Criminal Defense · Boston
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Boston
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 24 criminal defense lawyers practising in Boston on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 13 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 24
- 12 verified licences
- 50%
- average years in practice
- 16
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Esther Tanaka
VerifiedFounding Attorney
32 yrs in practice4.2(14)Criminal DefenseFamilySpeaks English, French
- 2
Benjamin Bennett
VerifiedManaging Partner
Harrow & Rowe LLP35 yrs in practice3.9(23)Criminal DefenseChild CustodyFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, French
- 3
Vivian L. Adeyemi
VerifiedPartner
Calder & Merritt LLP23 yrs in practice3.9(19)Criminal DefenseChild CustodyFamilySpeaks English, Portuguese
- 4
Chloe Ellison
VerifiedOf Counsel
Vance & Granger LLP23 yrs in practice3.5(10)Criminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Mandarin
- 5
Rafael A. Ramirez
VerifiedPartner
Granger & Hale LLP29 yrs in practice4.1(20)ImmigrationCriminal DefenseDivorce - 6
Gabriel Ortega
Out of dateAssociate
Harrow & Rowe LLP20 yrs in practice3.5(8)Criminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Urdu
- 7
- 8
Priya Pemberton
VerifiedAttorney
37 yrs in practice4.3(8)DivorceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Spanish
- 9
Ruth Iyer
VerifiedOf Counsel
Holt Law Group27 yrs in practice4.3(16)BusinessCriminal DefenseFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, Russian
- 10
Leila M. Morgan
Out of dateFounding Attorney
8 yrs in practice4.2(25)Criminal DefenseDivorceImmigrationSpeaks English, French
- 11
Anika Dunmore
VerifiedAssociate
Calder & Merritt LLP22 yrs in practice4.4(9)Estate PlanningChild CustodyCriminal Defense+2 more - 12
Gabriel M. Stavros
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
Granger Law Group29 yrs in practice4.5(11)Criminal DefenseDivorce - 13
Vivian E. Fitzgerald
VerifiedAttorney
29 yrs in practiceBusinessCriminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Korean
- 14
Hiroshi Holloway
Out of dateSenior Associate
Merritt Law Group19 yrs in practice4.2(8)DivorceCriminal DefenseEmploymentSpeaks English, Korean, Portuguese
- 15
Kwame Whitaker
UnverifiedSenior Associate
Ashby & Redfern LLP30 yrs in practice3.6(7)Criminal DefensePersonal Injury - 16
Mateo Okafor
VerifiedPartner
Granger & Hale LLP4.6(13)Criminal DefenseReal EstateSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 17
- 18
Rafael Zielinski
Out of dateOf Counsel
Vance & Granger LLP14 yrs in practice4.2(6)FamilyCriminal DefenseEmployment - 19
Ines Dunmore
VerifiedManaging Partner
Merritt & Rowe LLP3.8(9)Personal InjuryChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 more - 20
Priya A. Thornton
PendingSenior Associate
Calder & Merritt LLP27 yrs in practice4.4(21)DivorceCriminal Defense - 21
Sofia R. Delgado
PendingPrincipal Lawyer
Harrow & Rowe LLP23 yrs in practice4.0(22)Child CustodyCriminal DefenseEmployment+2 more - 22
Ines Castellano
UnverifiedPrincipal Lawyer
9 yrs in practice4.4(12)EmploymentCriminal DefensePersonal Injury - 23
- 24
Zara K. Rahman
PendingPartner
Merritt Law Group6 yrs in practice4.4(14)ImmigrationBusinessCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, French
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
Boston legal resources
- Massachusetts Bar Association
Lawyer referral service.
- Boston Bar Association
Local bar association.
- Board of Bar Overseers
Attorney registration and discipline.
Choosing a criminal defense lawyer
Experience in the specific court and with the specific type of charge matters. Ask whether the lawyer has handled trials, not only plea negotiations, and whether they previously worked as a prosecutor or public defender. Contact a lawyer before speaking to investigators.
Frequently asked questions
Should I talk to the police without a lawyer?
You generally have the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present. It is usually wise to speak to a criminal defense lawyer before giving any statement.
What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
If you are charged with an offence that can lead to imprisonment, you may be entitled to a public defender or legal aid. Ask the court about eligibility.