Criminal Defense · Los Angeles
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Los Angeles
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 38 criminal defense lawyers practising in Los Angeles on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 19 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 38
- 23 verified licences
- 61%
- average years in practice
- 12
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
James Abernathy
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Rowe Law Group31 yrs in practice4.8(24)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Arabic
- 2
Olivia Feldman
VerifiedSenior Associate
Holt & Rowe LLP35 yrs in practice3.0(2)Criminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 3
- 4
Wei Abernathy
VerifiedAssociate
Linden & Granger LLP28 yrs in practice3.8(25)Criminal DefenseDivorceImmigrationSpeaks English, Arabic
- 5
- 6
- 7
Vivian Hargrove
VerifiedManaging Partner
Harrow & Calder LLP16 yrs in practice3.3(3)Criminal DefenseDivorce - 8
Vivian Thornton
VerifiedPartner
Prescott Law Group22 yrs in practice4.6(13)Criminal DefenseDivorceReal Estate - 9
Hannah L. Farouk
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Merritt & Prescott LLP18 yrs in practice3.6(8)Criminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Spanish
- 10
Zara K. Ramirez
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Merritt & Prescott LLP36 yrs in practice4.6(12)ImmigrationCriminal DefenseReal Estate - 11
Fatima Hargrove
VerifiedFounding Attorney
11 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Korean, Hindi
- 12
- 13
Mateo K. Dunmore
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Fairfax & Redfern LLP5 yrs in practice3.8(25)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Arabic
- 14
Hugo Ibarra
VerifiedAssociate
Rowe Law Group19 yrs in practice4.8(8)FamilyCriminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Korean
- 15
Irene A. Ortega
VerifiedAssociate
Wyatt Law Group25 yrs in practice3.6(18)BusinessChild CustodyCriminal Defense+2 moreSpeaks English, Arabic
- 16
Mei Byrne
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Ashby Law Group31 yrs in practice4.6(15)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 17
Aisha Duarte
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
10 yrs in practice4.0(20)Estate PlanningChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Urdu
- 18
Samuel Zielinski
VerifiedAssociate
Fairfax & Redfern LLP24 yrs in practice4.3(10)Real EstateCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, French
- 19
Daniel R. Galloway
VerifiedAssociate
Fairfax & Redfern LLP8 yrs in practice4.3(23)Real EstateCriminal DefenseDivorce+1 moreSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 20
Laura Patel
VerifiedSenior Associate
Fairfax & Redfern LLP19 yrs in practice3.1(13)Child CustodyCriminal DefenseDivorce+1 moreSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 21
Kwame Whitaker
UnverifiedSenior Associate
Ashby & Redfern LLP30 yrs in practice3.6(7)Criminal DefensePersonal Injury - 22
Mateo Pemberton
Out of dateFounding Attorney
Holt & Rowe LLP12 yrs in practice4.6(22)Personal InjuryCriminal DefenseDivorce - 23
Clara E. Ramirez
VerifiedManaging Partner
Holt & Rowe LLP21 yrs in practice3.5(22)EmploymentCriminal DefensePersonal InjurySpeaks English, Vietnamese
- 24
- 25
Anika Dunmore
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Holt & Granger LLP10 yrs in practiceImmigrationBusinessCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Urdu
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%
Los Angeles legal resources
- State Bar of California
Licence lookup and disciplinary history for California attorneys.
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
Lawyer referral service.
- Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Self-help centres and court forms.
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.