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Elder Law

Top-Ranked Elder Law Lawyers in Clearwater, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.25 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked elder law lawyers in Clearwater, Florida are Walter B Shurden (LexRank 84.00), Linda R Chamberlain (84.00) and Travis Dean Finchum (84.00).

This ranking lists 5 elder law lawyers in Clearwater, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Elder Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 14 to 35 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
5
Fully verified
5 of 5

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Walter B Shurden

    Independent practice · Clearwater, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

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

    Linda R Chamberlain

    Special Needs Lawyers, PA · Clearwater, FL

    Verified
    • 35 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

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

    Travis Dean Finchum

    Special Needs Lawyers, PA · Clearwater, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

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

    Amanda Duryea Wolf

    Independent practice · Clearwater, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 7.20 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    7.20 points behind #3 (Travis Dean Finchum): Experience −7.2.

  5. No change

    Kole Joseph Long

    Special Needs Lawyers, PA · Clearwater, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 69.40: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 7.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 25.9)

    7.40 points behind #4 (Amanda Duryea Wolf): Experience −6, Data quality −1.4.

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

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 · 2 profile pages21 facts for 2 lawyers

Elder Law market in Clearwater

LexRanked tracks 5 lawyers and 1 law firm in elder law law in Clearwater, Florida. 5 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 10, 2026.

Lawyers
5
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
5 of 5
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
27 years5 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 Clearwater

What sets these Clearwater lawyers apart

All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Elder 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 5 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Elder Law 5 of 5
Years in practice 14 to 35 (median 27)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Clearwater office address and elder law as a practice area on record. It compares 5 elder law lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida elder law covers guardianship, long-term care planning and powers of attorney, which must be signed before two witnesses and a notary.

Rule What it means
Durable power of attorney Signed by the principal before two witnesses and a notary (Fla. Stat. § 709.2105)
Guardianship Court-supervised under chapter 744 when a person cannot manage their affairs
Report abuse Florida Abuse Hotline: 1-800-962-2873
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Pinellas County is in Florida's Sixth 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 is a power of attorney signed in Florida?

The principal signs in front of two witnesses and a notary, under section 709.2105.

Where do I report elder abuse in Florida?

Call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873.

What does Board Certified in Elder 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. 5 of the 5 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Clearwater?

State court cases in Pinellas County are heard in Florida's Sixth 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?

5 of the 5 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Walter B Shurden, Linda R Chamberlain, Travis Dean Finchum, Amanda Duryea Wolf and Kole Joseph Long.

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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