Criminal Defense · Seattle
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Seattle
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 18 criminal defense lawyers practising in Seattle on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 14 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 18
- 13 verified licences
- 72%
- average years in practice
- 14
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Julia Thornton
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Vance & Ashby LLP31 yrs in practice4.8(22)Criminal DefenseFamilyPersonal Injury - 2
Irene Delgado
VerifiedAssociate
Vance & Sterling LLP32 yrs in practice4.0(11)Criminal DefenseBusinessFamily+1 more - 3
Omar Kaplan
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Harrow & Vance LLP15 yrs in practice3.4(16)Criminal DefenseDivorceEmployment - 4
Yasmin Ellison
VerifiedOf Counsel
Marlow & Linden LLP33 yrs in practice4.6(4)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Russian
- 5
- 6
Tomasz Fitzgerald
VerifiedAssociate
Vance & Sterling LLP21 yrs in practice4.6(4)BusinessCriminal DefenseEmploymentSpeaks English, Arabic
- 7
- 8
Samuel Feldman
VerifiedAssociate
Brook & Prescott LLP37 yrs in practice4.2(10)Personal InjuryCriminal DefenseDivorce+1 moreSpeaks English, Spanish
- 9
Daniel M. Nakamura
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
13 yrs in practice3.3(9)DivorceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 10
- 11
Hiroshi Lindqvist
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Vance & Sterling LLP7 yrs in practice4.6(18)BusinessCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, French
- 12
Omar Mbeki
Out of datePartner
Merritt Law Group23 yrs in practice4.7(21)EmploymentBusinessCriminal Defense+1 more - 13
Clara Abernathy
VerifiedOf Counsel
Hale Law Group11 yrs in practice3.5(13)Estate PlanningChild CustodyCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, French
- 14
Noah Weller
Out of datePartner
Harrow & Vance LLP17 yrs in practiceReal EstateCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Spanish
- 15
Ruth Farouk
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
Vance & Sterling LLP35 yrs in practiceCriminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Korean
- 16
Daniel Ramirez
VerifiedSenior Associate
Vance & Ashby LLP4.5(1)BusinessCriminal DefenseDivorce+1 moreSpeaks English, Urdu
- 17
- 18
Irene Mensah
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
34 yrs in practice4.0(4)EmploymentChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Hindi
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%
Seattle legal resources
- Washington State Bar Association
Legal directory with licence status.
- King County Bar Association
Lawyer referral service.
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.