Profile Image Placeholder

Walter Andrew Clayton Jr

Icard Merrill
  • Arbitration & Mediation, Stockbroker & Investment Fraud
  • Florida, New Jersey, New York
Badges
Claimed Lawyer Profile
Biography

Mr. Clayton has been practicing law since 1987 and is admitted to practice in Florida, New Jersey and New York. He attended Washington & Lee University and received his undergraduate and law degrees from Seton Hall University. He founded The Clayton Law Firm, P.A. in 1996 after practicing with highly regarded law firms prior to that time. After 20 years of having his own law firm, Mr. Clayton became a shareholder in Icard Merrill in 2016.

Mr. Clayton has been “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell since 1998 and has been designated as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2012 to 2018 , a distinction awarded to less than five percent of Florida lawyers, signifying the fact that his peers in the legal profession rated his work and ethics at the highest level. He has also been recognized as one of Florida’s “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine in 2013 and 2014. For his entire career, Mr. Clayton has engaged in complex commercial litigation and investment related lawsuits and arbitration.

He has a unique background, having worked in the securities industry in New York and New Jersey for several years before he became an attorney. That has provided him with invaluable insights in investment-related matters. “Drew” has handled hundreds of securities disputes involving millions of dollars, ranging from customer disputes with brokerage firms to a federal court case in which he recovered almost $24 million in investment losses for Sarasota County arising from a major bank’s mismanagement of the county’s securities lending portfolio.

He also represents registered representatives of brokerage firms who have disputes with their former employers.

Mr. Clayton is well known in the community of lawyers who handle investment cases, was president of the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court from 2010 to 2011, and will be president of the Sarasota County Bar Association starting in September, 2019.

Practice Areas
Arbitration & Mediation
Business Arbitration, Consumer Arbitration, Family Arbitration
Stockbroker & Investment Fraud
Additional Practice Area
  • Business Litigation
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Florida
The Florida Bar
ID Number: 0739464
Placeholder image for jurisdictions.
New Jersey
Placeholder image for jurisdictions.
New York
New York State Office of Court Administration
Placeholder image for jurisdictions.
Professional Experience
Shareholder
Icard Merrill
- Current
Owner
The Clayton Law Firm, P.A.
-
Partner
Snyder, Groner, Schieb & Clayton
-
Associate Attorney
Grady & Associates, LPA
-
Associate attorney
Ravin Sarasohn Cook Baumgarten Fisch & Baime
-
Education
Seton Hall University School of Law
J.D. (1987)
-
Seton Hall University School of Law Logo
Seton Hall University
B.A. (1982) | American Studies and Journalism
-
Seton Hall University Logo
Washington & Lee University
-
Placeholder image for education.
Awards
Professionalism Award
The Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court
Professional Associations
The Florida Bar  # 0739464
Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
The Sarasosota County Bar Association
President
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
The Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court
Former President, Master Emeritus
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Public Investors Bar Association
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
New Jersey State Bar  # 002721987
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Contact & Map
Icard Merrill
2033 Main Street
Suite 600
Sarasota, FL 34237
Telephone: (941) 366-8100