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Top-Ranked Bankruptcy Lawyers in Fort Myers, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.217 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Myers, Florida are Paul Anthony Giordano (LexRank 80.00), James Lewis Goetz (80.00) and Michael J Rich (80.00).

This ranking lists 17 bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Myers, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 3 to 53 years in practice. 3 of the 17 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
17
Fully verified
17 of 17

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Paul Anthony Giordano

    Roetzel & Andress, LPA · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    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 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  2. No change

    James Lewis Goetz

    Goetz & Goetz · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 53 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    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 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  3. No change

    Michael J Rich

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    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 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  4. No change

    Kurt Alan Streyffeler

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 1.40 points behind #3, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    1.40 points behind #3 (Michael J Rich): Data quality −1.4.

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

  5. No change

    Orfelia Maria Mayor “Orf”

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 77.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.00 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    1.00 points behind #4 (Kurt Alan Streyffeler): Experience −2.4.

  6. No change

    Holly Ann McFall

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 75.20: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Data quality (10/10). 2.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    2.40 points behind #5 (Orfelia Maria Mayor “Orf”): Experience −2.4.

  7. No change

    Brian David Zinn

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 75.20: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
  8. No change

    David W Fineman

    F&L Law Group, PLLC · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 72.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (22.8/30). 2.40 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    2.40 points behind #7 (Brian David Zinn): Experience −2.4.

  9. No change

    David M Lampley

    F&L Law Group, PLLC · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 72.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (22.8/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
  10. No change

    Jess W Levins

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 72.60: strongest in Experience (24/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 0.20 points behind #9, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 21.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    0.20 points behind #9 (David M Lampley): Data quality −1.4.

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

  11. No change

    Gregory William Goetz

    Goetz & Goetz · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (21.6/30). 1.00 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    1.00 points behind #10 (Jess W Levins): Experience −2.4.

  12. No change

    Shannon M Puopolo

    Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, PA · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 70.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (20.4/30). 1.20 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 20.4/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    1.20 points behind #11 (Gregory William Goetz): Experience −1.2.

  13. No change

    Jason Alan Martorella

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 68.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (18/30). 2.40 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 18/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    2.40 points behind #12 (Shannon M Puopolo): Experience −2.4.

  14. No change

    Alexander Riley Jr.

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 62.85: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (18/30). 5.15 points behind #13, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    5.15 points behind #13 (Jason Alan Martorella): Professional credentials −3.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  15. No change

    Jonathon Carl Elgin “JC”

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

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

    Ranks #15 with 60.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (10.8/30). 2.05 points behind #14, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    2.05 points behind #14 (Alexander Riley Jr.): Experience −7.2.

  16. No change

    David Glenn Jones

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 8 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 58.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (9.6/30). 2.60 points behind #15, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Experience 9.6/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    2.60 points behind #15 (Jonathon Carl Elgin “JC”): Data quality −1.4, Experience −1.2.

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

  17. No change

    Michelle Jaglal “Michelle Bocio”

    Independent practice · Fort Myers, FL

    Verified
    • 3 years experience
    • Bankruptcy
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 52.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (3.6/30). 6.00 points behind #16, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Experience 3.6/30 (ranking avg 21.7)

    6.00 points behind #16 (David Glenn Jones): Experience −6.

    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 · 17 profile pages169 facts for 17 lawyers

Bankruptcy market in Fort Myers

LexRanked tracks 17 lawyers and 4 law firms in bankruptcy law in Fort Myers, Florida. 17 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
17
Law firms
4
Verified professional data
17 of 17
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
19 years17 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 Myers

What sets these Fort Myers 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 17 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 3 to 53 (median 19)
Languages besides English Spanish (3)
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 (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Fort Myers office address and bankruptcy as a practice area on record. It compares 17 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.

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 Lee County is in Florida's Twentieth 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

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 Myers?

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

Are there Spanish-speaking bankruptcy lawyers in Fort Myers?

Yes. 3 of the 17 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?

17 of the 17 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Paul Anthony Giordano, James Lewis Goetz, Michael J Rich, Kurt Alan Streyffeler and Orfelia Maria Mayor “Orf” 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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