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Estate Planning

Top-Ranked Estate Planning Lawyers in Punta Gorda, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.25 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked estate planning lawyers in Punta Gorda, Florida are Guy Storms Emerich (LexRank 84.00), John Bascom Mizell (82.60) and Katharine Walter Payne (80.40).

This ranking lists 5 estate planning lawyers in Punta Gorda, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 13 to 55 years in practice. 1 of the 5 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
5
Fully verified
5 of 5

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Guy Storms Emerich

    Independent practice · Punta Gorda, FL

    Verified
    • 55 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • 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 24.5)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

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

    John Bascom Mizell

    Independent practice · Punta Gorda, FL

    Verified
    • 40 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.5)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Guy Storms Emerich): Data quality −1.4.

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

  3. No change

    Katharine Walter Payne

    Independent practice · Punta Gorda, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 80.40: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.20 points behind #2, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 24.5)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    2.20 points behind #2 (John Bascom Mizell): Experience −3.6.

  4. No change

    Forrest Jackson Bass

    Independent practice · Punta Gorda, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 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). 6.00 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    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)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 24.5)

    6.00 points behind #3 (Katharine Walter Payne): Experience −6.

  5. No change

    Brett Hunter Sifrit

    Independent practice · Punta Gorda, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 69.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 4.80 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    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)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 24.5)

    4.80 points behind #4 (Forrest Jackson Bass): Experience −4.8.

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 · 5 profile pages55 facts for 5 lawyers

Estate Planning market in Punta Gorda

LexRanked tracks 5 lawyers in estate planning law in Punta Gorda, Florida. 5 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
5
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
5 of 5
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
22 years5 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 Punta Gorda

What sets these Punta Gorda lawyers apart

All 5 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates 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 5 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law 5 of 5
Years in practice 13 to 55 (median 22)
Languages besides English Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Punta Gorda office address and estate planning as a practice area on record. It compares 5 estate planning lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

A Florida will must be signed in front of two witnesses, and small or older estates can use a simpler probate.

Rule What it means
Signing a will Signed at the end by the testator in front of at least two witnesses, who sign in front of the testator and each other (Fla. Stat. § 732.502)
Summary administration Available when the estate is $75,000 or less (excluding exempt property) or the person died more than 2 years ago (§ 735.201)
Homestead If survived by a spouse or minor child, the home can only be left to the spouse (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Charlotte County is in Florida's Twentieth 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 many witnesses does a Florida will need?

Two. The person making the will signs in front of both witnesses, and the witnesses sign in front of that person and each other.

What is summary administration in Florida?

A simpler probate for estates worth $75,000 or less, not counting exempt property, or where the person died more than 2 years ago.

What does Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates 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. 5 of the 5 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Punta Gorda?

State court cases in Charlotte County are heard in Florida's Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking estate planning lawyers in Punta Gorda?

Yes. 1 of the 5 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?

5 of the 5 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Guy Storms Emerich, John Bascom Mizell, Katharine Walter Payne, Forrest Jackson Bass and Brett Hunter Sifrit.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Guy Storms Emerich scores 84.00 and John Bascom Mizell 82.60, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. 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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