brain injuries, constitutional law, self-defense and firearms law.

Mitch is a Utah State authorized concealed weapon instructor, a graduate of the Ogden Metro Swat Basic Training Course (affectionately known as "Hell Week") and Davis County Sheriff's Citizen's Academy. Mitch has a Federal Firearms License (FFL), is a member of the National Rifle Association and Single Action Shooting Society (Badge No. 10,586, Alias "Pancho Vilos"). He recently received the honor of being the first alumnus to be invited to participate in Utah State University's Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series.