Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2005 Dale M. Swope is the managing partner of Swope, Rodante P.A., the firm he founded as a solo practice just six months after graduating from law school in 1979.
A Tampa native, Mr. Swope is a graduate of Hillsborough High School, the University of South Florida, and the University of Florida Levin College of Law. As the firm's most senior attorney, he has earned virtually every major professional recognition available in his field. Dale M. Swope is recognized by Best Lawyers for his work in Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
He holds an AV Preeminent rating (the highest possible) from Martindale-Hubbell, the nation's oldest attorney rating service, and a "Superb" rating (the highest possible) from AVVO. He has also been selected as a Super Lawyer and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in the South, and Who's Who in American Law.
For more than twenty years, Mr. Swope has been Board Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist and was previously also Board Certified as a Business Litigation Specialist. These certifications represent one of the legal profession's most rigorous credentials, requiring extensive experience, a comprehensive examination, and significant peer review by attorneys and judges familiar with the lawyer's work.
Mr. Swope was the original incorporator of the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association and is one of only two partners in the firm's history (along with Angela Rodante) to serve as president of the organization. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Justice Association and as its President during the 2017–2018 term.
He has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) for more than a decade, an invitation-only organization requiring substantial jury trial experience and peer approval. Mr. Swope was also elected to membership in the prestigious American Law Institute.
While he appreciates the endorsements of peers and recognition from respected organizations, Dale Swope is quick to point out that none of these accolades compare to the gratitude of a client or family whose lives have been positively impacted through the firm's work.
