Melanie Leitman

Maribel Nicholson-Choice's practice focuses on various aspects of environmental, real estate, and financial institution representations, and governmental affairs. Maribel had more than 20 years of experience negotiating and resolving complex environmental regulatory, permitting, and litigation matters. Maribel's practice consists of environmental matters for financial institutions. She advises lending clients on environmental liability including permitting and remediation projects associated ...

Ginger Barry Boyd is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Ginger Barry, who practices law in Tallahassee, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ginger Barry is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal pra...

Fred F. Harris focuses his practice on taxation, transactional work, corporate and dispute resolution.

Emanuella Paulos is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Emanuella, who practices law in Pensacola, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emanuella is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A former deputy general counsel of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (now DEP), Silvia Alderman is the chair of Akerman’s Water Task Force, a team of multidisciplinary legal professionals and consultants advising on the regulatory and environmental challenges facing our clients. Recognized by Chambers USA , Silvia is praised for her “wealth of knowledge representing utilities” as well as being “very strong on administrative law.” Silvia represent...

Jason E. Merritt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Public Finance Law. Jason E., who practices law in Tallahassee, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

JAMES W. GUSTAFSON JR . is a Shareholder with Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., a member of the firm’s executive committee, and the managing partner of the firm’s Tallahassee office. He is a sixth generation Florida native who served with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and studied at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, before becoming a trial lawyer. Mr. Gustafson is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a worldwide organization limited to ju...

Drew Bruner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Drew, who practices law in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Drew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Virginia Buchanan is a shareholder at Levin, Papantonio, Proctor, Buchanan, O’Brian, Barr & Mougey, P.A., having joined the firm in 1989. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida in 1985, and received her Juris Doctorate Degree, with honors, from the University of Florida in 1989. She has served as lead/co-lead counsel in more than 50 jury trials, with results exceeding $500 million. She has a national practice and works extensively in her local Pensacola and sur...

A former interim Medicaid Director, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Medicaid Counsel for the State of Florida, Steven Grigas has presided over the State of Florida’s $15 billion Medicaid program with particular focus in managed care, disease management, pharmacy services, long term care, and hospital services. Steven is well-versed in Medicaid policies and procedures, reimbursement issues, program integrity, and fraud control. His deep healthcare sector kno...