W. Andrew Clayton Jr. - Mediator based in Sarasota, Florida.
Before becoming an attorney in 1987, Drew Clayton began his career in the securities industry, working in mutual fund marketing and as a registered representative in New York and New Jersey during the early 1980s. He held multiple securities and insurance licenses and later served as Vice President of Operations for a New York–based company that sponsored oil and gas investment partnerships across the United States.
Resolving disputes since 2001
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Since 1987, Drew’s legal practice focused on securities and complex business litigation and arbitration.
Over the course of his career, he handled hundreds of securities-related disputes, representing a wide range of clients — including investors, financial advisors, securities industry employees, and closely held businesses — in proceedings before state and federal courts, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and other regulatory bodies.
In addition to his trial and arbitration work, Drew has served as an expert witness on attorney’s fee issues, acted as a court-appointed receiver in complex trust litigation, and represented a bankruptcy trustee in corporate liquidation proceedings. He has also been a speaker and panelist at annual meetings of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA).
Drew practiced for twenty years as the founder and principal of The Clayton Law Firm, P.A. in Sarasota, Florida, before joining Icard Merrill as a shareholder in 2016.He has been recognized throughout his career for professionalism and excellence in advocacy, earning the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating since 1988, and repeated honors including:
In addition to his trial and arbitration work, Drew has served as an expert witness on attorney’s fee issues, acted as a court-appointed receiver in complex trust litigation, and represented a bankruptcy trustee in corporate liquidation proceedings. He has also been a speaker and panelist at annual meetings of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA).
Drew practiced for twenty years as the founder and principal of The Clayton Law Firm, P.A. in Sarasota, Florida, before joining Icard Merrill as a shareholder in 2016.He has been recognized throughout his career for professionalism and excellence in advocacy, earning the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating since 1988, and repeated honors including:
- Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2012–2018, 2020–2025
- Best Lawyers in America, 2023–2026
- Florida Trend Legal Elite, 2013–2014
- Professionalism Award, Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court (2012)
Drew has also demonstrated a long-standing commitment to professional and civic leadership.He served as President of the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court (2010–2011) and as President of the Sarasota County Bar Association (2019–2020).
Over more than three decades of residence in Sarasota County, he has served in numerous community and nonprofit leadership roles, reflecting his deep ties to the region and commitment to public service.
Over more than three decades of residence in Sarasota County, he has served in numerous community and nonprofit leadership roles, reflecting his deep ties to the region and commitment to public service.
A member of the American Arbitration Association’s mediation panel, Drew now dedicates his practice exclusively to mediation of complex business, securities, and real estate disputes. He draws upon decades of courtroom and arbitration experience to help attorneys and their clients resolve conflicts efficiently, practically, and with insight born of experience.
He worked in the securities industry in mutual fund marketing and as a registered representative in New York and New Jersey for five years before he became an attorney. Drew held a number of securities and insurance licenses as a result of that work. He was also the vice president of operations for a New York based company that drilled oil and gas wells for investment partnerships in various states throughout the U.S. in the mid-1980s.
Drew has been involved in hundreds of securities-related disputes during his career and has not only represented customers in cases against financial advisors and brokerage firms, but investors in closely held businesses, securities industry employees in disputes with their former employers, and in regulatory proceedings initiated by state and federal regulators as well as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He has also engaged in numerous and high-stakes complex business litigation cases in state and federal courts.
Prior to joining Icard Merrill as a shareholder in 2016, Drew was the founder and owner of The Clayton Law Firm, P.A. in Sarasota, Florida for 20 years. Before that, he worked for highly regarded law firms in Florida and New Jersey. Throughout his many years of practice, he has been engaged in securities and business-related litigation and arbitration.
He has been retained as an expert witness regarding attorney’s fee issues for plaintiffs and defendants in securities and business disputes and appointed by the court to act as a receiver in complex trust litigation. He has represented a bankruptcy trustee in complex corporate liquidation proceedings and related litigation. He acted as a guest speaker and panel member in annual meetings of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.
During law school, Drew was vice president in charge of operations for an oil and gas operating company, managing 57 oil and gas wells throughout the United States from 1985 to 1987. He was also a registered representative with L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg Towbin (1983-1984), and Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Co. (1984-1985). Prior to that, Drew was in mutual fund marketing with Oppenheimer Management Co. in New York from 1982-1983.
Drew has received the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating since 1998, has been designated one of Florida’s Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2012-2018, 2020-2024), Best Lawyers in America (2023, 2024), and was recognized by Florida Trend magazine as one of Florida’s Legal Elite (2013, 2014). In 2012, he received the Professionalism Award from the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court.
- Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., Newark, NJ, 1987
1987
- Seton Hall University, B.A., 1982, South Orange, NJ
1982
- Washington and Lee University, 1978 - 1980, Lexington, VA
1978 - 1980
- New Jersey
1987
- New York
1987
- Florida
1988
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
1988
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
1988
- U.S. Court of Military Appeals
1989
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
2014
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
2017
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®
- Best Lawyers in America
2023 – 2026
- Elite Top Attorneys, Sarasota Magazine
2020 – 2022
- Florida Super Lawyers
2012-2017, 2020-2025
- Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine
2013-2014
- Professionalism Award, Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court
2012
- Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
2001-present
- President, Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court
2010-2011
- Member, Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court
1993-2013
- Sarasota County Bar Association
- President
2019-2020
- President-Elect
2019
- Director
2013-2017
- Public Investors Bar Association
1992-2002
- Major, United States Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
1989-2003
- President, The Players Theater, Sarasota
1998-2003
- Founding Scoutmaster, Troop 895, Sarasota, FL
1995-1998
- Member, Sarasota County Human Services Advisory Council
2003-2007, 2022-2023
- Chairman, Sarasota Transitional Housing Committee
2008-2010
- Supervisor, University Place Community Development District
2008-2011
- President, Sarasota Westwind Flyers, Inc. flying club
2015-2023
- President, Sherwood Forest Homeowners Association
2016–2019
- Understanding Finance – It’s More than Money Financial Series (webinar), Hot Button Issues in Investment Disputes
2010
- Charlotte Estate Planning Council – Current Issues in Investment Disputes
2010
- Venice Estate Planners – Current Topics in Investment-Related Disputes
2009
- Sarasota Estate Planners – Current Topics in Investment-Related Disputes
2009
- PIABA Annual Meeting – Duties After the Sale
2009
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