Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.

United States 2025

Metro Rankings

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General Information

Practice Areas

Individuals recognized in Best Lawyers

Client Comments

Year founded: 1924

This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Founded in 1924, Henderson Franklin is headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida, and has offices in Sanibel Island and Bonita Springs. We are proud of our role in the history of Southwest Florida, and in the formation of many of its communities and businesses, from the formation of the Caloosahatchee Bridge Company, which built and maintained the first bridge connecting Fort Myers to the rest of Lee County in 1924, to assisting Barron Collier in the organization of Collier County in 1929. Since then, we have grown to be the largest locally based, full-service regional firm, serving the needs of our clients throughout Southwest Florida, with a focus on Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties. From Naples north to Sarasota, including the cities of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte and Labelle, the firm represents real estate developers, financial institutions, businesses, governmental entities, insurance companies and individuals who have all played an instrumental role in the vast growth of this area during the 21st Century. As one of the oldest and largest law firms between Tampa and Miami, we continue to provide our clients with highly personalized service from approximately 55 experienced attorneys.

Rankings

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. is metro ranked in 9 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

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Metro Rankings

Fort Myers

Tier 1 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Family Law

Tier 1 for Health Care Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.

Family Law

Kayla Richmond of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt has been phenomenal in handling my modification case. It’s been a difficult battle regarding custody and time-sharing, but she has been transparent, reasonable, and pleasant to work with.

Trusts and Estates

I worked with Ron Eisenberg and Rich Mancini, at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, after my husband died. They assisted me with many extremely problematic and complicated estate issues. I am very grateful for their support and expertise throughout the process of settling the estate.

Susan Brown

Commercial Litigation

Carlos Kelly of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt has been our main attorney contact and he is very responsive even over holidays and weekends. We have been clients of this firm for over 40 years and trust them for all our legal matters.

Pat Ciniello – Bowland Centers

Family Law

It has been said that divorce is one of the most challenging experiences one will ever face. Having lived through it, I have to agree. I am so grateful for the compassion and expertise of Kayla Richmond and her team at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt. Kayla helped me to keep hope while also managing my expectations. Her calm demeanor, knowledge of family law, and reasonable approach to resolving disagreements puts her at the top in her field. I would recommend Kayla and the team at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt to anyone who needs a family law attorney.

R. Ashley LaMar

Land Use and Zoning Law

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt attorneys take the time necessary to understand the clients desires. They are extremely well connected and liked by professionals in this field.

Stephen Raleigh – SVR Investments, LLC

Family Law

Kayla was my attorney during a two-and-a-half-year long custody and divorce battle. She was understanding and firm. She was not timid about letting me know when I was acting irrational or overly dramatic. She fought for me and my children like her own. The knowledge that I gained from her is invaluable and will guide me through the rest of my co-parenting journey.

Reva Soud

Commercial Litigation

We have had experience with several attorneys at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt over the years, most notably Carlos Kelly and James Kerr. They have helped many times with business issues as well as personal estate planning. We have the highest confidence in their ability to ensure we are protected. We always turn to them when in need of legal advice.

Land Use and Zoning Law

We rely on Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt's insight and advice in order to do business in Lee County. They are part of our team.

Trusts and Estates

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt are absolute pros in every legal facet, nuance and regard! I felt completely assured from day one that I was not only being represented by a legal juggernaut but also that a positive outcome was virtually guaranteed!

Dominic D'Ascoli

Trusts and Estates

I was very impressed with all the Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt staff that has/is working on my estate. Anthony Cetrangelo not only is extremely knowledgeable, but he explains options in a respectful manner and is wonderful to work with.

Christopher Carnrick

Rankings

Regional Rankings

Fort Myers

Tier 1 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Family Law

Tier 1 for Health Care Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

Tier 1 for Tax Law

Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates

Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.

Bet-the-Company Litigation
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Family Law
Health Care Law
Land Use and Zoning Law
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Litigation - Real Estate
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
Real Estate Law
Tax Law
Trusts and Estates

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^®

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. has 14 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.

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Client Comments

Editions

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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.

2012 Top Ranked Law Firm by Fortune Magazine
Lee Building Industry Association (BIA) Commercial Contractors Council Summit Awards
U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers Names Henderson Franklin “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law
2013 Top Ranked Law Firm
2014 Best Large Law Firm of the Year by Gulfshore Business Magazine
2014 Top Ranked Law Firm by Corporate Counsel Magazine