Babrick, Jessica G.

Lance Avera, Bill Avera's younger son, is a partner at Avera & Smith, LLP.

Lance attended the University of Central Florida for his undergraduate studies, graduating in 1985. He received his Juris Doctorate in Law from Mercer University in 1989. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1989, and began his law career as an Assistant State Attorney in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Shortly thereafter, he began working as a defense attorney for insurance companies. Before long, he realized that defending insurance companies was not his calling - his heart was in helping injured people. Lance joined his father's practice in 2000 to continue the tradition of helping injured Floridians.

Lance practices law in all areas of personal injury, with particular skill in workers' compensation. He has had substantial success before the Judge of Compensation Claims pursuing benefits denied by insurance companies. In numerous cases, he has obtained six to seven figure settlements for his clients. He is a well known workers' compensation claimant's attorney in North Central Florida. Some of his trial and settlement accomplishments can be found in our Awards & Verdicts section.

Lance Avera has been board certified in workers' compensation by the Florida Bar since 1999. This is a rare and important qualification that contributes immeasurably to his skill in handling workers' compensation cases. There are approximately 90,000 lawyers licensed to practice in the State of Florida, however, less than 0.5 percent are board certified in workers' compensation law. This achievement is an indication of Lance's personal and professional commitment to high standards of practice.

Lance has also been successful in trial litigation. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for attaining settlements above one million dollars. He has been successful in representing plaintiffs in auto accidents, trucking accidents and wrongful deaths.

Lance is quite an outdoorsman. He is an avid fisherman and hunter and, in past years, spent many happy hours fishing with his dad, Bill Avera, at the family house in Suwannee.

Lance and his wife, Kerri, have two daughters, Ashton and Ella, and a Boykin Spaniel named Reecie.