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Top-Ranked Civil Rights Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.225 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked civil rights lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are Andrew Alitowski (LexRank 80.00), Ephraim Roy Hess (80.00) and Daniel Marc Berman (80.00).

This ranking lists 25 civil rights lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 11 to 46 years in practice. 2 of the 25 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
25
Fully verified
25 of 25

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Andrew Alitowski

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  2. No change

    Ephraim Roy Hess

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  3. No change

    Daniel Marc Berman

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  4. No change

    Richard Allen Giuffreda

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  5. No change

    Gary Kollin

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 46 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  6. No change

    Joseph Richard Miele Jr.

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  7. No change

    Robert Matthew Oldershaw

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  8. No change

    Howard M Talenfeld

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 45 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  9. No change

    Brian L. Lerner “Brian L. Lerner”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 79.00: strongest in Reputation (4/20) and Experience (30/30). 1.00 points behind #8, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    1.00 points behind #8 (Howard M Talenfeld): Practice-area relevance −5.

  10. No change

    John Thomas David

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 41 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.40 points behind #9, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    0.40 points behind #9 (Brian L. Lerner “Brian L. Lerner”): Reputation −4, Data quality −1.4.

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

  11. No change

    Hamilton Collins Forman Jr.

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  12. No change

    Beth Jeanne Leahy

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 45 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  13. No change

    Robert Buschel

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 76.25: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.35 points behind #12, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    2.35 points behind #12 (Beth Jeanne Leahy): Professional credentials −3.8.

  14. No change

    Levi George Williams Jr.

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.25 points behind #13, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.25 points behind #13 (Robert Buschel): Practice-area relevance −5.

  15. No change

    Tal Shemtov

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 74.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.00 points behind #14, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.00 points behind #14 (Levi George Williams Jr.): Experience −6.

  16. No change

    Caran Louise Rothchild

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.40 points behind #15, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    0.40 points behind #15 (Tal Shemtov): Practice-area relevance −5, Data quality −1.4.

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

  17. No change

    Alan Carroll Nash “A.C.”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.00 points behind #16, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    2.00 points behind #16 (Caran Louise Rothchild): Experience −8.4.

  18. No change

    George Christopher Palaidis

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
  19. No change

    James Harold Horton IV

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
  20. No change

    Franklin H Sato

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
  21. No change

    Maha A ELKolalli

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #21?

    Ranks #21 with 69.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 2.40 points behind #20, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    2.40 points behind #20 (Franklin H Sato): Experience −2.4.

  22. No change

    Christy Michelle Imparato

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #22?

    Ranks #22 with 69.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 24.7)
  23. No change

    William Hampton Johnson IV

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #23?

    Ranks #23 with 66.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 2.40 points behind #22, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    2.40 points behind #22 (Christy Michelle Imparato): Experience −2.4.

  24. No change

    Zachary Dean Ludens “Zach”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #24?

    Ranks #24 with 64.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (14.4/30). 2.40 points behind #23, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    2.40 points behind #23 (William Hampton Johnson IV): Experience −2.4.

  25. No change

    Thomas John Patti III

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 11 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #25?

    Ranks #25 with 61.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (13.2/30). 2.60 points behind #24, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 24.7)

    2.60 points behind #24 (Zachary Dean Ludens “Zach”): Data quality −1.4, Experience −1.2.

    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 · 25 profile pages255 facts for 25 lawyers

Civil Rights market in Fort Lauderdale

LexRanked tracks 27 lawyers in civil rights law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 27 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
27
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
27 of 27
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
27 years27 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 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 25 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 11 to 46 (median 27)
Languages besides English Spanish (2), Arabic (1), Greek (1), Hebrew (1)
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 (9 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Fort Lauderdale office address and civil rights as a practice area on record. It compares 25 civil rights lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in civil rights, 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.

Florida rules to know

Civil rights claims in Florida run on short deadlines: a discrimination complaint to the Florida Commission on Human Relations is due within 365 days, and a federal EEOC charge within 180 or 300 days.

Rule What it means
Federal civil rights claims Anyone acting under color of state law who deprives a person of constitutional or federal rights is liable to that person (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
Attorney fees A court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party in a civil rights case (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b))
Florida complaint deadline A discrimination complaint must be filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations within 365 days (Fla. Stat. § 760.11(1))
Commission review The commission decides within 180 days whether there is reasonable cause (§ 760.11(3))
Lawsuit after a cause finding A civil action must be filed within 1 year after the commission finds reasonable cause (§ 760.11)
Federal EEOC charge An employment discrimination charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it (42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1))
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.
  4. If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a discrimination complaint in Florida?

Within 365 days of the discrimination, with the Florida Commission on Human Relations (section 760.11(1)). A federal EEOC charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it.

Can I sue a police officer or government official for violating my rights?

Yes. Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a person acting under color of state law who deprives you of constitutional or federal rights is liable to you, subject to defenses such as immunity.

Who pays the lawyer in a civil rights case?

The court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b)), so many civil rights lawyers take cases on contingency.

How long do I have to sue after the commission finds reasonable cause?

1 year after the date of the commission's reasonable-cause determination (section 760.11).

Which court handles cases in Fort Lauderdale?

State court cases in Broward County are heard in Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking civil rights lawyers in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes. 2 of the 25 ranked lawyers list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile. Each LexRanked profile shows the languages on record.

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?

25 of the 25 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Andrew Alitowski, Ephraim Roy Hess, Daniel Marc Berman, Richard Allen Giuffreda and Gary Kollin 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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