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Top-Ranked Local Government Lawyers in Orlando, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.212 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked local government lawyers in Orlando, Florida are Olga Mercedes Sanchez de Fuentes (LexRank 84.00), Steven Brent Spain “Brent” (84.00) and Sheryl Groover Sutphen (84.00).

This ranking lists 12 local government lawyers in Orlando, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 12 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 10 to 46 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
12
Fully verified
12 of 12

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Olga Mercedes Sanchez de Fuentes

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

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

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    Held back by

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

    Steven Brent Spain “Brent”

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

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

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    Held back by

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

    Sheryl Groover Sutphen

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

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

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    Held back by

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

    Melissa Carlene Clarke

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #3, 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)

    1.40 points behind #3 (Sheryl Groover Sutphen): Data quality −1.4.

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

  5. No change

    Thomas Alexander Cloud

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 46 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 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)

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

  6. No change

    Anthony Angelo Garganese

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

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 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)

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

  7. No change

    James Frederick Johnston

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 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)

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

  8. No change

    Catherine Dwyer Reischmann “Katie”

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 41 years experience
    • Local Government
    • 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).

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  9. No change

    Carlos L. Woody

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 77.80: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 4.80 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    4.80 points behind #8 (Catherine Dwyer Reischmann “Katie”): Experience −4.8.

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

  10. No change

    Carrie Lynn Sarver

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

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

    Ranks #10 with 76.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #9 (Carlos L. Woody): Experience −1.2.

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

  11. No change

    Sarah Rissman Taitt

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

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

    Ranks #11 with 74.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.40 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    2.40 points behind #10 (Carrie Lynn Sarver): Experience −2.4.

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

  12. No change

    Kristin Nicole Eick

    Independent practice · Orlando, FL

    Verified
    • 10 years experience
    • Local Government
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 64.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (12/30). 9.60 points behind #11, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 26.9)

    9.60 points behind #11 (Sarah Rissman Taitt): Experience −9.6.

    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 · 12 profile pages123 facts for 12 lawyers

Local Government market in Orlando

LexRanked tracks 12 lawyers and 1 law firm in local government law in Orlando, Florida. 12 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
12
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
12 of 12
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
26 years12 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 12 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in City, County and Local Government 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 12 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law 12 of 12
Years in practice 10 to 46 (median 26)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Orlando office address and local government as a practice area on record. It compares 12 local government lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida cities and counties must meet in public and open their records to anyone, and injury claims against them are capped at $200,000 per person and must first be presented in writing.

Rule What it means
Open meetings Meetings of a board or commission where official acts are taken must be open to the public, with reasonable notice and promptly recorded minutes (Fla. Stat. § 286.011)
Public records Any person may inspect and copy public records, subject to the exemptions in the law (§ 119.07)
Damage caps A city, county or other public body pays no more than $200,000 per person or $300,000 per incident (§ 768.28(5))
Notice of claim A claim must be presented in writing to the agency within 3 years after it accrues, before any lawsuit (§ 768.28(6))
Lawyer fees Fees on these claims may not exceed 25% of the judgment or settlement (§ 768.28(8))
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

Are city and county meetings open to the public in Florida?

Yes. Under section 286.011, meetings of a board or commission at which official acts are taken must be open to the public at all times, with reasonable notice, and minutes must be promptly recorded.

How do I get public records from a Florida city or county?

Ask the agency's records custodian. Under section 119.07 any person may inspect and copy public records, subject to the exemptions the law lists.

How much can I recover from a Florida city or county?

Under section 768.28(5), a city, county or other public body pays no more than $200,000 to one person or $300,000 for all claims from the same incident.

How long do I have to bring a claim against a Florida city or county?

The claim must be presented in writing to the city or county within 3 years after it accrues, and a lawsuit may be filed only after the claim has been presented and denied as section 768.28(6) requires.

Who certifies local government lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in City, County and Local Government Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in City, County and Local Government 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. 12 of the 12 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?

12 of the 12 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Olga Mercedes Sanchez de Fuentes, Steven Brent Spain “Brent”, Sheryl Groover Sutphen, Melissa Carlene Clarke and Thomas Alexander Cloud 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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