Tampa's
Best Lawyers 2026
Featured in Best Lawyers
Gaylord Merlin represents property and business owners in eminent domain and property rights litigation throughout the State of Florida. Our firm guides an owner through the condemnation process, protects an owner's property rights, and fights for an owner to receive full compensation. Andrew G. Diaz represents a variety of business and property owners in eminent domain and property rights litigation. He has handled cases involving the taking of large vacant parcels, national big box retailer...
Blake Gaylord is a partner practicing in the field of eminent domain and property rights. He has successfully represented property owners statewide in jury trials, bench trials, and administrative and Value Adjustment Board proceedings. Prior to joining the firm, Blake served as an officer in the U.S. Army where he was deployed in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kuwait) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Professionally, he has served as the Chairman of the Eminent Domain Committee of...
Accomplishments Ms. Merlin has held several leadership positions in eminent domain during her career. These include: Chair of the ABA Condemnation, Zoning and Land Use Committee (1982 - 1985); Chair of the Florida Bar Eminent Domain Committee (1993 - 1994); Co-Chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Eminent Domain Committee (1997-1998) and member of the Florida Bar Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure Steering Committee (1999 - present). Her proudest career accomplishment is institu...
Background Lorena Hart Ludovici represents clients throughout the state of Florida. She has handled cases in Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Her diverse clientele includes shopping center owners, retailers, supermarket chains, gas stations, restaurants, professional offices, cell tower owners, golf course owners as well as farmers, grove operators, home-owners and many others. Accomplishments .Ms. Ludovici's leadership in the field of eminent domain includes chairing The Florida Bar's eminent d...
Background Cary Gaylord has represented clients in over 30 counties in Florida as well as in the federal courts and courts of Illinois and Georgia. He has handled cases involving large vacant parcels, churches, national big box retailers, shopping centers, gas station/convenience stores, fast food restaurants, supermarket chains, professional offices, farmers, retailers, grove operators, golf course owners, homeowners, as well as other properties both in eminent domain and inverse condemnatio...
Eric Newell Appleton is a founding partner and member of Appleton Reiss, PLLC. Mr. Appleton has practiced community association and real estate law in Florida, including litigation and transactional matters, since 1999. He has substantial experience representing real estate owners, developers, office parks, commercial associations and residential condominium and homeowners’ associations throughout Florida. Mr. Appleton’s law practice focuses on assisting association officers, dire...
ABOUT Andy Steingold is a Senior Trial Attorney with MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers, who practices in the areas of Medical Negligence, Nursing Home Abuse, Wrongful Death, Products Liability and Personal Injury. Mr. Steingold is an active member of this community and is currently serving as a Safety Harbor City Commissioner and an Administrative Hearing Officer for the Hillsborough County Dangerous Dog Court. Mr. Steingold was the Mayor of the City of Safety Harbor from 2006-2017 during which he...
ABOUT Fritz Gray, of counsel, has been a practicing attorney in Tampa for more than 30 years. He is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell with extensive experience in complex civil trials focusing on medical malpractice, general negligence, wrongful death, automobile accidents and premises liability. Mr. Gray has been a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer since 1989 by the Florida Bar and is also certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy since 1986. In addition, Mr. ...
MORE THAN A LAWYER Spend a few minutes talking with Jeffrey ''Jack" Gordon about his practice and you're bound to hear terms like hematoma, or hydrocephalus, or oxygen saturation rate or standard of care. You may learn something about anatomy or physiology or hear a detailed description of spinal surgery. You might even be tempted to ask him for a medical opinion. But Gordon is not a physician. The managing partner of MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers is a highly respected medical malpractice tria...
For over 40 years, Richard Maney has dedicated his legal career to championing justice for immigrants and families, establishing himself as a preeminent authority in U.S. Immigration & Nationality Law. As the visionary force behind Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A. , he has led the firm to resolve immigration matters for 72,000+ clients —a testament to his relentless advocacy and strategic expertise. Distinguished Credentials Board Certified in Immigration & Nationality Law (Florida...
ABOUT Steve Zaloudek is a Senior Trial Attorney at MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers. Steve focuses his practice in Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death.He has been admitted to practice law in Florida, New York and Georgia and has logged more than 30 years of trial experience in these states, obtaining several noteworthy judgments and settlements for his clients. In 2011, Steve garnered one of the top published verdicts in the state of New York. In 2012 he repeated that feat wit...
Brent G. Steinberg is a Florida Bar board-certified appellate specialist, a distinction achieved by only 216 of the more than 100,000 members of The Florida Bar. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice , Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. He handles catastrophic injury , insurance bad faith , legal malpractice, and insurance coverage cases throughout Florida and Georgia, at both the trial and app...
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 In...
Fentrice D. Driskell is a Tampa Bay native, a nationally respected attorney, and is recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Antitrust Law. Widely recognized as a trailblazer and impassioned advocate for her clients and all Floridians, she serves as the Minority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives and represents the residents of House District 67 throughout North Tampa and Hillsborough County. Prior to joining Swope, Rodante P.A. as a partner in 2024, Ms. Driskell served ...
Featured in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
ABOUT Jamal Roberts is a young trial attorney who represents individuals and families who have suffered injury or wrongful death resulting from the negligence of others. Mr. Roberts concentrates on prosecuting claims for personal injury damages with a focus on automobile and boating accidents, slip and fall incidents, and premise liability cases. His dedication to providing personalized, client-centered representation ensures that each case is handled with the utmost care and attention to det...
Brenna Spinner is a litigation and appellate attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice , Insurance Law , and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. She has experience representing clients in a broad range of civil matters in state and federal courts. At Swope, Rodante P.A. , Ms. Spinner draws on her background in complex litigation, appellate advocacy, disability benefits advocacy, and housing-related public interest work to represent injured clie...
Daniel L. Greene is a partner at Swope, Rodante P.A. and is recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice , Insurance Law , Legal Malpractice Law, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. He works tirelessly to obtain justice on behalf of clients who have been catastrophically injured . Daniel joined Swope, Rodante P.A. shortly after graduating from law school in 2017. Originally from Cooper City, Florida, he attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, whe...
Natalie Shoemaker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. Shortly after graduating from law school, Ms. Shoemaker joined Swope, Rodante P.A. as an associate attorney in 2020. Originally from Orlando, Ms. Shoemaker attended the University of Central Florida, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She attended Loyola University Chicago S...
Featured "Lawyer of the Year" Honorees
Angela E. Rodante is a nationally recognized civil trial attorney and is recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Insurance Law , Litigation – Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. Over the course of her 28-year legal career, she has become a highly sought-after litigator, earning numerous awards for her groundbreaking work representing individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries and for taking on large and powerful corporations. Her accolades ...
