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Top-rated appellate lawyers
Appellate lawyers and law firms, ranked by location with the LexRank methodology.
158 lawyers32 law firms12 rankings158 with verified professional data
LexRanked tracks 158 lawyers and 32 law firms in appellate law. 158 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.
LexRanked ranks 158 appellate lawyers in Florida in 11 cities; the largest city rankings are Miami (30 lawyers), Tampa (29 lawyers) and Tallahassee (14 lawyers). Every position follows the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source, such as each lawyer's Florida Bar profile; payment never changes a position.
Rankings
12 rankings, each ordering lawyers by the LexRank score; the statewide ranking, which compares every city, comes first.
- Boca Raton
- Coral Gables
- Fort Lauderdale
- Jacksonville
- Miami
- Orlando
- Palm Beach Gardens
- St. Petersburg
- Tallahassee
- Tampa
- West Palm Beach
Boca Raton
- Appellate · 6 lawyers
Coral Gables
- Appellate · 8 lawyers
Fort Lauderdale
- Appellate · 8 lawyers
Jacksonville
- Appellate · 10 lawyers
Miami
- Appellate · 30 lawyers
Orlando
- Appellate · 13 lawyers
Palm Beach Gardens
- Appellate · 5 lawyers
St. Petersburg
- Appellate · 10 lawyers
Tallahassee
- Appellate · 14 lawyers
Tampa
- Appellate · 29 lawyers
West Palm Beach
- Appellate · 8 lawyers
Market statistics
- Lawyers
- 158
- Law firms
- 32
- Verified professional data
- 158 of 158
- Average rating
- Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
- Median review count
- Withheldtoo few sourced counts
- Median experience
- 26.5 years158 lawyers
Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld.
By city
The highest-scoring lawyers on this page, grouped by city; each ranking above lists every lawyer.
- Miami · 6 lawyers
- Coral Gables · 1 lawyer
- Miami Beach · 1 lawyer
- Orlando · 1 lawyer
- St. Petersburg · 1 lawyer
- Tallahassee · 1 lawyer
- Winter Park · 1 lawyer
Highest-scoring appellate lawyers
The 12 highest LexRank scores on this page; each profile shows the sources behind its facts.
88LexRank
88LexRank
88LexRank
86.6LexRank
85.4LexRank
84.4LexRank
84LexRank
84LexRank
84LexRank
84LexRank
84LexRank
Appellate law firms
63LexRank
63LexRank
63LexRank
63LexRank
63LexRank
63LexRank
What does a appellate lawyer do?
An appellate lawyer asks a higher court to review and reverse or change a trial court's decision, or defends a win on appeal, through written briefs and oral argument.
- Civil appeals after a judgment
- Appeals of certain orders before final judgment
- Criminal appeals
- Family law appeals
- Petitions to the Florida Supreme Court
- Help preserving issues during trial
When do you need a appellate lawyer?
Contact an appellate lawyer right after an adverse judgment, because the notice of appeal is usually due within 30 days, or during trial to preserve issues for appeal.
- You lost at trial or on summary judgment
- The other side appealed your win
- A trial court order needs immediate review
- You want to preserve issues for a possible appeal
Who are the best appellate lawyers in Florida?
The statewide ranking lists the top 25 of the 158 appellate lawyers LexRanked tracks in Florida, in order of their LexRank score. See the best appellate lawyers in Florida.
Where can I find a appellate lawyer in Florida?
Appellate rankings cover 11 Florida cities; Miami has the most lawyers compared (30).
How much does a appellate lawyer cost in Florida?
Appellate lawyers usually bill by the hour or charge a flat fee for the appeal; the cost depends on the size of the record and the number of briefs. Ask for an estimate in writing. Under The Florida Bar's rules, a lawyer who has not represented you before must explain the basis or rate of the fee and costs, preferably in writing, and no fee may be clearly excessive.
Florida appellate rules to know
A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the order being appealed, and Florida's six district courts of appeal hear most appeals from the trial courts.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Notice of appeal | Filed with the clerk of the lower tribunal within 30 days of rendition of the order (Fla. R. App. P. 9.110(b)) |
| Initial brief | Served within 70 days of filing the notice of appeal (Rule 9.110(f)) |
| Answer and reply briefs | Answer brief 30 days after the initial brief; reply brief 30 days after the answer brief (Rule 9.210(g)) |
| Rehearing | Motion for rehearing or clarification within 15 days of the court's decision (Rule 9.330(a)) |
| Florida Supreme Court | Discretionary review is invoked by a notice filed within 30 days of the district court's decision (Rule 9.120(b)) |
| Appellate courts | Six district courts of appeal, each covering contiguous judicial circuits (Fla. Stat. § 35.01) |
What does Board Certified in Appellate Practice mean?
It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. About 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.
How to choose a appellate lawyer
Confirm the license in The Florida Bar's directory, then compare experience, certification and how often the lawyer handles cases like yours.
- Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory: the license must show as eligible to practice, and public discipline is listed there.
- Check for Board Certified in Appellate Practice, which requires peer review and an exam.
- Ask for the fee agreement in writing before work starts.
- Ask: How many appeals have you argued in this district court?
- Ask: What issues are strong enough to appeal?
- Ask: What is the timeline and cost for briefs and argument?
How LexRanked ranks appellate lawyers
By the LexRank score: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location, using only facts with a cited source. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Data checked October 2026 against each lawyer's Florida Bar profile. Payment never changes a position. See how we rank.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What does a appellate lawyer do?
An appellate lawyer asks a higher court to review and reverse or change a trial court's decision, or defends a win on appeal, through written briefs and oral argument.
How much does a appellate lawyer cost in Florida?
Appellate lawyers usually bill by the hour or charge a flat fee for the appeal; the cost depends on the size of the record and the number of briefs. Ask for an estimate in writing.
How long do I have to appeal a judgment in Florida?
30 days from rendition of the final order. The notice of appeal is filed with the clerk of the court that entered the order, under Rule 9.110(b) of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. The deadline is jurisdictional, so a late notice usually ends the appeal.
Can I appeal an order before the case is over?
Only certain nonfinal orders can be appealed right away, such as orders on venue, injunctions and personal jurisdiction, listed in Rule 9.130. Other orders are usually reviewed after the final judgment.
Which court hears my appeal?
Most appeals from the circuit courts go to one of Florida's six district courts of appeal, determined by the circuit where the case was heard. The Florida Supreme Court reviews only certain cases.
Why hire a separate appellate lawyer?
An appeal is decided on the written record and the briefs, not on new evidence. Appellate lawyers focus on legal research, brief writing and oral argument, and The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Appellate Practice after peer review and an exam.
Where are the best appellate lawyers in Florida?
LexRanked ranks appellate lawyers in 11 cities; the largest rankings are Miami (30 lawyers), Tampa (29 lawyers) and Tallahassee (14 lawyers). The statewide ranking compares all of them.
How do I check a appellate lawyer's license in Florida?
Search the lawyer's name in The Florida Bar's Find a Lawyer directory: it shows whether the lawyer is eligible to practice, any board certification and public discipline. Concerns about a lawyer go to The Florida Bar's Attorney Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP), 866-352-0707.
Editorially reviewed by LexRanked editorial team on October 30, 2026.