Lake Panasoffkee Probate Lawyers

I represent beneficiaries and personal representatives of probate estates throughout Pinellas County, Florida, including areas such as St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, and the beaches. I have received the highest lawyer ratings on platforms like Justia, Super Lawyers, Martindale, and Avvo. I serve as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law. Throughout my career, I have written nationally-published books and articles for lawyers on topics such as real estate, wills, trusts, and probate law. I have also been a member of the Florida Bar Probate Rules Committee and have chaired the St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Law Section. I...

Wendy A. Mara attended Stetson University and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1993 Ms. Mara taught language arts in high school for 13 years. While teaching full time, she earned her MBA degree from the University of Central Florida in 2006. Deciding to pursue a legal career, she entered law school at Florida Coastal School of Law where she graduated in the top 10 percent of her class. While in law school, she was a teaching and research assistant, earned the Dean’s Certificate for Pro Bono Work and became an award winning oralist for the Jessup International Moot Court Competition....

Peggy is a founding partner of The Law Offices of Hoyt & Bryan, a family wealth and legacy planning law firm specializing in wills, trusts and estates and elder law. She is a three-time Stetson University graduate receiving her B.B.A., cum laude, in 1981, her M.B.A. in 1982 and her J.D., cum laude, in 1993. Her passion is her pets - all of them - including 4 horses, 6 dogs and 2 cats! She enjoys long distance trail riding on Heaven and Vogue. Peggy practices in the areas of family wealth and legacy counselling, including trust and estate planning...

I give families peace of mind by helping them create estate plans that make sure their family is protected upon their death of incapacity. I also help families in difficult times when their elder is no longer to safely stay home due to the aging or disease process by helping protect assets and apply for Medicaid and VA benefits.

I was fortunate to grow up in Pinellas County with my father being a well-known and respected attorney. With my father’s encouragement and my own passion for helping others, I knew that estate planning and elder law was the career path for...

You might find it helpful when selecting a lawyer to know a bit about them. You probably know all lawyers have to graduate from law school, but beyond the basics, who are they? As for me, you should know that I'm married to my wife Joan, and I have five children. They are all hard working, and each had their turn cleaning my Orlando office growing up. They are and will remain the most important part of my life. They are the lights of my life.

I met my wife Joan at a Methodist church picnic. We were married in...

The passion to practice law is #1 in my life! I enjoy the everyday opportunity to work with individuals, families and businesses; I help them to save time and trouble! Outside of work, I enjoy a number of activities and hobbies. For me, travel is paramount; I have been to all 50 US States, seven of seven continents and 117 countries! I enjoy photography (travel and landscape particularly), public speaking, non-fiction reading, creative writing and publishing articles, visiting art museums, jazz, gardening, hiking, kayaking, backgammon, attending performing arts and theatre productions, and dining on exotic cuisine. I have offices in Winter Haven and...

I grew up in a large NAVY family. My father flew out of Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base in the sixties and I fell in love with the Tampa Bay community. After law school I came back to Florida to pursue my legal career with a passion for helping out individuals and families. I really enjoy the waterfront lifestyle here (when I can find the time to do so). I have a strong and long serving staff that makes client communication a top priority. My greatest joy is to work alongside my clients to help...

Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney focused on providing custom solutions and personalized legal and asset protection planning for caregivers and families in Northeast Florida. Offices located in Jacksonville, FL and Orange Park, FL. Kellen is a partner and co-founder of Berg Bryant Elder Law Group after having spent 7 years building his own practice from scratch. Kellen started his solo practice at 26 years old during the 2009 recession, with no contacts and no prior legal experience in elder law. Kellen has since built a practice that has served over 1500 families and supports a full office staff to...

Attorney Joy Owenby serves clients throughout Florida with aggressive and relentless representation for a wide-range of practice areas. While her knowledge and experience are extensive, Attorney Owenby particularly handles matters involving divorce, adoption, trusts / wills, probate, criminal defense, child support, and family law. Over the course of the years, she has obtained much recognition and has become an accomplished lawyer with an Avvo Rating. Prior to the founding of Owenby Law, P.A., Attorney Owenby serves as legal counsel for Florida’s Guardian ad Litem Program. During this time, she explored the intricacies of family law which have allowed her...

In 2016, Carla Trinca-Conley joined Berg Bryant Elder Law Group, PLLC, where she specializes in assisting elderly individuals and their families. Carla is passionate about getting to know each client's unique story and tailoring her legal services to their needs. She is a Board-Certified Elder Law attorney by the Florida Bar. At Berg Bryant, Carla is the lead attorney for guardianship cases, including guardianships over incapacitated adults, guardian advocacy proceedings for developmentally disabled individuals over 18, and guardianship proceedings for minors with funds from personal injury actions or inheritance. Carla is committed to helping her clients navigate the requirements of...

Markus A. Sermons, Esquire is a litigation attorney focusing in the areas of Probate, Guardianships, Divorce, and other Family Law issues, along with Trust Litigation, and general Civil Litigation. Prior to starting Sermons Law, PLLC, he spent several years in the Office of the Public Defender litigating criminal matters in the Juvenile and Felony divisions, but began his law career with the Office of the State Attorney as a Legal Trainee. With countless hearings and many jury and bench trials to his credit, Mr. Sermons has extensive courtroom experience.

Additionally, Mr. Sermons has also worked with...

Monica Balyasny is a licensed attorney in the States of Florida and New York. She is fluent in both English and Russian.

Mrs. Balyasny graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelors in Science in Criminal Justice in 2012. After graduation, she moved to South Florida to attend Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctor in 2018. While in law school, Mrs. Balyasny received her concentration in Health Law while actively participating in extracurricular activities at Nova. She was a representative for the Jewish Law Society Association and a member of the “Pulse” Health...

We assist families avoid impoverishment from long term care and nursing home expense by qualifying their loved ones for Medicaid and VA benefits. We prepare Wills, Trusts and Durable Powers of Attorney and settle Estates and Trusts. We seek maximum recovery when loved ones are abused or neglected in a Nursing Home or ALF. Ted moved to Florida in 1960 from Michigan and began his firm in 1990. Over the 32 years that he has been in practice, Ted has helped many hundreds of families qualify for Medicaid and protect the assets that they have worked a lifetime to...

A Queens, New York native graduating from the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany in Political Science, History and a minor in Criminal Justice in 2010. Ms. Whitfield graduated Ave Maria School of Law, in Naples, FL in 2013 and became a member of the Florida Bar in 2015. She has established a practice in the Tampa Bay area where she lives and works. Having established several areas of practice including Estate Planning, Probate, Immigration, Criminal Defense, and Business Law matters. Her passion is to help those in her community through the court system with their legal issues and...

Attorney McCabe G. Harrison is a knowledgeable and compassionate Estate Planning and Probate attorney with a special understanding of the financial and tax side of your final affairs. With an advanced degree (L.L.M.) in taxation, and deep connections to Florida, McCabe balances love and logic in helping his clients create and execute their estate plans. Attorney Harrison is part of a closely connected family, so he knows how important it is for you to protect your loved ones after something happens to you. He works closely with each of his clients to identify their families’ financial, emotional, and health needs, and...

Walt Shurden is a Florida Board Certifed Elder Law Attorney and a former Georgia CPA who used to audit nursing homes and hopitals for a Medicare contractor. Now he represents families who seek Medicaid and VA eligibility because they need help paying for the high cost of long term care. He devises estate plans and asset protection plans for his clients. He also serves as fiduciary, and represents other fiduciaries in probate and trust administration proceedings. All four staff members are experienced and have been with the firm for over 10 years.

Anne grew up in Manatee County, Florida and has always served those in her community. She has witnessed the devastation caused by failure of families to plan for long term care, disabilities and end of life. Her goal is to make these life challenges easier to negotiate for the Senior as well as for the Senior’s family. Having practiced law here since 1977, she practices Elder Law which includes probate and estates, estate planning, guardianships, wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, advance directives, Medicaid planning and Special Needs Trusts. In addition to her professional associations, Anne...

Matthew C. Shapiro is a seasoned attorney concentrating in wills, trusts, estates, and civil litigation. Mr. Shapiro graduated with honors from Florida International University, ranking in the top ten of his class. His distinguished academic background laid a strong foundation for his legal career, where he has consistently demonstrated expertise and excellence. During his career, Mr. Shapiro has provided comprehensive estate planning services to thousands of clients, expertly drafting crucial documents such as revocable living trusts of varying complexities, wills, powers of attorney, health care surrogates, living wills, enhanced life estate deeds, trust amendments, and codicils. Having served as the lead or...

Jason Mark Ranew is a litigation and corporate attorney for the Central Florida full service law firm of Bogin, Munns & Munns. Mr. Ranew practices Corporate Law, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, Estate Planning, and Probate. He received his B.A. in Finance from Hillsdale College in 1998 and his J.D. from University of Akron in 2002.

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...

Attorney Aaron W. Saoud is the owner of the AWS Law Firm, which practices Probate, Estate Planning, Guardianships, and other related areas of law in Florida. The AWS Law Firm is based out of Tampa, Florida, and serves the majority of the state, from Jacksonville down to Miami, including Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota. The AWS Law Firm currently is comprised of eight upstanding professionals: four lawyers and four support staff to assist them. Attorney Saoud is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Stetson College of Law, and is licensed to practice law in Florida, Michigan, and Illinois...

Attorney Sabina Tomshinsky has been practicing law since 2005 and is committed to finding effective resolutions to each client's unique legal needs. Ms. Tomshinsky is the owner of Home Town Law, P.A., where she provides knowledgeable, responsive client service in a broad spectrum of legal areas, including family law, estate planning, probate, landlord-tenant law and corporate law. She has dedicated her career to protecting the interests of individuals, families and businesses in North Central Florida. As a Gainesville, Florida resident for more than a decade, she is proud to address your legal issues and concerns in a creative...

David Pilcher is an attorney for the Central Florida law firm of Bogin, Munns & Munns. He specializes in Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Guardianship, Business Entity Formation, Business Law, Commercial Litigation, and Civil Litigation.

He is a native to Florida, born in Orlando and raised in Sanford. He attended Brigham Young University on a full academic scholarship, receiving his B.S degree in Computer Science.

He worked for large companies including IBM before deciding on a career in law. David Pilcher returned to Brigham Young University (once again on scholarship) to its J. Reuben Clark Law School...

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.

Matthew is a native of Florida and Brevard County and was raised locally in Merritt Island. Matthew has an extensive and diverse education which includes a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in taxation, and a law degree. Prior to practicing law Matthew acquired his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and worked in public and private accounting for several years before entering law school. Matthew’s unique background in law, accounting, and taxation provide a unique perspective that is unmatched by most attorneys. Matthew has been located in the same office in Cocoa for the past 15 years practicing...

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...

Marcus Thompson attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Advertising. During his senior year, Marcus studied international media and history at Oxford University. He attained his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. During law school, Marcus clerked at a St. Petersburg law firm and gained a wide variety of experience handling cases in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, business litigation, family law, and civil litigation. After law school and his admission to the Florida Bar, Marcus returned to his hometown of St. Augustine to build his...

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...

Sean Lopez founded Lopez Law Group Accident Injury Attorneys to provide client-centered legal representation to all accident victims. Mr. Lopez is an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer serving clients throughout South Florida. Mr. Lopez represents victims in all types of personal injury cases involving injuries resulting from the negligent or intentional actions of other parties. He handles claims involving car accidents, product liability, slip & fall accidents, and more. Over his career, he has secured millions of dollars in injury compensation for hundreds of accident victims. Mr. Lopez and Lopez Law Group often accept clients who get turned down by other...

John Richert is a Managing Attorney at Richert Quarles, P.A. He received his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida and a Master’s in Business Administration from Stetson University in Deland, Florida in May 2013. While at Stetson, John participated in Stetson’s pro bono program and was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Before attending Stetson, John attended the College of William and Mary located in Williamsburg, Virginia and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance. John was admitted to the Florida Bar in September 2013. John’s practice is focused...

Timothy C. Martin is licensed to practice law in the state of Florida. As the owner/attorney of Martin Law Office, P.A., he serves the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas and beyond in matters relating to animal law, estate planning and probate, real estate/real property including landlord/tenant matters, corporate law, business organizations and transactions, LGBT issues, and limited family law matters.

Dina Arvanitakis graduated from the University of Chicago and completed her Juris Doctorate & Master of Laws degree in International Business and Trade Law at the John Marshal Law School in 1999. Dina is licensed to practice law in Florida, Illinois and Washington D.C. Dina is a member of the Florida Board of Realtors and is a licensed real estate consultant with Real Net Brokerage. Bilingual: English / Greek

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....

Lisa M. Super is a real estate attorney with the Central Florida full service law firm of Bogin, Munns & Munns. Ms. Super has worked for title companies and legal practices since 2014, starting in Naples and then relocating to Orlando. Her practice areas include Residential Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate, Contract Law, Civil Litigation, Business Law, and Probate. She received her J.D. from the Ave Maria School of Law and her B.A. from Eastern Michigan University. She spent time as a student in Germany and is fluent in both English and German.

Attorney Casey C. Harrison is a sympathetic and savvy probate attorney with nearly a decade of experience first working within, and later arguing in front of, Florida’s circuit and appellate courts. He applies this versatile background and inside-out understanding of Florida litigation to assist you with your most complicated probate matters in a comprehensive fashion. Attorney Harrison joined his brother Attorney McCabe Harrison in the family practice in 2020. Before that, he spent seven years working for a litigation firm in Clearwater, Florida, honing his ability to take cases to court and win arguments before judges. He has a range of...

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...

David S. Toback is a Tampa-area lawyer with offices in Tampa and St. Petersburg who concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and probate, with an emphasis on tax planning, asset protection and business succession planning. Mr. Toback also helps his clients with business entity formation and commercial transactions, tax preparation matters and the resolution of tax controversies. His entire legal career has been focused on estate planning and tax matters for individuals and businesses. David Toback obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of South Florida in 1994, graduating magna cum laude. He then earned his...

ADMITTED -Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1974 EDUCATION -Florida State University -B.S., 1972 -J.D., with Honors, 1974 -Law Clerk to the Industrial Relations Commission, 1973 PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS -Author: “Evaluating Job Searches and Earnings in a Self-Employment Setting,” News and 440 Report (Summer 1988) -“Wage Loss Under the New Worker’s Compensation Statute,” 63 Florida Bar Journal 10 (November 1989) -Guest Speaker, “The 1989 Legislative Changes Concerning Workers’ Compensation,” South Florida Risk and Insurance Management Society (February 1990) -Instructor, State of Florida approved for Adjuster Continuing Legal Education, 1991 MEMBERSHIPS -Orange County Bar Association -American Bar Association -The Florida Bar -Member, Worker’s Compensation Section -The Association of Trial Lawyers of America -Board Certified Workers’...

Howard Rosenblatt is an Estate Planning and Probate attorney. He is based out of Gainesville and is versed in all matters of Estate Planning, including Wills and Trusts.

Mr. Rosenblatt graduated with his law degree from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 1981, and has been recipient of numerous legal and community-based awards and honors, including The Florida Bar Pro Bono Award (2019). NAIFA-Florida's Advisor of The Year Award (2018), Florida Jaycees speaker of the year award (1984). He is a Life member of the Million Dollar Round Table, a Fellow of The Florida...