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Top-Ranked Civil Rights Lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.225 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked civil rights lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida are Holly Ashby Dincman (LexRank 84.00), Leonard Allen Carson (80.00) and Daniel Lloyd Monroe IV “Lloyd” (80.00).

This ranking lists 25 civil rights lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 11 to 59 years in practice. 2 of the 25 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
25
Fully verified
25 of 25

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Holly Ashby Dincman

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 29 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • 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 22.7)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  2. No change

    Leonard Allen Carson

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 59 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 4.00 points behind #1, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    4.00 points behind #1 (Holly Ashby Dincman): Reputation −4.

  3. No change

    Daniel Lloyd Monroe IV “Lloyd”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 43 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • 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).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  4. No change

    Michael Patrick Spellman

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • 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 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  5. No change

    Jason C. Taylor “Jason”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • 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 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  6. No change

    Daniel Jon Woodring

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 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 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
  7. No change

    Lawrence Francis Kranert Jr. “Larry”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 52 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #6, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.40 points behind #6 (Daniel Jon Woodring): Data quality −1.4.

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

  8. No change

    Herschel Connor Minnis

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  9. No change

    William Michael Woodyard

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  10. No change

    Calvin Lynn Johnson

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 42 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  11. No change

    John Craig Knox

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 46 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  12. No change

    Susan Adams Maher

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 41 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  13. No change

    Frederick J Springer “Fred”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  14. No change

    Larry Kay White

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 51 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

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

  15. No change

    Shelly Lynn Marks

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 23 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 76.20: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.40 points behind #14, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    2.40 points behind #14 (Larry Kay White): Experience −2.4.

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

  16. No change

    Kirsten Noelle Anderson

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #16?

    Ranks #16 with 75.20: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.00 points behind #15, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    1.00 points behind #15 (Shelly Lynn Marks): Experience −2.4.

  17. No change

    Miriam Rebekkah Coles

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #17?

    Ranks #17 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 3.60 points behind #16, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)

    3.60 points behind #16 (Kirsten Noelle Anderson): Experience −3.6.

  18. No change

    Jennifer Jerome “Jenn”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #18 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
  19. No change

    Scott J Seagle

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #19?

    Ranks #19 with 71.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
  20. No change

    Ashley Nicole Richardson

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #20?

    Ranks #20 with 71.40: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Experience (22.8/30); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.20 points behind #19, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)
    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 22.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)

    0.20 points behind #19 (Scott J Seagle): Data quality −1.4.

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

  21. No change

    Amber Noelle Belinda Hall

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #21?

    Ranks #21 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 5.80 points behind #20, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)

    5.80 points behind #20 (Ashley Nicole Richardson): Experience −7.2.

  22. No change

    Laurel Cornell Niles

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #22?

    Ranks #22 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
  23. No change

    Matthew Clayton Williams “Matt”

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #23?

    Ranks #23 with 65.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 22.7)
  24. No change

    Tiffany Rousseau Cruz

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #24?

    Ranks #24 with 64.25: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (18/30). 1.35 points behind #23, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 22.7)

    1.35 points behind #23 (Matthew Clayton Williams “Matt”): Professional credentials −3.8.

  25. No change

    Ryan P Fields

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 11 years experience
    • Civil Rights
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #25?

    Ranks #25 with 63.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (13.2/30). 1.05 points behind #24, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.1)
    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 22.7)

    1.05 points behind #24 (Tiffany Rousseau Cruz): 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 · 25 profile pages244 facts for 25 lawyers

Civil Rights market in Tallahassee

LexRanked tracks 30 lawyers in civil rights law in Tallahassee, Florida. 30 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
30
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
30 of 30
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
22 years30 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

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 25 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 11 to 59 (median 29)
Languages besides English Spanish (2)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (13 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tallahassee office address and civil rights as a practice area on record. It compares 25 civil rights lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in civil rights, 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

Civil rights claims in Florida run on short deadlines: a discrimination complaint to the Florida Commission on Human Relations is due within 365 days, and a federal EEOC charge within 180 or 300 days.

Rule What it means
Federal civil rights claims Anyone acting under color of state law who deprives a person of constitutional or federal rights is liable to that person (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
Attorney fees A court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party in a civil rights case (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b))
Florida complaint deadline A discrimination complaint must be filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations within 365 days (Fla. Stat. § 760.11(1))
Commission review The commission decides within 180 days whether there is reasonable cause (§ 760.11(3))
Lawsuit after a cause finding A civil action must be filed within 1 year after the commission finds reasonable cause (§ 760.11)
Federal EEOC charge An employment discrimination charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it (42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1))
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 file a discrimination complaint in Florida?

Within 365 days of the discrimination, with the Florida Commission on Human Relations (section 760.11(1)). A federal EEOC charge is due within 180 days, or 300 days where a state or local agency also handles it.

Can I sue a police officer or government official for violating my rights?

Yes. Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a person acting under color of state law who deprives you of constitutional or federal rights is liable to you, subject to defenses such as immunity.

Who pays the lawyer in a civil rights case?

The court may award a reasonable attorney's fee to the prevailing party (42 U.S.C. § 1988(b)), so many civil rights lawyers take cases on contingency.

How long do I have to sue after the commission finds reasonable cause?

1 year after the date of the commission's reasonable-cause determination (section 760.11).

Which court handles cases in Tallahassee?

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

Are there Spanish-speaking civil rights lawyers in Tallahassee?

Yes. 2 of the 25 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?

25 of the 25 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Holly Ashby Dincman, Leonard Allen Carson, Daniel Lloyd Monroe IV “Lloyd”, Michael Patrick Spellman and Jason C. Taylor “Jason” and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Holly Ashby Dincman scores 84.00 and Leonard Allen Carson 80.00, a gap of 4.00 points, mostly in reputation. 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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