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Bankruptcy · Spanish-speaking

Top-Ranked Spanish-Speaking Bankruptcy Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.215 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked Spanish-speaking bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are Anthony DiTocco III (LexRank 80.00), Michael Charles Foster (80.00) and Richard Steven Gendler (80.00).

This ranking lists 15 bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, whose Florida Bar profile lists Spanish, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 2 to 37 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
15
Fully verified
15 of 15

The ranking

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

Who is included: only lawyers whose sourced records list spanish among their languages: 15 of the 58 in Top-Ranked Bankruptcy Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 15 of them confirmed by a verified fact or an official record such as the state bar profile. Scores are the same LexRank scores; the context selects who is ranked and never changes a score.

  1. No change

    Anthony DiTocco III

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 37 years experience
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  2. No change

    Michael Charles Foster

    Young Foster PLLC · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 31 years experience
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  3. No change

    Richard Steven Gendler

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 29 years experience
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  4. No change

    Jon Loren Swergold

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 29 years experience
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  5. No change

    Carmen Gricel Soto

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 24 years experience
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 78.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.20 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    1.20 points behind #4 (Jon Loren Swergold): Experience −1.2.

  6. No change

    Shirley R Palumbo

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 30 years experience
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 0.20 points behind #5, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    0.20 points behind #5 (Carmen Gricel Soto): Data quality −1.4.

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

  7. No change

    Marilyn Leslie Maloy

    Loan Lawyers, LLC. · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 21 years experience
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 73.80: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 4.80 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    4.80 points behind #6 (Shirley R Palumbo): Experience −4.8.

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

  8. No change

    Jeremias E Batista “Jeremias Batista”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 19 years experience
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 72.80: strongest in Experience (22.8/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.00 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 21.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    1.00 points behind #7 (Marilyn Leslie Maloy): Experience −2.4.

  9. No change

    Sofia Guzman

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 17 years experience
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 70.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (20.4/30). 2.40 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    2.40 points behind #8 (Jeremias E Batista “Jeremias Batista”): Experience −2.4.

  10. No change

    Michael Spoliansky

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 14 years experience
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 66.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 3.60 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    3.60 points behind #9 (Sofia Guzman): Experience −3.6.

  11. No change

    Claudia P M Brantley

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 15 years experience
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 66.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (18/30). 0.20 points behind #10, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    0.20 points behind #10 (Michael Spoliansky): Data quality −1.4.

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

  12. No change

    Nurelys Pereiro “Nury”

    Kelley Kronenberg · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 13 years experience
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 1.00 points behind #11, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    1.00 points behind #11 (Claudia P M Brantley): Experience −2.4.

  13. No change

    Leigh Stefan Jocelyn

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 12 years experience
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 64.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (14.4/30). 1.20 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    1.20 points behind #12 (Nurelys Pereiro “Nury”): Experience −1.2.

  14. No change

    Joseph Salzman

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 2 years experience
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 52.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (2.4/30). 12.00 points behind #13, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 2.4/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    12.00 points behind #13 (Leigh Stefan Jocelyn): Experience −12.

  15. No change

    Natalie Tirado “Natalie”

    Van Horn Law Group, P.A. · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • Speaks Spanish · sourced
    • Bankruptcy
    • 5 years experience
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 50.85: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (6/30). 1.55 points behind #14, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 20)

    Held back by

    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 21.4)

    1.55 points behind #14 (Joseph Salzman): Professional credentials −3.8, 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 · 15 profile pages160 facts for 15 lawyers

Bankruptcy market in Fort Lauderdale

LexRanked tracks 58 lawyers and 8 law firms in bankruptcy law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 58 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
58
Law firms
8
Verified professional data
58 of 58
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
19 years58 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 Fort Lauderdale

What sets these Fort Lauderdale Spanish-speaking lawyers apart

Every lawyer in this ranking has a The Florida Bar license verified as eligible to practice, and every fact shown links to its source. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 15 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 2 to 37 (median 19)
Languages besides English Spanish (15), French (1), Italian (1), Portuguese (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Miami School of Law (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Fort Lauderdale office address and bankruptcy as a practice area on record, whose Florida Bar profile lists Spanish among the languages they speak. It compares 15 Spanish-speaking bankruptcy lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in bankruptcy, so the practice area is the one each lawyer lists on their Florida Bar profile, which The Florida Bar does not review. How we rank.

Whatever language they speak: the full ranking of bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Lauderdale.

Working with a Spanish-speaking lawyer

You can discuss your case, documents and fees directly in Spanish, but court hearings and filings in Florida are in English.

  • Ask whether the lawyer will speak with you in Spanish personally or through bilingual staff.
  • Ask for the fee agreement and key letters in Spanish as well as English, so you know exactly what you sign.
  • When a witness cannot understand or speak English well enough, the judge has a qualified interpreter sworn in (section 90.606, Florida Statutes).

Florida rules to know

Bankruptcy is federal law, but Florida decides what property a debtor keeps: filing stops most collection at once, and Florida protects a homestead and a vehicle worth up to $5,000.

Rule What it means
Automatic stay Filing a bankruptcy petition stops most collection actions and lawsuits against the debtor (11 U.S.C. § 362(a))
Credit counseling An individual must take a budget and credit counseling briefing from an approved agency within the 180 days before filing (11 U.S.C. § 109(h))
Repeat Chapter 7 No Chapter 7 discharge if the debtor received one in a case filed within the previous 8 years (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(8))
Chapter 13 plan A repayment plan runs for at most 5 years (11 U.S.C. § 1322(d))
Meeting of creditors The U.S. trustee holds a meeting of creditors in every case (11 U.S.C. § 341)
Florida homestead A home is protected up to one-half acre inside a city or 160 acres outside one (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4)
Florida vehicle and property A vehicle up to $5,000, and other personal property up to $4,000 if no homestead exemption is claimed (Fla. Stat. § 222.25)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Broward County is in Florida's Seventeenth 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

Does filing bankruptcy stop collection calls and lawsuits?

Yes, in most cases. Under 11 U.S.C. § 362(a), filing the petition stops most collection actions and lawsuits against the debtor at once, with the exceptions the statute lists.

Do I need credit counseling before filing bankruptcy?

Yes. An individual must receive a budget and credit counseling briefing from an approved nonprofit agency within the 180 days before filing, under 11 U.S.C. § 109(h), unless an exception applies.

Can I keep my house if I file bankruptcy in Florida?

Florida protects a homestead from forced sale up to one-half acre inside a city or 160 acres outside one (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4). In bankruptcy, federal law caps the protection for home equity acquired in the 1,215 days before filing (11 U.S.C. § 522(p)), so ask a lawyer about your dates.

How often can I file Chapter 7?

A Chapter 7 discharge is denied if you received one in a case filed within the previous 8 years (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(8)).

How long does a Chapter 13 plan last?

At most 5 years. A debtor whose income is below the Florida median usually has a 3-year plan, which the court may extend to 5 years for cause (11 U.S.C. § 1322(d)).

Which court handles cases in Fort Lauderdale?

State court cases in Broward County are heard in Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Bankruptcy cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the federal district that includes the county instead.

How do I know a lawyer really speaks Spanish?

Every lawyer here lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile, which LexRanked checked in November 2026. Ask at the first call whether the lawyer will handle your matter in Spanish personally.

Will my court hearing be in Spanish?

No. Court proceedings in Florida are held in English. When a witness cannot understand or speak English well enough, the judge has a qualified interpreter sworn in (section 90.606, Florida Statutes).

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?

15 of the 15 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Anthony DiTocco III, Michael Charles Foster, Richard Steven Gendler, Jon Loren Swergold and Carmen Gricel Soto and others.

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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