Media News

Recognized by the Legal Community, Trusted by Our Neighbors

For more than 25 years, Florida Advocates has been part of the South Florida community — advocating for clients, contributing to the practice of law, and supporting the causes that matter most to our families and neighbors. Below is a snapshot of the firm’s recent recognition, our founder’s published works, speaking engagements, and the organizations we are proud to support.

Awards & Recognition

Dania Beach Chamber of Commerce — Small Business of the Year

Florida Advocates has been recognized by the Dania Beach Chamber of Commerce as Small Business of the Year, an honor reflecting the firm’s contributions to the local business community and our commitment to clients across South Florida. As a firm founded and headquartered in Dania Beach, this recognition from the community we call home means a great deal to our team.

Florida Trend Magazine — Legal Elite

Florida Advocates founder Russel Lazega has been recognized multiple times by Florida Trend Magazine as part of its annual Legal Elite list — a peer-selected ranking of top attorneys across Florida.

AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Russel Lazega holds an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer-reviewed rating for legal ability and professional ethics. The AV Rating signals that an attorney has reached the height of excellence in both skill and professional integrity.

Avvo — 10/10 Perfect Rating

Russel Lazega maintains a perfect 10/10 rating on Avvo.com, the national attorney rating platform that evaluates attorneys on experience, professional conduct, and peer recognition.

Published Works — The Books on Florida Insurance Law

Florida Advocates founder Russel Lazega is the author of two of the most-cited reference texts on Florida insurance law in the country. Both are distributed nationally by Thomson Reuters as part of the prestigious West’s Florida Practice Series — the same series used by courts, law schools, insurance professionals, and attorneys across the state and beyond.

Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law & Practice (P.I.P.) — 2025–26 Edition

This is the leading text on Florida’s No-Fault insurance system. Used by lawyers, judges, and insurance professionals to interpret Florida car insurance law, the book has been continuously updated and republished by Thomson Reuters since 2002.

West’s Florida Insurance Law & Practice

Russell is the co-author of this comprehensive reference, providing guidance on motor vehicle insurance, property insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance. Like the No-Fault text, it is distributed nationally and used by courts, insurance professionals, and attorneys throughout Florida.

The texts have earned Russell invitations to address the Governor of Florida, the Florida Senate Select Committee on No-Fault Insurance Reform, and the Florida House of Representatives. When the state’s lawmakers needed expert testimony on how to revamp the No-Fault and property insurance systems, they called on Russell.

Beyond the Law — Film, Television, and Storytelling

Russell’s work as a storyteller extends beyond the courtroom.

“Waving” — Award-Winning Short Film

Russell served as Executive Producer of the short film “Waving,” which earned remarkable critical recognition on the film festival circuit:

• 22 festival wins and 32 nominations
• Category nomination and category win at the British Short Film Festival
• Grand Prize winner at the Stage 32 Short Film Competition, which kicked off the Hollyshorts Film Festival in Hollywood, California — one of America’s largest short film festivals
• Russell announced the film at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and took Q&A from filmmakers at the festival’s opening

“Managing Bubbie” — Adaptation in Development

Russell’s award-winning memoir, Managing Bubbie, has been adapted into a screenplay and is currently being developed as a streaming limited series.

Speaking Engagements & Education

Florida Advocates attorneys regularly speak to fellow attorneys, judges, insurance professionals, students, and community groups across Florida.

Recent Engagements

St. Thomas University College of Law — Lecture on Litigation Discovery and Investigation Russell recently returned to the classroom to lecture law students at St. Thomas University on the practical aspects of litigation discovery and investigation — skills that distinguish effective advocates in insurance and personal injury cases.

Kesher School Annual Gala — Aventura, Florida Russell will address parents and supporters of children with autism and other special needs at the Kesher School’s Annual Gala. His presentation, “Mission Possible,” explores how dedicated special needs support can transform the lives of children — taking them from being outcast to thriving and launching off to college. Russell speaks from personal experience.

North Dade Bar Association Law Day — Annual Essay Contest Presentation Russell presents awards each year to the winners of the annual North Dade Law Day Essay Contest at the North Dade Justice Center Courthouse, in front of Miami-Dade judges, mayors, legislators, and noted community leaders. (More on this contest below.)

Half-Moon Seminars — Florida Insurance Law (Annual)

For nearly twenty years, Russell served as the lead faculty for Half-Moon Seminars’ annual Florida insurance law program. These seminars drew audiences of 75 to 100 attorneys, judges, and insurance professionals from across the state. After a four-year pause, Half-Moon has invited Russell to relaunch the program — a recognition of his standing as one of Florida’s foremost authorities on insurance law.

Industry Seminars Throughout Florida

Russell has presented seminars across Florida on No-Fault (P.I.P.) and Property Insurance issues to organizations including:

• Florida Conference of County Court Judges
• Florida Chiropractic Physicians’ Association
• Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters
• Florida Windstorm Network
• South Florida Water Restoration Professionals
• Dade County Chiropractic Society
• Tallahassee Chiropractic Association
• Hillsborough County Chiropractic Society
• Pinellas County Chiropractic Society

Community Leadership

Florida Advocates’ commitment to the community is reflected in the organizations our team supports and leads.

Neighbors 4 Neighbors — Board Member

Russell serves on the board of Neighbors 4 Neighbors, an award-winning South Florida nonprofit founded 25 years ago in partnership with CBS 4 to provide disaster relief and assistance to Hurricane Andrew victims. The organization has since expanded into a broader mission, connecting people in need with those who can help. Given Florida Advocates’ work supporting families through property and personal disasters, Neighbors 4 Neighbors is a cause especially close to Russell.

Holocaust Documentation & Education Center — Board Member

Russell serves on the board of the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center and presents in the Center’s author series, where he discusses his book Managing Bubbie alongside other works that explore Jewish identity, history, and family.

Kesher LD — Board Member

Russell serves on the board of Kesher LD, a special needs school providing education and dedicated support to children with autism and other special needs. Kesher’s mission — lifting children from being outcast to thriving and launching toward college — is a cause Russell champions both as a board member and as a parent.

North Dade Bar Association — Past President and Current Secretary

Russell has served as Past President and currently serves as Secretary of the North Dade Bar Association, continuing decades of involvement in shaping the legal community in northern Miami-Dade County.

South Broward Bar Association — Past President and Current Board Member

Russell has served as Past President and currently serves as a Board Member of the South Broward Bar Association, contributing to the legal community in the area where Florida Advocates is headquartered.

Events & Sponsorships

North Dade Bar Association Annual Law Day Essay Contest — Sponsored by Florida Advocates

Each year, Florida Advocates sponsors the North Dade Bar Association’s Annual Law Day Essay Contest, honoring top middle school and high school essays on law and the U.S. Constitution. Winners are recognized at the North Dade Justice Center Courthouse in front of a packed audience of Miami-Dade leaders — judges, mayors, legislators, and other dignitaries.

This particular sponsorship is personal for Russell: more than 40 years ago, Russell won this same contest, and credits the experience as part of what inspired him to pursue law. Sponsoring the contest today is a way of paying forward what helped shape his own path.

Israel Advocacy — High School Student Engagement

Russell has organized opportunities for local high school students to meet one-on-one with multiple legislative leaders to discuss Israel advocacy — providing young people with rare access to lawmakers and direct experience in civic engagement.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries, interview requests, or speaking engagement inquiries, please contact:

Florida Advocates 45 E Sheridan Street Dania Beach, FL 33004

Phone: 754-263-4252 Email: info@fladvocates.com

About Florida Advocates

Florida Advocates is a statewide insurance litigation firm founded by Russel Lazega in 1998. Today the firm has a team of 50+ professionals, including 15+ attorneys across five Florida offices — Miami, Orlando, Dania Beach, Tallahassee, and Tampa. Florida Advocates represents personal injury victims, medical providers, and policyholders in disputes against insurance companies throughout the state.

Learn more about our team →