Best Lawyers Near You in Odessa, Florida

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...

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 ...

Bart Valdes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Bart, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bart is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Frank R. Jakes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Frank R., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Frank R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michelle Bartels is a partner in Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.’s Tampa office and a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney. Ms. Bartels' practice focuses in the areas of catastrophic and personal injury, general civil litigation, premises liability, trucking defense, professional malpractice, security negligence, vehicle negligence, significant wrongful death, defective products, foster care lead agency and community based care defense. Ms. Bartels earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magn...

Bob served as a Law Clerk to Honorable William Terrell Hodges, United States District Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida from 1982 – 1984. From 1988 to 1998 he handled catastrophic child and infant injury cases throughout the United States and Canada. While clerking he learned of Johnson Pope’s well-known reputation for quality legal work and ended up joining the firm in April 1999. He is the author of “The Primary Carrier Caught in the Middle with Bad Fa...

David Weinstein is the Managing Shareholder of GT’s Tampa office. With over 30 years of experience, David is a “go to” litigator and strategist for high-stakes and complex civil and white-collar litigation, including business, environmental, toxic tort, real estate, land use, health care, and other challenging matters. An accomplished litigator who takes pride in his courtroom advocacy, David also works to help clients find practical and effective out-of-court approaches to ...

Erin L. Malone is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Erin L., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Erin L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Richard B. Stephens, Jr. is a partner in Holland & Knight's Lakeland office. Mr. Stephens divides his time between tax exempt financings and a diverse corporate practice. On the corporate side, Mr. Stephens has extensive experience in large corporate transactions focusing on the gas, power, cement and road based industries (including structured products, prepaid gas transactions, financings, derivatives, acquisitions, mergers, and general contract drafting). He also has significant experi...

Ruel W. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Ruel W., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ruel W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ed Carlstedt serves as the office managing partner for FordHarrison's Tampa office. His practice focuses on trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant disputes as well as representing management in employment law matters, including defending employers against harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims. Ed has extensive experience in matters involving trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant related issues, and has handled dozens of evidentiary hearings in federal and ...

Reed Russell practices in the area of labor and employment focusing on representing employers in wage and hour and employment discrimination law, with an emphasis on collective and class action litigation, other complex litigation and strategic advice. He also represents employers in claims raising equal employment opportunity issues, including claims of single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, or class discrimination, and provides advice on employment practices, including through statistical analy...

Kristin A. Norse practices exclusively in the areas of appellate practice and civil litigation support. She has over 30 years of legal experience, including more than 20 years representing clients in trial and appellate courts and ten years working as a senior staff attorney for the Honorable Chris W. Altenbernd at the Second District Court of Appeal. She has successfully represented individuals and businesses in well over 100 involving various areas of law including complex commercial cases,...

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 ...

Jeff Shear is a member of the firm's Real Estate Practice Group, where he represents a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from developers and lenders to institutional investors regarding real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing and lending. For developer representation, Jeff handles all aspects of commercial and residential real estate projects, including acquisitions, zoning and permitting, financing, and disposition. He also represents buyers and sellers in commercial real estat...

Phillip Shasteen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities Regulation. Phillip, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Phillip is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.