Criminal Defense · Miami
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Miami
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 22 criminal defense lawyers practising in Miami on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 13 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 22
- 12 verified licences
- 55%
- average years in practice
- 12
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Felix Feldman
VerifiedAssociate
Thorne Law Group36 yrs in practice4.4(4)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 2
Zara Shapiro
VerifiedPartner
Holt Law Group25 yrs in practice3.2(19)DivorceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Spanish
- 3
Ines Lowell
VerifiedAssociate
Vance & Hale LLP3.8(9)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Mandarin, Vietnamese
- 4
Zara Dunmore
VerifiedPartner
Brook & Marlow LLP11 yrs in practice3.9(4)Criminal DefenseDivorcePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Arabic
- 5
Ruth Iyer
VerifiedOf Counsel
Holt Law Group27 yrs in practice4.3(16)BusinessCriminal DefenseFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, Russian
- 6
- 7
- 8
Leila S. Haddad
Out of dateAssociate
Thorne Law Group10 yrs in practice3.2(3)Criminal DefenseFamilyPersonal InjurySpeaks English, French
- 9
- 10
Nadia Brennan
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Calder Law Group5 yrs in practice3.8(4)Criminal DefenseEmploymentEstate PlanningSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 11
Wei Adeyemi
VerifiedAssociate
Calder Law Group18 yrs in practice4.5(11)Real EstateChild CustodyCriminal Defense+2 more - 12
Clara E. Ramirez
VerifiedManaging Partner
Holt & Rowe LLP21 yrs in practice3.5(22)EmploymentCriminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Vietnamese
- 13
Hugo K. Sorensen
UnverifiedOf Counsel
Calder Law Group34 yrs in practice3.7(5)Criminal DefenseEmploymentFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 14
Hugo L. Okafor
VerifiedSenior Associate
Thorne & Linden LLP11 yrs in practice4.6(8)Child CustodyBusinessCriminal Defense+2 moreSpeaks English, French, Arabic
- 15
Isaac Ellison
UnverifiedAssociate
Marlow Law Group13 yrs in practice4.0(19)Criminal DefenseDivorceFamily - 16
James Zielinski
VerifiedOf Counsel
Thorne Law Group2 yrs in practice3.8(23)Estate PlanningBusinessCriminal Defense - 17
Sofia E. Mbeki
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Harrow & Calder LLP27 yrs in practice4.7(7)DivorceCriminal DefenseEmploymentSpeaks English, Russian
- 18
- 19
Elena Ortega
PendingOf Counsel
Calder Law Group3.8(4)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Mandarin, Vietnamese
- 20
Marcus Calloway
UnverifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Calder & Hale LLP14 yrs in practice4.0(8)Estate PlanningCriminal DefenseEmploymentSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 21
Laura Cardenas
UnverifiedAttorney
30 yrs in practiceFamilyCriminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Spanish, Vietnamese
- 22
Camila Ellison
UnverifiedOf Counsel
Holt Law Group10 yrs in practiceImmigrationBusinessCriminal Defense+1 more
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%
Miami legal resources
- The Florida Bar
Licence lookup and lawyer referral service.
- Dade County Bar Association
Local bar association.
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.