Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A. is pleased to announce the recognition of twelve distinguished lawyers in the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America and the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
The firm takes pride that our attorneys have been recognized. We are dedicated to our clients and to helping people during their time of legal need.
Best Lawyers in America recognize the following attorneys in their respective specialties:
Sean K. McQuaid (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Aubrey O. Dicus, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010)
- Commercial Litigation
- Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Jonathon Douglas (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Insurance Law
- Litigation – Insurance
Robert Kapusta, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- Real Estate Law
- Trusts and Estates
Bruce Marger (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2009)
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
Andrew R. Pardun (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Real Estate Law
C. Hunter Rawls (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
Howard P. Ross (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013)
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Commercial Litigation
- Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
- Corporate Law
- Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Real Estate Law
Caitlin C. Szematowicz (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Commercial Litigation
Kenneth Thornton (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)
- Real Estate Law
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America (2025 Edition)
Lama Alqasemi (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2024)
- Elder Law
Ranger Jackson (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2025)
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Sean K. McQuaid
Sean K. McQuaid is recognized in The Best Lawyers of America, 2025 Edition, for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. He is the President and Managing Partner of Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A., and served as President of the St. Petersburg Bar Association from 2020 to 2021. His expertise includes Personal injury, Car accidents, Motorcycle accidents, Truck accidents, Wrongful death, and Criminal defense.
Aubrey O. Dicus, Jr.
Aubrey has been recognized in the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America for expertise in Criminal Defense – General Practice, Criminal Defense – White Collar, Commercial Litigation, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. With nearly 50 years of service at the firm, Aubrey also holds the distinction of having handled virtually every type of case there is- from the smallest matter to the most high profile.
Andrew R. Pardun
Andrew R. Pardun is acknowledged in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers for his expertise in Real Estate Law and Litigation – Real Estate. His additional areas of practice encompass Commercial and Residential Title Insurance, Commercial and Residential Real Estate Closings, and Business Law.
Bruce Marger
Bruce Marger has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers for his expertise in Trusts and Estates and Litigation – Trusts and Estates. He practices in Estate Planning, Estate and Gift Tax Planning, Income Tax Preparation for Estates and Trusts, Probate Administration, Trust Administration, Real Property Law, and Probate and Trust Litigation. Additionally, he specializes in assisting clients with planning qualified IRA distributions.
Caitlin C. Szematowicz
Caitlin C. Szematowicz has been acknowledged in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers for her expertise in Commercial Litigation. Since joining Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A. in 2012, she has consistently delivered exceptional legal services in the areas of Civil and Commercial Litigation, Appeals, and Employment Law (for employers).
Howard P. Ross
Howard P. Ross is recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers for his expertise in Real Estate Law, Real Estate Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, Corporate Law, Litigation-Mergers and Acquisitions, and Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships). He has been with the firm since its inception and has been a member of the Florida Bar and the American Bar Association for over 50 years.
Jonathon Douglas
Jonathon Douglas, honored in Best Lawyers 2025 for Insurance Law and Insurance Litigation, is a St. Petersburg native and distinguished attorney. He has dedicated his career to representing policyholders in complex insurance litigation and now serves as a partner at Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A., focusing on personal injury and insurance disputes.
Kenneth Thornton
Kenneth Thornton is recognized in the Best Lawyers 2025 Edition for Real Estate Law. He represents borrowers and lenders in asset-based lending, provides real estate counsel for lenders, and represents buyers and sellers in commercial real estate. On the Executive Council of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, he previously chaired several committees and now chairs the Property Legal Opinions Committee.
Robert Kapusta, Jr.
Robert Kapusta, Jr. is acknowledged in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers for his expertise in Real Estate Law and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. His additional areas of practice encompass Mergers and Acquisitions, Business and Corporate Law, as well as Tax and Estate Planning.
C. Hunter Rawls
C. Hunter Rawls has been recognized in Best Lawyers for his outstanding contributions in Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. A sixth-generation Floridian, Hunter practices in the Wills, Trusts, and Estates division of Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A. With a robust background in estate planning and a strong litigation history, Hunter offers top-quality representation, whether drafting testamentary documents or litigating disputes.
Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch 2025
Lama Alqasemi
Lama is one of the Best Lawyer’s 2025 “One’s to Watch” honorees for her specialty in Elder Law. Lama also specializes in legal practices involving Charitable Gift Planning, Business Succession Planning, Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Guardianship, Medicaid Eligibility, and Qualified Income Trusts. She is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, holds a Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M.), and graduated from George Mason University School of Law with her Juris Doctor.
Ranger Jackson
Ranger Jackson has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for “Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.” Ranger brings a diverse background in personal injury, criminal defense, and civil litigation. His impressive career includes stints as a prosecutor in both Pinellas County, Florida, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where he handled high-profile cases and led an electronic investigations unit.
Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch 2025
Before online reviews, people relied on personal recommendations for legal counsel. Since 1981, “Best Lawyers” has guided users based on the principle that top lawyers recognize excellence in their peers. Through extensive peer-review surveys, only a select few are titled “Best Lawyers in America.”
In 2025, their 31st edition highlights the top 5.3% of U.S. attorneys across over 150 practice areas, evaluated through more than 12 million reviews. The “Ones to Watch” edition spotlights rising stars with exceptional early-career performance.
CEO Phil Greer emphasizes their commitment to recognizing outstanding legal professionals and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
About the Firm: Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A.
Founded in 1958, Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & McQuaid, P.A. is one of Florida’s oldest law firms. We deliver quality legal services to individuals and businesses of all sizes. You can rely on our advice on business and corporate law, criminal law, estate planning, litigation, personal injury, property damage, real estate, wills, trusts, and probate. For more information, visit https://www.stpetelawgroup.com.
