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Elder Law

Top-Ranked Elder Law Lawyers in Sarasota, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.27 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked elder law lawyers in Sarasota, Florida are Edwin M Boyer (LexRank 84.00), Mary Alice Jackson (84.00) and Ira Stewart Wiesner (84.00).

This ranking lists 7 elder law lawyers in Sarasota, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 7 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Elder Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 8 to 49 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
7
Fully verified
7 of 7

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Edwin M Boyer

    Boyer & Boyer, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 48 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • 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 25.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

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

    Mary Alice Jackson

    Boyer & Boyer, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • 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).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

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

    Ira Stewart Wiesner

    Advocates in Aging, Wiesner Smith PLLC · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 49 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • 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 25.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

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

    Christopher Alan Likens

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • 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 25.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #3 (Ira Stewart Wiesner): Data quality −1.4.

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

  5. No change

    John Thomas Griffin

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 80.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 25.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    2.40 points behind #4 (Christopher Alan Likens): Experience −2.4.

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

  6. No change

    Andrew Ray Boyer

    Boyer & Boyer, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    3.40 points behind #5 (John Thomas Griffin): Experience −4.8.

  7. No change

    Daniel Hooper Smith

    Advocates in Aging, Wiesner Smith PLLC · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 8 years experience
    • Elder Law
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 63.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (9.6/30). 13.20 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 9.6/30 (ranking avg 25.7)

    13.20 points behind #6 (Andrew Ray Boyer): Experience −13.2.

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 · 4 profile pages42 facts for 4 lawyers

Elder Law market in Sarasota

LexRanked tracks 7 lawyers and 2 law firms in elder law law in Sarasota, Florida. 7 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
7
Law firms
2
Verified professional data
7 of 7
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
33 years7 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 Sarasota

What sets these Sarasota lawyers apart

All 7 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Elder 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 7 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Elder Law 7 of 7
Years in practice 8 to 49 (median 33)
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 Sarasota office address and elder law as a practice area on record. It compares 7 elder law lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida elder law covers guardianship, long-term care planning and powers of attorney, which must be signed before two witnesses and a notary.

Rule What it means
Durable power of attorney Signed by the principal before two witnesses and a notary (Fla. Stat. § 709.2105)
Guardianship Court-supervised under chapter 744 when a person cannot manage their affairs
Report abuse Florida Abuse Hotline: 1-800-962-2873
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Sarasota County is in Florida's Twelfth 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 is a power of attorney signed in Florida?

The principal signs in front of two witnesses and a notary, under section 709.2105.

Where do I report elder abuse in Florida?

Call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873.

What does Board Certified in Elder 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. 7 of the 7 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Sarasota?

State court cases in Sarasota County are heard in Florida's Twelfth 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?

7 of the 7 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Edwin M Boyer, Mary Alice Jackson, Ira Stewart Wiesner, Christopher Alan Likens and John Thomas Griffin 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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