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Top-Ranked Appellate Lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida

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

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked appellate lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida are Thomasina Moore (LexRank 88.00), Daniel Elden Nordby (83.20) and Mary Hope Keating (82.60).

This ranking lists 14 appellate lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 14 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Appellate Practice by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 5 to 38 years in practice. 1 of the 14 lists 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

    Thomasina Moore

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 88.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Reputation (8/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  2. No change

    Daniel Elden Nordby

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 83.20: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Data quality (10/10). 4.80 points behind #1, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)

    4.80 points behind #1 (Thomasina Moore): Experience −4.8.

  3. No change

    Mary Hope Keating

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.60 points behind #2, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    0.60 points behind #2 (Daniel Elden Nordby): Reputation −4, Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Loren Eugene Levy

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  5. No change

    Wendy S Loquasto “Wendy”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  6. No change

    Courtney Rebecca Brewer

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 79.00: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.60 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    3.60 points behind #5 (Wendy S Loquasto “Wendy”): Experience −3.6.

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

  7. No change

    Sarah Todd Weitz

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 79.00: strongest in Experience (26.4/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  8. No change

    Kristen Marie Fiore

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 78.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (24/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.00 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 23.3)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    1.00 points behind #7 (Sarah Todd Weitz): Experience −2.4.

  9. No change

    Dwight Oneal Slater “Dwight”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 78.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (24/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Experience 24/30 (ranking avg 23.3)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
  10. No change

    Tracy Lee Cooper George

    Public Employees Relations Commission · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 77.80: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.20 points behind #9, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    0.20 points behind #9 (Dwight Oneal Slater “Dwight”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  11. No change

    Diane G DeWolf

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Appellate
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 74.20: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 3.60 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 20)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 23.3)

    3.60 points behind #10 (Tracy Lee Cooper George): Experience −3.6.

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

  12. No change

    Jeffrey Douglas Slanker

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #12 with 70.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 3.40 points behind #11, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 23.3)

    3.40 points behind #11 (Diane G DeWolf): Experience −4.8.

  13. No change

    Dylan Bailey Howard “Bailey”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #13 with 64.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (10.8/30). 6.00 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 10.8/30 (ranking avg 23.3)

    6.00 points behind #12 (Jeffrey Douglas Slanker): Experience −6.

  14. No change

    Michael Joseph Ellis

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #14 with 60.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (6/30) and Reputation (4/20). 4.80 points behind #13, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 23.3)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    4.80 points behind #13 (Dylan Bailey Howard “Bailey”): 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 · 14 profile pages148 facts for 14 lawyers

Appellate market in Tallahassee

LexRanked tracks 14 lawyers and 1 law firm in appellate law in Tallahassee, Florida. 14 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
14
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
14 of 14
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
21 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 Tallahassee

What sets these Tallahassee lawyers apart

All 14 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Appellate Practice 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 14 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Appellate Practice 14 of 14
Years in practice 5 to 38 (median 21)
Languages besides English Italian (1), Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (5 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tallahassee office address and appellate as a practice area on record. It compares 14 appellate lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the order being appealed, and Florida's six district courts of appeal hear most appeals from the trial courts.

Rule What it means
Notice of appeal Filed with the clerk of the lower tribunal within 30 days of rendition of the order (Fla. R. App. P. 9.110(b))
Initial brief Served within 70 days of filing the notice of appeal (Rule 9.110(f))
Answer and reply briefs Answer brief 30 days after the initial brief; reply brief 30 days after the answer brief (Rule 9.210(g))
Rehearing Motion for rehearing or clarification within 15 days of the court's decision (Rule 9.330(a))
Florida Supreme Court Discretionary review is invoked by a notice filed within 30 days of the district court's decision (Rule 9.120(b))
Appellate courts Six district courts of appeal, each covering contiguous judicial circuits (Fla. Stat. § 35.01)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Leon County is in Florida's Second 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 appeal a judgment in Florida?

30 days from rendition of the final order. The notice of appeal is filed with the clerk of the court that entered the order, under Rule 9.110(b) of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. The deadline is jurisdictional, so a late notice usually ends the appeal.

Can I appeal an order before the case is over?

Only certain nonfinal orders can be appealed right away, such as orders on venue, injunctions and personal jurisdiction, listed in Rule 9.130. Other orders are usually reviewed after the final judgment.

Which court hears my appeal?

Most appeals from the circuit courts go to one of Florida's six district courts of appeal, determined by the circuit where the case was heard. The Florida Supreme Court reviews only certain cases.

Why hire a separate appellate lawyer?

An appeal is decided on the written record and the briefs, not on new evidence. Appellate lawyers focus on legal research, brief writing and oral argument, and The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Appellate Practice after peer review and an exam.

What does Board Certified in Appellate Practice 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. 14 of the 14 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Tallahassee?

State court cases in Leon County are heard in Florida's Second Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking appellate lawyers in Tallahassee?

Yes. 1 of the 14 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?

14 of the 14 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Thomasina Moore, Daniel Elden Nordby, Mary Hope Keating, Loren Eugene Levy and Wendy S Loquasto “Wendy” and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Thomasina Moore scores 88.00 and Daniel Elden Nordby 83.20, a gap of 4.80 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.

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