Lake Wales, FL

Kent Lilly

Kent Lilly was born and raised in Lake Wales, Florida. He graduated from University of Florida with a degree in Accounting and then from law school at Florida State University. He then returned to Polk County where he has practiced law since 1977 in the area of Personal Injury/Wrongful Death law. Mr. Lilly is an AV Rated lawyer, the highest rating established by Martindale Hubbell, the agency which provides attorneys’ ratings throughout the United States. He is board certified by The Florida Bar as a Civil Trial Lawyer. This distinction is held by less than two percent (2%) of lawyers within the state of Florida. Mr. Lilly is also Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Florida SuperLawyers and President-elect of The American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Tampa Bay Chapter. He has received the Professionalism Award from the Willson American Inn of Court, the Jerry DeVane Professionalism Award from the Lakeland Bar Assn and was named the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Tampa Bay Chapter of ABOTA.

Spencer Pastorin

After serving in the United States Air Force, and obtaining his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska of Omaha, Mr. Pastorin then attended Nova University, where he obtained his law degree. Prior to joining Howell & Thornhill as a civil trial attorney, Mr. Pastorin worked as an Appeals Referee Supervisor with the Florida Department of Labor, and then became employed as an Assistant Public Defender in Polk County. As a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Pastorin has tried over 60 criminal jury trials. As a Civil Trial Attorney at Howell & Thornhill, Mr. Pastorin has tried jury trial cases against insurance companies and businesses for violations of State and Federal laws. Spencer volunteers with different organizations and groups. He is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest professionalism and ethical rating from the nationally recognized service for rating lawyers. Spencer is admitted to practice in all Florida State courts and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is the only family member to have served in the U.S. Air Force, while his grandfather served in the Army, and others served in the Navy. Spencer is a member of the Central Florida Trial Lawyers’ Association, Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, and the Florida Justice Association. He is listed as one of the Top 100 in The National Trial Lawyers, Civil Practice Plaintiff. When not working, Spencer loves to spend time with his family, enjoys traveling, going to theme parks, or poring over a good book with a nice cup of coffee.

Steven Brown

Steven C. Brown is a sixth generation Central Floridian. He was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida. He attended Stetson University and graduated as an honors student with a degree in finance. He went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law in 1984, graduating cum laude. Mr. Brown began his legal career in Lakeland, where he worked for two years before moving to Sebring, Florida in 1986. He has lived and practiced law in Sebring since then. Mr. Brown spent the first 20 years of his legal career representing insurance companies and corporations in connection with their defense of personal injury and wrongful death claims. Since 2004, however, Mr. Brown has only represented individuals who have sustained serious injuries, or lost loved ones, due to the fault of others. Having spent the first 20 years of his career defending these very types of claims, Mr. Brown now has a unique perspective on how to best represent his clients and secure justice for them. After more than 33 years of legal practice, Mr. Brown has proven his talent and ability as an attorney, demonstrated by a number of prestigious achievements. He is AV Rated® by Martindale-Hubbell®, one of the most respected legal rating agencies in the nation. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, making him a specialist and expert in what he does. Board certification in this area of law is a distinction held by less than two percent of attorneys in Florida.

Sherri Scarborough

Sherri Scarborough was born and raised in Haines City and now resides in Winter Haven. Mrs. Scarborough is certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in Civil Trial Law, a distinction less than 2% of Florida Lawyers hold. She is the only female attorney in Polk, Hardee and Highlands County that is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. It appears that she is the only woman ever to be a Florida Bar board certified civil trial lawyer in Polk County. Sherri served as the chair for the Tenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee for the Florida Bar, a committee that investigates and assesses ethical complaints against lawyers in Polk, Hardee and Highlands County. She is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest professionalism and ethical rating from the nationally recognized service for rating lawyers. Sherri is a former member of the Winter Haven Rotary and is a member of the Winter Haven Women’s Bar Association. Sherri is a member of the Lawyers Advising Lawyers program for the Florida Bar. This program assists young attorneys who do not have much experience in a particular field in resolving legal issues. As a Lawyer Advising Lawyers member, Sherri has the opportunity to mentor young attorneys and teach them the value of practicing with diligence and professionalism. She attends the Church of the Redeemer. Sherri is a former Assistant State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida. She has tried more than 50 jury trials and over 30 trials before the court. She is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts. She graduated from Troy State University and Nova Law School in 1993. She is married, has two children and enjoys sports, fishing and spending time with her family.

Tonya Stewart

Tonya Stewart is an attorney at law specializing in Personal Injury and Criminal Defense. She is known for her grit and tenacity in standing up to large insurance companies and fighting zealously for her clients. With 19 years of experience, she has acquired significant knowledge and skill, securing millions in settlements. She began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Bartow, Florida, handling misdemeanor, felony, juvenile, and violation of probation divisions, and later worked for a Personal Injury Firm in Sanford, FL. She prides herself on her ability to seek great results for her clients.

Sara Jones

Attorney Sara Jones is a passionate advocate for justice. She believes that everyone should be afforded the same rights, and she fights for her clients to ensure that they get the best outcomes possible. Attorney Jones is a native of Polk County, Florida, where her family has lived for several generations. Attorney Jones attended Polk County Public Schools, graduating in 2007 from Frostproof Middle/Senior High School with high honors. Attorney went on to study at Florida State University, where her passion for justice was sparked. During her first year in college, 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson was killed by officers in a Florida bootcamp-a tragic event that was captured by the facility’s surveillance cameras. Martin’s murderers, like so many that would follow in the years to come, were not convicted for their crimes. Of course, having grown up in Polk County, this was not the first time Attorney Jones had seen injustice. But, Martin’s murder changed how she thought about what justice is and who could attain it. During her college years, Attorney Jones studied people, systems, oppression, race, gender and injustice. During her final year in college, interned at Parks & Crump, the law firm that would come to represent the family of Trayvon Martin during that same time period. The murder of Trayvon Martin affected Attorney Jones deeply. She was able to see from the inside how the system was set up to fail Trayvon Martin and his family-in the same way it fails so many of our children and families. In 2012, only months after Trayvon’s murder, Attorney graduated from Florida State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in Sociology and Criminology and began law school at Florida A&M University College of Law. While in law school, Attorney Jones continued her studies of justice, focusing on race and gender disparities in the law. Attorney Jones interned at the Juvenile Division of the State Attorney’s office, where she studied criminal cases against children. She then went on to intern at Mont’s Law, PLLC, where she began working on Automobile Accident cases. She also served as a Certified Legal Intern for the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, where she prosecuted criminal cases on behalf of the state. During law school, Attorney Jones served as a Law Review editor and as the Vice President of the Women’s Law Caucus. She would go on to graduate Cum Laude with her Juris Doctor degree in 2015. After graduating from law school, Attorney Jones worked as an Associate Attorney for The Law Office of Adaryll Lee, where she worked exclusively on automobile accident cases. In 2016, Attorney Jones returned home to Polk County, where she started Sara Jones Law, P.A. Attorney Jones started the firm because she didn’t see any other firms that practiced the type of justice that she had come to believe in: the kind that challenges the premises on which an unfair system was built. Since then, Attorney Jones has earned a reputation for being a true advocate for the people. She has represented hundreds of people ranging from people charged with criminal offenses, to people with family law disputes, to people who were injured in automobile accidents due to someone else’s negligence. Attorney Jones is a powerhouse attorney who also steps up in her community. Attorney Jones is the President of the Lincoln Community Development Corporation, the Secretary for the Green and Gold Foundation, and the Vice-Chair of the Circle of Friends Board of Directors. She sits on the City of Lake Wales Code Enforcement Board, and has been instrumental in the creation, adoption, and implementation of the City’s “Lake Wales Connected” Redevelopment Plan. Attorney Jones has devoted her life’s work to community justice, and she serves her clients in a way that considers their life. Attorney Sara Jones is proud to serve as a skilled and passionate advocate for YOU!

Jonathan N. Zaifert

Jonathan N. Zaifert is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and has been recognized for his extensive experience in the courtroom. He has represented clients throughout Florida in auto accident, wrongful death, premises liability, insurance coverage, and Personal Injury Protection matters, among others. Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys spending time with wife and two daughters.