Independent lawyer rankingsEvery fact traceable to a sourcePayment never changes a ranking

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked insurance lawyers in Sunrise, Florida are Carolyn Gilbert Epstein (LexRank 80.00), Gilberto Justino Barreto “Gil” (78.80) and Eric Lowell Berger (78.60).

This ranking lists 20 insurance lawyers in Sunrise, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 7 to 39 years in practice. 9 of the 20 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
20
Fully verified
20 of 20

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Carolyn Gilbert Epstein

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
  2. No change

    Gilberto Justino Barreto “Gil”

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 78.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 1.20 points behind #1, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    1.20 points behind #1 (Carolyn Gilbert Epstein): Experience −1.2.

  3. No change

    Eric Lowell Berger

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 0.20 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    0.20 points behind #2 (Gilberto Justino Barreto “Gil”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Manuel Mark Valdivieso

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

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

    Ranks #4 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

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

  5. No change

    Doris Ann Keels-Mitchell

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 2.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    2.40 points behind #4 (Manuel Mark Valdivieso): Experience −2.4.

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

  6. No change

    Jason K. Laitner “Jason”

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

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

  7. No change

    Maria Elena Abate

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.20 points behind #6, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    1.20 points behind #6 (Jason K. Laitner “Jason”): Practice-area relevance −5.

  8. No change

    James David Robinson

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 72.50: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Practice-area relevance (12.5/20). 2.50 points behind #7, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 12.5/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    2.50 points behind #7 (Maria Elena Abate): Practice-area relevance −2.5.

  9. No change

    Yolyvee Yizelle Rivera

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 3.30 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    3.30 points behind #8 (James David Robinson): Experience −10.8.

  10. No change

    Andrew Fuxa “Andy”

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 66.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 2.40 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    2.40 points behind #9 (Yolyvee Yizelle Rivera): Experience −2.4.

  11. No change

    Leonard Rodrigue Desir Jr. “Leonard”

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 66.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (16.8/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
  12. No change

    Matthew Coleman Scarfone

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 66.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (16.8/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
  13. No change

    Amber Lee Viladesau

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 65.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (15.6/30). 1.20 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    1.20 points behind #12 (Matthew Coleman Scarfone): Experience −1.2.

  14. No change

    Andrew Luis Gutierrez

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 14 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 65.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 0.20 points behind #13, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    0.20 points behind #13 (Amber Lee Viladesau): Data quality −1.4.

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

  15. No change

    Michael Thomas Harper

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 64.93: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (21.6/30); held back by Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 0.47 points behind #14, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    0.47 points behind #14 (Andrew Luis Gutierrez): Practice-area relevance −6.7.

  16. No change

    Jesse Long

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 11 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 63.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (13.2/30). 1.73 points behind #15, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    1.73 points behind #15 (Michael Thomas Harper): Experience −8.4.

  17. No change

    Fernando Javier Valle

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 11 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 63.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (13.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
  18. No change

    Franchesca Caminero

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 9 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #18?

    Ranks #18 with 60.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (10.8/30). 2.40 points behind #17, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    2.40 points behind #17 (Fernando Javier Valle): Experience −2.4.

  19. No change

    Jordan Stuart Redavid

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Civil Rights · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 57.73: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (14.4/30) and Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 3.07 points behind #18, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 20.9)
    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    3.07 points behind #18 (Franchesca Caminero): Practice-area relevance −6.7.

  20. No change

    Rebecca Marie Lopresti

    Independent practice · Sunrise, FL

    Verified
    • 7 years experience
    • Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 54.65: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (8.4/30). 3.08 points behind #19, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 8.4/30 (ranking avg 20.9)

    3.08 points behind #19 (Jordan Stuart Redavid): Experience −6, Professional credentials −3.8.

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 · 20 profile pages205 facts for 20 lawyers

Insurance market in Sunrise

LexRanked tracks 20 lawyers in insurance law in Sunrise, Florida. 20 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
20
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
20 of 20
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
15 years20 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 Sunrise

What sets these Sunrise 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 20 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 7 to 39 (median 15)
Languages besides English Spanish (9)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Miami School of Law (7 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Sunrise office address and insurance as a practice area on record. It compares 20 insurance lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in insurance, 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 homeowner must give the insurer notice of a property insurance claim within 1 year after the date of loss, and a lawsuit for breach of the policy must be filed within 5 years of the loss.

Rule What it means
Notice of a property claim A new or reopened claim is barred unless notice reaches the insurer within 1 year after the date of loss; a supplemental claim within 18 months (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132(2))
Hurricane date of loss For hurricanes and other weather events, the date of loss is the landfall date or the date NOAA verifies the event (§ 627.70132(3))
Insurer response The insurer must acknowledge a claim communication within 7 days and pay or deny a property claim within 60 days after notice (§ 627.70131(1) and (7))
Lawsuit deadline 5 years from the date of loss for breach of a property insurance contract (§ 95.11(2)(e))
Bad faith An insured may sue an insurer that did not attempt in good faith to settle a claim, after 60 days written notice to the Department of Financial Services and the insurer (§ 624.155)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Broward County is in Florida's Seventeenth 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 report a property insurance claim in Florida?

1 year after the date of loss for a new or reopened claim, and 18 months for a supplemental claim (section 627.70132). For a hurricane, the date of loss is the date it made landfall.

How long does my insurer have to pay or deny a claim?

60 days after it receives notice of the claim, unless factors beyond its control prevent it (section 627.70131(7)).

What is a civil remedy notice?

A written notice on a Department of Financial Services form that must be filed 60 days before a bad-faith lawsuit under section 624.155. No suit lies if the insurer pays or corrects the problem within those 60 days.

How long do I have to sue my insurance company?

5 years from the date of loss for breach of a property insurance contract (section 95.11(2)(e)), but the claim itself must first be reported within 1 year.

Which court handles cases in Sunrise?

State court cases in Broward County are heard in Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking insurance lawyers in Sunrise?

Yes. 9 of the 20 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?

20 of the 20 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Carolyn Gilbert Epstein, Gilberto Justino Barreto “Gil”, Eric Lowell Berger, Manuel Mark Valdivieso and Doris Ann Keels-Mitchell and others.

Which lawyers speak Spanish?

9 of the 20 lawyers in this ranking have it on record, 9 confirmed by a verified fact or an official record. They are ranked separately by the same LexRank score. Top-Ranked Spanish-Speaking Insurance Lawyers in Sunrise, Florida

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Carolyn Gilbert Epstein scores 80.00 and Gilberto Justino Barreto “Gil” 78.80, a gap of 1.20 points, mostly in experience. 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.