A weak contract is a settled lawsuit waiting to happen.
Top 10 Business Contracts Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
Most business disputes in Fort Lauderdale start with a contract someone wrote in a hurry, or did not write at all. The right lawyer drafts so the dispute never happens, and litigates when it does.
Updated October 08, 202513 min readEditorially independent
These 10 Fort Lauderdale firms handle the full contract lifecycle. Drafting, negotiation, review, dispute resolution, and breach-of-contract litigation. We chose firms with verifiable Florida Bar standing, multi-source peer recognition, and a track record of taking contract disputes through trial when settlement breaks down.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed verifiable peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Avvo), bar association recognition, state bar standing, published verdicts and settlements, client review patterns, and board certifications where applicable. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
The Elliot Legal Group, P.A.
Fort Lauderdale, FLFounded 2010Boutique
Practice focus: Contract drafting, review, breach litigation
Gavin Elliot is admitted in Florida, Washington D.C., England, and Wales. The firm handles contractual agreement creation, review of existing contracts, and representation in breach-of-contract litigation. Strong fit for cross-border vendor agreements and international supply chains.
Fee structure
Flat / Hourly
Free consultation
Free initial
Why they made the list: Multi-jurisdiction admission makes the firm useful when your contract has a foreign counterparty or governing-law fight.
Practice focus: Contracts, startup agreements, JV documents
Brendan Sweeney built the firm around founder-side contracting. Bylaws, articles, operating agreements, customer contracts, vendor contracts, and JV documents. Particularly active for growing companies that need a contract program rather than one-off documents.
Fee structure
Flat packages / Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Founder-friendly pricing on the documents most small businesses actually need.
Decades of combined experience drafting and litigating contracts across South Florida. The firm's strength is the same team writes the contract and litigates it later, meaning the document is built for fight, not just for paper.
Fee structure
Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Litigation-aware drafting. Useful when you expect the counterparty might breach.
Practice focus: Contracts, regulatory compliance, M&A documents
Main office in Fort Lauderdale with satellite offices across Florida. Handles vendor agreements, distribution agreements, regulatory compliance documents, and M&A contracts for entrepreneurs and mid-market clients.
Fee structure
Hourly / Flat
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Strong regulatory practice. Useful if your contract touches healthcare, food service, or licensed industries.
Fort Lauderdale, FLFounded 1985Large (100+ attorneys)
Practice focus: Commercial contracts, M&A agreements, complex transactions
Florida's largest business-only law firm. The Fort Lauderdale office (201 East Las Olas Blvd) handles complex commercial contracts, M&A agreements, fund documents, and high-stakes commercial disputes. Recognized in 20 Tier 1 categories by U.S. News & World Report.
Fee structure
Hourly ($425-$800)
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: The right firm when the contract is over $1M, multi-party, or likely to end up in arbitration.
Practice focus: Commercial contracts, real estate contracts, business sales
Boutique-style commercial practice handling contract drafting and negotiation, business sale documents, and contract enforcement. Particularly experienced in real estate and hospitality contracts.
Fee structure
Hourly / Flat
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Strong real-estate-adjacent practice if your contracts involve property, leases, or development.
Practice focus: Non-compete, trade secret, contract litigation
Peter T. Mavrick has 25+ years of experience representing businesses in non-competition covenant litigation, trade-secret disputes, contract litigation, and employment-related contract enforcement. The firm is strongest in restrictive-covenant cases.
Fee structure
Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Best-in-class if your contract issue is a non-compete, NDA, or trade-secret fight.
Practice focus: Contract litigation, business disputes
Justin Carlin is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Business Litigation, named a top lawyer by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and South Florida Legal Guide. Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. The firm focuses on commercial contract disputes through trial.
Fee structure
Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Board certification in business litigation is rare. Fewer than 200 attorneys statewide hold it.
Practice focus: Operating agreements, founders agreements, vendor contracts
Forty years counseling founders on contract structures inside the LLC and joint-venture context. Recognized for thoughtful operating agreements and member buy-sell provisions that survive litigation.
Fee structure
Flat / Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Best for the contracts that live inside the company. Operating agreement, buy-sell, founder agreement.
Fort Lauderdale, FLFounded 1980Large (240+ attorneys)
Practice focus: Commercial contracts, multi-state agreements
Multi-practice firm with 19 offices nationwide. The commercial practice handles supply chain contracts, distribution agreements, franchise contracts, and multi-state commercial agreements. Useful for businesses contracting across multiple states.
Fee structure
Hourly
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Best when your contract obligations cross state lines or you need national coverage for enforcement.
What to expect on a Fort Lauderdale contracts engagement
Master services agreement drafting: 1-3 weeks of attorney time. Vendor or supplier contract review: 2-5 business days for a standard document. Negotiation of a customer-facing contract: 1-4 weeks depending on counterparty. Breach-of-contract dispute (pre-suit): 4-8 weeks of demand letters, preserving evidence, and negotiating. Breach-of-contract litigation in Broward County Circuit Court: 12-24 months from filing to judgment, longer if either side appeals.
What does a Fort Lauderdale contracts lawyer cost?
Standard contract review (single document): $400-$1,200 flat. Custom contract drafting: $1,500-$5,000 flat depending on complexity. Master services agreement or partnership agreement: $2,500-$8,000. Contract negotiation hourly: $300-$650/hour. Litigation hourly: $350-$700/hour, with typical contract disputes running $25,000-$150,000 through trial. Some firms on this list offer subscription general counsel packages ($2,500-$7,500/month) for ongoing contract review work.
How to choose between these 10 firms
All ten firms above are competent practitioners. The right pick depends on the shape of your matter, not on which firm has the biggest billboard. The patterns we see:
Pick a boutique when your case is high-stakes but narrow in scope, you want a senior attorney doing the actual work, and you are willing to trade brand recognition for senior attention. Boutiques typically run $325-$525 per hour for the lead attorney and have lower overhead. The risk: if the firm gets conflicted out or busy, your case may stall.
Pick a mid-size firm when your matter has multiple moving parts, or when you need a steady team with a bench behind it. Mid-size firms in Fort Lauderdale typically charge $375-$650 per hour and are the natural fit for most business contracts cases.
Pick a large firm when the matter is genuinely large in dollars at stake, complex in legal issues, multi-jurisdictional, or institutionally sensitive. Large firms charge $450-$850 per hour but bring depth across practice areas. The risk: junior attorneys do most of the day-to-day work unless you push for senior involvement.
What is specific about business contracts cases in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
The local courthouse matters. Broward County is the venue for most business contracts matters originating in Fort Lauderdale. The judges have published procedures, scheduling preferences, and trial calendars that an experienced local lawyer knows by heart. A firm that has never appeared in front of your judge is starting from scratch on the procedural side, and that costs you time and money.
Filing deadlines are strict. Statutes of limitations, notice requirements, pre-suit certifications, and Florida procedural rules are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop. Your first conversation with a lawyer should include a written confirmation of the controlling deadlines.
Florida law has specific quirks. Florida statutes governing this practice area shape strategy, leverage, damages, and settlement value. A firm that primarily practices in another state is starting at a disadvantage even when admitted in Florida.
Local juries and judges have patterns. Verdict patterns, judicial temperament, and settlement norms in Broward County are local knowledge. A trial-capable firm uses venue, judge assignment, and jury demographics strategically.
Red flags to watch for when picking a business contracts lawyer in Fort Lauderdale
Most firms in Fort Lauderdale are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, custody outcome, or settlement number, walk away. Ethics rules in every U.S. state prohibit guarantees, and any lawyer making them is either uninformed or willing to lie to get your business.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney, how often you will hear from them, and what happens when they are unavailable.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill rather than a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Fort Lauderdale lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Who, specifically, will handle my case day to day? Get a name. Get an email. Get their bar number so you can verify their standing.
How many cases like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
How many of those went to trial? Settlement skill is important. Trial skill is what gives you leverage to settle well.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the answer in writing before you sign anything.
What case expenses am I responsible for, and when? Out-of-pocket costs (filing fees, deposition costs, expert witnesses) surprise people. Ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes for a case like mine? A good lawyer will give you a range. A bad one will promise the high end.
How long will it take? Honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
How and how often will I hear from you? Email-only? Calls? Monthly updates? Set the expectation now.
What happens if I want to change lawyers later? Rules allow it; the fee is sorted between firms. Make sure you understand the mechanics.
What is the worst-case outcome for my case? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
Get matched with a vetted Fort Lauderdale business contracts firm
Tell us about your situation. We will forward your details to the firms on this list (or others nearby) best fit for your matter. No fees to you. Confidential.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to draft a basic contract?
For a one-page service agreement under $10,000 with a counterparty you trust, probably not. For anything that defines a long-term relationship, allocates risk, or involves real money, yes. The lawyer cost is 1-3% of what a bad contract costs to fix.
Can I just use a template from the internet?
You can. Most templates handle the boilerplate fine. The risk is the substantive terms. Templates do not know your business, your counterparty's leverage, or the Florida law that controls whether your liquidated-damages clause is enforceable.
What is the average cost of a contract dispute in Fort Lauderdale?
Pre-suit settlement: $5,000-$20,000 in legal fees. Filed lawsuit through summary judgment: $25,000-$75,000. Trial: $75,000-$250,000. Most contract disputes settle in the discovery phase once both sides have seen the documents.
Are non-competes enforceable in Florida?
Yes. Florida is one of the most non-compete-friendly states in the country. Section 542.335, Florida Statutes governs. The non-compete needs a legitimate business interest, reasonable time period (typically 6 months to 2 years), and reasonable geographic scope. Courts will rewrite an overbroad non-compete rather than throw it out entirely.
What if the other side breaches and we have a $100,000 contract dispute?
Most firms will take it on hourly billing. Some will consider a hybrid (reduced hourly + success fee) for clear cases. Pure contingency on contract disputes is uncommon unless the damages are well over $250,000 and well-documented.
Can I sue for emotional distress on a business contract?
Generally no. Florida contract damages are limited to economic loss, the money you would have had if the contract had been performed. Emotional distress and punitive damages are tort remedies, not contract remedies, and require a separate tort theory.
How long do I have to sue on a written contract in Florida?
Five years from the date of breach for a written contract. Four years for an oral contract. The clock starts when the breach happens, not when you discover it. Some breach-of-contract claims expire before the company even realizes there was a breach.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many business contracts matters like mine have you handled in the last three years, and how many went to trial? The answer tells you what kind of lawyer you are actually hiring. — The LawFirmSquare team