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Best Criminal Defense Lawyers San Francisco, CA

Our Recommended Best San Francisco Criminal Defense Lawyers

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored San Francisco 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.

591Reviewed

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8Top Picks

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Providers

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Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
Pier 9, San Francisco, CA 94111

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (16)
Yelp
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Hickey & Chung provides legal representation to clients involved in criminal defense cases in San Francisco and all of California. The firm takes on a broad spectrum of charges, including violent crimes, white-collar offenses, drug-related cases, and firearm violations. It also handles medical and professional licensing defense, covering medical, legal, and financial professionals. With more than 25 years of combined legal experience, its attorneys are skilled in trial advocacy, appeals, and habeas corpus petitions, working to suppress evidence, negotiate reduced charges, or achieve case dismissals when possible.

Criminal defense lawyer Brendan Hickey is a graduate of Harvard Law School (cum laude) and holds a magna cum laude B.A. in Psychology from UCLA. He served as a federal public defender in San Diego. Hickey is a member of the Criminal Justice Act panel for the Northern District of California. He has also been an instructor for the federal defense bar in the Northern District.

  • Drug Crimes

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
1388 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.6 (47)
Avvo
4.8 (37)
Yelp
4.8 (17)

Why choose this provider?

For more than 25 years, the Morales Law Firm has offered criminal defense representation in San Francisco and throughout California under the direction of a board-certified criminal law specialist. It advocates for the rights of individuals facing state and federal charges, including drug- and sex-related crimes, battery and assault, theft, and murder. Christopher Morales, the firm's founding attorney, handled high-profile cases, including the Bilitnikoff murder, the 22nd Bryant Street gang rape, and the Fernando Murillo attempted murder.

Christopher Morales obtained his J.D. from Santa Clara Law School. He was recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association and 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys. Morales is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
580 California St 12th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (48)
Yelp
4.7 (42)
Avvo
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

With a legal team comprising three former prosecutors, a former police officer, and a board-certified appellate specialist, Summit Defense fights for the rights of clients in San Francisco and throughout California. Providing criminal defense services, it aggressively defends individuals facing criminal charges, including domestic violence, theft, DUI, embezzlement, and sex crimes. Summit Defense is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. It has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and its attorneys have over 120 years of combined legal experience.

James Reilly, an alumnus of the U.S. Military Academy, graduated cum laude from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 1975. He served in the U.S. Navy with a rank of lieutenant. Reilly has a track record of winning more than 40 district court appeals and over 100 jury trials.

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
Pier 9, Suite 100 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (20)
Yelp
5.0 (10)
Avvo
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of John M. Runfola works on criminal defense matters throughout California. The San Francisco-based law firm defends cases involving federal offenses, white-collar crimes, drug charges, violent crimes, and immigration-related criminal issues. Its team also takes on pre-arrest representation, post-conviction relief, restraining orders, and juvenile charges. Its approach to cases involves meticulous preparation and aggressive courtroom advocacy. The team has handled high-profile cases, including multimillion-dollar fraud and organized crime allegations. The firm has been advocating for its clients since 1980.

John M. Runfola is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has served as a deputy public defender in Marin County and San Francisco. Runfola has been consistently recognized as a Preeminent Lawyer in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register and has also been named a California Super Lawyer.

John M. Runfola is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has served as a deputy public defender in Marin County and San Francisco. Runfola has been consistently recognized as a Preeminent Lawyer in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register and has also been named a California Super Lawyer.

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
650 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (14)
Yelp
5.0 (13)
Google
5.0 (10)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of William Walraven was launched in 2015 and has since been serving the San Francisco population and the people of California. It offers criminal defense to clients who face charges of felony and misdemeanor. The firm handles cases such as DUI, theft, drug offenses, violent crimes, embezzlement, and fraud. Its primary goal is to protect its clients' rights and ensure a fair legal process by investigating cases, building a robust strategy, and advocating for defendants in court.

William Walraven is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, the California DUI Lawyers Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He was considered a Top Attorney by Avvo with a 9.4 rating. Walraven earned his law degree at the Golden Gate University School of Law.

  • Expungement
  • Drug Crimes
  • DWI/DUI

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
345 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (33)
Yelp
5.0 (15)
Facebook
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Valery Nechay provides aggressive criminal defense representation to the people of California, which encompasses San Francisco. Its primary aim is to vindicate defendant’ rights and have the charges against them completely dismissed. The firm obtains acquittals, mitigated sentences, and reduced charges by evaluating case details exhaustively, negotiating with the prosecution, formulating a customized and innovative strategy, and taking cases to court if necessary. Firm owner and attorney Nechay participated in Jeff Adachi’s highly publicized trial that involved police brutality.

Valery Nechay is a criminal defense lawyer who served as an expert speaker at the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs’ Conference on Plea Bargaining from 2016 to 2017. She was ranked among the top 10 under 40 nationally by NACDA. Nechay obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2016.

Valery Nechay is a criminal defense lawyer who served as an expert speaker at the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs’ Conference on Plea Bargaining from 2016 to 2017. She was ranked among the top 10 under 40 nationally by NACDA. Nechay obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2016.

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
1000 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Visit WebsiteLicense: 248842

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (27)
Google
4.3 (7)
Yelp
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Led by a former deputy public defender in Marin County, the Law Office of Matt Sullivan advocates for people facing criminal charges in California, including San Francisco. It handles various charges, such as domestic violence, drug- and computer-related crimes, elder and child abuse, firearm offenses, and murder. It assists clients throughout the process, from investigation to pre-trial and trial stages to post-conviction matters. The law firm represented hundreds of clients from different walks of life in criminal defense cases, including medical professionals, police officers, firefighters, and small business owners.

Matthew A. Sullivan obtained his law degree from the University of San Francisco Law School. He was listed as one of the Super Lawyers Rising Stars from 2013 to 2017 and Northern California Super Lawyers from 2018 to 2024. Sullivan is a member of the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving San Francisco
360 Ritch St Ste 201, San Francisco, CA 94107

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.8 (20)
Google
4.3 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Seth P. Chazin works on criminal defense cases in California, including San Francisco. It aggressively fights for the rights of clients accused of criminal charges, including child pornography, DUI, domestic violence, and murder. Seth Chazin is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Some of his notable victories include a murder charge dismissal in an alleged gang shooting in Oakland and a full acquittal in a major international federal fraud case in San Francisco.

Seth P. Chazin is a criminal defense attorney who has been practicing law for more than three decades. He was selected as one of America's Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys in 2020. He obtained his J.D. from the Golden Gate University School of Law.

Compare Best San Francisco Criminal Defense Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Hickey & Chung
Pier 9, San Francisco, CA 94111
The Morales Law Firm
1388 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Summit Defense
580 California St 12th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104
The Law Offices of John M. Runfola
Pier 9, Suite 100 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Law Offices of William Walraven
650 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
The Law Office of Valery Nechay
345 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Law Office of Matt Sullivan
1000 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Law Offices of Seth P Chazin
360 Ritch St Ste 201, San Francisco, CA 94107

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

San Francisco, CA Criminal Defense FAQs

  • What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in San Francisco, California?

    The San Francisco Police Department can be reached at 415-553-0123.

  • Where can I get a copy of police reports for incidents related to my case in San Francisco, California?

    You can obtain a police report from the San Francisco Police Department by visiting the Crime Information Services Unit/Records Management at 1245 Third Street, from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can call (415) 575-7232 to check for the availability of your report.

  • Can people facing marijuana DUI charges in San Francisco be defended?

    A criminal defense attorney can use many arguments to defend you against marijuana DUI charges. For example, your lawyer can say that there is no "per se" or set amount of cannabis in the blood that proves impairment. Additionally, the defense can argue that marijuana takes a long time to be flushed from the system, meaning that it can still be traced in the blood even after it's no longer affecting the body.

  • What other legal options does a San Francisco criminal defense attorney have while a case is pending in trial court?

    While a case is still in trial, a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco can file a petition for writ with the Court of Appeal. Defense attorneys typically file petitions for writ when the trial court makes a decision that is prejudicial to the defendant. The petition requests that the Court of Appeal review the trial court's decision in order to protect the rights of the accused. The defense usually files this petition when there are discovery issues and search and seizure controversies.

  • Does San Francisco have any law in place to help those who have been wrongfully arrested?

    Yes, it does. If you hire a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco, they can prepare a petition for you under the Consumer Arrest Record Equity (CARE) Act. Through this, they can help seal your public arrest record as long as you were not convicted of a crime. The CARE Act can help protect qualified individuals from unjust discrimination because of a public arrest record.

  • Does a person who acted in self-defense and is now facing simple assault need a lawyer in San Francisco?

    Simple assault is still a misdemeanor, and if the case is mishandled, the defendant can face up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Hiring a criminal defense attorney who knows how to handle cases like this can argue on the grounds of self-defense or the defense of others and use pieces of evidence to support this.

  • How can criminal defense attorneys help with white-collar crimes in San Francisco?

    There are many ways that a San Francisco criminal defense attorney can help a person charged with a white-collar crime, but their skills are better utilized in cases like this when they are hired early. During the investigation, they may be able to keep the case from moving to the prosecution stage because a lot of what is considered white-collar crimes by a first-time offender did not know that what they were doing was illegal or came about as the result of accounting errors.