Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC — Miami
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, employment discrimination, civil rights
$4.9M settlement on behalf of multiple sexual-harassment claimants. Multi-state firm.
- Fee structure
- Contingency
If it happened to you, it's not your fault — and you have rights.
Florida and federal law both prohibit workplace sexual harassment. The Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA), federal Title VII, and Miami-Dade's Civil Rights Ordinance create overlapping protections. Recent federal law (Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, 2022) blocks forced arbitration of sexual harassment claims.
These 10 Miami firms are among the most respected employee-side practices for sexual harassment. All offer confidential consultations and most work on contingency.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Avvo), client review patterns, and bar association recognition. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, employment discrimination, civil rights
$4.9M settlement on behalf of multiple sexual-harassment claimants. Multi-state firm.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination
Plaintiff-only Miami employment practice. Strong Spanish-language intake.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, personal injury, medical malpractice
Decades of combined experience in Florida and federal sexual harassment law. Strong record on hostile-environment cases.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination
Strong record on quick resolutions — six-figure settlement within a week of retainer.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, severance
Strong reputation across South Florida for holding employers accountable.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination
Multi-state employment plaintiffs' firm with $300M+ recovered firmwide.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, employment, personal injury
Multi-practice Florida firm with strong sexual-harassment plaintiff bench.
Practice focus: Sexual assault, sexual harassment, civil rights, catastrophic injury
Strong sexual-abuse and harassment trial practice in addition to PI and med-mal.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, employment (only)
Plaintiff-only Miami employment practice with strong client communication.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination
Plaintiff-only Miami employment boutique. Multiple Super Lawyers attorneys.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted sexual harassment attorneys in Miami. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Many cases resolve through pre-suit demand letters. If a case files, it begins with an FCHR or EEOC charge. Suit follows in Miami-Dade Circuit Court or S.D. Fla. Cases typically resolve in 12-18 months.
Almost every Miami plaintiffs' firm works on contingency — 33-40% of recovery. Florida Civil Rights Act and federal Title VII fee-shifting can pay your lawyer's fees from the employer if you win.
The legal directory you find on Google has thousands of Miami sexual harassment firms. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or visa approval, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We've helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Don't worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Miami lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what's covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Miami firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Miami is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Local courthouses matter. Miami-Dade County Circuit Court and the Southern District of Florida have judges, calendars, and procedures that shape how cases move. A firm that knows the local courthouse has an advantage.
Filing deadlines are strict. Notice of Claim windows for cases against the City or County, Statute of Limitations periods, and pre-suit certification requirements vary by case type and are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop.
Local procedure rules matter. Each court has its own forms, motion practice, and judge preferences. The right Miami firm will know not just the law, but the unwritten rules of the courthouse you'll be in.
Local plaintiffs/defendants do well in front of local juries. Verdict patterns vary by venue, and a trial-capable firm uses venue strategically.
Maybe. Florida Civil Rights Act and Title VII apply. Miami-Dade ordinance applies broader protections. A free consultation will tell you.
Retaliation is illegal under Florida and federal law. Often a stronger claim than the underlying harassment.
No. Attorney-client communications are privileged.
It may not bind you. The federal Ending Forced Arbitration Act (2022) prohibits forced arbitration of sexual harassment claims.
HR works for the employer. Document every conversation. A consultation with an outside lawyer first costs you nothing.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict in the last three years? The answer tells you everything. — The LawFirmSquare team