About Avera & Smith 

For over 70 years, Avera & Smith has stood beside injured victims with compassion and courtroom results that command respect across Florida and the Southeast.

Founded in Gainesville more than 70 years ago, Avera & Smith has grown into one of Florida’s premier litigation firms—representing injured victims, families, and hardworking individuals throughout North Central Florida and across the Sunshine State.

From the very beginning, legendary trial attorney Bill Avera (1927–2009) built the firm on a belief that still defines it today: when people’s lives are turned upside down, they deserve lawyers who are willing to stand up, fight back, and pursue the full compensation their families need to move forward.

Over the decades, that philosophy has produced a reputation recognized far beyond Gainesville.

Today, Avera & Smith is renowned throughout Florida and the Southeast for its litigation strength, relentless courtroom preparation, and record of securing some of the region’s most significant verdicts and settlements. The firm handles complex personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases with the strategic focus, trial experience, and determination required to win at the highest level.

Insurance companies know the name Avera & Smith.

They know the firm’s attorneys are trial tested. They know cases are meticulously prepared. And they know Avera & Smith is always prepared to go the distance in the courtroom when clients are not offered the compensation they deserve.

That reputation matters.

While many firms have evolved into high-volume settlement operations focused on quick resolutions and massive advertising campaigns, Avera & Smith has remained committed to a different standard—one rooted in litigation excellence, individualized representation, and meaningful client relationships. Every case receives focused attention. Every strategy is built with precision. And every client is treated with the compassion, dignity, and respect they deserve.
At Avera & Smith, practicing law has never simply been about handling claims.

It is about protecting people.

It is about helping families rebuild after devastating injuries. Standing beside clients during the hardest moments of their lives. And delivering the strength, guidance, and advocacy they need when the pressure feels overwhelming. For over 70 years, that mission has remained unchanged.

Family has always been one of the defining foundations of Avera & Smith.

Bill Avera’s sons, Mark Avera and Lance Avera, continue the legacy their father established more than seven decades ago. Alongside them is longtime partner and former Florida State Senator Rod Smith, whose distinguished legal career and reputation as a respected trial attorney have further elevated the firm’s standing throughout Florida and the Southeast.

Bill’s granddaughter, Alexandria Avera, proudly continues the family tradition as an associate attorney, representing the next generation of advocacy, leadership, and service within the firm.

Managing Partner Dawn Vallejos-Nichols has served the firm for three decades and remains instrumental, along with partners Jennifer Cates Lester and John Whitaker, in the firm’s continued growth and success. Associates Bradford Willard and Zander Reilly further reinforce the firm’s reputation for preparation, compassion, and courtroom excellence.

Just as important is the firm’s exceptional support staff—many of whom have dedicated years of service to helping clients navigate some of life’s most difficult moments. From the first phone call to the resolution of a case, these professionals provide reassurance, guidance, and compassionate support every step of the way.

Although Avera & Smith is widely recognized for its courtroom success, the firm has never lost sight of its responsibility to the community that helped shape it. Deeply rooted in Gainesville and North Central Florida, Avera & Smith proudly supports charitable organizations, educational initiatives, youth programs, and local causes that strengthen the communities it serves.

Avera & Smith is proud to call Gainesville home. For more than 70 years, our roots have remained firmly planted in North Central Florida, where generations of families have trusted us during life’s most difficult moments.

Our commitment to this community extends far beyond the courtroom. Through charitable giving, volunteerism, youth programs, educational initiatives, and local partnerships, we proudly support the people and organizations that make our communities stronger.

Because serving this region has never simply been business—it is personal.

At Avera & Smith, our reputation has been earned through decades of litigation experience, landmark courtroom victories, and an unwavering commitment to protecting injured victims—not through advertising volume or quick settlements.

Partner Mark Avera and Partner Jennifer Cates Lester are board certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law.

Partner Lance Avera is board certified by The Florida Bar in Workers’ Compensation Law.

When the stakes are highest, experience matters. Preparation matters. Reputation matters. And for more than 70 years, Avera & Smith has built all three in service of the people of Florida. If you need legal assistance after an accident, we’d be honored to serve you and fight for your future.

For a free case review, contact Avera & Smith online or call toll-free 352-372-9999.

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