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Product Liability

Top-Ranked Product Liability Lawyers in Sarasota, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.214 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked product liability lawyers in Sarasota, Florida are Michael Patrick Murphy (LexRank 84.00), Robert F Goodrich “Not accepting outside business” (82.60) and Altom M. Maglio (80.00).

This ranking lists 14 product liability lawyers in Sarasota, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 3 to 43 years in practice. 2 of the 14 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
14
Fully verified
14 of 14

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Michael Patrick Murphy

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 31 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 18.8)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
  2. No change

    Robert F Goodrich “Not accepting outside business”

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Michael Patrick Murphy): Data quality −1.4.

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

  3. No change

    Altom M. Maglio

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.60 points behind #2, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    2.60 points behind #2 (Robert F Goodrich “Not accepting outside business”): Reputation −4.

  4. No change

    Michele Suzanne Stephan-Arsenault

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #4 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
  5. No change

    F. Scott Westheimer “Scott”

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
  6. No change

    Joshua H Rosen

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #5, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    1.40 points behind #5 (F. Scott Westheimer “Scott”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  7. No change

    Andrew Douberly

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #7 with 68.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 10.60 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    10.60 points behind #6 (Joshua H Rosen): Experience −12.

  8. No change

    Christina E Unkel

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #8 with 66.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 1.20 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    1.20 points behind #7 (Andrew Douberly): Experience −1.2.

  9. No change

    Derek William Eisemann

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 64.25: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 2.55 points behind #8, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    2.55 points behind #8 (Christina E Unkel): Professional credentials −3.8.

  10. No change

    Tamara Joi Spires

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 9 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 60.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (10.8/30). 3.45 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    3.45 points behind #9 (Derek William Eisemann): Experience −7.2.

  11. No change

    Nolan Michael Deming

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 5 years experience
    • Product Liability
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 56.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (6/30). 4.80 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    4.80 points behind #10 (Tamara Joi Spires): Experience −4.8.

  12. No change

    Kenneth Joseph Nota

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #12 with 56.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 18.8)
  13. No change

    Tyler James Brown

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #13 with 53.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (3.6/30). 2.40 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 3.6/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

    2.40 points behind #12 (Kenneth Joseph Nota): Experience −2.4.

  14. No change

    Nelson E. Canter

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #14 with 53.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (3.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 3.6/30 (ranking avg 18.8)

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 · 14 profile pages144 facts for 14 lawyers

Product Liability market in Sarasota

LexRanked tracks 14 lawyers in product liability law in Sarasota, Florida. 14 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
14
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
14 of 14
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
15 years14 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

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 14 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 3 to 43 (median 15)
Languages besides English Spanish (2)
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 product liability as a practice area on record. It compares 14 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 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.
  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 Sarasota?

State court cases in Sarasota County are heard in Florida's Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking product liability lawyers in Sarasota?

Yes. 2 of the 14 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?

14 of the 14 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Michael Patrick Murphy, Robert F Goodrich “Not accepting outside business”, Altom M. Maglio, Michele Suzanne Stephan-Arsenault and F. Scott Westheimer “Scott” and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Michael Patrick Murphy scores 84.00 and Robert F Goodrich “Not accepting outside business” 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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