Jesse R. Butler
Partner
Jesse is a well-recognized leader in the legal profession, and frequent lecturer on topics involving legal malpractice and attorney ethics. Prior to co-founding Butler Legacy & Litigation, Jesse was a shareholder at one of the most prestigious litigation firms in Sarasota, where he spent nearly 15 years representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil litigation matters, and chaired the firm’s professional liability and appellate practices.
He has represented countless clients harmed as a result of attorney malpractice, accounting malpractice, fiduciary liability, consumer fraud, unfair trade practices, and other civil and business matters. He has represented individuals, trustees, personal representatives, businesses, cities, insurance companies, and associations in all manner of professional liability claims, recovering tens of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. He has also defended fortune 500-companies, small businesses, and individuals alike in everything from small claims disputes to multi-million dollar litigation.
Jesse serves on The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors where he represents the Twelfth Judicial Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto Counties). He serves on the Disciplinary Review Committee of The Florida Bar, which 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.
Jesse is the current Vice Chair of The Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics, which 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. He also serves on The Florida Bar Disciplinary Procedure Committee, which studies, formulates, and oversees the rules of substance and proper procedures used in the handling of disciplinary matters. The committee reviews all proposed changes to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar relating to attorney discipline.
He also serves on The Board Certification Plan Appeals Committee, which hears and rules on appeals relating to the certification plan, basic skills course requirement, and the continuing legal education requirements. A request for review of this committee’s decisions may be filed with the Board of Governors and the Supreme Court of Florida.
Prior to being elected to the Board of Governors, Jesse served for six years on the Board of Governors for the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, where he served on and chaired various committees.
Jesse is one of the select 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, whether through negotiation, trial, or arbitration, such as cases involving legal malpractice, fee disputes, 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.
In his appellate practice, Jesse 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.
Awards & Honors
A/V Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell (2016-Present)
Elite Top Attorney, SRQ Magazine (2020 - Present)
Florida Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2019 – Present)
Since 2016, Jesse has maintained the prestigious AV Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell. An AV® certification mark indicates that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional ethics and legal ability.
In 2022, Jesse was selected by Florida Trend Magazine as a Legal Elite “Up and Comer” in the field of Civil Trial. He was one of only 97 attorneys in Florida who generated the most votes in a special category for attorneys under the age of 40 who have exhibited leadership in the law and their community.
From 2019 through present, Jesse has been selected for inclusion as a “Rising Star” by Florida Super Lawyers as a top-rated civil litigation attorney. Less than 2.5% of lawyers in the state are selected as Rising Stars. Attorneys receiving this distinction have been recognized as among the leading lawyers in the state in their practice areas. Jesse has repeatedly been selected by SRQ Magazine as an “Elite Top Attorney.”
At the local level, Jesse served as President of the Sarasota County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers’ Division, after serving for several years on the Board as a director. He also served on the Sarasota County Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, Section C, including as Chair. In 2013, Jesse was inducted into the inaugural class of The Florida Bar Leadership Academy.
Certification
Professional Affiliations
The Florida Bar
Board of Governors (2022-Present)
Designated Reviewer, Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committees (2022-Present)
Disciplinary Review Committee (2022-Present)
Disciplinary Procedures Committee (2025 - Present)
Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division (2016-2022)
Chair, Technology Committee of the Florida Bar YLD (2019-2022)
Appellate Law Section, Member
Trial Lawyers Section, Member
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Bar Grievance Committee (Chair, 2020-2022)
Small Claims Rules Committee (2014-2017)
Florida Bar Leadership Academy, Class I Fellow (2013-2014)
Sarasota County Bar Association
President, Young Lawyers Division (2016-2017)
President-Elect, Young Lawyers Division (2015-2016)
Secretary, Young Lawyers Division (2014-2015)
Director, Young Lawyers Division (2012-2014)
Diversity Committee, Member (2010-2015)
Florida Defense Lawyers Association (2012-2024)
Community Involvement
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee 12C (Chair 2020-2022)
Council for Diversity and Inclusion, Sarasota County Bar Association (2010-2015)
Volunteer Attorney for Guardian ad Litem Office, represented abused and neglected children in appellate matters
Bar Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
All Florida State Courts
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
