Best Boston Criminal Defense Attorneys

Law Office of Matthew W Peterson is a Boston criminal defense firm handling felony and misdemeanor charges across Eastern Massachusetts. Attorney Peterson earned Rising Stars recognition from Super Lawyers from 2022 through 2025. The firm defends clients facing firearms charges, drug crimes, domestic violence, and DUI/OUI cases.

Peterson and his team serve Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Worcester, and Essex Counties. They have secured dismissals at clerk magistrate hearings, not guilty verdicts at jury trials, and successful outcomes in firearms cases at Logan Airport. The firm also handles family law and immigration matters.

Both the Boston and Salem offices offer strategy sessions for new clients. Spanish-speaking staff available.

Toland Law is a Boston criminal defense and immigration law firm led by former Assistant District Attorney Paul Toland. He spent three years prosecuting cases in Massachusetts before switching to defense work in 2012. Attorney Toland has tried over 100 cases to verdict.

The firm handles OUI/DUI charges, domestic violence, drug crimes, sex offenses, weapons charges, and violent crimes. Toland has secured multiple dismissals and not guilty verdicts for clients throughout Suffolk County. He also helps immigrants facing deportation and has vacated dozens of criminal convictions for non-citizens.

Services available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The North End office sits near Faneuil Hall and the New England Aquarium.

Rosemary Scapicchio is a Boston criminal defense attorney known for handling serious felony cases and wrongful conviction appeals. She has secured not guilty verdicts in multiple first-degree murder trials, including a double homicide case in Suffolk County. In July 2024, the Supreme Judicial Court reversed a murder conviction based on arguments from Scapicchio and her team.

The firm focuses on murder charges, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and post-conviction work. Scapicchio has won successful motions to suppress evidence in trafficking cases and defended clients in Bristol County Superior Court trials.

Her work was featured in the Netflix documentary series "Trial 4" about wrongful convictions. The firm operates from Union Wharf in Boston.

William Barabino is a Medford-based criminal defense attorney who served two Massachusetts Governors on the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. A former U.S. Army Officer and Paratrooper, he brings military discipline to courtroom advocacy. The Massachusetts Bar Association and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honored him with the "Excellence in the Law" award in 2010.

Attorney Barabino practices in district courts, juvenile courts, and superior courts throughout Massachusetts. He defends clients charged with OUI/DUI, drug possession, assault and battery, domestic violence, sex offenses, and gun charges. He also handles cases at the Encore Casino in Everett.

Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Offers no-cost initial consultations.

Joe Serpa is a Georgetown Law graduate who has defended Massachusetts criminal cases for nearly three decades. His trial record includes not guilty verdicts in cases ranging from DUI to first-degree murder across Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex, Bristol, Plymouth, and Essex Counties. He earned cum laude honors in law school and served on law review.

The firm serves professionals whose careers depend on avoiding criminal records. Serpa handles OUI/DUI defense, domestic violence charges, clerk magistrate hearings, fraud allegations, and larceny cases. He has secured hundreds of dismissals for clients facing charges in Boston Municipal Court and Massachusetts District Courts.

Offices in Boston's Back Bay and Quincy's Marina Bay. The firm helps clients seal or expunge criminal records after case resolution.

Mass Injury Group focuses on personal injury and workers' compensation claims in Boston. The firm has recovered millions for clients hurt in car accidents, motorcycle crashes, and workplace incidents. Attorney Michael O Smith leads a team that handles traumatic brain injuries, wrongful death cases, and Social Security disability appeals.

The firm operates on contingency fees for injury cases. Recent settlements include $4.8 million for a traumatic brain injury and $2.77 million for a wrongful death claim.

Located on Broad Street in downtown Boston near the Financial District.

Rachel L. Rado runs a Boston law firm handling immigration, criminal defense, and divorce matters. She helps immigrants avoid deportation while resolving criminal charges that could affect their status. The firm has kept families together by winning cases involving criminal convictions and removal proceedings.

Rado defends clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges in Massachusetts courts. She also handles divorce cases with immigration implications. Located on Portland Street near North Station.

Patrick Murphy is a Boston criminal defense lawyer representing clients across Suffolk, Bristol, Middlesex, Essex, and Barnstable Counties. He handles OUI/DUI charges, drug crimes, assault and battery, domestic violence, theft, and student disciplinary matters. The National Trial Lawyers named him to their Top 100 list.

Murphy knows when to negotiate and when to take cases to trial. He also assists with sealing criminal records and removing default warrants. The Canal Street office offers appointments in English and Spanish. Available around the clock for emergencies.

Stephen Neyman has practiced criminal defense in Boston for over 30 years. Before moving to Massachusetts, he served as a Deputy District Attorney in Los Angeles County, prosecuting gang offenses, drug crimes, and murders. He has tried more than 300 criminal cases and handled approximately 50 appeals in state and federal courts.

The firm defends clients charged with domestic assault, drug trafficking, sex crimes, rape, and indecent assault. Neyman has represented clients in federal courts across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, California, and Arizona.

Staff available 24 hours daily. The Tremont Street office serves clients throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

Simons Law Office handles complex criminal cases in Massachusetts state and federal courts. Joseph Simons and his team defend clients facing sex offense charges, violent crimes, federal indictments, and theft allegations. The firm has won not guilty verdicts in aggravated rape jury trials, firearm possession cases, and assault with a dangerous weapon charges.

Their attorneys understand the collateral consequences that criminal charges create for careers, immigration status, and professional licenses. Offices in Boston and Salem serve clients throughout the Commonwealth.

Brad Bailey is a Harvard-educated former state and federal prosecutor with over five decades of legal experience. He never lost a trial as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Boston and earned the office's "Outstanding Prosecutor" ranking. He also served as Sheriff of Middlesex County from 1995 to 1996.

Bailey prosecuted organized crime cases involving the Patriarca Crime Family and international drug conspiracies before becoming a defense attorney. His firm handles murder charges, white-collar crimes, federal indictments, sex offenses, and complex felonies. He has tried over 100 jury cases in superior and federal courts.

Boston Magazine named him a Top Lawyer in Criminal Defense/White Collar. The firm represented clients in high-profile cases, including the Clark Rockefeller murder trial and former State Treasurer Timothy Cahill's case. School Street office near Downtown Crossing.

David Yannetti started his legal career in 1989 as an Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County. After 10 years of prosecuting cases and reaching senior prosecutor rank, he founded his own Boston criminal defense practice in 1999. His team of former prosecutors brings nearly 50 years of combined experience.

Yannetti has served as lead counsel in 12 murder cases. Boston Magazine has selected him for the Super Lawyers list every year since 2007. U.S. News and World Report named him one of the Best Lawyers in America for multiple years. He frequently appears as a legal analyst on CNN, Fox News, and Court TV.

The firm defends felony and misdemeanor charges throughout Massachusetts. Earned the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 1999.

Matthew Kidd runs a Boston law firm handling criminal defense, civil litigation, and employment law. Super Lawyers selected him from 2018 through 2024. He earned the Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Platinum award in 2021 and holds perfect 10.0 ratings on Avvo and Justia.

The firm stays small to give each client individual attention. Kidd's team includes attorneys with backgrounds in business, technology, and real estate. Located in Dorchester with easy access to Boston's courts.

Steven Topazio has practiced criminal defense in Boston for over 30 years. He defends clients charged with domestic violence, drug possession and distribution, firearms offenses, sex crimes, and DUI/OUI. Super Lawyers selected him as a member, and he won the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Boston distinction.

Topazio starts working on cases immediately after hiring rather than waiting for police reports. He files motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence and cross-examines witnesses aggressively. The School Street office handles cases throughout Massachusetts.

Christopher Coughlin is a former prosecutor who now defends Boston clients facing DUI/OUI charges, drug crimes, assault allegations, and sex offense accusations. He has handled over 1,000 DUI cases and tried more than 250 cases during his 17-year career. Super Lawyers recognized him among the top 2.5% of Massachusetts attorneys.

The firm serves professionals whose careers and licenses depend on case outcomes. Coughlin answers his phone personally and responds quickly to client questions. North Washington Street office near TD Garden.

KJC Law Firm, led by trial attorney Kathy Jo Cook, has merged with Sheff Law to form Sheff & Cook. The firm focuses on personal injury litigation, wrongful death claims, and employment law disputes. They have won jury verdicts exceeding $7 million in workplace injury cases.

The combined practice handles complex civil litigation in Massachusetts courts. Visit sheffandcook.com for current firm information.

Bellotti Law Group has served Boston since 1989 with offices in Charlestown, Cambridge, and Quincy. Peter Bellotti leads a team handling personal injury claims, criminal defense, workers' compensation, and civil litigation. Their criminal practice defends OUI charges, drug crimes, sex offenses, firearms violations, and theft.

The firm has recovered millions in personal injury settlements while also securing dismissals and reduced charges in criminal cases. Available around the clock for emergencies.

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein is a Boston trial firm with over 50 years of history in criminal defense, employment law, and civil rights litigation. Founded during the 1960s civil rights movement, the firm maintains its commitment to defending the accused. Their attorneys have won not guilty verdicts and multi-million dollar jury awards.

The criminal defense team handles drug crimes, violent offenses, DUI, white-collar fraud, and federal charges. They also represent students facing Title IX proceedings and campus disciplinary actions. Atlantic Avenue office near the waterfront.

Michelle Hubbard has secured over 600 dismissed charges for Boston criminal defense clients. Her cases have been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, ESPN, and in the Boston Globe. She holds a perfect 10.0 Avvo rating and Top 100 Trial Lawyers recognition. Boylston Street office. Available around the clock.

Rachel Self practices immigration and criminal defense law from her downtown Boston office. She helps immigrants facing criminal charges that could affect their status. Self appears regularly as a legal analyst on Fox News and CNN. Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers recognized her work. Perfect 10.0 Avvo rating with 95 client reviews.