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Product Liability

Top-Ranked Product Liability Lawyers in Pensacola, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.219 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of October 31, 2026, the top-ranked product liability lawyers in Pensacola, Florida are Michael James Schofield (LexRank 84.00), Tricia Helgesen Payne (80.00) and Peter Steven Roumbos (80.00).

This ranking lists 19 product liability lawyers in Pensacola, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 6 to 55 years in practice. 1 of the 19 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
19
Fully verified
19 of 19

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Michael James Schofield

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 42 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
  2. No change

    Tricia Helgesen Payne

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 4.00 points behind #1, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    4.00 points behind #1 (Michael James Schofield): Reputation −4.

  3. No change

    Peter Steven Roumbos

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
  4. No change

    Warren Ralph Todd

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
  5. No change

    Jack Walter Lurton III

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 78.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.20 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    1.20 points behind #4 (Warren Ralph Todd): Experience −1.2.

  6. No change

    Eric Paul Sventek

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 76.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    2.40 points behind #5 (Jack Walter Lurton III): Experience −2.4.

  7. No change

    Kurtis Jay Keefer

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.20 points behind #6, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    0.20 points behind #6 (Eric Paul Sventek): Data quality −1.4.

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

  8. No change

    Andrea Renée Preston

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

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

  9. No change

    J Andrew Talbert

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.20 points behind #8, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    1.20 points behind #8 (Andrea Renée Preston): Practice-area relevance −5.

  10. No change

    Christopher E Varner “Chris”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 28 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
  11. No change

    Robert G Kerrigan

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 55 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #10, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)

    1.40 points behind #10 (Christopher E Varner “Chris”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  12. No change

    Nathan Charles Bess “Nathan”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 71.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.00 points behind #11, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    2.00 points behind #11 (Robert G Kerrigan): Experience −8.4.

  13. No change

    Wesley Andrew Bowden

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 70.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 1.20 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    1.20 points behind #12 (Nathan Charles Bess “Nathan”): Experience −1.2.

  14. No change

    William Lee Elebash

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 1.20 points behind #13, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    1.20 points behind #13 (Wesley Andrew Bowden): Experience −1.2.

  15. No change

    Ephraim Samuel Geisler

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
  16. No change

    Christopher Gus Paulos “Chris”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 1.20 points behind #15, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    1.20 points behind #15 (Ephraim Samuel Geisler): Experience −1.2.

  17. No change

    Sin-Ting Mary Liu “Mary”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 67.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 0.20 points behind #16, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    0.20 points behind #16 (Christopher Gus Paulos “Chris”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  18. No change

    Michael Grady Mann “MIKE”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 6 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 57.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (7.2/30). 10.60 points behind #17, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 7.2/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    10.60 points behind #17 (Sin-Ting Mary Liu “Mary”): Experience −12.

  19. No change

    Madeline Elizabeth Pendley “Madeline”

    Independent practice · Pensacola, FL

    Verified
    • 6 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 57.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (7.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 19.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.2)
    • Experience 7.2/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

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 · 19 profile pages192 facts for 19 lawyers

Product Liability market in Pensacola

LexRanked tracks 19 lawyers in product liability law in Pensacola, Florida. 19 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
19
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
19 of 19
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
23 years19 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 Pensacola

What sets these Pensacola 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 19 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 6 to 55 (median 23)
Languages besides English Chinese (1), German (1), Spanish (1)
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 (5 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Pensacola office address and product liability as a practice area on record. It compares 19 product liability lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in product liability, 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

A Florida product liability claim must be filed within 4 years of when the defect was or should have been discovered, and most products cannot be sued over harm that happens more than 12 years after the first sale.

Rule What it means
Filing deadline 4 years for injury founded on the design, manufacture, distribution or sale of a product (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3))
When the clock starts The period runs from when the facts behind the claim were or should have been discovered (§ 95.031(2)(b))
12-year limit No claim for harm from a product with an expected useful life of 10 years or less if the harm occurs more than 12 years after delivery to the first buyer, with exceptions the statute lists (§ 95.031(2)(b))
Shared fault Product liability claims count as negligence actions: a claimant more than 50% at fault recovers nothing, otherwise damages are reduced by their share (§ 768.81)
Government rules defense A product that met the government standards for the risk at issue is presumed not defective, a presumption the claimant can rebut (§ 768.1256)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Escambia County is in Florida's First 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 do I have to file a product liability claim in Florida?

Generally 4 years under section 95.11(3), counted from when the facts behind the claim were or should have been discovered (section 95.031(2)(b)).

Is there a deadline based on how old the product is?

Yes. For a product with an expected useful life of 10 years or less, no claim may be brought for harm that happens more than 12 years after delivery to the first buyer, subject to the exceptions in section 95.031(2)(b).

What if I was partly at fault for my injury?

Under section 768.81, which covers product liability claims, damages are reduced by your share of fault, and a claimant found more than 50% at fault recovers nothing.

Does meeting government safety standards protect a manufacturer?

It creates a presumption that the product was not defective if it met the government standards that apply to the risk that caused the harm, but the claimant can rebut it (section 768.1256).

Which court handles cases in Pensacola?

State court cases in Escambia County are heard in Florida's First Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking product liability lawyers in Pensacola?

Yes. 1 of the 19 ranked lawyers lists 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?

19 of the 19 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Michael James Schofield, Tricia Helgesen Payne, Peter Steven Roumbos, Warren Ralph Todd and Jack Walter Lurton III and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Michael James Schofield scores 84.00 and Tricia Helgesen Payne 80.00, 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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