Hardee County Lawyers

Born and raised in Sarasota, Florida, Richard Ellis graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1976 and received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 1979. Mr. Ellis has served on the City of Sarasota Planning Board, City of Sarasota Board of Adjustment, and currently serves as Special Magistrate for the City of Sarasota, a position he has held since 1999.

Mr. Ellis has filed in excess of 5,000 Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases over the past three decades and has handled hundreds of family law matters since beginning practice in 1979.

Mr. Ellis spends his...

Anthony G. Ryan provides aggressive criminal defese in State and Federal Courts throughout the state of Florida. He is a board certified criminal trial attorney with over twenty years of experience. Call him today: 941-954-7132

Don Cahall prides himself on being extremely passionate about every one of his clients’ cases no matter whether the damages involved are small or large. Don’s clients are victims who have been harmed by others’ negligent or intentional wrongdoing. To obtain justice for his clients, Don’s objective is to attempt to recover his clients’ financial damages as quickly as possible. It has been said that the wheels of justice turn slowly. The culpable parties often seek to obstruct and delay justice and courts are regularly inundated with heavy caseloads. Thus, to meet his objective, Don utilizes an aggressive approach to...

Jim Dodson spent many years of his long legal career as a partner in a large personal injury law firm, but he had some different ideas about how to practice law. He envisioned a practice centered on the clients’ needs, where he could get to know his clients and be personally involved in their cases. He wanted to create an environment where any client would feel comfortable about calling, where every client with a question about their case could easily get an answer, and where all clients could expect to have their phone calls returned. Jim turned this vision into...

David Goldman is an experienced and accomplished Personal Injury Attorney. He believes that everyone should be treated fairly and is dedicated to bringing justice to all areas of society. David has been fighting for the rights of injured Floridians for 30 years. He is committed to providing aggressive advocacy and pursuing the results that his clients deserve.

David has has been named among the 10 Best Attorneys for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. He received a Preeminent Rating, the highest possible, from Martindale-Hubbell. He was also honored with the Legislative Leadership Award from The Academy of...

Ms. Mitchell graduated from Florida State University with a major in History and Economics. Upon graduation, Ms. Mitchell was hired by the premier South Florida personal injury law firm of Bogani & Robes, PLLC. Witnessing quality legal service promoting justice, and bettering the lives of their clients, she decided to attend law school at St. Thomas University School of Law.

As a merit scholarship recipient, Ms. Mitchell excelled academically earning placement on the Dean’s List every semester, named Articles Editor of Law Review, and participated in Moot Court as both a competitor and coach. Ms. Mitchell was site coordinator for the...

I have 25 years experience in the legal field as a law clerk, judicial clerk, legal intern and attorney. Since 2000, I've had my own private law practice which has been a general law practice in the past. In the last several years, I have limited my practice areas to certain legal fields. Now approximately 95% of my practice is focused on divorce and family law.

Carol Avard is a member of the Medical Malpractice, Social Security, Federal Torts, and Motor Vehicle Collision sections of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). She is also a member of the Bad Faith, Disability Law, Employment Law, ERISA Litigation, Insurance Law, Medical Negligence, Nursing Home, PI/Wrongful Death, Products Liability, Professional Negligence, and Social Security Disability Law sections of The Florida Association for Justice. Additionally, she is an Accredited Veterans Disability Attorney. Carol is a member of the NOSSCR Board of Directors – a professional association of Social Security Disability practitioners.

John M. Hemenway is a founding partner of Bivins & Hemenway, P.A. John serves as a trusted legal advisor to business owners, real estate investors, and families seeking to preserve and pass down their wealth and values. His practice focuses on estate planning and probate, small and closely held businesses, and real estate, combining experience in each of these areas to provide a comprehensive approach to transactions and planning.

John earned his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Florida. John regularly presents at legal education seminars on both probate and estate planning topics, and is published on estate planning...

Helping people is what I enjoy most about being a lawyer. I began practicing law after earning a Juris Doctorate, with honors, from Stetson University College of Law in 1994. I received my bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. I am a native of Long Island, New York.

I am the firm's trial attorney. I represent clients who have been injured, and the families of those who have been killed, due to the fault of another. I have had the privilege of representing thousands of clients throughout Florida since 1994. I never represent insurance companies.

Mr. Wells has been a member of the Florida Bar for over 30 years and has represented both insurers and their insureds over the course of his career. Mr. Wells handles bodily injury cases and insurance coverage claims, including first party property matters (fire, sinkhole, hurricane, windstorm, and water damage claims), other insurance claims (life, disability and other direct actions against insurers), bad faith claims (claims against an insurer for improper claim handling), and insurance agent negligence cases, in both the state and federal courts. Mr. Wells is an experienced litigator, having litigated matters statewide, including the...

Alan S. Neufeld, the founding partner, brings over 39 years of experience in advocating for seriously injured clients. He has litigated cases in both Federal District Court and State Circuit Courts, achieving notable records for the highest awards in personal injury cases.

Attorney Howard Iken is the founder and managing partner of Ayo & Iken, a law firm helping clients with divorce, custody, bankruptcy, criminal defense, and debtor defense. We have offices throughout Tampa Bay and Central Florida. We have the following locations available: Wesley Chapel Summergate Professional Center Seven Oaks - near Wiregrass Mall - off Hwy 56 27642 Cashford Circle Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 New Port Richey - Pasco ...

Tonmiel Rodriguez is a Board Certified Criminal Defense Lawyer, a distinction few Florida attorneys achieve. He is an experienced litigator, having tried over 56 criminal trials, conducted hundreds of depositions, and litigated numerous motion and evidentiary hearings. Tonmiel was inducted into the National Trial Lawyers list of "Top 40 under 40" Florida Criminal Trial Lawyers. He has been published three times in The Defender, a publication of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL). In 2015, Attorney Tonmiel Rodriguez was awarded the FACDL's James T. Miller Scholar Award.

In 2005, Attorney Tonmiel Rodriguez received his Political Science Degree, with Honors,...

Paul M. McDermott, Esq., practices exclusively in the area of Marital and Family Law. He has experience in litigation, mediation, and collaboration. After practicing law in Virginia for many years as a trial lawyer, he relocated to Florida and founded McDermott Law Offices, PLLC and now practices exclusively in the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida, which includes Manatee County and Sarasota County.

Mr. McDermott is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator. He is also trained in Collaborative Divorce Law, an emerging field within the Alternative Dispute Resolution realm focused on resolving cases with a "team" approach...

Terri Cromley is a managing partner of the firm. She was born and raised in Ohio. She is an avid sports fan and enjoys cheering on our hometown Bradenton Marauders. She also attends as many Lightning games as possible. She is active in the Bradenton community and actively supports and organizes charitable fundraisers.

JEFFREY S. GOETHE is a partner with Barnes Walker, Goethe, Perron, Shea, & Robinson, PLLC. The firm's main office is in Bradenton, with appointments available in the firm's Anna Maria Island, Lakewood Ranch and Parrish offices. Mr. Goethe is a graduate of Maryville College and the University of Tennessee College of Law and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1990. He is board certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in wills, trusts and estates law and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mr. Goethe is a member of the Florida Bar’s Real...

Daniel H. Smith is an elder law and estate planning attorney at Advocates in Aging, Law Office of Wiesner Smith PLLC in Sarasota, Florida, focusing on Elder Law, Medicaid Planning, Veterans Benefits, Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning, Special Needs Planning, Probate and Trust Administration, Guardianship, and Assisted Living/Nursing Home Issues. Daniel is licensed to practice law in Florida and Virginia. Daniel is also a VA Accredited Attorney, and represents veterans and their families with benefits claims and appeals of VA Benefits decisions. Daniel received his law degree with honors from the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington,...

Jason Reid began his career in Florida in 2006 with the Office of the Public Defender for the Ninth Circuit. Jason Reid moved to the Tampa Bay area joining a local lawyer firm in 2012. Jason Reid decided to take his dedication to his client's cases with a hands on approach at The Reid Firm in 2019.

Jason Reid is Board Certified Criminal Trial, Appellate, Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation lawyer with experience in all areas going back to at least 2012.

The Reid Firm is located in Bradenton, and handles cases frequently in Sarasota and Tampa. We are a...

Army Veteran and former Law Enforcement Officer, Sean decided to continue to serve his community by becoming an Attorney. Sean has a mission to protect the people and started Panther Law, P.A. to do just that. He offers legal help in Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate, Bankruptcy, and Special Needs Law.

I am a Florida criminal defense lawyer passionate about helping those charged with serious misdemeanor and felony offenses. My legal background includes several years as an assistant state attorney. Working throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties, I bring forth a client-focused legal representation.

James A. Fowler Jr. is the co-founder and managing partner of Fowler Law Group. James draws upon his diverse criminal law experiences to defend adults and juveniles involved in all types of criminal law matters, including federal and state crimes, DUI offenses, driver’s license suspensions and traffic cases. He is a native of Sarasota County and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida.

With over 20 years of experience, Sarasota injury lawyer Damian Mallard has won several million dollar and multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients and is Board Certified in civil trial law, an accomplishment achieved by less than 2% of attorneys in Florida. Along with his wife, Sara Mallard, and Michael Murphy, the team of personal injury attorneys at the Mallard Law Firm serves as advocates for injury victims throughout Florida and offers free case evaluations.

Ronald W. Chapman is the owner of Chapman Law Group and has been practicing law for over 25 years in Michigan and Florida. He is AV® Rated. Ron is a recognized leader in the legal community and a frequent speaker in the area of medical malpractice and risk management. In 1997 Ron was ranked as one of the top ten speakers for Skillpath, Inc. Ron graduated from California State University, Sacramento (BA, Cum Laude 1979), University of Southern California School of Administration (MPA 1980) and Wayne State Law School (JD 1984). After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the United States Air...

Summer Goldman is an experienced criminal attorney representing individuals facing criminal charges. Ms. Goldman started her legal career as a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office in Pinellas County. During her time there, she handled thousands of cases from the initial investigation with law enforcement through sentencing.

Attorney Goldman left her position as a prosecutor in 2004 and started working as a criminal defense attorney. In 2009, she co-founded Goldman Wetzel, a criminal defense law firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

As a criminal defense laywer, Ms. Goldman is skilled in Federal and State serious felony charges including sex offenses,...

Mr. Zoecklein currently focuses his practice on Plaintiff's Civil Litigation. His team is currently litigating cases throughout the State of Florida in the practice areas of probate administration, estate litigation, insurance claims, family law and business law. Brice Zoecklein grew up in Blacksburg Virginia and attended Virginia Tech where he graduated cum laude and obtained a degree in business management. While at Virginia Tech Mr. Zoecklein ran several successful franchises throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Zoecklein then obtained his juris doctorate degree cum luade and a Masters in Business Administration from Stetson University College of Law....

I am a Partner in the Law Office of Ayo & Iken PLC, focused on all facets of Family Law. My practice areas include Uncontested and Contested Divorces (Equitable Distribution, Alimony, Time Sharing, Child Support), Paternity (time sharing and child support), Adoptions (Step-parent and relative), Dependency (DCF), and Domestic Violence (DVI).

I received my B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida in 2005. My J.D. was completed at Florida Coastal School of Law in 2008. For over 10 years, I have been practicing Family Law in Florida.

Confidence in my abilities and a fearlessness in the courtroom set...

I am Timothy J. Sierra, a bankruptcy attorney with more than 24 years of legal experience. I specialize 100% of my practice in bankruptcy and work with clients in the Tampa Bay, Riverview, and Brandon areas. Visit our website at www.timsierra.com or give me a call today at (813)258-3455 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Ramil Kaminsky is the first-generation American son of Jewish Uzbek immigrants who fled the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R) under threat of religious persecution. He was raised on Brighton Beach, NY, also known as “Little Moscow”, where he learned not only about the “evils of communism”, but also the value of being an American. Young Ramil was very blessed. Unlike other Jewish parents, who only wanted medical doctors, Ramil’s parents gave him options to either be a medical doctor, a lawyer, or an accountant. Ramil’s parents pursued the American dream from New York to Florida. He moved to the Tampa Bay Area as a Junior...

Diane Buerger has over 30 years experience as a Florida Criminal Defense lawyer – with cases ranging from felonies to misdemeanor and traffic cases. Her practice includes representation on both the trial and appellate levels. She handles cases from high-profile to first-time offenders. Her primary practice is criminal law -- in both trial and appellate courts. She's successfully argued before the Florida Supreme Court -- and District Courts of Appeal. She's a Past President of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers -- and also the Polk County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Attorney L. Reed Bloodworth, Founder and CEO of Bloodworth Law, PLLC, is a Florida U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyer® in Commercial Litigation Award 2019-22; in Trusts & Estates Litigation 2022; and in Real Estate Litigation 2022. Bloodworth Law is a U.S. News & World Report "Best Law Firm" 2020-22 and has established itself with an office in Orlando and one in Winter Haven. Reed, a 2019-22 Super Lawyer, was named a Florida Trend’s Magazine Florida Legal Elite™ in Civil, Commercial Litigation 2017-19, 2021, a group of less than 1.3% of Florida's attorneys. Reed has been an attorney since 2004...

Heather Bryan stands as a seasoned trial attorney, wielding extensive knowledge across family law, criminal law, and personal injury law. In 2016, she took a significant step in her legal journey by founding her own law practice, focusing predominantly on family law. In this capacity, Heather has been a guiding force for numerous families, navigating them through the intricacies of the divorce process with compassion and legal acumen. Heather's commitment to the legal profession extends beyond her practice. She has been an integral part of the Polk Association for Women Lawyers since its inception, serving on the Board of Directors and...

With over 30 years of experience in personal injury law, Mr. Abrahamson embraces the practice of working with clients on a contingency basis.

“A system of hiring an attorney on an hourly basis rewards inefficiency, creates delays and commonly creates negative issues between the lawyer and the client. Representing clients on a contingency basis in which the law firm earns a percentage of the settlement, however, is much more rewarding for the client and the attorneys. We have a common goal: to pursue the maximum recovery for the client. If there is no financial recovery (i.e. settlement or jury verdict), the...

Carl E. Reynolds III was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. As a native Floridian, he was educated in the Orange County Public School System and was among the first 4-year graduating class from Dr. Phillips High School. Mr. Reynolds earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University and went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate, with Honors, from the University of Florida.

While at the University of Florida, Mr. Reynolds was a member of a Moot Trial Team which traveled to Austria and competed with law schools from across the globe. Mr. Reynolds graduated from UF with...

Dedicated to helping those injured due to the carelessness or even recklessness of others fight for their rights and a fair and just recovery.

Matt Erjavec is a native Floridian who graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Business Management and received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Matt returned home to Florida and began practicing as a personal injury attorney at a high volume law firm in Tampa, Florida. During this time, Matt gained invaluable experience handling all aspects of personal injury cases while representing thousands of injury victims. However, this experience also exposed Matt to the shortcomings of high volume law firms - namely, that many times...

Attorney Rachel Drude-Tomori is the Founding Partner of Drude Tomori Law, PA, a St. Petersburg law firm dedicated to providing estate planning legal services to individuals and families in St. Petersburg and surrounding areas. Rachel’s primary areas of focus include Estate Planning and Deferred Sales Trusts, and she frequently assists individuals and business owners in protecting their legacies from government and creditor interference. With over 15 years of legal experience, Rachel has developed estate plans for business owners, corporate executives, wealthy individuals, and professionals and their families with a wide range of estate planning objectives. She also develops estate plans...

James "Jay" Horne, Jr., is an AV Preeminent Rated trial attorney. He focuses his practice on medical malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death matters. He has successfully represented clients from intake through trial in state and federal court.

Jay and his team of medical professionals can handle any complex medical malpractice case. He has handled cases involving Sudden Unexpected Postnatal Collapse (SUPC), misdiagnosis and misreading of MRIs and other diagnostic methods, which resulted in catastrophic injuries to the patient. A new study published by John Hopkins Professor of Surgery, Martin Makary, indicated that Medical errors,...

Ron has achieved received a significant number of notable high-profile acquittals and dismissals for physicians and health care entities facing allegations of improper prescribing and health care fraud.

Ron is the managing shareholder of Chapman Law Group’s Michigan Office and represents clients nationally in the areas of health care fraud and abuse, federal investigations, DEA registration matters, and physician licensing defense. As a former prosecutor, Ron also has a significant amount of experience dealing with state and federal agencies during high-level criminal investigations, criminal trials, and administrative proceedings.

In his most recent trial, United States v. Dr. A, two physicians were...

William Gearhart has extensive experience representing a wide range of clients in nearly all aspects of immigration law. His practice focuses on assisting employers and employees with nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions, labor certifications, and I-9 compliance issues. William also assists individuals in obtaining nonimmigrant status, asylum, waivers, permanent legal residency, citizenship, and petitions for family members. William has been repeatedly selected by Super Lawyers® as a Rising Star in the field of immigration law. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and is licensed to practice law in the State of Indiana, and the United States District...