Lawyers in Florida

Finding a lawyer in Florida

Legal needs in Florida track the way people live here: a large retired population that needs wills, trusts and probate help, dense traffic in Miami, Orlando and Tampa that produces a steady flow of car accident claims, hurricane damage that turns into property insurance disputes, and a strong immigration practice concentrated in South Florida. The lawyer who is right for one of these problems is rarely right for another.

Use this directory to filter Florida law firms by practice area first and by city second. Court procedure is statewide, but local knowledge still matters, because your case will usually be heard in the circuit or county court for the county where you live or where the events happened.

When you need a lawyer (and when you may not)

You will generally want a Florida attorney when you are charged with a crime, when an injury is serious enough that an insurer is involved, when a divorce includes children or shared property, when an immigration status is at risk, or when you are named in a lawsuit. Florida sets filing deadlines by statute, and missing one can end a claim, so ask early even if you are not sure you will hire anyone.

Florida county courts handle small claims, and the process is designed so that people can use it without a lawyer. Many Florida firms offer a free first meeting, and legal aid intake lines can tell you quickly whether a case is worth pursuing.

Common practice areas in Florida

• Personal Injury and Car Accident — Florida uses a no-fault auto insurance system, so an injury lawyer first sorts out your own policy's benefits and then whether a claim against the other driver is available.
• Family & Divorce — dissolution of marriage, time-sharing and parenting plans, alimony, child support and paternity in Florida family courts.
• Estate Planning & Probate — a very active field in Florida, covering wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives and the probate of estates.
• Criminal Defense and DUI & DWI — defense against state charges from misdemeanors to felonies; in Florida the drunk-driving offense is called DUI and also triggers a separate license process.
• Immigration — federal law practiced heavily in Miami and across South Florida: visas, residency, asylum, naturalization and removal defense.
• Real Estate — closings, title problems, condominium and homeowners' association disputes, and landlord-tenant cases.
• Bankruptcy and Social Security Disability — federal practice areas handled before federal courts and agencies.
• Business, Employment and Workers' Compensation — company formation and contracts, wage and discrimination claims, and the state workers' compensation system.
• Medical Malpractice, Tax, Intellectual Property, Civil Rights and Traffic Ticket complete the categories in the Florida listings.

How to check a lawyer's license in Florida

Lawyers in Florida are regulated by The Florida Bar under the authority of the Florida Supreme Court. The Bar's website has a public Find a Lawyer search where you can look up any attorney and see whether they are a member in good standing, when they were admitted, and whether there is a public disciplinary history.

The Florida Bar also runs a board certification program in a number of practice areas. A board-certified lawyer has met additional experience and testing requirements in that area, and it is one of the few credentials a Florida lawyer may advertise as a specialty.

How to choose a law firm

Match the firm to your county as well as your problem. A Jacksonville firm can technically take a case in Miami-Dade, but a lawyer who appears regularly before the local judges will usually serve you better and cost you less in travel.

Ask who will handle the file day to day. Large Florida injury firms in particular rely on case managers and associates, which can work well if you know how to reach the attorney in charge.

Get the fee structure in writing. Injury and some property insurance cases are taken on contingency; divorce, criminal and estate work is usually hourly or flat fee. Ask what happens to costs such as filing fees and experts if the case does not succeed.

Questions to ask at the first consultation

• Do you regularly handle cases like mine, and in this county?
• Who will be my main contact, and how do I reach them?
• What are the possible outcomes, and what would make my case weaker or stronger?
• How do you charge, and which costs are billed separately?
• What deadlines apply to my situation?
• Are you board certified in this area, and if not, what is your experience in it?
• How often will I hear from you, and in what form?

Free and low-cost legal help

The Florida Bar's Lawyer Referral Service connects the public with attorneys who agree to a reduced-fee initial consultation, and several local bar associations run their own referral programs. Legal aid organizations across the state represent low-income Floridians in civil matters such as eviction, family and benefits cases. The Florida courts publish self-help resources and forms for people representing themselves, and law schools around the state operate clinics that take selected cases. In a criminal case, ask the court about a public defender if you cannot afford private counsel.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different — talk to a licensed Florida attorney about your situation.