Steven G. Lavely
Mr. Lavely is a florida board certified civil trial lawyer with over 30 years of experience practicing law in the gulf coast area.
Bradenton personal injury attorney Steven G. Lavely is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer who is considered a specialist in civil trial law. Less than two-percent of Florida lawyers can claim this distinction. He is also one of the less than five-percent of Florida lawyers named a Florida Super Lawyer. Mr. Lavely is rated the highest possible rating on AVVO—a 10 out of 10—and is a proud member of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.
“I am very proud of the honors and distinctions I have achieved, as they are either earned from advanced testing by independent agencies or peer review. The importance of my Florida Bar Board Certification is to let you know I cared enough to set myself apart as one of the very few lawyers on Florida’s west coast to achieve this distinction. With this distinction, you can be confident your lawyer can not only obtain a fair settlement, but if the insurance company refuses to be fair, your lawyer can prepare your case for trial, and has extensive training and experience doing so.”
From the beginning, Mr. Lavely strove to excel in the practice of law and do the best job possible for his clients.
Mr. Lavely moved to Florida in 1970 and graduated from Tampa’s King High School and the University of South Florida, where he majored in Political Science. From USF, he went on to law school at the University of Miami. While still a student at Miami, he completed a unique internship with the Dade County State Attorney’s Office prosecuting in the Narcotics Division during the heyday of the South Florida drug trafficking crisis. Mr. Lavely was one of only two (out of 53) interns offered a job by Janet Reno, then State Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit.
After law school, Mr. Lavely worked for two years as an Assistant State Attorney in Bradenton and Sarasota, and in June of 1986, he opened the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely. Over the past 30 years, he has handled thousands of cases, both civil and criminal, in Florida state and federal courts as a personal injury lawyer and criminal defense attorney. He has been lead trial counsel for people with catastrophic injuries, as well as people charged with crimes that could have been punished by death.
“I believe it is important to understand my client’s injuries and needs to further help them obtain a maximum recovery for their injury; we will become family during our relationship. Unfortunately, many of my so-called competitors are just settlement mills. In plain English, what does that mean to you? You’re shortchanged in one of the most important events of your life. In essence, you’re injured twice. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU! I promise you will meet with me and work with me personally on your claim.”
Mr. Lavely is married and has three children, as well as several dogs and cats. (When you come to his office, you will notice the family setting.) His hobbies all revolve around sports, and he is an avid golfer with a single-digit handicap.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice Law
Florida
Since 1984
Education
University of Miami School of Law
Juris Doctor (1984)
Honors: Several book awards for the highest achievement per class
University of South Florida
Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science
Awards
AV Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
2017
Top Attorneys in Florida
Miami Magazine
2012
Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
The Florida Bar
2009
Florida Super Lawyer
Florida Super Lawyers
Florida Super Lawyer 2010 – present
Professional Associations
Sarasota Injury Lawyers
Member
2000 – current
Tampa Injury Lawyers
Member
1990 – current
Florida Justice Association
Member
1986 – current
Manatee County Injury Lawyers
Member
1985 – current
St. Petersburg Injury Lawyers
Member
1985 – current
Pinellas County Injury Lawyers
Member
1985 – current
Florida State Bar #449547
Member
1984 – current
Certifications
Florida Bar Civil Trial
Florida Bar
Civil Trial
Florida Bar