About Lesly Carmen
Lesly Carmen Longa built a legal career that blends courtroom experience, committee leadership and private practice. She began her path in international studies before turning to law, and over two decades she has taken on roles in bar leadership and editorial work while running her own firm.
Longa earned a B.A. in International Studies from American University in 1998 and completed her J.D. at Boston University School of Law in 2004. Those years framed a transition from global affairs to the practice of law, and set the stage for a career rooted in consumer protection, family mediation and general civil practice.
She became managing partner of Longa Law Office, P.A. in 2008. As the principal of a small firm, she handles case intake, client counseling and litigation strategy. Running a firm has meant wearing many hats: lawyer, manager and client advocate. Those responsibilities shaped how she approaches disputes and client care.
Longa is licensed to practice in Florida, Maryland and the District of Columbia. She served on the Florida Bar’s Consumer Protection Law Committee from 2011 through 2017 and held the committee chair role in 2015. That period included work on model rules, practice resources and CLE panels aimed at consumer law practitioners. She also joined the American Bar Association in 2012 and has been a member of the ABA’s GPSolo Magazine editorial board since 2015.
Her credentials include certification as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator (cert. 34816 F). That credential complements her litigation work and informs her approach to negotiated resolutions. Locally, she has been active in the Hillsborough County Bar Association since 2010 and was a member of the St. Petersburg Bar Association from 2010 to 2015. She also serves on the Florida Bar’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, a role she has held since 2017.
Peers and colleagues describe Longa as pragmatic and organized in handling both litigation and alternative dispute resolution. She maintains an active private practice through Longa Law Office, P.A., where she combines consumer protection work, mediation services and general civil representation. Her current practice focuses on consumer protection matters, family mediation and civil litigation.
