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

Estate Planning

Top-Ranked Estate Planning Lawyers in Tampa, Florida

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

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked estate planning lawyers in Tampa, Florida are Brian Curtis Sparks (LexRank 86.60), Peter John Kelly (86.60) and Charles Woods Callahan III (84.00).

This ranking lists 14 estate planning lawyers in Tampa, 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 Wills, Trusts and Estates Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 19 to 53 years in practice.

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

    Brian Curtis Sparks

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 86.60: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Experience (30/30).

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

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

  2. No change

    Peter John Kelly

    Bush Ross, P.A. · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 44 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 86.60: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Experience (30/30).

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.6)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

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

  3. No change

    Charles Woods Callahan III

    Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 28 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.60 points behind #2, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    2.60 points behind #2 (Peter John Kelly): Reputation −4.

  4. No change

    Susan Beth Kubar

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

    Held back by

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

    Rachel Albritton Lunsford

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

    Held back by

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

    Harvey A Schonbrun

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 53 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)

    Held back by

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

    Joshua Thomas Keleske

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 82.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    1.20 points behind #6 (Harvey A Schonbrun): Experience −1.2.

  8. No change

    Debra Lynn Boje

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.20 points behind #7, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    0.20 points behind #7 (Joshua Thomas Keleske): Data quality −1.4.

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

  9. No change

    Samuel Brengle Dolcimascolo

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 52 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 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 28.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  10. No change

    Gregg Garth Heckley

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 41 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 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 28.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

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

  11. No change

    Jordan G. Lee

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 79.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.40 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    3.40 points behind #10 (Gregg Garth Heckley): Experience −4.8.

  12. No change

    Linda Darsey Hartley

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 78.85: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.35 points behind #11, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.6)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    0.35 points behind #11 (Jordan G. Lee): Professional credentials −3.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  13. No change

    Jamil George Daoud

    Independent practice · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 78.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.85 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    0.85 points behind #12 (Linda Darsey Hartley): Experience −6.

  14. No change

    Jolyon Delphin Acosta

    Bush Ross, P.A. · Tampa, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Estate Planning
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #13, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.6)

    1.20 points behind #13 (Jamil George Daoud): Experience −1.2.

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 pages162 facts for 14 lawyers

Estate Planning market in Tampa

LexRanked tracks 14 lawyers and 2 law firms in estate planning law in Tampa, Florida. 14 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
14
Law firms
2
Verified professional data
14 of 14
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
32.5 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 Tampa

What sets these Tampa lawyers apart

All 14 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates 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 14 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law 14 of 14
Years in practice 19 to 53 (median 32.5)
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 (7 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

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

Florida rules to know

A Florida will must be signed in front of two witnesses, and small or older estates can use a simpler probate.

Rule What it means
Signing a will Signed at the end by the testator in front of at least two witnesses, who sign in front of the testator and each other (Fla. Stat. § 732.502)
Summary administration Available when the estate is $75,000 or less (excluding exempt property) or the person died more than 2 years ago (§ 735.201)
Homestead If survived by a spouse or minor child, the home can only be left to the spouse (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4)
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 many witnesses does a Florida will need?

Two. The person making the will signs in front of both witnesses, and the witnesses sign in front of that person and each other.

What is summary administration in Florida?

A simpler probate for estates worth $75,000 or less, not counting exempt property, or where the person died more than 2 years ago.

What does Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates 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. 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 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?

14 of the 14 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Brian Curtis Sparks, Peter John Kelly, Charles Woods Callahan III, Susan Beth Kubar and Rachel Albritton Lunsford 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.

Explore