Jesse Butler

Top rated Professional Liability attorney in Bradenton, Florida

Butler Legacy & Litigation, PLLC

Practice areas: Professional Liability, Appellate, Business Litigation; view more

Licensed in Florida since: 2010

Education: University of Florida Levin College of Law

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2026

Selected to Rising Stars: 2019 - 2025

Butler Legacy & Litigation, PLLC

2205 Lakewood Ranch Blvd
Suite 201
Bradenton, FL 34211 Phone: 941-254-6611 Email: Jesse Butler Visit website

Mr. Butler handles complex civil litigation matters, focusing primarily on cases of legal malpractice, professional liability, personal injury, product defects, and general civil and commercial litigation.

Mr. Butler has also distinguished himself as one of the very few attorneys to hold dual board certifications in both Business Litigation and Appellate Practice, a distinction held by less than 5 attorneys out of the more than 110,000 members of The Florida Bar. As a business litigation specialist, Mr. Butler is an expert in dealing with legal problems that arise from commercial and business relationships including litigation of controversies and evaluating, handling, and resolving these controversies, such as cases involving legal malpractice, professional liability, contract disputes, consumer protection law, and a broad spectrum of complex civil disputes. Moreover, as an appellate specialist, Mr. Butler is an expert at the type of legal research, analysis, and advocacy that is foundational to effective appellate representation, as well as recognizing and evaluating potential issues and remedies that may arise in the context of litigation, prior to the initiation of the appellate process.

Mr. Butler is a well-recognized state leader in the legal profession. He is a member of The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors, where he serves on the Disciplinary Review Committee, the Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics, and the Board Certification Appeals Committee. The Disciplinary Review Committee oversees the prosecution and appeals for disciplinary violations by Florida lawyers, recommends policy on lawyer regulation and discipline matters, and reviews and makes recommendations on disciplinary actions that require review of the Board of Governors. The Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics performs preliminary review of advisory ethics opinions appealed to the Board of Governors from the Professional Ethics Committee and advisory advertising opinions appealed to the Board from the Standing Committee on Advertising.

In his appellate practice, Mr. Butler has handled appeals throughout Florida and in Federal court. His cases involve a wide-range of substantive areas of the law, including appeals involving final judgments, non-final orders, and petitions seeking extraordinary writs. In 2018, Mr. Butler received the special distinction of being admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court.

In his spare time, Mr. Butler enjoys time with his wife and son, and reading about Roman history. Mr. Butler was born in Chicago, IL and is a life-long Cubs fan, UCF Knight, and Florida Gator.

Practice areas

Professional Liability: Plaintiff, Appellate, Business Litigation, Consumer Law

First Admitted: 2010, Florida

Professional Webpage: http://www.dglawyers.com/attorneys/attorney.php

Bar / Professional Activity

Board Liason to Appellate Court Rules Committee, Solo and Small Firm Section, and Consumer Law Section, 2025
Disciplinary Review Committee, Florida Bar, 2025
Certification Plan Appeals Committee, 2025
Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics, Florida Bar (Co-Chair), 2025
Designated Reviewer, Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committees A, B, and C, 2025
Governor, Florida Bar Board of Governors, 2025
Designated Reviewer, Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committees A, B, and C, 2024
Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics, 2023
Disciplinary Review Commitee, Florida Bar Board of Governors , 2023
Disciplinary Review Committee, Florida Bar Board of Governors , 2022
Governor, Florida Bar Board of Governors, 2022
12th Judicial Circuit Bar Grievance Committee, Chair, 2021
12th Judicial Circuit Bar Grievance Committee, Chair, 2020
Co-Chair, Florida Bar YLD's Technology Committee, 2018
The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors, Governor for the 12th Judicial Circuit, 2018
The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors, Governor for the 12th Judicial Circuit, 2017
The Florida Bar YLD Board of Governors, Governor for the 12th Judicial Circuit, 2016
President, Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, 2016
Member, Small Claims Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, 2016
Member, Small Claims Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, 2015
President-Elect, Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, 2015
Member, Small Claims Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, 2014
Secretary, Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, 2014
Board Member, Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, 2013
Fellow, The Florida Bar Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. Leadership Academy, 2013
Board Member, Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, 2012
Member, Diversity Committee of the Sarasota County Bar Association, 2010

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

Successfully settled malpractice claim of $2,000,000 on behalf of estate and beneficiaries, in case involving allegedly negligently prepared estate plan. , 2023
Obtained settlement of client’s fraud and FDUTPA action against car dealership, involving misrepresentations in sale of classic automobile and spoliation of evidence. Settlement included cost of vehicle, punitive damages, and attorney fees and costs. , 2023
Successfully represented City of Sarasota in appeal involving premises liability/trip and fall on city property. , 2024
Settlement in legal malpractice action involving alleged negligent preparation of amendments to estate planning documents, resulting in inadvertent reduction of beneficiary’s share of estate. Settlement for $100,000 policy limits. , 2024
Settled claim on behalf of trust for $1,000,000 policy limits, in case involved attorney’s alleged negligence in trust litigation. , 2023
Obtained dismissal with prejudice for fraud on the court on behalf of insured defendant in a personal injury action. Established that Plaintiff had intentionally omitted material information regarding her medical history. Judgment entered for client., 2019
Obtained directed verdict at trial for defendant business in consumer fraud case brought by former customer., 2019
Co-counsel for a product manufacturer and distributor that was sued for defamation, related to allegedly causing a bad debt to be placed on the plaintiff's credit report. At trial, the plaintiff sought $1,000,000.00 in damages plus an unknown amount of punitive damages. After a 5 day trial the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of my client., 2017
Co-counsel for the Plaintiff in a claim against the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for violations of Florida's Motor Vehicle Repair Act, FDUTPA, and fraud. The jury returned a verdict in my client's favor of $38,767.00 plus $750,000.00 in punitive damages. The court also entered a separate judgment for attorneys fees and costs in our favor of over $1,000,000.00. , 2016
Co-counsel in legal malpractice case, obtaining a settlement of over $500,000 in favor of the client against its former attorneys. , 2017

Special Licenses / Certifications

Board Certified in Business Litigation by The Florida Bar, 2024
Board Certified in Appellate Practice by The Florida Bar, 2019
Admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, 2018

Pro bono / Community Service

12th Judicial Circuit Greivance Committee , 2019
I regularly provide pro bono legal service to the Statewide Guardian ad Litem program, by handling appellate matters on behalf of the GAL., 2018
Recipient of Children's Champion Award from the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, 2019

Honors

Pro Bono Award, Florida Statewide Guardisn ad Litem, 2020
Was recognized by Legal Aid of Manasota for contributions to needy clients by providing pro bono legal services., Pro Bono Award Recipient, Legal Aid of Manasota, 2018
Each year, the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar give special recognition to lawyers, groups and members of the judiciary who have freely given their time and expertise in ensuring access to justice for those who otherwise could not afford it. This award is given to an outstanding attorney for each of the state’s 20 judicial circuits and to an outstanding attorney among the out-of-state Florida Bar members., Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award, The Florida Bar & Florida Supreme Court, 2020
For dedication to pro bono representation of abused and neglected children in the appellate process., Children's Champion Award, The Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, 2019
Jesse Butler has been awarded the prestigious AV Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment; a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence., A/V Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2016
The Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. Leadership Academy is a multi-session training program designed to assist a diverse and inclusive group of lawyers in becoming better leaders within our profession, in their chosen path, while enhancing their leadership skills.Each year a select group of participants are selected from applications submitted to the Bar to become Academy Fellows., Florida Bar Leadership Academy Fellow, The Florida Bar, 2013

Educational Background

University of Central Florida, B.A. in Legal Studies (with University Honors), 2006

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

Presented a 1 hour approved CLE to Manatee County Bar Association on avoiding legal malpractice claims, Speaker, Avoiding Legal Malpractice Claims, Manatee County Bar Association, Legal, 2024
Presented to non-lawyer paralegals and law firm staff on how to prevent malpractice claims from arising, Speaker, Avoiding Legal Malpractice Claims in the Delivery of Legal Services, Southwest Florida Paralegal Association, Legal, 2023
Presented 1 hour CLE to Sarasota County Bar Association Council of Affiliates on avoiding legal malpractice, Presenter, Avoiding Legal Malpractice Claims, Sarasota County Bar Association, Legal, 2023
Presented to professional guardians on identifying lesser-known legal claims of wards and avenues to protect those claims, Presenter, Beyond Exploitation: Recognizing Lesser Known Claims and How to Pursue and Protect them, Florida State Guardianship Association, Legal, 2020
Presented 1 hour presentation to professional guardians on Florida's various consumer protection laws with particular application to claims involving seniors and vulnerable adults, in order to educate guardians on identifying potential claims their wards may have., Speaker, Senior Protection Laws, Lutheran Services of Manatee County, Legal, 2020
Presented 1 hour CLE on Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and other common civil claims that may trigger fees and how to minimize risk and exposure, Presenter, Statutory Fee Claims: Adventures in Wonderland, Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Legal, Insurance, 2019

Firm News (Newsletters)

Published in June 2011 edition of The Docket, News from the Sarasota County Bar Association , Florida Senate Bill Abandoning Frye for Daubert Fails
Published in the October 2016 edition of The Docket, News from the Sarasota County Bar Association, The holidays are here, where 'legal' or not
Published in the September 2011 edition of The Docket, News from the Sarasota County Bar Association, Halloween is almost here, with some unusual legal highlights

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