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Top-Ranked Adoption Lawyers in Tampa, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.26 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked adoption lawyers in Tampa, Florida are Danelle Dykes Barksdale (LexRank 84.00), Anthony Bennie Marchese (84.00) and Leenetta Blanton Carden (84.00).

This ranking lists 6 adoption lawyers in Tampa, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 6 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Adoption Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 15 to 47 years in practice. 1 of the 6 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
6
Fully verified
6 of 6

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Danelle Dykes Barksdale

    Tate Healey Webster · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Adoption
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    Held back by

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

    Anthony Bennie Marchese

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 47 years experience
    • Adoption
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    Held back by

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

    Leenetta Blanton Carden

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 35 years experience
    • Adoption
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    Held back by

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

    Jeanne Trudeau Tate

    Tate Healey Webster · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 44 years experience
    • Adoption
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    Held back by

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

    Robert L Webster III

    Tate Healey Webster · Tampa, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 75.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); 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)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    8.40 points behind #4 (Jeanne Trudeau Tate): Experience −8.4.

  6. No change

    Erica Tate Healey

    Tate Healey Webster · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Adoption
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 72.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (18/30). 3.60 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 26.6)

    3.60 points behind #5 (Robert L Webster III): Experience −3.6.

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 · 6 profile pages68 facts for 6 lawyers

Adoption market in Tampa

LexRanked tracks 6 lawyers and 1 law firm in adoption law in Tampa, Florida. 6 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 16, 2026.

Lawyers
6
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
6 of 6
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
34 years6 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 Tampa

What sets these Tampa lawyers apart

All 6 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Adoption 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 6 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Adoption Law 6 of 6
Years in practice 15 to 47 (median 34)
Languages besides English Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tampa office address and adoption as a practice area on record. It compares 6 adoption lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

In Florida a birth mother may consent to adoption 48 hours after birth or when she is told she is fit to leave the hospital, whichever is earlier, and once signed the consent is generally final.

Rule What it means
Timing of consent A birth mother may consent 48 hours after birth or on written notice that she is fit for release, whichever is earlier (Fla. Stat. § 63.082)
Revocation The consent is valid when signed and may be withdrawn only for fraud or duress; for a child older than 6 months there is a 3 business day revocation period (§ 63.082)
Child's consent A child 12 or older must consent unless the court dispenses with it in the child's best interest (§ 63.062)
Final hearing Not sooner than 30 days after parental rights are terminated or 90 days after placement, unless good cause is shown (§ 63.122)
Confidential records Adoption hearings are closed and adoption records are confidential, open only by court order (§ 63.162)
Expenses Selling or buying a child is unlawful; adoptive parents may pay the birth mother's actual expenses for up to 6 weeks after birth as the law allows (§ 63.212)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Hillsborough County is in Florida's Thirteenth 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

When can a birth mother sign an adoption consent in Florida?

48 hours after the child's birth, or the day she is notified in writing that she is fit to be released from the hospital or birth center, whichever is earlier (section 63.082).

Can a birth parent change their mind after signing?

For a child 6 months old or younger the consent is valid when signed and can be withdrawn only if a court finds fraud or duress. For an older child there is a 3 business day revocation period (section 63.082).

How long does a Florida adoption take to finalize?

The final hearing may not be held sooner than 30 days after the judgment terminating parental rights or 90 days after the child was placed in the home, unless good cause is shown (section 63.122). Stepparent and relative adoptions can move faster.

Are Florida adoption records sealed?

Yes. Adoption hearings are held in closed court and the records are confidential, open only by court order (section 63.162).

Who certifies adoption lawyers in Florida?

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

What does Board Certified in Adoption 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. 6 of the 6 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Tampa?

State court cases in Hillsborough County are heard in Florida's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking adoption lawyers in Tampa?

Yes. 1 of the 6 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?

6 of the 6 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Danelle Dykes Barksdale, Anthony Bennie Marchese, Leenetta Blanton Carden, Jeanne Trudeau Tate and Robert L Webster III 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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