We are thrilled to announce that six attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers recognitions are compiled based on an exhaustive Purely Peer Review® evaluation. More than 184,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received more than 25.8 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world.
Best Lawyers remains one of the most credible sources of legal expertise in the United States, and each year they publish a list of attorneys that show excellence in their field. This recognition is a testament to our firm’s dedication to excellence, our commitment to our clients, and the exceptional skill and professionalism of our attorneys.
Honorees of The Best Lawyers in America 2025
The Best Lawyers in America is one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. To be selected, each attorney is first nominated and then goes through an intensive peer-review survey with confidentially-given evaluations from venerated attorneys. This is done to get the agreement of prominent lawyers on the professional competencies of their counterparts in a given metropolitan area. This rigorous selection process ensures that only the top attorneys in their fields are honored.
The city of Vero Beach lands in the metropolitan area of Orlando. This area is composed of 47 different cities in Florida spanning an area from Winter Park to Vero Beach. The 2025 edition of Best Lawyers will feature David Carter, Todd Fennell, Anthony Guettler, and Jason Odom. The names of these GCF attorneys will be published in leading local, regional, and national publications around the world as lawyers worthy of distinction.
We are proud to recognize the following attorneys from Gould Cooksey Fennell who have earned this distinguished recognition:
David M. Carter is recognized for his work in Plaintiff’s Personal Injury – Litigation for the 13th consecutive year. In 2015 and 2021, David was also named “Lawyer of the Year” for Plaintiff’s Personal Injury – Litigation. He is the only personal injury attorney in Indian River County to be chosen as “Lawyer of the Year”.
Todd W. Fennell is recognized for his work in both Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. He has been selected by his peers for 7 consecutive years.
Jason L. Odom is recognized for his work in Plaintiff’s Personal Injury – Litigation for the second year.
Anthony P. Guettler is recognized for his work in Trusts and Estates for the second year.
Recognition in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America
In addition to celebrating our Best Lawyers, the Ones to Watch list highlights outstanding lawyers who have been in private practice for less than ten years and exhibit professional excellence and promise for future success.
Congratulations to Jeffrey J. Spina-Jennings and Samia G. Bennouna for their inclusion in Best Lawyers in America: Ones To Watch for their work in both Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. This recognition showcases their dedication, hard work, and the high level of respect they have earned from their peers at an early stage in their career.
What This Recognition Means
Being included in The Best Lawyers in America is more than just an honor—it signifies that our attorneys are among the top professionals in their respective fields. This recognition is based on a comprehensive peer-review survey where thousands of leading attorneys confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The rigorous selection process is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
For our clients, these accolades provide assurance that they are receiving the highest quality legal representation from recognized leaders in the field. For our team, these awards reaffirm our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of legal excellence and client service. At Gould Cooksey Fennell, we are committed to providing exceptional legal services and achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients. The recognition of our attorneys in these prestigious lists is a reflection of our firm’s dedication to excellence, our collaborative spirit, and our unwavering focus on client success.
We congratulate our honorees and look forward to continuing to provide exemplary legal services to our community. Thank you to our clients, colleagues, and peers for your ongoing support and trust.
