Shepard, Smith & Cassady, P.A.

State's Top Lawyers Named by Peer Voting - Cliff Shepard again Selected

Legal Elite results published in FLORIDA TREND special report

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. - Florida's top lawyers are recognized in the 2011 edition of FLORIDA TREND'S Florida Legal Elite™. The special report, developed from voting by Florida lawyers who are members of The Florida Bar, is part of the July issue of FLORIDA TREND magazine. Once again, Clifford B. Shepard has been selected for this honor.

Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite 2011 recognizes the top tier of attorneys practicing in Florida as chosen by their colleagues.

The 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.

Balloting for this year’s list began in October 2010, when Florida Trend invited all in-state members of the Florida Bar to participate. Announcements in The Florida Bar News publicized the ballot deadline and voting guidelines.

Lawyers were asked to name attorneys whom they hold in the highest regard or would recommend to others. Florida Bar members were also asked to name three best “Up and Coming” attorneys and Government attorneys.

The ballots were processed, checked and 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 recipients was further examined using membership status and histories provided by the Florida Bar. A panel of previous Legal Elite winners, representing different practice areas in cities across the state, reviewed the selection process and the list of finalists.

The resulting list of attorneys represents approximately 1.8% of the over 64,000 active Florida Bar members who practice in the state.

The entire Legal Elite report can be viewed online at www.FloridaTrend.com/LegalElite.