Bennie Lazzara, Jr.

Bennie Lazzara was recently named as one of the Best Lawyers in America for 10 years running. Congratulations!

Bennie Lazzara received his undergraduate degree and Juris Doctorate degree with honors from the University of Florida in 1966 and 1969, respectively.

He was a prosecutor with the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office and an attorney with the Public Defender's Office in Hillsborough County. He went on to become managing partner at Lazzara & Paul, P.A. for 23 years, where he handled cases pertaining to medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death, condemnation, libel, admiralty, and nursing home abuse and neglect, as well as criminal defense and prosecution.

Lazzara and Paul, P.A. also was instrumental in the creation of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team and served as their legal counsel.

Lazzara, who has been with Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. for 12 years, has dedicated his energy and trial expertise to championing the cause of the elderly and enfeebled. Since then, he has been involved in earning several multi-million dollar record-setting jury verdicts in Florida, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and California on behalf of nursing home residents who have been neglected and abused.

He has amassed almost $200 million in verdicts.

His accolades include the prestigious "In the Trenches" award by the Trial Lawyers Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Law & Politics consistently names Lazzara to its list of "Florida Super Lawyers." The criteria for making the list includes a multi-step evaulation process that incorporates peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5 percent of the total lawyers in Florida are listed as Super Lawyers.

Lazzara is licensed to practice law in Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. He is admitted before the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Courts of Florida and Montana. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the Florida Justice Association, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar Association, the State Bar of Montana, the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.