W. Andrew Clayton Jr. - Mediator based in Sarasota, Florida.
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.
Resolving disputes since 2001
0
+
Completed Mediations
0
+
Arbitration Proceeding Engagements
0
+
Completed Arbitrations Hearings
For 36 years, Drew’s legal practice centered on securities arbitration and business litigation.
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
Download Handy Resources For Easy Reference
Drew Clayton - Rate Card and CV
Access Drew Clayton's professional background, experience, and current mediation service rates.
Sample Engagement Letter
Review a sample agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the mediation engagement.
Guidelines Zoom Instructions
Find instructions and best practices for participating in a successful virtual mediation via Zoom.
Mediation Tips for Success
Discover valuable tips and strategies to help you prepare for and effectively participate in your mediation.
