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Top-Ranked Construction Lawyers in Boca Raton, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.27 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked construction lawyers in Boca Raton, Florida are Michael Jonathan Friedman (LexRank 81.60), Christopher Harris Burrows (81.40) and Gilmer McCrary Heitman IV (79.20).

This ranking lists 7 construction lawyers in Boca Raton, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 7 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 10 to 24 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
7
Fully verified
7 of 7

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    Michael Jonathan Friedman

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 81.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 22.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  2. No change

    Christopher Harris Burrows

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 81.40: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.20 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 22.1)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    0.20 points behind #1 (Michael Jonathan Friedman): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  3. No change

    Gilmer McCrary Heitman IV

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 79.20: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.20 points behind #2, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 22.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    2.20 points behind #2 (Christopher Harris Burrows): Experience −3.6.

  4. No change

    Brett A Duker

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 78.00: strongest in Experience (24/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 22.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #3 (Gilmer McCrary Heitman IV): Experience −1.2.

  5. No change

    Warren Evan Friedman

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 75.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 22.1)

    2.40 points behind #4 (Brett A Duker): Experience −2.4.

  6. No change

    Valerie Robinson Edwards

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 68.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 7.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 22.1)

    7.40 points behind #5 (Warren Evan Friedman): Experience −6, Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  7. No change

    Hayley Erica Newman

    Independent practice · Boca Raton, FL

    Verified
    • 10 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 66.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (12/30). 2.20 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 22.1)

    2.20 points behind #6 (Valerie Robinson Edwards): Experience −3.6.

Data sources behind the scores

Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.

  • floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 7 profile pages75 facts for 7 lawyers

Construction market in Boca Raton

LexRanked tracks 7 lawyers in construction law in Boca Raton, Florida. 7 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 10, 2026.

Lawyers
7
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
7 of 7
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
20 years7 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. All lawyers in Boca Raton

What sets these Boca Raton lawyers apart

All 7 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. 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. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 7 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Construction Law 7 of 7
Years in practice 10 to 24 (median 20)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad College of Law (2 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Boca Raton office address and construction as a practice area on record. It compares 7 construction lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida's Construction Lien Law sets strict deadlines for notices and liens, and a construction defect claim needs written notice to the contractor before any lawsuit.

Rule What it means
Notice to owner Subcontractors and suppliers without a contract with the owner must serve it within 45 days of starting work (Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a))
Claim of lien Recorded no later than 90 days after the final furnishing of labor, services or materials (§ 713.08(5))
Enforcing a lien A lawsuit must be filed within 1 year after the claim of lien is recorded, or the lien expires (§ 713.22(1))
Defect claims: presuit notice Written notice of claim at least 60 days before suing, or 120 days for an association of more than 20 parcels (§ 558.004)
Defect claims: deadlines 4 years, generally from the certificate of occupancy or completion, and never more than 7 years for latent defects (§ 95.11(3)(b))
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Palm Beach County is in Florida's Fifteenth Judicial Circuit

How to choose among these lawyers

Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How long does a contractor have to file a lien in Florida?

A claim of lien must be recorded no later than 90 days after the lienor's final furnishing of labor, services or materials, and a lawsuit to enforce it must follow within 1 year of recording.

Do I have to notify the contractor before suing over a construction defect?

Yes. Under chapter 558 you must serve a written notice of claim at least 60 days before filing suit, or 120 days for an association representing more than 20 parcels, giving the contractor a chance to inspect and offer to repair.

How long do I have to sue for a construction defect in Florida?

Generally 4 years, counted from the certificate of occupancy, certificate of completion or abandonment of construction. For latent defects the time runs from discovery, but no action may be brought more than 7 years after those dates.

Who certifies construction lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Construction Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in Construction Law 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. 7 of the 7 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Boca Raton?

State court cases in Palm Beach County are heard in Florida's Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.

How is this ranking ordered?

By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.

Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?

Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank

Which lawyers are verified?

7 of the 7 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Michael Jonathan Friedman, Christopher Harris Burrows, Gilmer McCrary Heitman IV, Brett A Duker and Warren Evan Friedman and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Michael Jonathan Friedman scores 81.60 and Christopher Harris Burrows 81.40, a gap of 0.20 points, mostly in data quality. Compare them side by side

About this ranking

Last updated
Methodology
LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
Editorial review
LexRanked editorial team,
Independence
Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.

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