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2024

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Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Oakland, CA

Our Recommended Top 19

We did the research for you!

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Oakland criminal defense lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

310Reviewed

193Curated

19Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

160 Franklin St Ste 210, Oakland, CA 94607

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (115)
Yelp
4.5 (46)
Facebook
4.8 (25)

Why choose this provider?

Located in two offices in Oakland, The Nieves Law Firm APC practices criminal defense, defending the accused throughout Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Solano, and San Francisco counties. In 2019, Law Firm 500 named it one of the fastest-growing law firms in the United States. Its lawyers are licensed to practice in all of California's state courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California. Typical cases handled include assault, drug charges, expungement, and domestic violence.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jo-anna Nieves - Founding AttorneyActive14 yrs

505 14th St Ste 900, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (146)
Avvo
4.9 (68)
Yelp
5.0 (66)

Why choose this provider?

Lamano Law is a criminal defense and DUI law firm, owned and operated by women who take a holistic approach, influenced by restorative justice, to defending individuals. Founded in 2012, the firm has offices in Oakland, Alameda, and Contra Costa, representing people accused or under investigation in the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area. The firm's attorneys have extensive experience advocating in cases involving violence, prostitution, lewd conduct, gun charges, and white-collar crime.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Givelle Lamano - FounderActive14 yrs

1604 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94707

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.5 (19)
Yelp
4.0 (14)
Google
4.3 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Seth P. Chazin practices criminal defense law from its location in Albany, representing clients accused of felonies and misdemeanors throughout the Oakland metro area. Attorney Seth Chazin is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the California State Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Chazin has over 30 years of experience defending clients in federal and state courts. Practice areas include federal and white-collar crimes, pre-file and post-conviction representation, and crimes involving drugs and violence.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Seth Chazin - PrincipalActive37 yrs

2831 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.5 (19)

Why choose this provider?

Based in Oakland, the Law Office of Jeffrey Kaloustian serves the Bay, Truckee, and Tahoe Areas. The firm's areas of practice include criminal defense, DUI/DUID defense, personal injury, and DMV hearings. Attorney Jeffrey Kaloustian graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2009 and is licensed to practice in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. The attorney has experience handling criminal defense cases involving drugs, white-collar crime, grand theft, larceny, and crimes of violence.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jeffrey Kaloustian - FounderActive15 yrs

1305 Franklin Street #404, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.5 (60)
Avvo
4.7 (39)
Yelp
4.5 (27)

Why choose this provider?

Law Office of Nabiel C. Ahmed serves the legal needs of clients in Oakland. The company focuses on criminal defense, providing legal counsel to people who are being investigated, accused, or convicted of a crime. Ahmed, the firm's sole practitioner, represents clients accused in a variety of criminal lawsuits, including domestic violence, DUI, civil harassment, prostitution, felonies, and misdemeanors. In 2015, Ahmed was named one of The Top Lawyers in Northern California by San Francisco Magazine.

  • DWI/DUI

1611 Telegraph Ave Ste 1030, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (10)
Facebook
5.0 (6)
Yelp
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of E. Michael Linscheid is a multi-practice law firm with extensive experience advocating in criminal defense cases. Founded in Oakland in 2002, the firm defends those accused of felonies and misdemeanors in trial and appellate courts throughout Northern California in state and federal proceedings. Attorney Michael Linscheid accepts all criminal offense cases and has particular experience in property crimes, firearms offenses, fish/game violations, white-collar crime, and crimes of violence, such as homicide and domestic assault.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michael Linscheid - AttorneyActive23 yrs

317 Washington St Ste 108, Oakland, CA 94607

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.8 (24)
Google
4.3 (6)
Avvo
4.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

The Castillo Law Office is dedicated to the practice of criminal defense. representing the accused and those under investigation in Oakland and the surrounding areas. Founded in 2002 by Attorney Ernie Castillo after 15 years with a large criminal defense law firm, it advocates for clients in a wide range of practice areas. The firm handles cases of gang crime, homicide, and the use of firearms. It also represents people accused of white-collar crime, such as fraud and embezzlement.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Hugo Castillo - PrincipalActive23 yrs

420 3rd St Ste 200, Oakland, CA 94607

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (32)
Google
5.0 (3)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 2005, The Law Office of Robbi Abrams Cook is a criminal defense, DUI, and Juvenile lawyer based in Oakland. Attorney Robbi Abrams Cook graduated from the Boston School of Law and moved to California, in 1997, opening her law office in 2005. The firm defends adults and juveniles accused of a wide range of crimes, including offenses involving violence, firearms, internet use, kidnapping, and drugs. The firm also represents clients with the expungement of criminal records.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robbi Cook - PrincipalActive25 yrs

201 N Civic Dr Ste 225, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (69)
Yelp
5.0 (16)
Avvo
4.7 (14)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Walnut Creek, the Law Office of Thomas F. McKenna has over 30 years of experience representing clients in criminal defense cases throughout the East Bay area. Attorney Thomas McKenna defends adults and juveniles under investigation or charged with felonies and misdemeanors. Mr. McKenna has extensive experience advocating for crimes involving theft and property, the possession and sale of drugs, and crimes of violence, such as homicide, battery, and domestic assault.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Thomas McKenna - Principal / FounderActive40 yrs

1 Kaiser Plz Ste 2300, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.6 (90)
Yelp
3.0 (36)
Avvo
3.8 (11)

Why choose this provider?

The Beles & Beles Law Offices are located in Oakland, Hayward, Fremont, Pleasanton, San Jose, and Walnut Creek. Serving the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area since 1980, the firm focuses on criminal defense and appeals in state and federal courts as well as on immigration law. They are one of the only firms in California to have certified specialist attorneys in criminal law, appellate law and immigration law. Attorneys Anne and Robert Beles are State Certified Criminal Law Specialists who defend clients accused of serious felonies such as sexual accusations, murder, homicide, domestic violence, white collar crimes, theft, embezzlement, tax fraud, and insider trading.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robert Beles - FounderActive57 yrs

1901 Harrison St Ste 1100, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (112)
Yelp
5.0 (76)

Why choose this provider?

Silveira Law is a criminal defense law firm based in Oakland, San Francisco, and Redwood City, serving clients throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. Founded in 2009, the law practice focuses solely on DUI, traffic tickets, DMV representation, and sentencing alternatives. The firm has experience handling DUI cases when the accused is under 21, has caused injury to another person, or whose driving was impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michael Silveira - PrincipalActive16 yrs

1970 Broadway #1145, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (93)
Yelp
4.5 (18)
Facebook
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Oakland and seven additional offices in Central California, Summit Defense Criminal Attorneys focuses exclusively on defending clients in state and federal courts. Founded in 2006, the firm represents people under investigation or charged with a felony or misdemeanor. It advocates for those accused of crimes involving violence towards people or animals, sex offenses, such as prostitution and rape, embezzlement, and crimes involving drugs, firearms, and grand theft, including shoplifting.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Tennille Duffy - AssociateActive11 yrs
Tennille Duffy - Associate AttorneyActive11 yrs
Ross Pytlik - Senior AssociateActive20 yrs
Rabin Nabizadeh - OwnerActive20 yrs
James Reilly - Senior AttorneyActive50 yrs

713 Main Street Martinez Ca 94553 Usa, Oakland, CA 94553

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (43)
Google
5.0 (37)
Yelp
4.0 (10)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 2001, Tully & Weiss Attorneys at Law practice criminal defense from offices in Oakland, Redding, and Martinez. The award-winning firm defends those under investigation or charged with felonies throughout the state. Attorney Joseph Tully has over 20 years of experience practicing criminal defense law, designated a California Criminal Defense Specialist by the State Bar. The firm accepts cases of alleged crimes involving the internet, drugs, violence, firearms, and murder.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jon Renge - Senior AssociateActive28 yrs
Joseph Tully - Founding PartnerActive26 yrs
Alan Kagawa - AssociateActive7 yrs
Ashley Bargenquast - AssociateActive10 yrs
Joseph Daugherty - AssociateActive4 yrs

2950 Buskirk Ave Ste 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (27)
Facebook
5.0 (15)

Why choose this provider?

Thomas Daly Law is a Walnut Creek law firm that focuses solely on criminal defense. Founded in 2014 by Attorney Thomas Daly, a member of the American Bar Association and State Bar of California, the practice defends individuals under investigation or charged with crimes in the Oakland metro area. Mr. Daly represents clients in felony cases, such as arson, armed robbery, and fraud, as well as misdemeanors. The firm also works for clients looking to expunge their historical criminal records.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Thomas Daly - PrincipalActive12 yrs

1423 Broadway, Suite 1025, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Huff Legal provides criminal defense for clients in state and federal courts around Oakland. Using his background as a former patrol supervisor and police officer, founding attorney Michel René Huff offers insight into the legal procedures behind various crimes for his client's case. His experience in criminal law matters includes knowledge of illegal arrests, search warrants, and entrapment operations. Huff, who is affiliated with the Alameda County Bar Association, also worked as a judicial law clerk for a United States District Court's chief judge.

  • Drug Crimes
  • DWI/DUI

483 9th St Ste 200, Oakland, CA 94607

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (20)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 2006, Jayne Law Group PC is a boutique criminal defense firm representing individuals and small businesses in cases of white-collar crime, complex criminal defense, and trial work. Located in Oakland and San Francisco, the firm is contactable 24/7 and advocates in state and federal courts throughout the Bay Area. The firm typically defends clients in cases involving drugs and firearms, acts of violence and theft, and petitions for factual innocence, including expungements.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Julia Jayne - FounderActive26 yrs
Julia Jayne - FounderActive26 yrs

420 3rd Street, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94607

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.7 (21)
Google
4.3 (6)
Avvo
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Benjamin Zicherman represents individuals in Oakland who have been charged with criminal offenses. The practice handles cases involving gang violence, firearms violations, and illegal substances and narcotics. The office takes advantage of alternative sentencing processes and drug diversion programs. It also caters to juvenile suspects. Counsel Benjamin Zicherman hails from a communications and sociology background and clerked for the Queens County District Attorney, where he worked on matters ranging in severity from petty theft to murder.

  • DWI/DUI

1300 Clay Street, Suite 600, Oakland, CA 94612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0