Ciara C. Willis

Ciara Willis focuses her practice on civil litigation in state and federal courts, primarily in matters involving business and contract disputes, condominium associations, homeowner associations, real estate, and other general commercial litigation matters. Ms. Willis also serves as general counsel for a variety of residential and professional community associations, as well as Community Development Districts (“CDDs”).

Ms. Willis was a Judicial Intern to the Honorable Justice Barbara J. Pariente at the Florida Supreme Court, and was responsible for making recommendations on petitions for discretionary review and preparation of memoranda for review by the Court. Additionally, she has worked with in-house counsel at Bankers Financial and Raymond James and has interned with the Honorable Judge Paul Huey at the 13th Judicial Circuit General Civil Business Court. 

 In her first year of practice, Ms. Willis was appointed to, and now currently serves on as an elected representative, of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, one of the largest young lawyer groups in the country with approximately 25,000 members. Ms. Willis also currently serves on the Stetson Law Alumni Association (SLAA) Board and the Hillsborough County Bar Association Young Lawyer Division Board of Directors. She has previously served on the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL) Board of Directors. 

PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Dan O’Keefe, Episode 24, Ciara Willis, Danielle Weaver-Rogers, Matthew Ceriale, Stetson in the Tampa Bay Community, 2024 Podcast guest, Real Cases: A Legal Podcast
• Moderator, “Basic Appellate Practice 2023” The Florida Bar (November 20, 2023)
• Speaker, “Basic Community Association Litigation” The Florida Bar, Basic Real Property CLE, Virtual (Spring 2023)
• Panelist, Condominium Association Ask the Experts Panel on Condo Safety Act, Property Insurance, Legal & Property Management, KW Property Management & Consulting, St. Petersburg, FL (April 5, 2023)
• Numerous Condominium and HOA Board Certification Courses
• Panelist, “Pathways for Success for Young Lawyers” The American Inns of Court’s Bench & Bar Conference, Miami, FL (Feb. 18, 2022)

• Panelist, “Health and Wellness Events” Florida Bar Voluntary Bar Leaders Conference, Orlando, FL (July 16, 2021)
• Panelist, “Stetson Law Admitted Students Day Webinar” (April 6, 2021)
• Hannah Becker, Nichole Gehringer, and Ciara Willis, The Good, the Bad, and the Takeaways of Working Remotely, HCBA Lawyer Magazine, Vol. 31, No. 4, Mar-Apr 2021.
• Moderator, “Basic CLE Bankruptcy Law” The Florida Bar, Virtual CLE (Fall 2020)
• Ciara C. Willis, Note, Age is Just a Number; Not a Reason to Force Retirement, 11 J. Comparative and Int’l Aging L. & Pol’y 67. (Spring 2020).
• Speaker, “The Florida Bar & How to Get Involved” Hosted by Hispanic Organization of Legal Advocates, Cooley Law School, Tampa, FL (January 22, 2020).
• Moderator, HAWL Diversity & Leadership – A Networking Breakfast Series “Speaking Up and Making a Difference as a Young Lawyer” Tampa, FL (November 14, 2019)
• Moderator, “Basic CLE Business Law” The Florida Bar, Tampa, FL (October 11, 2019)
• Moderator, HAWL Diversity & Leadership – A Networking Breakfast Series “First Generation Lawyers” Tampa, FL (September 26, 2019)
• Moderator, “Basic CLE Estate Planning & Probate” The Florida Bar, Tampa, FL (May 18, 2018)
• April 2018, Panelist, Courtroom Etiquette Panel hosted by The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division, Stetson Chapter.
• Panelist, “Courtroom Etiquette” hosted by The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division, Stetson Chapter (April 2018).

Florida Bar, President’s Award (June 2023)

Florida Association for Women Lawyers “Leader in the Law Award” (June 2022)

Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, President’s Award (June 2022 & June 2023 & June 2024)

Tampa Connection, Team Member of the Year Award (May 2022)

Recognized in Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, since 2022

Recognized as Florida's "Legal Elite Up & Comer" in Commercial Litigation by Florida Trend magazine (2021 - 2022)

Tampa Magazine’s Top Lawyers List, Real Estate Law (2021-2023)

HAWL President’s Award (2020)

Recognized as a "Rising Star" by Florida Super Lawyers Magazine (2019-2024)

William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award (2016)

Ciara Willis was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Jensen Beach, Florida.

News