Independent lawyer rankingsEvery fact traceable to a sourcePayment never changes a ranking

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked consumer protection lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are Michael Gerald Salazar Jr. (LexRank 80.00), Joel Brown (80.00) and Jeffrey M Ostrow “Jeff” (80.00).

This ranking lists 20 consumer protection 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 2 to 34 years in practice. 2 of the 20 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
20
Fully verified
20 of 20

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Michael Gerald Salazar Jr.

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
  2. No change

    Joel Brown

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
  3. No change

    Jeffrey M Ostrow “Jeff”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
  4. No change

    Karene Lynn Tygenhof

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 3.60 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)

    3.60 points behind #3 (Jeffrey M Ostrow “Jeff”): Experience −3.6.

  5. No change

    Mark Murray Heinish

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.40 points behind #4, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    1.40 points behind #4 (Karene Lynn Tygenhof): Practice-area relevance −5.

  6. No change

    Craig Michael Tregerman

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 73.80: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 1.20 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)

    1.20 points behind #5 (Mark Murray Heinish): Experience −4.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  7. No change

    Ronnie Bronstein

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 4.60 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    4.60 points behind #6 (Craig Michael Tregerman): Experience −6.

  8. No change

    Galen J Criscione

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (18/30). 1.20 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    1.20 points behind #7 (Ronnie Bronstein): Experience −1.2.

  9. No change

    Mark Eugene Sawicki “Mark eugene Sawicki”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (18/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
  10. No change

    Jason Ari Smith “Jason”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 67.80: strongest in Experience (22.8/30) and Data quality (10/10). 0.20 points behind #9, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 18.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    0.20 points behind #9 (Mark Eugene Sawicki “Mark eugene Sawicki”): Practice-area relevance −5.

  11. No change

    Andrew Cohen Enfield

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 66.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (18/30). 1.20 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    1.20 points behind #10 (Jason Ari Smith “Jason”): Experience −4.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  12. No change

    Joshua Robert Levine

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 66.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (18/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

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

  13. No change

    Jordan Alexander Shaw

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 64.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (14.4/30). 2.20 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    2.20 points behind #12 (Joshua Robert Levine): Experience −3.6.

  14. No change

    Kevin L Lewis

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 61.85: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 2.55 points behind #13, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    2.55 points behind #13 (Jordan Alexander Shaw): Professional credentials −3.8.

  15. No change

    Mariano A Rodriguez “Mario Rodriguez”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 61.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 0.05 points behind #14, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    0.05 points behind #14 (Kevin L Lewis): Practice-area relevance −5.

  16. No change

    Justin Liam Warren

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 9 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 55.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (10.8/30). 6.00 points behind #15, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    6.00 points behind #15 (Mariano A Rodriguez “Mario Rodriguez”): Experience −6.

  17. No change

    Matthew Alexander Green

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 6 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 55.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (7.2/30). 0.00 points behind #16, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 7.2/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    0.00 points behind #16 (Justin Liam Warren): Experience −3.6, Data quality −1.4.

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

  18. No change

    Joseph Howard Kanee

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 3 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 53.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (3.6/30). 2.20 points behind #17, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 3.6/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    2.20 points behind #17 (Matthew Alexander Green): Experience −3.6.

  19. No change

    Ariel Jesus Jimenez

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 2 years experience
    • Consumer Protection
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 52.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (2.4/30). 1.20 points behind #18, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 2.4/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    1.20 points behind #18 (Joseph Howard Kanee): Experience −1.2.

  20. No change

    Gabriel Enrique Morales “Gabe”

    Independent practice · Fort Lauderdale, FL

    Verified
    • 4 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 49.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (4.8/30). 2.60 points behind #19, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 4.8/30 (ranking avg 18.1)

    2.60 points behind #19 (Ariel Jesus Jimenez): Practice-area relevance −5.

Consumer Protection market in Fort Lauderdale

LexRanked tracks 20 lawyers in consumer protection law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 20 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
20
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
20 of 20
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
15 years20 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 20 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 2 to 34 (median 15)
Languages besides English Spanish (2), Hebrew (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Miami School of Law (9 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Fort Lauderdale office address and consumer protection as a practice area on record. It compares 20 consumer protection lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in consumer protection, 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

Florida law lets a consumer harmed by an unfair or deceptive business practice recover actual damages plus attorney fees, and a consumer harassed by a debt collector can recover up to $1,000 in extra statutory damages.

Rule What it means
Unfair and deceptive practices Unfair or deceptive acts in trade or commerce are unlawful under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (Fla. Stat. § 501.204)
Consumer remedies A person who suffered a loss may recover actual damages, plus attorney fees and court costs (§ 501.211(2))
Fees both ways The prevailing party may receive reasonable attorney fees and costs from the losing party (§ 501.2105(1))
Debt collection in Florida A debt collector who violates section 559.72 is liable for actual damages, up to $1,000 in statutory damages and attorney fees; suit within 2 years (§ 559.77)
Federal debt collection Up to $1,000 in additional damages for an individual; suit within 1 year (15 U.S.C. § 1692k)
Lemon law After 3 repair attempts for the same defect, the consumer gives the manufacturer written notice and a final chance to repair (§ 681.104(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

What can I recover for a deceptive business practice in Florida?

Actual damages plus attorney fees and court costs (section 501.211(2)). Be aware that the prevailing party may receive fees, so a losing consumer can owe the business its fees (section 501.2105).

What can I do about debt collector harassment?

Under Florida law you can recover actual damages, up to $1,000 in statutory damages and attorney fees, within 2 years (section 559.77). The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act allows up to $1,000 more within 1 year (15 U.S.C. § 1692k).

When is my car a lemon in Florida?

If the same defect is not fixed after 3 repair attempts, you must notify the manufacturer in writing and give it a final repair attempt; if it still cannot fix the car, it must repurchase or replace it (section 681.104).

How long do I have to sue a debt collector?

2 years under Florida law (section 559.77(4)) and 1 year under federal law (15 U.S.C. § 1692k(d)).

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 consumer protection lawyers in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes. 2 of the 20 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?

20 of the 20 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Michael Gerald Salazar Jr., Joel Brown, Jeffrey M Ostrow “Jeff”, Karene Lynn Tygenhof and Mark Murray Heinish 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.