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

Summary

As of October 31, 2026, the top-ranked condo and HOA lawyers in Tampa, Florida are Robert Scott Freedman “Rob” (LexRank 84.00), Francis Edward Friscia (82.60) and Jonathan Joseph Ellis (82.60).

This ranking lists 10 condo and HOA lawyers in Tampa, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 10 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 10 to 39 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
10
Fully verified
10 of 10

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Robert Scott Freedman “Rob”

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 35 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • 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 23.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

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

    Francis Edward Friscia

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Robert Scott Freedman “Rob”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  3. No change

    Jonathan Joseph Ellis

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  4. No change

    Shawn Geoffrey Brown

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 81.40: strongest in Experience (28.8/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #3 (Jonathan Joseph Ellis): Experience −1.2.

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

  5. No change

    Aaron Joseph Silberman

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 79.20: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.20 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 23.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    2.20 points behind #4 (Shawn Geoffrey Brown): Experience −3.6.

  6. No change

    Howell Webster Melton III “Web”

    Bush Ross, P.A. · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    2.40 points behind #5 (Aaron Joseph Silberman): Experience −2.4.

  7. No change

    Matthew Paul Gordon

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 16 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 73.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 3.60 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    3.60 points behind #6 (Howell Webster Melton III “Web”): Experience −3.6.

  8. No change

    Nathan A Frazier

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 72.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (18/30). 1.20 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    1.20 points behind #7 (Matthew Paul Gordon): Experience −1.2.

  9. No change

    Leah Elizabeth Ellington

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 70.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (18/30). 1.40 points behind #8, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    1.40 points behind #8 (Nathan A Frazier): Data quality −1.4.

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

  10. No change

    Ciara Chelsea Willis

    Bush Ross, P.A. · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 10 years experience
    • Condo and HOA
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 66.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (12/30). 4.60 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 23.4)

    4.60 points behind #9 (Leah Elizabeth Ellington): Experience −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 · 10 profile pages106 facts for 10 lawyers

Condo and HOA market in Tampa

LexRanked tracks 10 lawyers and 1 law firm in condo and HOA law in Tampa, Florida. 10 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
10
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
10 of 10
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
20 years10 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 10 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development 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 10 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law 10 of 10
Years in practice 10 to 39 (median 20)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tampa office address and condo and HOA as a practice area on record. It compares 10 condo and HOA lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida condominiums are governed by chapter 718 and homeowners' associations by chapter 720, and many disputes must go to arbitration or mediation before a lawsuit.

Rule What it means
Access to records The association must make official records available within 10 working days (condo) or 10 business days (HOA) of a written request (Fla. Stat. §§ 718.111(12), 720.303(5))
Fines At most $100 per violation and $1,000 in total, after 14 days' notice and a hearing before a committee of owners (§§ 718.303(3), 720.305(2))
Before suing Many condo disputes go to nonbinding arbitration with the state (§ 718.1255); many HOA disputes require presuit mediation (§ 720.311)
Milestone inspections Condo buildings three stories or taller need a structural inspection by December 31 of the year they turn 30, then every 10 years (§ 553.899)
Reserve studies Condo associations must complete a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years for buildings three stories or taller (§ 718.112(2)(g))
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.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How much can a Florida HOA or condo association fine me?

Up to $100 per violation and $1,000 in total for a continuing violation, unless an HOA's governing documents allow more, and only after 14 days' written notice and a hearing before a committee of at least three owners.

Do I have to go to arbitration or mediation before suing my association?

Often, yes. Many condominium disputes go first to nonbinding arbitration with the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes, and many HOA disputes require a demand for presuit mediation.

When does a Florida condo building need a milestone inspection?

Buildings three habitable stories or taller need one by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, and every 10 years after that. Local officials can require it at 25 years near salt water.

Who certifies condominium lawyers in Florida?

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

What does Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development 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. 10 of the 10 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.

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?

10 of the 10 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Robert Scott Freedman “Rob”, Francis Edward Friscia, Jonathan Joseph Ellis, Shawn Geoffrey Brown and Aaron Joseph Silberman and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Robert Scott Freedman “Rob” scores 84.00 and Francis Edward Friscia 82.60, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. 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.