About Anne Dalton

Anne Dalton has over 40 years of experience as an attorney and legal counselor to businesses and individuals in all stages of business and creative development. Her practice also includes legal assistance to photographers, visual artists, videographers, writers and other creative artists, art co-ops, foundations and museums.

Her legal experience includes stints as Senior Attorney for Radio City Music Hall in New York City and as Legal and Business Affairs Counsel for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Network News Division and ABC NewsMagazine “20/20”.

She is the proud recipient of an Outstanding Individual Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and a CLIO Award for her services to the American Broadcasting Company.

Anne has mediated over 6,500 court-ordered and private disputes. She is a qualified arbitrator and has significant quasi-judicial experience as General Magistrate, Court Commissioner, and Hearing Examiner.

In addition to frequent speaking engagements, Anne develops and conducts competitively priced workshops for business owners, professional societies, school districts, visual artists, writers, photographers, and other creatives.

Leadership in Legal Profession

Anne holds an AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest professional peer review rating possible for ethical standards, legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, legal experience and communication ability. Anne serves on The Florida Bar Ethics Committee as a Florida Bar Presidential Appointee. This Committee is charged with reviewing and publishing ethics opinions for all attorneys practicing in Florida.

Anne is a President Emerita of the Lee County Bar Association and founding chair of its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practice Section.  She declared her presidential year to be the Year of Professionalism and Ethics for all Lee County Attorneys. Anne has served as Chair of The Florida Bar Grievance Committee (20th Judicial Circuit). Additionally, as the first General Magistrate and Court Commissioner for the 20th Judicial Circuit, she was instrumental in developing its Case Management Pilot Program, resulting in more efficient resolution of court disputes. She was appointed and currently serves as the  first Hearing Examiner for the City of Cape Coral to  render Zoning Orders and Recommendations.

Leadership in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Profession

Anne is a Diplomate with the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and a Fellow with the American College of Civil Trial Mediators. Both of these positions are by invitation only, after rigorous review of credentials and peer opinions.  She has taught ADR concepts and practices at the university level and also has lectured to LLM students in Budapest, Hungary regarding American mediation models.  She served the Arbitration-Mediation Board for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit for over 25 years as President, Executive Committee member, and Board member.

Leadership in Community (Pro Bono)

Anne acted as Chair/Parliamentarian of the Planning Board of the City of Fort Myers for 15 years as part of her civic duties to her community. She also served as pro bono Chair/President of a local nonprofit nursing home for over 10 years and as Chair/Founding Member of the Lee County Human Services Council for 12 years. For her outstanding contributions to the community, Anne has been named Citizen of the Year by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. She also received a Proclamation of Meritorious Service and Ceremonial Key to the Town of Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

Education and Bar Memberships

Raised in the Allegheny Mountains of western Pennsylvania, Anne graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She received her Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law at Lincoln Center, New York City, after clerking for a Federal Judge in the Southern District of New York during law school. She is an active member of the New York State and Florida Bars and is licensed to practice in various federal and appellate courts, as well as in the State of Pennsylvania.