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Top-Ranked Appellate Lawyers in Orlando, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.213 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked appellate lawyers in Orlando, Florida are William Harris Rogner “Bill” (LexRank 88.00), Nicholas Ari Shannin “Nick” (84.00) and Christopher Vincent Carlyle (84.00).

This ranking lists 13 appellate lawyers in Orlando, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 13 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Appellate Practice by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 16 to 36 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
13
Fully verified
13 of 13

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    William Harris Rogner “Bill”

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 88.00: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Experience (30/30).

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)
  2. No change

    Nicholas Ari Shannin “Nick”

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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). 4.00 points behind #1, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    4.00 points behind #1 (William Harris Rogner “Bill”): Reputation −4.

  3. No change

    Christopher Vincent Carlyle

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  4. No change

    Kenneth Paul Hazouri

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  5. No change

    Patrick John McGinley

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  6. No change

    Jamie Billotte Moses

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  7. No change

    Erin Jane O’Leary

    Garganese, Weiss, D’Agresta & Salzman, P · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Appellate
    • 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 26.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  8. No change

    Sharon C Degnan

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #7, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    1.40 points behind #7 (Erin Jane O’Leary): Data quality −1.4.

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

  9. No change

    Michael Ross D’Lugo

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  10. No change

    Derek James Angell

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 77.20: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 5.40 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    5.40 points behind #9 (Michael Ross D’Lugo): Experience −10.8.

  11. No change

    Gennifer L Bridges

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 74.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 2.80 points behind #10, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    2.80 points behind #10 (Derek James Angell): Reputation −4.

  12. No change

    Michael March Brownlee

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

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

    Ranks #12 with 74.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30).

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 26.9)
  13. No change

    Jessica Christy Conner

    Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A. · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 71.80: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 2.60 points behind #12, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    2.60 points behind #12 (Michael March Brownlee): 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 · 13 profile pages141 facts for 13 lawyers

Appellate market in Orlando

LexRanked tracks 13 lawyers and 2 law firms in appellate law in Orlando, Florida. 13 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 10, 2026.

Lawyers
13
Law firms
2
Verified professional data
13 of 13
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
31 years13 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 Orlando

What sets these Orlando lawyers apart

All 13 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Appellate Practice 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 13 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Appellate Practice 13 of 13
Years in practice 16 to 36 (median 31)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Orlando office address and appellate as a practice area on record. It compares 13 appellate lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the order being appealed, and Florida's six district courts of appeal hear most appeals from the trial courts.

Rule What it means
Notice of appeal Filed with the clerk of the lower tribunal within 30 days of rendition of the order (Fla. R. App. P. 9.110(b))
Initial brief Served within 70 days of filing the notice of appeal (Rule 9.110(f))
Answer and reply briefs Answer brief 30 days after the initial brief; reply brief 30 days after the answer brief (Rule 9.210(g))
Rehearing Motion for rehearing or clarification within 15 days of the court's decision (Rule 9.330(a))
Florida Supreme Court Discretionary review is invoked by a notice filed within 30 days of the district court's decision (Rule 9.120(b))
Appellate courts Six district courts of appeal, each covering contiguous judicial circuits (Fla. Stat. § 35.01)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Orange County is in Florida's Ninth 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 appeal a judgment in Florida?

30 days from rendition of the final order. The notice of appeal is filed with the clerk of the court that entered the order, under Rule 9.110(b) of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. The deadline is jurisdictional, so a late notice usually ends the appeal.

Can I appeal an order before the case is over?

Only certain nonfinal orders can be appealed right away, such as orders on venue, injunctions and personal jurisdiction, listed in Rule 9.130. Other orders are usually reviewed after the final judgment.

Which court hears my appeal?

Most appeals from the circuit courts go to one of Florida's six district courts of appeal, determined by the circuit where the case was heard. The Florida Supreme Court reviews only certain cases.

Why hire a separate appellate lawyer?

An appeal is decided on the written record and the briefs, not on new evidence. Appellate lawyers focus on legal research, brief writing and oral argument, and The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Appellate Practice after peer review and an exam.

What does Board Certified in Appellate Practice 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. 13 of the 13 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Orlando?

State court cases in Orange County are heard in Florida's Ninth 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?

13 of the 13 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: William Harris Rogner “Bill”, Nicholas Ari Shannin “Nick”, Christopher Vincent Carlyle, Kenneth Paul Hazouri and Patrick John McGinley and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

William Harris Rogner “Bill” scores 88.00 and Nicholas Ari Shannin “Nick” 84.00, a gap of 4.00 points, mostly in reputation. 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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