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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in Lake Mary, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.28 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in Lake Mary, Florida are Erin Lynette Greene (LexRank 75.00), Paul Christopher Cipparone (69.20) and Chad A Shimel “Chad” (69.00).

This ranking lists 8 probate litigation lawyers in Lake Mary, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 5 to 29 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
8
Fully verified
8 of 8

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Erin Lynette Greene

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Bankruptcy · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)
  2. No change

    Paul Christopher Cipparone

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 5.80 points behind #1, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.5)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 18.6)

    5.80 points behind #1 (Erin Lynette Greene): Experience −10.8.

  3. No change

    Chad A Shimel “Chad”

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 69.00: strongest in Experience (24/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 0.20 points behind #2, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 18.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    0.20 points behind #2 (Paul Christopher Cipparone): Practice-area relevance −5.

  4. No change

    Sophia Cabacum Dean

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (18/30). 1.00 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.5)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.6)

    1.00 points behind #3 (Chad A Shimel “Chad”): Experience −6.

  5. No change

    Michael Troy Black

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 65.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 2.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.5)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 18.6)

    2.40 points behind #4 (Sophia Cabacum Dean): Experience −2.4.

  6. No change

    Shannine Faye Karleta Anderson

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 60.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 5.00 points behind #5, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 18.6)

    5.00 points behind #5 (Michael Troy Black): Practice-area relevance −5.

  7. No change

    Erick Paul Steffens

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Bankruptcy · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 60.25: strongest in Experience (20.4/30) and Local relevance (5/5). 0.35 points behind #6, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 18.6)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    0.35 points behind #6 (Shannine Faye Karleta Anderson): Professional credentials −3.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  8. No change

    Krystal Patricia Reyes

    Independent practice · Lake Mary, FL

    Verified
    • 5 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 56.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (6/30). 4.25 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.5)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 18.6)

    4.25 points behind #7 (Erick Paul Steffens): Experience −14.4.

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 · 8 profile pages79 facts for 8 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in Lake Mary

LexRanked tracks 8 lawyers in probate litigation law in Lake Mary, Florida. 8 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
8
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
8 of 8
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
15.5 years8 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 Lake Mary

What sets these Lake Mary 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 8 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 5 to 29 (median 15.5)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida A&M University, College of Law (2 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Lake Mary office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 8 probate litigation lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in probate litigation, 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 probate disputes run on short deadlines: an objection to a will is due 3 months after the notice of administration is served, creditor claims are generally due 3 months after the first notice to creditors, and most claims end 2 years after death.

Rule What it means
Will contest deadline An objection to a will's validity must be filed within 3 months after the notice of administration is served (Fla. Stat. § 733.212)
Undue influence A will, or any part of it, procured by fraud, duress, mistake or undue influence is void (§ 732.5165)
Burden of proof The will's proponent proves its execution; the contestant then proves the grounds, and a presumption of undue influence shifts the burden where it applies (§ 733.107)
Creditor claims Claims are due by the later of 3 months after first publication of the notice to creditors or 30 days after service on a creditor (§ 733.702)
Two-year bar Most claims against a decedent end 2 years after death (§ 733.710)
Trust contests A contest of a revocable trust is barred 6 months after the trustee sends the trust and the required notice, if that is earlier (§ 736.0604)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Seminole County is in Florida's Eighteenth 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 long do I have to contest a will in Florida?

An interested person served with the notice of administration must file an objection within 3 months after service, under section 733.212. The period can be extended only for a misstatement by the personal representative about the deadline.

On what grounds can a will be challenged?

A will, or any part of it, is void if procured by fraud, duress, mistake or undue influence (section 732.5165). A will is also open to challenge if the person who made it was not of sound mind (section 732.501).

How long do creditors have to file a claim against an estate?

By the later of 3 months after the first publication of the notice to creditors or 30 days after a creditor is served (section 733.702). Most claims are barred 2 years after death in any case (section 733.710).

How long do I have to contest a trust in Florida?

For a trust that was revocable at death, the earlier of the general limitations period or 6 months after the trustee sends you the trust and the notice the statute requires (section 736.0604).

Which court handles cases in Lake Mary?

State court cases in Seminole County are heard in Florida's Eighteenth 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?

8 of the 8 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Erin Lynette Greene, Paul Christopher Cipparone, Chad A Shimel “Chad”, Sophia Cabacum Dean and Michael Troy Black and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Erin Lynette Greene scores 75.00 and Paul Christopher Cipparone 69.20, a gap of 5.80 points, mostly in experience. Compare them side by side

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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