Jay Castle is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator in Circuit Civil and Family practice, an organizational ombuds, corporate consultant, and attorney with more than four decades of experience spanning business, healthcare, real estate, construction, and complex dispute resolution.
Jay is the founder of Level Mediation LLC, where he provides mediation services focused on sophisticated legal, business, organizational, and relationship-centered disputes. His practice is grounded in strategic communication, thoughtful facilitation, and practical problem-solving designed to help parties reach meaningful and lasting resolution.
Through an affiliated entity, Castle Partners LLC, Jay provides strategic consulting and organizational ombuds services to businesses and institutions throughout the eastern United States. He also currently serves on the board of directors of several privately held businesses.
Prior to founding his current ventures, Jay served as Vice President/Legal and Chief Litigation Counsel for a Fortune 500 food and pharmacy retailer headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Earlier in his career, he practiced with several prominent Atlanta law firms, focusing on business, real estate, and complex commercial litigation.
Jay brings a uniquely comprehensive perspective to conflict resolution, having participated in the dispute process from every vantage point — as outside litigation counsel, corporate client, business advisor, board member, and mediator. His organizational ombuds practice is specifically designed to help businesses, leadership teams, and stakeholders address internal conflict proactively before disputes irreparably damage workplace dynamics or escalate into formal legal matters.
Licensed to practice law in both Florida and Georgia, Jay is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including The Florida Bar, the State Bar of Georgia, the Sarasota County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Health Law Association, and the International Ombuds Association. He received his Juris Doctor degree with Distinction from Emory University School of Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts with High Honors from the University of Florida.
He is especially active within The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, where he serves on the Executive Council and currently chairs the organization’s Finance and Membership Committees. Jay also serves on The Sarasota County Bar Association’s Executive Committee in his role as Treasurer. Jay is also active in his community, currently serving as Chair of the Crowley Museum and Nature Center and as a volunteer with Legal Aid of Manasota, Inc.