Top best C Lawyers in Fort Myers | 453 available

Michael Raheb has successfully handled hundreds of cases in the state and federal courts of Southern Florida, in both the criminal and civil arenas. He believes in aggressively attacking all aspects of the opposing side’s case to obtain the most favorable outcome for his clients. As part of this aggressive representation, Mr. Raheb makes sure each of his clients’ cases is handled personally and that they have access to his skills and counsel anytime of the day or night.. To arrange a free consultation with Mr. Raheb, please click here.. BackgroundMr. Raheb served as lead defense counsel in one of Florida’s most publicized sexual battery cases, State v. Hiatt. The victim’s case received national coverage through personal interviews with Governor Bush and a Lifetime network documentary. Several state laws were passed in the victim’s name. With an offer to the defendant of life in prison without the possibility of parole, Mr. Raheb successfully defended his client, who was acquitted in less than three hours.. Michael Raheb has also:Served as Assistant Public DefenderBeen an integral part of an appellate opinion, Young v. ShoapFiled dozens of writs of habeas corpusHandled jury trials ranging from DUI/BUI to murder and aggravated sex battery.. His educational background includes:JD—Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, 1997. Summer Abroad Program University of Geneva, International Health Law, Comparative Analysis of Women’s rights. Summer Abroad Program At the Sorbonne, University of Paris: Comparative Analysis of European Union Law. Legal Intern at the Aleph Institute in Surfside, Florida, helping prison inmates with their religious rights during their incarcerationLegal Intern, Legal Society of Broward CountySemi-finalist, F. Lee Bailey Moot Court TournamentMBA—Specialization in International Business, St. Thomas University, Miami, 1994; graduated Cum Laude. BBA—Major in Management, University of Miami, 1992; President’s list, Provost’s list. Fluent in Spanish and French. Mr. Raheb is an active participant in his professional community, holding memberships with the Cape Coral Bar Association,Collier County Bar Association, Broward County Bar Association, North Dade County Bar Association, Collier County Bar Association and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is also a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Lee County and volunteers as counsel/judge for Teen Court in Lee County, Florida.. Helping ClientsMr. Raheb is fully committed to his clients. If you have a legal matter you’d like to discuss—from immigration issues to criminal law matters—contact Michael Raheb today to start planning your course of action.. Awards

Michael Mummert began his legal career working at the Public Defender of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit as an Assistant Public Defender for eight years. Michael left to join Faga Law Group, PA where he was a litigation attorney focusing on criminal law, family law and civil litigation. Upon the passing of Michael's Law Partner, Antonio Faga, Michael opened Mummert & Starling, PLLC. Michael has over 15 years of criminal defense experience from misdemeanor to capital cases. Michael has completed well over 50 jury trials, including a capital jury trial, and over 50 non-jury trials. His years of experience, knowledge of the law and rules of evidence, along with his extensive trial experience makes Michael Mummert the ideal attorney for your case when you need an experience trial attorney. Michael looks forward to being able to provide his clients with a range of expertise, a quality of service unmatched by any other interdisciplinary law firm, and providing this service with compassion, diligence and professionalism.

Melissa Sherman earned her Juris Doctor from the Barry University School of Law in Orlando, where she graduated magna cum laude, and when she’s not defending clients, she’s volunteering in the Fort Myers community. She opened the Sherman Defense Law Firm in May 2021. Defense attorney Melissa Sherman has successfully represented misdemeanor and felony defendants in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and throughout central and south Florida. As an Assistant Public Defender, Melissa Sherman has represented defendants charged with crimes that include robbery, arson, aggravated battery, drug crimes, sex crimes, theft, burglary, and driving under the influence (DUI).

Matt was born in Ferguson, Missouri, and was raised primarily in the Midwest. As the son of a single mother, Matt learned the value of a dollar from a young age. Matt attended four separate high schools, in Indiana, Missouri, Florida, and finally Illinois. In 1999, Matt began his Bachelor’s at Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale, Illinois. When he was three classes from graduating with his degree in Psychology, Matt left school in order to work at the family business in South Carolina. Matt spent ten years in South Carolina, learning the family furniture business, and helping it grow. His time in the business taught him how to be an independent self-starter, and how to meet and exceed client’s needs, but most importantly, how to be a creative problem solver.. After ten years in the furniture business, Matt decided he wanted to finish his degree and pursue other careers, but was unsure of what direction he would go. After careful consideration, Matt thought back to all those arguments won, all the times strangers would tell him he would make a good lawyer after coming up with creative solutions to customer issues. It seemed like a long-shot at the time for a man who was already 34 years old, but two and a half years later, with the support of his wife and two young children, Matt would graduate from Florida Coastal School of Law (“FCSL”) number 1 in his class of 241, Summa Cum Laude, with numerous other honors and achievements, including being named a Dean’s Scholar all semesters, receiving 6 book awards (recognizing top performance in individual classes), and an invitation into the Academic Honors Program. Matt was also a member of the FCSL Law Review, an Assistant Director of the Pro Bono Program, for which he received recognition for providing more than 75 hours of pro bono service, and a member of Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society.. While in Law School, Matt devoted extra time to the study of Criminal Law, completing externships at both the Public Defender’s Clinic, and the Office of the State Attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit, as well as additional classes concerning criminal procedure and trial practice. This extra focus in the area of criminal law earned Matt an advanced certificate in criminal law.. After law school, Matt applied to 18 of the 20 Offices of the State Attorney and ultimately decided that Fort Myers was the place he wanted to begin the practice of law and raise his family. Matt spent approximately two and a half years at the Office of the State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit, working cases ranging from DUI to drug trafficking, and working on specialty court dockets such as drug court and domestic violence. His time as a prosecutor taught him how to be efficient and detail-oriented, and gave him a comprehensive understanding of how local offices prosecute criminal cases.. In January 2020, Matt joined the Rios Law Group in order to continue his pursuit of justice. With a keen eye for spotting legal issues, Matt is able to apply his experience as a prosecutor in order to come up with creative solutions to the complex problems associated with criminal prosecutions.

Leland Eric Garvin, a Florida native and second generation trial attorney, began his legal career working as a Prosecutor. While at the State Attorney’s office, he gained invaluable trial experience representing the State of Florida in countless jury trials at both the misdemeanor and felony levels.. Prior to taking the job with the State, and throughout law school; Mr. Garvin worked for one of the larger personal injury law firms in South Florida. When he wasn’t handling injury and auto accident cases; he made time for the Moot Court Honor Society. It was during his time with Moot Court that he developed a love for the courtroom and passionate advocacy.. After leaving his job as a prosecutor, Mr. Garvin started his own firm handling both criminal defense and injury cases. More recently he and his father Jeff decided to combine their two practices to better serve the needs of their clients.. In 2009, Leland was selected as “one of the best up and coming attorneys” in the state of Florida by Florida Trend Magazine and listed in the 2009 edition of Strathmore’s Who’s Who.. In 2010, Mr. Garvin was named by Florida Super Lawyers magazine as one of the Top Young Lawyers in Florida. Only 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers for this list.. Leland was also selected as one of the top 40 lawyers under the age of 40 in Florida by The National Trial Lawyers Association in 2012.. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Young Lawyers Section of the Florida Justice Association in addition to being a member of the PULSE Committee for the American Heart Association.. Leland is a member of American Association for Justice, the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Broward County Justice Association, Broward, and Lee County Bar Association. He concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death and criminal defense litigation.. He is admitted to the Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the Middle District of Florida.

Lee Viacava has successfully resolved thousands of cases for his clients during his 17+ years practicing law. Mr. Viacava has skillfully advocated for his clients in Southwest Florida for over 17 years. Lee uniquely tailors his representation for each individual client to best suit their needs and exclusively practices criminal defense. He takes the time to properly approach each and every case because he handles all of his own cases personally. Lee Viacava is able to consistently achieve outstanding results on behalf of his clients. Having resided in Southwest Florida since childhood, Mr. Viacava has developed extensive community ties. Lee draws upon his entire well of resources for every case in order to ensure the best possible results for his clients.. Lee Viacava graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Following graduation Mr. Viacava received his Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. While in law school he received the honor of being elected to both the Moot Court Board and the Mock Trial Board. Lee Viacava was further awarded the prestigious Litigation Certificate of Achievement during his tenure at Thomas Cooley Law School. Upon graduation from law school he returned to Southwest Florida area where he was raised and began a law career focused on litigation.. The most important decision you make regarding your case will be the lawyer you choose to hire. You need an attorney on your case who is going to explore all avenues and leave no stone unturned in order to get you the best possible result. The last thing you need is a lawyer who does not want to go to trial. Lee Viacava is ready to fight on your behalf towards getting you the best possible result.

Kevin J. Kyle is an Associate Attorney at Johnston Law, PLLC who specializes in bankruptcy, business litigation, debt negotiation, debt collection, and state court matters.. After graduating from Butler University in Indiana with a Bachelor’s Degree in finance, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida to attend Florida Coastal School of Law.  He graduated from law school in 2011 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2012.  Then, he began his legal career as a litigator with a firm in Ormond Beach, Florida, specializing in foreclosure defense, consumer bankruptcy, debt negotiation, collection law, and Social Security disability claims.  During this time, Kevin appeared in matters on the state, federal, and administrative level.. Kevin then worked for a law firm in Orlando, Florida, representing mortgage lenders and servicers in foreclosure litigation and various other real estate matters, including loss mitigation and title work.. The core values Kevin learned from playing sports throughout high school and college, being a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and being involved in his church and schools, continue to resonate today.. He has handled numerous cases throughout Florida and is intimately familiar with the relevant regulations and procedures that play a critical role in obtaining successful outcomes for his clients.. Kevin joined Johnston Law, PLLC in November of 2016.  Kevin approaches each client he speaks to with the compassion and respect they deserve, and works diligently to efficiently and effectively resolve cases in a beneficial way for the clients he represents.. Devoted to each client and each case, he will work hard to ensure each case is given the attention it deserves.  He is very responsive and committed to delivering high quality legal services to all of his clients, while aggressively advocating for their rights.  Ever mindful of the needs of his clients, he believes in an individualized approach to each case for which the ultimate goal is to achieve an outcome that is most favorable for his clients.  As a detail oriented lawyer, he thoroughly prepares each case from its inception up to and through its resolution.. When away from the office, he devotes much of his free time to playing and watching sports, traveling, and spending time with his wife, family, friends, and dogs, Belle and Dixie.

Kevin F. Jursinski is recognized as one of Southwest Florida's more experienced and knowledgable attorneys in the areas of Real Estate, Business and Construction Law. He has practiced in Fort Myers and Naples, Florida for 40 years.. Kevin is a three-time Florida Bar Board Certified Attorney.  He is certified in Real Estate, Business Litigation and Construction Law.  He is only attorney (out of more than 106,000 attorneys in Florida) who has ever received certification in these three areas of law.  Board Certification recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in their area of law and professionalism and ethics in practice.  It is the highest level of evaluation by the Florida Bar of competency and experience.  The Florida Bar deems Kevin as a Board Certified Specialist (B.C.S.) and expert in his fields of practice.. Kevin’s skill and experience has earned him many accolades.  He is rated AV Preeminent®, which is the highest ranking level of professional excellence, skill and integrity under the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating System.  He has also earned a perfect 10.0 score on , a lawyer rating and referral website.  Since 2010, Kevin has been named a Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine.. Kevin’s four decades of legal experience qualifies him to handle business and real estate contracts from the initial stages of negotiation and drafting through the actual closing of the transaction and the issuance of title insurance through Attorneys’ Title Fund Services, LLC.  He’s handled real estate transactions ranging from basic residential closings to commercial transactions exceeding $29,000,000.. Kevin is one of only a handful of Board-Certified Real Estate Attorneys in Southwest Florida who is also skilled as a Commercial Litigator.  He has successfully tried numerous cases, both bench and jury trials, as well as effectively arbitrated business and real estate related matters.  Kevin is a certified Circuit Court mediator as well as a state qualified arbitrator who handles only real estate and business related issues. Because of his vast experience, Kevin has also been used as an Expert Witness in many State and Federal Court cases with regard to Real Estate, Business or Construction related matters.. Kevin is also recognized as one of the top attorneys in Florida in the area of gaming and entertainment law relating to use of video games, arcade amusement centers and game promotions.. Kevin is a graduate of Kent State University (B.A. Criminal Justice) and graduated in the top 15 percent of his class at Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law (J.D. 1980). He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.. Kevin is a member of The Florida Bar's sections on: Real Property, Probate and Trust Law and Business Law.  He is a 35+year member and agent of Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund and a Florida licensed real estate salesman for the past 35+ years.. Kevin and his wife, Darlene have lived and raised their family in Southwest Florida since 1980.  Their three daughters are also proud to call Southwest Florida home.  In fact, Kevin's law firm is centered around his family with Darlene as his office manager, his eldest daughter, Jamie Lampitt, as his Marketing Director and his youngest daughter, Kara Jursinski Murphy, as his firm partner.  In his spare time, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family, including his seven grandchildren and occasionally playing some golf.

Kathy KB Dupuy-Bruno attended St. John’s University in New York, New York.  She graduated in 1995 with her Bachelor of Arts degree.  Thereafter, she continued her studies at The Washington College of Law, American University in Washington DC, which is one of the top law schools in the country.. During her tenure at the Washington College of Law, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno was one of 4 finalists in the First Year Moot Court Competition, arguing before justices of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia.  She continued competing in moot court competitions and eventually served on the prestigious Moot Court board and was cited in Who’s Whom Among American Law Students.. In addition to polishing her advocacy skills, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno also gained practical legal experience as a law clerk working for several local law firms in the nation’s capital, learning the ins and outs of personal injury and family law.. Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno graduated from The Washington College of Law in 1998.  Following her admission to the Maryland State Bar in 1999 and the District of Columbia Bar in 2001, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno practiced personal injury, family law, abuse and neglect cases for the District of Columbia, and matters involving IDEA, ADA, and the Civil Rights Act.. In 2002, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno relocated from the District of Columbia to SW Florida where she continued on with her law practice working as an associate with Eraclides, Johns, Hall, Gelman, Johannessen and Goodman.  At Eraclides, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno defended multi-million dollar insurance companies and businesses from worker’s compensation claims.  In addition, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno developed the firm’s personal injury and family law departments.  Due to her past experiences as an insurance defense attorney, the firm has a distinctive edge in handing workers’ compensation cases and personal injury cases.. In October of 2009, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno opened Bruno & Associates, PA, which changed its name to Bruno Law, LLC in July of 2010.  In October of 2010 Bruno Law, LLC expanded and became Bruno & Prado, PLLC.  Currently, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno is an equity member of Bruno & Prado, PLLC.. Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno is very active in the local and legal community.  She chaired the Family Law Section of the Lee County Bar Association between 2008 to 2010, she sat on the Board of the Lee County Legal Aid Society between 2009 to 2010, was an organizing Board Member of the Collaborative Professionals of SW Florida, is a former member of the 20th Judicial Circuit Family Law Advisory Committee and previously sat on the board of the Association of Family Law Professionals.  She also gives her time to community service projects such as coaching high school mock trial teams and representing pro-se litigants on family law matters.. In 2016 Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno was recognized by the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program and received the 20th Judicial Circuit’s Advocacy Award for her work advocating for special needs children. Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno has also been recognized as a Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and in the top 10 Best in Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys.  In 2015, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno received the Women of Distinction in Diversity by the Collier County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  Since 2014, Ms. Dupuy has maintained a 10 Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno has received the Fort Myers Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority community services awards on multiple occasions.  She has also received the Pro Bono Legal Award on multiple occasions by Florida Rural Legal Services.. In addition, Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno has been invited to speak on many occasions at legal forums and legal clinics to address Domestic Violence, Divorce, Custody and other Family law matters as well as Workers’ Compensation matters.. Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno’s current practice focuses on all aspects of family law, dependency law (abuse and neglect), workers’ compensation and personal injury.  Mrs. Dupuy-Bruno is a member the Florida Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association and the National Bar Association.  She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Joseph C. LoTempio was raised in a small suburb of Rochester, New York. He graduated from St. John Fisher College in 2006 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing. He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the Ave Maria School of Law in 2010.. During his time in law school, Mr. LoTempio interned for several organizations, including the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in Detroit, Michigan and the Law Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel in Fort Myers, Florida.. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2010, Mr. LoTempio practiced foreclosure defense law before joining the Dellutri Law Group in 2011.. Mr. LoTempio is a member of the Florida Bar and the Lee County Bar Association.. PRACTICE AREASConsumer ProtectionForeclosure DefenseDebt Collection Credit Reporting DisputesFDCPA Violations. EDUCATIONJuris Doctorate, Ave Maria School of Law, 2010Bachelor of Science, Business Management, St. John Fisher College, 2006. JURISDICTIONS ADMITTED TO PRACTICEFlorida State Courts, 2010U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2012District of Columbia, 2012. PROFESSIONAL & BAR ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPSFlorida Bar Member Since: 2010. Lee County Bar Association Member Since: 2012

Janese Caruthers was born in Birmingham but raised and schooled in Macon, GA. She is a graduate of Furman University and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Ms. Caruthers won several leadership awards during both undergraduate studies and law school. Ms. Caruthers joined the Office of the Public Defender in 2007 in the Lee County Office. During 2010, she had more felony jury trials of all assistant public defenders in the 20th Judicial Circuit, including a two-week long jury trial. In 2011, Ms. Caruthers transferred to the Charlotte County Office of the Public Defender. In Charlotte County, Ms. Caruthers continued taking several cases to trial and drafted and argued the Motion to Dismiss for Facial Unconstitutionality of Florida Statute 893 on behalf of over 100 Public Defender clients in Charlotte County. Janese Caruthers joined Brown, Suarez, Rios, & Weinberg in January of 2012. Shortly after joining the firm, Ms. Caruthers’s cases were often featured on local news outlets such as Fox 4 and Wink News. Ms. Caruthers's defense of her client in a high profile murder case was featured on national and local news including Good Morning America, ESPN, Miami Herald, and the Washington Post. In addition, in April of 2013, Ms. Caruthers appeared on the nationally syndicated Dr. Phil Show to discuss her victory in a Stand Your Ground Motion where all charges were dismissed against her client. She actively writes about legal topics in her blog found at . She also lectures on various legal topics at community events in southwest Florida. Ms. Caruthers is a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, past President of the Isaac Anderson Chapter of the National Bar Association, and a past member of the Calusa Chapter of the American Inns of Court.

In May 2013, I will be serving the citizens of Lee County as legal counsel for the Lee County Tax Collector's Office.  Prior to this appointment, I was admitted to the Middle District of Florida in 2005 which allows me to handle federal cases.

I was born in Jamaica and moved to the United States when I was 8 years old.  I lived in south Florida, until moving to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University.  I received my Bachelor's degree in Finance and Multinational Business in 1993 and went on to attend the College of Law at FSU, where I received my Juris Doctor cum laude in 1995.  Following law school I worked for the Florida Department of Revenue as a Revenue Specialist and then the Florida Department of Insurance as an Insurance Examiner and an Asset Recovery Specialist.  I then moved to the Fort Myers area in 2000 and worked for The North Law Firm, PA as an attorney until 2010, when I opened my open practice.. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 19 years and have 2 beautiful children, the first of which, I'm proud to say will be following in his parents' footsteps and attending Florida State University.  My daughter is still in high school and is an AP and honors student and couldn't have 2 prouder parents.

I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York.  I have been living in Florida since 1985 and have been residing in Lee County since 1996.  I am married to Amy Hawthorne and we have a daughter named Cassandra who recently graduated from the University of Central Florida.. I believe in using a personal approach in my practice.  When you hire me, you get me.  I am the lawyer you will deal with.  You will not be handed off to a paralegal.. I believe in using a compassionate approach to the practice of Family and Criminal Law, with a little Bronx toughness thrown in when needed.  Put my experience to work for you.

I received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (B.B.A.), with high honors, in Accounting from Emory University in 1990.  In 1993, I received my Juris Doctorate (J.D.), with honors, from the University of Florida, and in 1994, was awarded a Masters in Taxation (LL.M.), with honors, also from the University of Florida, and in 2001, I became a Board Certified in Wills, Trusts, and Estates attorney with the Florida Bar.. I am a founding partner in the law firm of Green Schoenfeld & Kyle LLP, and have been a resident of Lee County, Florida, since 1976 and I am the past President of both the Lee County Estate Planning Council and Planned Giving Councils.  I also serve on the Advisory Boards of the Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimers Association, the American Red Cross and the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties, and Peace by Piece, a school for autistic children, including my oldest son.  I am a member of the Florida Bar, Lee County and American Bar Associations.  I am a three-time (consecutive) winner of the Finger’s O’Bannon Snook Tournament at Cabbage Key and a two-time winner of the Verandah Member Guest Golf Invitational.  My practice is concentrated in the areas of trusts, estates, probate and taxation.. I am married to Michelle and I am the father of three sons, Jacob, Benjamin, and Gabriel, and one daughter, Rose.

I have practiced Workers' Compensation defense since 2004, with extensive experience throughout Florida, including experience writing appeals and arguing appeals in front of the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee.  In addition, I offer representation to those businesses that have received Stop Work Orders from the State of Florida for failure to obtain adequate Workers' Compensation coverage, and who need to either have the Stop Work Order challenged, or who need assistance getting the Penalty lowered.. Prior to attending the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, I spent 7 years in the United States Navy, working as a Russian Linguist and Intelligence Collections Analyst.  After leaving the Navy, I worked for my family's Construction business in Naples, while completing my undergraduate degree at Florida Gulf Coast University.

I have had over 24 First Chair Jury trials to verdict, and over 45 trials total to date. I have fought Punishable by life charges, Minimum Mandatory Cases, and have extensive experience in Felony crimes, as well as minor crimes. I have handled over 1700 criminal cases to date. I work well with DNA cases in particular and had a PBL trial with three DNA matches found inide the victim's house, that resulted in a hung jury.. I'm a World traveler, journalist/teacher turned lawyer.

I have focused my entire career in criminal defense. I firmly believe in our Constitutional rights and passionately fight to keep those rights alive.

I have called Fort Myers my home since 1968 and truly love this community.  I graduated from Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers; obtained undergraduate degrees from Edison Community College (now Florida Southwestern State University) and Stetson University and then graduated from the University of Florida College of Law.  I am the proud father of two amazing daughters.  Outside of the office, I enjoy sports (particularly all things "Gator"), fitness, reading, shooting and supporting our United States military.  I am an active member of and deeply devoted to my faith.  I truly enjoy practing law and have successfully litigated cases on behalf of my clients at all levels in the State and Federal Courts from the trial courts to far-reaching important appellate decisions in the District Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court of Florida.  I look forward to assisting you with your every legal need, issue and matter.

I have been practing law in the Fort Myers, Florida area for over 30 years.  My law practice specializes in the areas of real estate law, association law, business law,  probate and litigation. I hold both the Florida Bar Board Certification in Real Estate and the Florida Bar Board Certification in Business Litigation. In addition I recently received the AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martidale Hubbell. This rating constitutes the highest rating an attorney can achieve from his peers in the areas of legal knowledge, analytical capability, judgement, communication ability and legal experience.. My office staff consists of two full-time legal assistants each with a different area of office hours are from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.. "It is important to my staff and I to stay accessible to our clients and provide the best legal representation possible to keep our clients happy, often under expedited and difficult circumstances".

I have been practicing law since 1986.  I am in private general practice since 1992 in Lee County, Florida.  I have over over 25 years experience in bankruptcy law, debt settlement and consumer defense, divorce and probate.  My main focus has always been to help my clients receive the best representation at a reasonable price but to also make the legal process understandable and more personal.. I am married since 1992 and I am a proud father of  three children ranging in age from 20 to 14.

I have been in Southwest Florida for 27 years. I am a former Assistant State’s Attorney that achieved the rank of chief homicide arson prosecutor.  As a prosecutor, I successfully prosecuted thousands of cases.  I have been the supervising attorney on many DEA task force drug trafficking investigations.  I was lead attorney in hundreds of complex wiretap and racketeering investigations supervising law enforcement’s compliance with capture and minimization of targeted conversations.  I worked closely with DEA task force officers in writing search warrant affidavits and their subsequent execution.  As a prosecutor, I have worked with both the FBI and the Secret Service.. I received specialized training in crime scene investigations and the introduction of evidence at trial. My trial experience is extensive. I have been the lead trial attorney in over 100 criminal jury trials.  Those include homicide, manslaughter, sexual battery, racketeering, conspiracy, firearms, drug trafficking, drug sales and possessions, counterfeiting, theft and DUI. I am admitted to practice in all Florida State courts. I am also admitted to the U.S. Federal Court in the middle district Florida.

I have been a civil litigator in Southwest Florida and the surrounding areas for nearly 34 years, having been involved in approximately 75 jury trials. In 2017, I began turning my attention to alternative dispute resolution, having participated in hundreds of mediations throughout my career, as well as numerous arbitrations. Having witnessed for decades in my own practice, the invaluable tool of mediation,. I felt as though I could use my extensive litigation experience to help in resolving even more cases through the mediation and/or arbitration process. The goal is to enthusiastically be involved in this process and to assist in resolving all matters of disputes. Over the last few years, I had experienced that the 80% settlement rate in mediations was slipping.. Our home base, with our offices being located in Fort Myers, Florida, has primarily been in the 20th Judicial Circuit, though I have handled many cases and matters in surrounding counties such as Highlands, Okeechobee, Sarasota, Hardee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Desoto . Increasingly, judges are ordering non-binding arbitrations, especially in cases that are estimated to take longer than usual to try, and I am well equipped to handle this procedure.. While our focus is helping to resolve matters out of court, we do handle a variety of legal matters on selected issues.

I enjoy practicing family law.  Contact me for a free consultation.

I came from a family of doctors. My grandfather was an OB-GYN, my father was an OB-GYN and my brother is a pediatric radiologist. My father was a rare breed of doctor who made house calls and cared deeply about his patient's welfare and instilled in me compassion for my fellow man. Although I began my college career as a pre-med major, I found that I was more interested in logic courses and philosophy. I graduated from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida with a major in philosophy and went to law school at Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. I received my JD degree in 1972.. While studying for the Florida Bar, I learned of a job opportunity in Fort Myers, Florida in the State Attorney's Office as a prosecutor. I interviewed and was hired in 1972 by Joseph D'Alessandro, who was the State Attorney at that time. He immediately placed me in the Felony Division and in a year and a half I tried 34 felony trials ranging from drug possession to murder. I was recruited by a personal injury law firm and hired in 1974 to try personal injury cases.. My family background in medicine and values that were imparted to me by my family proved a successful combination for handling personal injury cases. I am a very passionate person and that characteristic carries over to my representation of personal injury clients.. In 1985, I became certified by the Florida Bar in civil trial practice after having tried a requisite number of jury trials and passing a very rigorous examination given by the Florida Bar. I have also received my certification by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and am proud of those accomplishments as board certified lawyers are in the minority.. I have tried cases ranging from whiplash to multi-million dollar catastrophic injury cases. Regardless of the size of the case, I represent each client with the requisite passion and vigor that is necessary for a successful resolution of the case. I have always maintained that the focus of a personal injury lawyer should be the client's bottom line. If one focuses on the client's bottom line in most instances you will have a happy client at the end of the case and a successful practice.. I take great pleasure in resolving a personal injury case that nets my client a recovery that adequately compensates them for their pain, suffering, disability and loss of enjoyment of life.. I am a member of the North Fort Myers Rotary Club and am a former Rotarian of the Year. I believe in supporting the community in as many ways as possible. Every year, during the holiday season, my firm sponsors a pajama drive obtaining pajama donations for homeless and indigent families who are unable to afford pajamas for their children during the winter season. In past years we have obtained donations from 800 to over 1000 pairs of pajamas that we were able to disseminate into the community through charitable networks. I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from this endeavor in addition to serving my local Rotary Club and adhering to their motto of placing "service above self."