Civil Rights
Top-Ranked Civil Rights Lawyers in Orlando, Florida
Summary
As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked civil rights lawyers in Orlando, Florida are Carol A Field (LexRank 80.00), Matthew Anthony Leibert (80.00) and Joseph Egan Jr. (78.60).
This ranking lists 18 civil rights lawyers in Orlando, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 2 to 51 years in practice. 3 of the 18 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.
- Lawyers ranked
- 18
- Fully verified
- 18 of 18
The ranking
Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank
- Rank1-No changeCF
Carol A Field
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 33 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
80.00LexRankView profileWhy #1?
Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Rank2-No changeML
Matthew Anthony Leibert
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 38 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
80.00LexRankView profileWhy #2?
Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Rank3-No changeJJ
Joseph Egan Jr.
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 51 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.60LexRankView profileWhy #3?
Ranks #3 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 1.40 points behind #2, mostly data quality.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
1.40 points behind #2 (Matthew Anthony Leibert): Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank4-No changeRW
Roger L Weeden
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 46 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.60LexRankView profileWhy #4?
Ranks #4 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank5-No changeDM
Deborah Irene Mitchell
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 22 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.40LexRankView profileWhy #5?
Ranks #5 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Data quality (10/10). 2.20 points behind #4, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
2.20 points behind #4 (Roger L Weeden): Experience −3.6.
- Rank6-No changeCT
Cindy Ann Townsend
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 22 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.40LexRankView profileWhy #6?
Ranks #6 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Data quality (10/10).
Strongest
- Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Rank7-No changeMK
Michael Millward Kest
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 20 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
74.00LexRankView profileWhy #7?
Ranks #7 with 74.00: strongest in Experience (24/30) and Data quality (10/10). 2.40 points behind #6, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
2.40 points behind #6 (Cindy Ann Townsend): Experience −2.4.
- Rank8-No changeCL
Chad Sumner Lucas
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 28 years experience
- Civil Rights · Product Liability
- ✓ Bar status verified
73.60LexRankView profileWhy #8?
Ranks #8 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5). 0.40 points behind #7, mostly practice-area relevance.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
0.40 points behind #7 (Michael Millward Kest): Practice-area relevance −5, Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank9-No changePC
Patricia Maria Rego Chapman
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 16 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
69.20LexRankView profileWhy #9?
Ranks #9 with 69.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 4.40 points behind #8, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
4.40 points behind #8 (Chad Sumner Lucas): Experience −10.8.
- Rank10-No changeRO
Rachel M. Ortiz
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 16 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
69.20LexRankView profileWhy #10?
Ranks #10 with 69.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (19.2/30).
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Rank11-No changeHT
Harold Deon Thompson
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 14 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
66.80LexRankView profileWhy #11?
Ranks #11 with 66.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 2.40 points behind #10, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
2.40 points behind #10 (Rachel M. Ortiz): Experience −2.4.
- Rank12-No changeBG
Bernard Scott George “Scott George”
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 13 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
65.60LexRankView profileWhy #12?
Ranks #12 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 1.20 points behind #11, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
1.20 points behind #11 (Harold Deon Thompson): Experience −1.2.
- Rank13-No changeMC
Morgan Michele Cardinal
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 11 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
63.20LexRankView profileWhy #13?
Ranks #13 with 63.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (13.2/30). 2.40 points behind #12, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
2.40 points behind #12 (Bernard Scott George “Scott George”): Experience −2.4.
- Rank14-No changeAT
Antonio Pagan Jr. “Tony”
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 10 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
62.00LexRankView profileWhy #14?
Ranks #14 with 62.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (12/30). 1.20 points behind #13, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
1.20 points behind #13 (Morgan Michele Cardinal): Experience −1.2.
- Rank15-No changeCL
Channa A. Lloyd
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 9 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
60.80LexRankView profileWhy #15?
Ranks #15 with 60.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (10.8/30). 1.20 points behind #14, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
1.20 points behind #14 (Antonio Pagan Jr. “Tony”): Experience −1.2.
- Rank16-No changeDA
DelMarie Alicea
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 5 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
56.00LexRankView profileWhy #16?
Ranks #16 with 56.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (6/30). 4.80 points behind #15, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
4.80 points behind #15 (Channa A. Lloyd): Experience −4.8.
- Rank17-No changeRB
Rebecca Renee Klonel “Becky”
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 5 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
56.00LexRankView profileWhy #17?
Ranks #17 with 56.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (6/30).
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
- Rank18-No changeLL
Leah R. Burnett “Leah”
Independent practice · Orlando, FL
Verified- 2 years experience
- Civil Rights
- ✓ Bar status verified
52.40LexRankView profileWhy #18?
Ranks #18 with 52.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Experience (2.4/30). 3.60 points behind #17, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
- Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.7)
Held back by
- Experience 2.4/30 (ranking avg 19.3)
3.60 points behind #17 (Rebecca Renee Klonel “Becky”): Experience −3.6.
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 · 18 profile pages182 facts for 18 lawyers
Civil Rights market in Orlando
LexRanked tracks 18 lawyers in civil rights law in Orlando, Florida. 18 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.
- Lawyers
- 18
- Law firms
- 0
- Verified professional data
- 18 of 18
- Average rating
- Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
- Median review count
- Withheldtoo few sourced counts
- Median experience
- 16 years18 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
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 18 ranked lawyers | Figure |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 2 to 51 (median 16) |
| Languages besides English | Spanish (3) |
| License status with The Florida Bar | Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer |
| Most common law school | Stetson University College of Law (4 lawyers) |
Who is included in this ranking?
Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Orlando office address and civil rights as a practice area on record. It compares 18 civil rights lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in civil rights, 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
Civil rights claims in Florida run on short deadlines: a discrimination complaint to the Florida Commission on Human Relations is due within 365 days, and a federal EEOC charge within 180 or 300 days.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Federal civil rights claims | Anyone acting under color of state law who deprives a person of constitutional or federal rights is liable to that person (42 U.S.C. § 1983) |
| Attorney fees | A court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party in a civil rights case (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b)) |
| Florida complaint deadline | A discrimination complaint must be filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations within 365 days (Fla. Stat. § 760.11(1)) |
| Commission review | The commission decides within 180 days whether there is reasonable cause (§ 760.11(3)) |
| Lawsuit after a cause finding | A civil action must be filed within 1 year after the commission finds reasonable cause (§ 760.11) |
| Federal EEOC charge | An employment discrimination charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it (42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1)) |
| 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.
- Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
- Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
- Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.
- If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.
Further reading
Sources for the rules above
- The Florida Bar: member directory (license, certification, languages, admission dates)
- The Florida Bar News: Board certification continues to set Florida lawyers apart (July 2026)
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil action for deprivation of rights)
- 42 U.S.C. § 1988 (attorney fees)
- Florida Statutes, section 760.11 (Florida Civil Rights Act remedies)
- 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5 (EEOC charges)
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a discrimination complaint in Florida?
Within 365 days of the discrimination, with the Florida Commission on Human Relations (section 760.11(1)). A federal EEOC charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it.
Can I sue a police officer or government official for violating my rights?
Yes. Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a person acting under color of state law who deprives you of constitutional or federal rights is liable to you, subject to defenses such as immunity.
Who pays the lawyer in a civil rights case?
The court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b)), so many civil rights lawyers take cases on contingency.
How long do I have to sue after the commission finds reasonable cause?
1 year after the date of the commission's reasonable-cause determination (section 760.11).
Which court handles cases in Orlando?
State court cases in Orange County are heard in Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Are there Spanish-speaking civil rights lawyers in Orlando?
Yes. 3 of the 18 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?
18 of the 18 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Carol A Field, Matthew Anthony Leibert, Joseph Egan Jr., Roger L Weeden and Deborah Irene Mitchell 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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