Attorney/Owner
Elizabeth L. Hapner’s connection to Tampa’s legal community began long before she entered a courtroom. Born at the Cleveland Clinic and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, she moved to Tampa as a child when her father was recruited to lead the litigation department at Fowler White. Dinner-table conversations about cases and courtroom strategy, along with summers spent observing her father practice law, sparked a passion that led her to decide at age 12 that she wanted to become an attorney. Her mother’s dedication to community volunteerism also instilled an enduring belief that professional success carries a responsibility to give back.
A graduate of the University of Florida Honors College with a B.A. in English, Hapner earned her law degree from the University of Florida Holland Law Center at Levin College of Law. Following her father’s death on her final day of law school classes, she joined the State Attorney’s Office, where she spent five years as an Assistant State Attorney and developed a strong foundation in courtroom advocacy. Today, she leads a boutique practice focused on estate planning, probate, guardianship and related litigation, providing families with personalized guidance through some of life’s most significant transitions.
For Hapner, success is measured by impact. She strives to improve at least one person’s life each day through client advocacy, professional support or community service. A longtime Tampa resident, she serves on eight nonprofit boards and volunteers as an attorney with Bay Area Legal Services and Crossroads for Florida Kids, Inc., while also mentoring through the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers and Tampa Bay Chamber leadership programs. Her commitment to service has earned honors including the 2022 Hillsborough County Bar Association Jimmy Kynes Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service and the 2014 Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award.
Outside the office, Hapner is a devoted Gator fan who enjoys time on the water, travel, Tampa’s neighborhoods and its restaurant scene, with Bern’s Steak House and Columbia among her longtime favorites. She looks forward to continuing to grow her practice, serve her community, mentor others and embrace new experiences.
813-250-0357
Serving all of Hillsborough County
hapnerlawfl.com
Instagram: @hapnerbetsey
