Calhoun County Lawyers

Mike Underwood was a key official at the predecessor of the Florida Department of Financial Services and authored many provisions of Florida securities and banking laws. Since leaving government, he has become recognized as a national leader in financial services regulation, especially in Florida. He represents securities broker-dealers, investment advisers, mortgage brokers, financial institutions and affiliated individuals in civil litigation, arbitration, regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. His experience includes defense of class actions, multi-district litigation and regular appearances before self-regulatory organizations as well as state and federal financial regulators.

Bridget Kellogg Smitha focuses her practice on liquor licensure, corporate defense and complex commercial litigation. Additionally, Ms. Smitha frequently assists businesses in obtaining or transferring liquor licenses, as well as placing quota licenses in escrow or subject to lien.

Jim began his legal career in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corp, where he represented the US government in federal criminal prosecutions and administrative hearings. He also provided command services and legal counsel to naval commands such as the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). Prior to joining Morgan & Morgan, Jim was the Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office of Banker Lopez Gassler, P.A., a statewide litigation firm. He represented national and regional truckload carriers, trailer manufacturers, airports, national department stores, restaurants and hotels, as well as insurance carriers. Jim specialized in lawsuits involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful...

Max Factor is a seasoned trial attorney who provides top-notch legal and consulting services to a broad range of clients including large companies, small businesses, governmental entities, not-for-profit entities, and individuals. He provides personal and detailed attention to each client’s case. Mr. Factor is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts within the State of Florida, State of Georgia, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Factor attended LSU and graduated from Louisiana College in 1987. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law, at Samford University in 1991. He devoted the first nine years of...

Tallahassee Estate Planning Attorney

James Slater is a Florida-based copyright, trademark, data privacy, and corporate lawyer. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, Colorado, Washington, the District of Columbia, and several federal district and appellate courts. He is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US). James is a dual U.S. and U.K. national with strong Florida roots. He and his wife, children, and dogs split their time between Miami, Tallahassee, and hiking trails across North America. Before law practice, James spent several years working in Russia in the administration of a U.S. State Department program and as a Russian interpreter and translator. He also completed...

Jason Gonzalez is an attorney in Tallahassee, Florida.

Stephen G. Cobb, author of Florida Criminal Law and a board certified expert in criminal trial law since 2002. He was most recently published in “Defending People with Disabilities”, an August 2024 publication of the American Bar Association. Mr. Cobb’s contribution was titled “Neuroimaging”, and teaches other lawyers how to use brain imaging in criminal cases. Whether you or someone you love is charged with a misdemeanor, criminal traffic, felony or juvenile crime, we are ready, willing and able to help you and your loved ones in your time of need.

Jennifer H. Copus originally hails from Arab, Alabama, but has called the Emerald Coast home since moving to Fort Walton Beach, Florida in 2000 upon graduating from law school. Jennifer began her legal career as a criminal defense attorney with the Office of the Public Defender in Shalimar, Florida and later worked as a prosecutor with the Office of the State Attorney in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

Jennifer now focuses on serving clients in the areas of corporate and business litigation, commercial litigation, condominium law and litigation, real property litigation, landlord/tenant law, foreclosure litigation, employment law and personal injury....

| Board Certified Specialist in Real Estate Law (Florida) | "Rising Star" Rating by Super Lawyers | AV Preeminent & Client Champion Ratings by Martindale-Hubbell | 10.0/10.0 "Superb" & "Top Attorney" Ratings by Avvo | Florida Real Estate Litigation Attorney | Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator (Circuit & Appellate) & Qualified Arbitrator | Cranford Law, PL | Phone: (850) 502-3353 | Email: info@cranford.law I have focused my practice on issues involving Real Estate Litigation, Transactions, and Government Relations since my career began and, as a result, each new year of practice pays dividends in the knowledge I gain to help future clients in those areas. In addition to that...

Anthony L. Conticello EDUCATION: University of Florida – College of Law – Graduated May 1997 University of Florida – B.A. Honors – August 1994 Broward Community College – A.A. Honors – August 1991 WHY CHOOSE ATTORNEY ANTHONY CONTICELLO? Attorney Conticello leverages over two decades of legal experience in a variety of complementary legal areas. His current practice focuses on Elder Law Planning, Estate & Trust Planning, Estate Administration including Probate, as well as Sunshine Law and Public Records compliance. Additionally, firm handles Civil litigation and Commercial disputes, and has served as outside Business and Corporate Counsel for a variety of corporations. While our office is in...

I have been practicing for over 10 years and over 5000 court cases, ranging from DUIs and Domestic Violence charges–to the most serious and complex felony cases. I have had many jury trials and have represented those charged with capital offenses. I attended law school at the University of North Dakota. While there I focused on trial advocacy and litigation and worked some excellent attorneys at Zimney, Foster, P.C. I worked in the areas of Insurance Defense, Commercial Law, and Federal Criminal Law. After moving to Florida with my family, I started working as a prosecutor for child...

Jay Patel is a Former Prosecutor and a Former Law Enforcement Officer with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. After Jay was admitted to the Florida Bar, he served as a prosecutor in Okaloosa and Walton Counties from 2013 to 2017. As an Assistant State Attorney, he spent years prosecuting thousands of crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, some punishable by life in prison. Jay achieved success in prosecuting criminal cases that were before a jury, a judge, and the appellate court. Despite his success as a Florida Prosecutor, Jay decided it was time for a change. Thus, in 2017, Jay went...

Shawn holds a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Florida State University, College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in History Education from the University of West Florida. Shawn has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1996, a member of the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida since 1997, and Board Certified as an expert in Juvenile Law since 2017.

Scott Critzer began working in the construction and real estate business more than 30 years ago, after graduating from Virginia Tech’s top ranked Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Scott worked first as an engineer for a commercial developer and later as a development project manager. Continuing his education, Scott graduated from Georgia State University College of Law in 1993, and has been a member of the State Bar of Georgia since that time. The Critzer Law Firm opened in Atlanta where Scott worked litigating real estate cases and performed real...

Joe Zarzaur is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney whose firm is dedicated to promoting community safety since 2007. Zarzaur Law, P.A. is focused on personal injury litigation has more than 20 years of experience in this niche. The firm’s lawyers meet with each client and carefully explain the steps they need to protect themselves and any loved ones who have personal injuries. Zarzaur Law offers free initial consultations to Florida personal injury victims. The firm has two offices in Pensacola and Destin to help serve Escambia, Santa Rosa and the surrounding areas.

Zarzaur Law has earned its reputation as one...

Andy Wayne Williamson is a life long resident of the Florida Panhandle. Wayne was born in Marianna, Florida. Wayne lived in Bonifay, Florida until 1981 when His Family moved to DeFuniak Springs. Wayne graduated from Walton Senior High School in 1987. Wayne attend Okaloosa Walton Community College (Now NW Florida State College) and graduated with two degrees. Wayne then attended Florida State University and graduated in 1993. Wayne attended Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia and graduated in 1997 with a Juris Doctorate degree. Wayne's primary office is located South...

Clay B. Adkinson is a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney at Adkinson Law Firm in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The firm, which has more than 30 years of experience in the Florida Panhandle, represents clients facing criminal charges and others who are involved in family law issues. Adkinson earned his bachelor's degree in political science at Florida State University in Tallahassee in 2003. He then attended law school at Florida State University College of Law where he graduated with his juris doctor degree in 2005. After law school, he joined Adkinson Law Firm with...

Handle civil and criminal cases throughout Northwest Florida. My firm focuses on personal injury, criminal defense, bankruptcy, real estate closings, and general civil litigation.

Attorney David Stevens is a third-generation resident of Okaloosa County. A proud Seminole, David graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University before earning his Juris Doctorate from the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, VA. He currently resides in Niceville, FL with his wife and three-year-old daughter.

David was sworn in to practice law in Florida in 2010, and soon joined a civil litigation law firm in Santa Rosa Beach as an associate attorney. He went on to become a prosecutor with the State Attorney's Office in Shalimar, FL, and served in that capacity for...

Clark H. Henderson, originally from Waynesboro, Mississippi, is a 2007 graduate of the University of South Alabama and a 2011 graduate of the Cumberland School of Law, Sam ford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. During law school Clark interned at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and with the Honorable Laura Petro, 10th Judicial Circuit, Criminal Division. He practiced in Birmingham, Alabama before being admitted to the Florida Bar. Clark is licensed to practice in both Florida and Alabama.

Stephen “Steve” Joseph Ryan was born in the Bronx, where his mother worked as a nurse and his father was an officer with the New York Police Department. In the early ’90s, Steve moved to Tallahassee, Florida to continue his studies at Florida State University’s College of Law, where he met fellow law student and his future law partner, Shawn Risen. In 1995, Steve graduated with honors and received a Juris Doctorate, and one year later, Steve and Shawn Risen established Risen & Ryan, Attorneys at Law.

I am an AV-rated former assistant state attorney, former bar counsel and former assistant attorney general with over 24 years experience. I represent people who are being prosecuted by the government. If you are in Florida and have been accused of a crime or your licensing board is trying to discipline you, call me. I can help.

I was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, where I practiced law from 1977. I was a municipal attorney for the first part of my legal career, and then switched to private practice. I conducted a general private law practice, with emphasis in civil litigation and bankruptcy. I also taught several college-level courses relating to various aspects of the law. In 2004, my family and I moved to Florida and have been here ever since. From 2011 to 2015 I worked for another lawyer in Walton County, assisting him in his office, especially with scheduling...

Dan O’Rourke has been practicing law in Florida for nearly 20 years and focuses on general civil and commercial litigation in the state and federal trial and appellate courts of northwest Florida. Dan has represented clients in matters ranging from Covenants Not to Compete in the trial court of Walton County to construction liens and contract disputes throughout northwest Florida. He has also represented clients in real estate fraud disputes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida and claims pursuant to the federal Hyde Amendment (awarding attorney fees to victims of malicious, vexatious, frivolous and...

Jeff founded Burns Firm in 2021 to serve hard-working individuals and small businesses needing legal services to start, grow, and protect their livelihoods and nest eggs. Jeff has experienced thousands of lawsuits as a former commercial litigator and former Circuit Court judge, and he can draw on this wealth of experience to assist his clients with their needs. Jeff concentrates his law practice on business law, real estate law, property law, water law, asset-protection law, and simple estate planning. Before he took the bench as a Circuit Court judge, Jeff concentrated on complex commercial litigation, local government representation, and appellate law....