Larry E. Ciesla

Gainesville Attorney

Larry E. Ciesla, Esq.

Considered by many lawyers and judges in Alachua county to be an expert in probate, guardianship, elder law, and disability planning.

Larry was an associate attorney at Chandler, O'Neal, Gray, Lang & Haswell in Gainesville, Florida from 1980-1986 before starting his own law firm. Larry’s practice is limited to probate, guardianship, trust law, real estate, estate planning and public benefits planning. He has been licensed to practice law in the state of Florida since 1979.

Larry has been the chair of probate section of Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association for over 30 years and is the author of a probate column featured monthly in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association newsletter. Larry has presented at multiple continuing legal education programs in the areas of wills, trusts, estate planning and probate in Florida. He also presents at guardianship seminars for the local bar and judiciary.

Larry is the co-author of Guidelines of Professional Courtesy for the Eighth Judicial Bar Association as well as a guest speaker at senior-level classes in Fiduciary Relationships at the University of Florida Law School. In addition, he is a small group leader at the annual professionalism seminar produced by the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association at the University of Florida Law School. He is a former chair of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and a former long-term member of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bench/Bar Committee. Additionally, Larry has published a scholarly article in The Florida Bar Journal regarding strategies for a defense of a will or trust contest. Larry is a Supreme Court of Florida certified arbitrator and serves as an arbitrator for the Florida Bar’s Fee Arbitration Program, deciding cases involving disputes between lawyers and clients regarding legal fees. Larry’s former clients include numerous current and former circuit and county court judges and many members of the practicing bar.

Education

  • B.S. (Psychology) University of Florida, 1975

  • J.D. (Law) University of Florida, 1979