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Top-Ranked Construction Lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.28 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked construction lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida are George William Hatch III (LexRank 84.00), Stuart C. Poage (84.00) and Davisson Frey Dunlap III (82.60).

This ranking lists 8 construction lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 8 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 12 to 30 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
8
Fully verified
8 of 8

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    George William Hatch III

    Guilday Law, P.A. · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Construction
    • 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 24.6)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)

    Held back by

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

    Stuart C. Poage

    Pennington, P.A. · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Construction
    • 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 24.6)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)

    Held back by

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

    Davisson Frey Dunlap III

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #2 (Stuart C. Poage): Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Shawn Michael Heath

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Construction
    • 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).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  5. No change

    George Spears Reynolds IV

    Carr Allison · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 74.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 8.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 24.6)

    8.40 points behind #4 (Shawn Michael Heath): Experience −8.4.

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

  6. No change

    William R Sickler

    Guilday Law, P.A. · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 73.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 1.20 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 24.6)

    1.20 points behind #5 (George Spears Reynolds IV): Experience −1.2.

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

  7. No change

    Megan Margaret Warren

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 73.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30).

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 24.6)

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

  8. No change

    Clayton Thomas Osteen

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Construction
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 67.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (14.4/30). 6.00 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 24.6)

    6.00 points behind #7 (Megan Margaret Warren): Experience −6.

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

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 · 8 profile pages82 facts for 8 lawyers

Construction market in Tallahassee

LexRanked tracks 8 lawyers and 3 law firms in construction law in Tallahassee, Florida. 8 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
8
Law firms
3
Verified professional data
8 of 8
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
21.5 years8 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 8 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Construction 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 8 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Construction Law 8 of 8
Years in practice 12 to 30 (median 21.5)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (6 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tallahassee office address and construction as a practice area on record. It compares 8 construction lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida's Construction Lien Law sets strict deadlines for notices and liens, and a construction defect claim needs written notice to the contractor before any lawsuit.

Rule What it means
Notice to owner Subcontractors and suppliers without a contract with the owner must serve it within 45 days of starting work (Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a))
Claim of lien Recorded no later than 90 days after the final furnishing of labor, services or materials (§ 713.08(5))
Enforcing a lien A lawsuit must be filed within 1 year after the claim of lien is recorded, or the lien expires (§ 713.22(1))
Defect claims: presuit notice Written notice of claim at least 60 days before suing, or 120 days for an association of more than 20 parcels (§ 558.004)
Defect claims: deadlines 4 years, generally from the certificate of occupancy or completion, and never more than 7 years for latent defects (§ 95.11(3)(b))
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.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How long does a contractor have to file a lien in Florida?

A claim of lien must be recorded no later than 90 days after the lienor's final furnishing of labor, services or materials, and a lawsuit to enforce it must follow within 1 year of recording.

Do I have to notify the contractor before suing over a construction defect?

Yes. Under chapter 558 you must serve a written notice of claim at least 60 days before filing suit, or 120 days for an association representing more than 20 parcels, giving the contractor a chance to inspect and offer to repair.

How long do I have to sue for a construction defect in Florida?

Generally 4 years, counted from the certificate of occupancy, certificate of completion or abandonment of construction. For latent defects the time runs from discovery, but no action may be brought more than 7 years after those dates.

Who certifies construction lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Construction Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in Construction 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. 8 of the 8 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.

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?

8 of the 8 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: George William Hatch III, Stuart C. Poage, Davisson Frey Dunlap III, Shawn Michael Heath and George Spears Reynolds IV 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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