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About George J. Felos

A native New Yorker and Florida resident since 1977, George is best known for his work as lead attorney in the Terri Schiavo case — an eight-year legal and political struggle to end the artificial feeding of a vegetative young woman. Prior to Schiavo, he argued the landmark case establishing an individual’s constitutional right to refuse or discontinue unwanted medical treatment, In Re Guardianship of Browning. That case, decided by the Florida Supreme Court in 1990 and cited by courts around the country, permitted the removal of unwanted feeding tubes without court order. George is a fierce advocate of patient choice and his cases are the subject of numerous published appellate decisions.

George has studied and lived with meditation masters around the world and has attended numerous week-long meditation retreats and a two-month silent mindfulness retreat. He meditates daily and has taught meditation for decades. He created and teaches Meditation for Lawyers℠, the first-of-its-kind instructional course accredited for continuing legal education in Florida.

He is the author of the non-fiction book, Litigation as Spiritual Practice (Blue Dolphin Publishing 2002), his article “Meditation for Lawyers” has been published and posted in various journals, and his “Constitutional Designation of Health Care Proxy: at the Cutting Edge of the Right to Die” was published by West Publishing Company in 1991.

George has frequently appeared on numerous television and radio programs including:

  • Today Show (NBC)

  • Good Morning America and Nightline (ABC)

  • Early Show (CBS)

  • Anderson Cooper 360 and Wolf Blitzer (CNN)

  • Hannity, O’Reilly Factor, and Greta Van Susteran (FOX)

  • The Rachel Maddow Show and Hardball with Chris Matthews (MSNBC)

  • Catherine Crier Live (Court TV)

  • Inside Edition

  • All Things Considered (PBS)

Internationally, he has appeared in television news features in Italy and the Netherlands, has been interviewed by BBC Radio, New Zealand Public Radio, Brazilian Radio, and Radio Argentina, and has been quoted in various newspaper and magazine articles around the world.

George attended Gettysburg College, received a cum laude B. A. degree from Queens College and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in the State of Florida and in various federal courts.

For many years George provided patient respite care as a volunteer with the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, Inc., the largest non-profit Hospice in the world.  He served on its Board of Directors for nine years, as Board Chair from 1996-1998, and provides pro bono legal help to Hospice patients and their families. He was also a founding member of the National Legal Advisors Committee on Choice in Dying. George served as a director and on the Executive Committee of Project Grace, a charitable organization dedicated to professional and lay education in end-of-life planning.

George has led seminars, spoken, debated or lectured on end-of-life issues for various professional, civic and religious groups including:

  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

  • Compassion & Choices of Washington

  • World Federation of Right to Die Societies

  • Toledo Bar Association

  • National Association of Geriatric Care Managers

  • Palm Beach County Bar Association

  • Stetson College of Law

  • Florida State Guardianship Association

  • Weizmann Institute of Science

  • Gerontological Society of Florida

  • Kiwanis International

  • Milliken Lecture Series

  • Morton Plant Hospital Ethics Committee

  • Pinellas County Guardians Association

  • Sarasota Memorial Hospital

  • Pinellas County Legal Assistants Association

  • Unitarian Universalists Church

  • St. Petersburg College

  • First United Methodist Church

  • Unity Church, and

  • University at Sea, among others

For twenty years he has instructed countless doctors and other healthcare professionals in the Legal Aspects of End-of-Life Care for continuing medical-education credits.

George has served as a member of the Clearwater Bar Appellate Law Committee, as governor of the American Hellenic Education Progressive Association, and as chair of numerous National Association of Securities Dealers arbitration panels. He has been a member of Community Co-op Natural Foods, St. Petersburg Astronomy Club, Clearwater Bar Association, and Suncoast Yoga Teachers Association.  Felos also served as legal counsel to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

A classical pianist, yoga teacher, leader of personal growth seminars, and guest minister to various churches in his spare time, Felos resides in Dunedin, Florida.