Evidence of Excellence

Lawyers name state's legal elite

July 2006
Florida Trend Magazine

WILKES & MCHUGH, P.A. ATTORNEY NAMED:

Bennie Lazzara, Jr.

Hiring a personal or business attorney is an important task that should be done with careful consideration. While many people ask for recommendations from their business associates, CPA or banker, what could be more valuable than a lawyer’s own recommendation?

This third annual edition of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite names the top lawyers who have earned the trust and confidence of those who know their work the best. A prestigious group, the 1,031 Legal Elite attorneys comprise 1.8 percent of the 57,968 Florida Bar members who practice in the state. Sixty-five percent of this year’s honorees are repeat winners, having been named to the Legal Elite at least once since 2004.

How the Legal Elite Are Chosen

The Call for Votes
Balloting for Legal Elite began in October 2005, when Florida Trend invited all in-state members of the Florida Bar to participate in the balloting. Announcements were placed in The Florida Bar Journal to publicize the voting criteria and ballot deadline. Additionally, Florida Trend mailed ballots to the 2005 Legal Elite, the lawyers who participated in last year’s balloting, individual law firms, local Bar associations and Florida members of the Association of Corporate Counsel. Notices were placed in the Florida Bar News and on the Florida Bar website. Attorneys were asked to name lawyers whom they hold in the highest regard — lawyers with whom they have worked or would recommend to others. They were also asked to name the top up-and-coming attorney in the state — in practice 10 years or less.

Selecting and Reviewing the Finalists
The ballots were processed, checked and tabulated by Outsource America in Bradenton and St. Petersburg-based Suncoast Opinion Surveys. Each lawyer was given a score based on the number of votes he or she received and whether the votes came from within their firm (one point) or outside their firm (three points). Only lawyers who are currently licensed and practicing in Florida were considered eligible.

The list of finalists was further examined using membership status and histories provided by the Florida Bar. A panel of 2005 Legal Elite lawyers representing different practice areas and cities across the state reviewed the selection process and the list of finalists.

Surveying the Winners
In February 2006, honorees were notified and asked to provide their primary practice area and personal profile data. Additional information about the honorees was obtained from the Florida Bar.

© 2006 All Rights Reserved