Best Boston DUI Attorneys

DUI lawyers in Boston defend drivers charged with operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Their cases cover first-offense OUI, repeat charges, breath test refusals, drugged driving, and crashes that add further counts. An attorney can challenge the stop, question how field sobriety tests were given, and fight the RMV suspension that lands before the first court date. Most Boston OUI attorneys will look at a case at no charge.

To compile this list, we review Boston DUI Lawyers based on public information, client feedback, and professional standing.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Consistency of public reviews across multiple platforms

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

Leading Boston OUI & DWI Lawyers for Breath Test and License Cases

Screenshot of the Law Office of Frank Fernandez, Esq. Website
185 Devonshire St STE 302, Boston, MA 02110, USA

The Law Office of Frank Fernandez is a Boston DUI lawyer and former prosecutor. He served as a District Attorney in St. Louis before entering private practice.

Fernandez has spent more than 25 years defending OUI, drug, violent crime, and federal charges. His work spans Massachusetts district courts, the Superior Court, and U.S. District Court. Cases range from a first-offense OUI to OUI causing death, often turning on field sobriety tests and how the traffic stop was handled.

Fernandez is fluent in Spanish and has served Latino communities around Greater Boston for over two decades. The firm answers calls at any hour and reviews new cases at no charge.

Screenshot of the Contant Law, P.C. Website
10 Cedar St #23, Woburn, MA 01801, USA

Contant Law, P.C. handles OUI and DWI defense from offices in Woburn and Newburyport. Attorney Michael Contant has practiced nearly 30 years in Massachusetts courts.

He belongs to the National College for DUI Defense and appears regularly in district, juvenile, and superior courts. One of his appeals reached the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and several of his cases have been covered by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Outside drunk driving work, the firm takes Title IX defense, traffic offenses, domestic violence charges, and injury claims. Clients come from Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Essex counties. Contant has appeared on statewide top lawyer lists since 2023.

Screenshot of the Gilman Law P.C. Website
1000 Mt Laurel Cir Unit 1, Shirley, MA 01464, USA

Gilman Law P.C. is a Massachusetts OUI and license suspension firm serving clients statewide. Founder Matthew Gilman worked as a hearings officer at the Registry of Motor Vehicles before he started practicing law.

He sat through more than 15,000 suspension hearings, deciding who kept a license and who did not. That view from the other side shapes how the firm argues cases now. It matters because the RMV can suspend a license under the implied consent law well before a court date arrives.

The team handles:

  • First offense and repeat OUI charges
  • Breathalyzer refusal suspensions
  • Hardship license requests
  • Immediate threat and habitual traffic offender suspensions

Attorney Julie Gaudreau rounds out the practice with seven years of trial work. Consultations are free.

Screenshot of the Cohen Cleary, P.C. Website
122 Dean St, Taunton, MA 02780, USA

Based in Taunton, Cohen Cleary, P.C. keeps additional offices in Plymouth and Quincy. Its criminal team defends OUI charges, misdemeanors, and serious felonies across southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore.

The firm also covers family law, estate matters, employment disputes, and consumer protection. More than two dozen attorneys practice here, so a client facing a drunk driving charge can get help with related issues under one roof. Reduced-fee and pro bono representation is offered to people who qualify.

Screenshot of the Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP Website
446 Main St Suite 1503, Worcester, MA 01608, USA

Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP brings over 70 years of combined experience to Worcester County courtrooms. Drunk driving defense is a core focus, including CDL disqualifications, child endangerment counts, and OUI drug cases tied to prescription sleep medication.

Attorney Darren Griffis has argued appeals before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court. The firm also takes violent crime, drug, and white-collar matters. Consultations cost nothing.

Screenshot of the Law Office of James M. Milligan Jr. Website

Attorney James Milligan is one of the few Massachusetts lawyers board certified in drunk driving defense. His practice takes OUI, DWI, and DUI cases only, working from Hanover with a second office in Boston.

Milligan chairs the state's continuing legal education courses on OUI cases and has trained other attorneys on defending them. Over 25 years he has handled breathalyzer challenges, roadblock cases, and RMV license problems. He works throughout Barnstable, Bristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester counties. Case evaluations are free.

Screenshot of the Riccio Law - Criminal Defense Attorney Website

Riccio Law is an OUI lawyer in Quincy, minutes south of Boston. Attorney Anthony Riccio prosecuted cases for the Bristol County District Attorney before opening his own practice in 2015.

He has led roughly 60 trials, including more than 40 jury trials, with a near 90% acquittal rate as defense counsel. Clients work with him directly instead of a junior associate. His defense often goes after breathalyzer reliability and whether the stop itself was legal.

Screenshot of the Daly Law, P.C. Website
1380 Main St #407, Springfield, MA 01103, USA

Daly Law, P.C. practices criminal defense only, with a heavy emphasis on OUI and traffic offenses. Attorney Dan Daly works out of downtown Springfield and covers courts across western Massachusetts.

Before law school he patrolled Boston as a police officer certified in standardized field sobriety testing. He later prosecuted cases in Suffolk and Hampden counties and in Washington, D.C. Daly has tried more than 100 cases as lead counsel. Consultations are free and confidential.

Screenshot of the Anthony J. Luzzo, P.C. Website
370 Main St, Suite 900, Worcester, MA 01608, USA

Anthony J. Luzzo, P.C. serves Worcester County with criminal defense, personal injury, and divorce work. Luzzo takes OUI, assault and battery, restraining order, drug, and larceny cases.

A lifelong Worcester County resident, he is in court nearly every day and is certified by CPCS for district court appointments. Past clients point to motion hearings where he got breathalyzer evidence excluded.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of Lefteris K. Travayiakis, P.C. Website

From West Roxbury, the Law Offices of Lefteris K. Travayiakis, P.C. defends everything from misdemeanors to major felonies. Over two decades, Travayiakis has won acquittals in complex cases, including murder.

His drunk driving work sits beside gun, drug, and sex crime defense, plus appeals and post-conviction motions. He is reachable 24/7 and the first consultation is free.

Screenshot of the DelSignore Law Website
530 Washington St, Stoughton, MA 02072, USA

DelSignore Law built its reputation on Massachusetts OUI defense. Attorney Michael DelSignore has written two books on state drunk driving law and teaches the subject to other lawyers.

He has won cases involving failed field sobriety tests and high breath test readings. The Stoughton office covers Norfolk, Bristol, Worcester, and Middlesex counties.

Screenshot of the Caselden Law Website
111 Rice St, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA

Caselden Law is a Cambridge criminal defense and family law firm started in 2011. Attorney Ryan Caselden, a former Air Force Reserve staff sergeant, takes drunk driving charges, traffic citations, drug cases, and record sealing. Criminal matters are billed on a flat-fee basis, and first consultations are free.

Screenshot of the Joseph J. Goldberg-Giuliano, Attorney at Law Website
Dhar Law, LLP, Power House, The Schrafft Center, 529 Main St Suite P200, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA

Joseph J. Goldberg-Giuliano has run his own defense practice since 2008. A former Rule 3:03 prosecutor in Boston Municipal Court, he handles drunk driving, drug, and federal charges, and many of his cases end in dismissal. Spanish and Portuguese interpreters are available.

Screenshot of the Kelly M. Cusack, Attorney at Law Website

Kelly M. Cusack defends OUI, gun, domestic, and probation violation cases throughout Massachusetts. She started as a public defender in Barnstable, Middlesex, and Suffolk counties. Recent results include a jury acquittal on a gun possession charge.

Screenshot of the Clark and Assoc, LLP Website
79 State Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

Clark and Assoc, LLP works on both sides of the state line from Newburyport, Portsmouth, and Dover. Attorney Richard Clark trained in DWI trial defense at Harvard Law and also handles injury, divorce, and estate matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a DUI charge cost to defend in Boston?

Flat fees are common. Criminal defense does not work on a contingency fee basis, so expect a flat fee or an hourly rate. Trial work costs more than a case resolved at a pretrial hearing. Ask what the quoted fee covers, since RMV hearings are often billed separately.

Is it called DUI or OUI in Massachusetts?

OUI is the legal term. Massachusetts charges the offense as Operating Under the Influence under G.L. c. 90, section 24. People still search for DUI and DWI, and Boston lawyers use all three words. The charge is the same.

What happens to my license right after an arrest?

The suspension starts immediately. Refusing the breath test triggers a 180-day RMV suspension for a first offense over 21. Failing it at .08 or higher brings a separate suspension of up to 30 days. You have 15 days to request a refusal hearing.

What is a 24D disposition?

A first offender option. Most first offense cases resolve with a continuance without a finding, probation, and the Driver Alcohol Education Program. The license loss runs 45 to 90 days, and a hardship license may be available soon after. Cases involving serious injury or death are not eligible.

Do old OUI cases still count against me?

Yes, for life. Melanie's Law uses a lifetime lookback, so a case from decades ago still counts as a prior. A fourth offense is a felony. That is why a first charge deserves real attention.

How long does an OUI case take in Boston?

Several months is normal. Arraignment happens fast, usually the next business day. Pretrial hearings, discovery, and motions stretch the timeline, and a trial date can push a case past a year. Cases in the busier Boston Municipal Court divisions often move slower.

Types of OUI and DUI Cases Boston Lawyers Handle

First Offense OUI. These make up most of the caseload in Suffolk County. Many resolve through 24D, but a stop with weak grounds can be dismissed outright.

Repeat OUI Offenses. Second and third charges carry jail exposure and long suspensions. Defense work often turns on whether an old case qualifies as a prior.

Breath Test Refusals. Refusing leaves the Commonwealth without a number. Prosecutors then rely on officer testimony about driving and balance, which an attorney can attack.

OUI Drugs. Marijuana and prescription medication cases have no breath test at all. These turn on drug recognition testimony, which Massachusetts courts limit sharply.

OUI With Serious Injury. A crash on I-93, the Mass Pike, or Storrow Drive can turn a misdemeanor into a felony. State Police reconstruction reports become central evidence.

Underage OUI. Drivers under 21 face a .02 limit and the Youth Alcohol Program. College students across Boston risk school discipline in addition to the court case.

License Suspension Appeals. RMV hearings run separately from the criminal case. Lawyers handle refusal appeals, hardship requests, and ignition interlock issues.

Out-of-State Drivers. A Boston arrest follows a driver home through the interstate compact. Local counsel can often appear without the client having to fly back for every date.

How to Choose a DUI Lawyer in Boston

Ask how many OUI cases they try. Plenty of lawyers take one now and then. You want someone who knows the Draeger breath device and the current case law on it.

Check they handle the RMV side too. The court case and the license case are separate fights. A lawyer who only covers one leaves you driving nowhere.

Ask about your specific courthouse. Practice in the Roxbury, Dorchester, or West Roxbury divisions differs from Central Municipal. Local habits matter at the pretrial stage.

Look at motion practice, not just pleas. Suppressing the stop ends many cases before trial. Ask what motions they have argued and how those turned out.

Get the fee in writing. Find out what happens if the case goes to trial, and whether expert or interlock costs sit outside the quoted fee.

What Outcomes Are Realistic in a Boston OUI Case

Outcomes depend on the evidence, not on promises. A stop without reasonable suspicion can lead to suppression and dismissal. A refusal case with clean video gives a jury room to acquit. Most first offenses end in a continuance without a finding rather than a conviction, which keeps the record clear if probation is completed. Prior offenses, a high reading, a crash, or a child in the car all push the likely result in the other direction.

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