Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Ottinger Eric H
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
04/20/2009		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
LAKELAND FINANCIAL CORP [LKFN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
12133 EAGLE CREEK PLACE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

FORT WAYNE, IN 46814		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units (2) 03/15/2012 03/15/2012(1) Common Stock 2,000 $ 0 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 05/08/2006 05/08/2011 Common Stock 2,000 $ 7 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 12/09/2008 12/09/2013 Common Stock 3,000 $ 17.185 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 10/11/2010 10/11/2015 Common Stock 6,000 $ 19.595 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 05/14/2013 05/14/2018 Common Stock 3,000 $ 24.05 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Ottinger Eric H
12133 EAGLE CREEK PLACE
FORT WAYNE, IN 46814		       Senior Vice President  

Signatures

Teresa A. Bartman, Attorney-in-Fact 04/27/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Restricted Stock Unit awards are a conditional promise to transfer a share at a specific futurue date and do not have an expiration date.
(2) The Restricted Stock Units are subject to forfeiture based on corporate performance criteria.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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