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

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked intellectual property lawyers in Miami, Florida are Jorge Tadeo Espinosa (LexRank 84.00), Peter Anthony Matos (84.00) and Mark Peter Terry (84.00).

This ranking lists 22 intellectual property lawyers in Miami, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 22 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 13 to 44 years in practice. 5 of the 22 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
22
Fully verified
22 of 22

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Jorge Tadeo Espinosa

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Peter Anthony Matos

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Mark Peter Terry

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Michael Bruce Chesal

    Peretz Chesal & Herrmann, P.L. · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    David Kenneth Friedland

    Friedland Vining PA · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    James A Gale “Jim”

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 42 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Samuel Abraham Lewis

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Jennie Sue Malloy

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    John Cyril Malloy III

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Steven Ira Peretz

    Peretz Chesal & Herrmann, P.L. · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 44 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Heidi Howard Tandy

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Oliver Alan Ruiz

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 82.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #11, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #11 (Heidi Howard Tandy): Experience −1.2.

  13. No change

    Janet Cabral Moreira

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 82.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    Christopher James Van Dam

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 82.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

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

    John Fulton Jr.

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.20 points behind #14, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    0.20 points behind #14 (Christopher James Van Dam): Data quality −1.4.

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

  16. No change

    Kimberly Dawn Kolback

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  17. No change

    Jaime Rich Vining

    Friedland Vining PA · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 5.80 points behind #16, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    5.80 points behind #16 (Kimberly Dawn Kolback): Experience −7.2.

  18. No change

    Gary S Winer

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 75.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 1.20 points behind #17, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 26.8)

    1.20 points behind #17 (Jaime Rich Vining): Experience −1.2.

  19. No change

    Arthur Robert Weaver “Rob”

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 72.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (18/30). 3.60 points behind #18, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 26.8)

    3.60 points behind #18 (Gary S Winer): Experience −3.6.

  20. No change

    Kaustubh Nadkarni

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 70.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 1.20 points behind #19, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 26.8)

    1.20 points behind #19 (Arthur Robert Weaver “Rob”): Experience −1.2.

  21. No change

    Ernesto Miguel Rubi “Ernie”

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #21?

    Ranks #21 with 70.60: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (18/30). 0.20 points behind #20, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 26.8)

    0.20 points behind #20 (Kaustubh Nadkarni): Data quality −1.4.

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

  22. No change

    W John Eagan “John”

    Independent practice · Miami, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Intellectual Property
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #22?

    Ranks #22 with 69.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 1.00 points behind #21, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 26.8)

    1.00 points behind #21 (Ernesto Miguel Rubi “Ernie”): Experience −2.4.

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 · 22 profile pages245 facts for 22 lawyers

Intellectual Property market in Miami

LexRanked tracks 22 lawyers and 2 law firms in intellectual property law in Miami, Florida. 22 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
22
Law firms
2
Verified professional data
22 of 22
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
27 years22 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 Miami

What sets these Miami lawyers apart

All 22 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 22 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law 22 of 22
Years in practice 13 to 44 (median 27)
Languages besides English Spanish (5), Hindi (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 Miami office address and intellectual property as a practice area on record. It compares 22 intellectual property lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Patents and copyrights are governed by federal law, while Florida law protects trade secrets and offers its own trademark registration; the filing deadlines run from 3 to 6 years.

Rule What it means
Copyright lawsuits Within 3 years after the claim accrued (17 U.S.C. § 507(b))
Patent term 20 years from the filing date of the application, subject to maintenance fees (35 U.S.C. § 154(a)(2))
Patent damages No recovery for infringement committed more than 6 years before the lawsuit (35 U.S.C. § 286)
Trade secrets Within 3 years after the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered (Fla. Stat. § 688.007)
Florida trademark registration Lasts 5 years and can be renewed within the 6 months before it expires (Fla. Stat. § 495.071)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Miami-Dade County is in Florida's Eleventh 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 does a patent last?

A utility patent runs for 20 years from the date the application was filed in the United States, as long as the maintenance fees are paid.

How long do I have to sue for copyright infringement?

Three years after the claim accrued, under 17 U.S.C. § 507(b).

How long do I have to sue over a stolen trade secret in Florida?

Three years after the misappropriation was discovered, or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence, under section 688.007. A continuing misappropriation counts as a single claim.

Who certifies intellectual property lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Intellectual Property Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law mean?

It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. 22 of the 22 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Miami?

State court cases in Miami-Dade County are heard in Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking intellectual property lawyers in Miami?

Yes. 5 of the 22 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?

22 of the 22 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Jorge Tadeo Espinosa, Peter Anthony Matos, Mark Peter Terry, Michael Bruce Chesal and David Kenneth Friedland and others.

Which lawyers speak Spanish?

5 of the 22 lawyers in this ranking have it on record, 5 confirmed by a verified fact or an official record. They are ranked separately by the same LexRank score. Top-Ranked Spanish-Speaking Intellectual Property Lawyers in Miami, Florida

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.