Esteemed, Endorsed, Elite
Peer recognition program garners awards for top 2% of lawyers practicing in the state.

This eighth annual edition of Florida Legal Elite recognizes a prestigious list of esteemed attorneys chosen by their colleagues.

The 1,352 lawyers listed here exemplify a standard of excellence in their profession, and by doing so have received endorsement from their peers in voting for the 2011 Florida Legal Elite.

Lawyers were asked to name attorneys whom they hold in the highest regard or would recommend to others. They were also asked to name three "Up and Coming" attorneys and Government/Non-Profit attorneys.

The ballots were tabulated by Bradenton-based Outsource America and Suncoast Opinion Surveys in St. Petersburg. Each lawyer was given a score based on the number of votes received: one point for votes from within their firm or three points for votes from outside their firm. Only lawyers who are currently licensed and practicing in Florida were eligible for selection.

The list of top vote-getters was further examined using membership status and histories provided by the Florida Bar. A panel of elite attorneys representing different practice areas in cities across the state, reviewed the selection process and the list of finalists.

The resulting list represents approximately 2% of the more than 66,000 active Florida Bar members practicing in Florida.

This year we induct 10 new members into the Legal Elite Hall of Fame. To achieve Hall of Fame status, an attorney must have been a Legal Elite winner at least seven times. A diverse panel of lawyers was consulted to evaluate that list and to make the final selections. The 2011 inductees are: E. Jackson Boggs, Karen Meyer Buesing, Stephen Donald Busey, Edward K. Cheffy, Ava K. Doppelt, Kelly Overstreet Johnson, Judith M. Korchin, John Wesley Kozyak, Roger William Sims and Charles W. Throckmorton.