Top Best Criminal Defense Lawyers | 26021 Available

Gary Lemel was destined from an early age to make his living in public speaking. Starting in middle school, throughout high school and continuing into college at Vanderbilt University and law school at Wake Forest University, he was active in speech, debate, and mock trial programs. He served as co-captain of the Intercollegiate Debate Team at Vanderbilt and upon graduating that institution was awarded the Founder’s Medal for Excellence in Oratory. This medal, voted on by the faculty of the Communications Department, recognizes one student from each class for outstanding achievement in public communication and speech.. Upon graduating the Wake Forest School of Law in 1996, Gary was fortunate enough to begin his career as an associate in a law office practicing extensively in the area of criminal defense in York County. While many of his law school classmates had yet to leave the research library, he had already begun to try cases at both the magistrate and General Sessions levels. He has served the citizens of York County and surrounding areas with pride since that time.. Over the course of his career, he has worked as a private attorney, as City Solicitor for Rock Hill, and as a Public Defender. His cases have ranged in scope from basic traffic violations to death penalty litigation. While with the York County Public Defender office, he served as Senior Assistant Public Defender, handling both administrative and training duties, as well as his normal case load. While there he became known for handling complex and difficult cases involving violent crimes, particularly those involving forensic and medical evidence. His current practice spans multiple counties and focuses extensively on Driving Under the Influence (a subject that he has lectured on at state conferences), drug charges of all levels, and other high level felonies.. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Gary remains involved in numerous volunteer and Bar Association committees. He served for eight years as Chairman of the York County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs and two years as vice president of the Public Defender Association. He is a board member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, serving as Circuit representative for York and Union counties and as President. He also serves as a member of the Bar’s Judicial Qualifications Committee and Public Defender Standards Committee. He is a Commissioner with the South Carolina Commission on Disabilities and Special Needs.

Criminal defense attorney Taylor Bell serves as a crucial shield between individuals and the formidable government machinery, offering unwavering support to those facing legal challenges.. With a Bachelor's in business administration from UNC Wilmington and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, Taylor Bell brings extensive expertise to his role. Formerly with the Richland County Public Defender’s office, Bell now excels at Jeffcoat Criminal Defense Lawyers, specializing in criminal defense, professional licensing defense, DUI defense, and domestic violence.. His relentless advocacy has led to numerous dismissals and sentence reductions, highlighting his commitment to justice.. Beyond his legal prowess, Bell's dedication extends to coaching wrestling at River Bluff High School and active involvement in the South Carolina Criminal Defense Attorneys’ Association, reflecting his holistic approach to positively impacting his community.. Contact Jeffcoat Criminal Defense Lawyers today for a free case evaluation.

A Columbia, South Carolina DUI lawyer at The Laubshire Law Firm has the competence, commitment, and aggression you need at this pivotal time in your life. When you come to this law office, you can rest assured in the representation you can receive because Attorney Michael Laubshire, Esq. has assisted numerous other individuals who are dealing with situations comparable to yours and is well equipped to take on your case and fight for your rights and privileges. It is of great importance that you are supported by a lawyer who is not only knowledgeable and educated, but also competent and skilled. Attorney Laubshire meets that description. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Berklee College and his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina. He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina-School of Law. He has a membership with several well-known organizations, such as the American Bar Association and the South Carolina Bar Association. What’s more, Attorney Laubshire has been admitted to the South Carolina State Bar, the United States District for the District of South Carolina, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He gained invaluable experience working in the 10th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office as a former prosecutor, the SCDC Office of General Counsel as a staff attorney, and the Spartanburg Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff. Attorney Laubshire has dealt with a wide variety of DUI cases, and he is prepared to take on your case and support you today. He also has experience with family law and personal injury law, if you are dealing with such complications. You can rest assured in the representation you can receive when you contact this law office without delay and begin down the pathway to a brighter future.

Victor Li is a native of the Pee Dee.  He grew up in Cheraw, South Carolina and attended Cheraw High School until his sophomore year when he was accepted to the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.  Victor is an avid gamer and enjoys competing in Scrabble, Poker and Chess.. Victor graduated from Clemson University in 1999 with a B.S. in Chemistry and from there  attended the University of South Carolina School of Law.  After graduating from law school in 2003, Victor postponed taking the bar in pursuit of opening Northstar Learning Center, a tutoring center focused on helping underprivileged children in the Midlands.. In 2008, Victor began his legal career in the Fifth Judicial Circuit working as a prosecutor for then Solicitor Barney Giese.  Although Victor was grateful for his first opportunity to practice law in the State of South Carolina, he quickly realized that his passion was defending and helping the people in his community.  Since 2009, Victor has been protecting and defending the constitutional rights of those who are accused of drug charges, DUI, and other violent crimes.. “I believe that honesty and transparency are the best ways to cultivate a strong attorney-client relationship.  Once you have retained me for the entirety of your case, you will be provided with my personal cell phone number to ensure easy and direct communication between client and attorney, not between office staff and client.”. In 2014, Victor was instrumental in reforming the City of Columbia Police Department’s drug lab.  He effectively challenged the drug analysis of the department’s drug chemist by showing that the reported drug weight was grossly exaggerated.  Because of his work, not only was his client protected from false prosecution, but so were hundreds of other defendants who would have been victims of shoddy police work.. Victor believes in his clients and bases his practice on a client-centric perspective.

As a criminal defense attorney, I often meet my clients at their darkest moments. My job is to shine a light—on overlooked facts, on helpful resources, on legal rights—and help to lift that darkness. It is challenging work I feel privileged to do.. I became a lawyer after years of working in higher education, the technology sector, and the restaurant industry because everywhere I looked I saw gaps in our justice system. No matter where I worked—whether with honors students at USC, the most talented computer engineers in Silicon Valley, or the hardest-working dishwashers in Los Angeles—I saw people’s rights jeopardized by systems and power structures that all too often lose sight of the real people involved. And I knew I could help.

I am proud to be a criminal defense lawyer. I have over three decades of experience in criminal justice as a former FBI agent, former Assistant State Prosecutor (Solicitor), former Charleston City Prosecutor and municipal judge. This diverse exposure to many facets of the legal system has provided me with invaluable experience, which is  otherwise difficult to acquire. I have been Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, qualifying me as a specialist in Criminal Trial Advocacy. I am also lead chair death penalty certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court.. I have tried cases in city, county, state and federal courts in South Carolina since 1980. This inclusive experience has afforded me the opportunity to learn that the best outcomes are achieved by understanding a client's needs and dedicating myself to their interests. A person charged with a criminal offense faces a path of accusation pursued by a government entity with great resources. This warrants the advocacy of a lawyer with significant experience in criminal defense.. I will only decide to undertake representation of a client after meeting with them to discuss their case in detail.  The first meeting is an integral component of my representation process. It allows me to become acquainted with a client and establish a professional, trusting relationship with them. This meeting also provides me with the chance to educate a prospective client on their legal matters and inform them of the next steps in their legal proceedings. I enjoy providing comprehensive education to my clients about their case because it allows us to better communicate with each other.. - Tim Kulp

Attorney J. Allen Mastantuno was not always a defense lawyer. As a former prosecutor for South Carolina's 9th Judicial Circuit, J. Allen Mastantuno handled hundreds of cases, including Murder, Armed Robbery, Burglary, Trafficking Drugs and Felony DUI. As the lead DUI attorney in his solicitor’s office, J. Allen Mastantuno handled more than a hundred DUI cases ranging from DUI 1st to Felony DUI. His experience as a former prosecutor taught him how to effectively try cases and earned him a reputation as an aggressive trial lawyer. Now, as a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Mastantuno can help his clients protect and defend their rights by creating a legal plan that not only works to achieve their goals, but also covers all angles of defense. With attorney J. Allen Mastantuno's unique background and experience as a former prosecutor and memberships in the American Bar Association, Charleston County Bar Association and South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, clients can be confident that he has the knowledge and skills to obtain results and protect their future.

Serving clients in the areas of civil and criminal litigation, issues relating to firearms, and business transactions.

I am dedicated to providing my clients with hard work and effective legal counsel.

Robert Homlar has spent his nearly twenty-year career focused on going to court on behalf of clients and causes.  Robert graduated from The Johns Hopkins University in 1999 and from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2002, spending the last year of law school at the University of Georgia School of Law.  He is Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rated and listed among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.. In criminal practice, Robert has gotten not-guilty jury verdicts for clients in the face of overwhelming evidence. He was a state prosecutor for more than ten years in Augusta, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee handling over 3,000 criminal cases including several murders and large financial fraud cases down to simple possession and misdemeanor cases.  He handled several large-scale significant cases including prosecuting members of one of the most powerful and violent criminal drug syndicates in Mexico, transnational central American criminal gangs, and was responsible for the largest methamphetamine manufacturing conspiracy prosecution in Tennessee history.. In civil practice, he has both represented and fought against some of the largest consumer goods corporations, trucking manufacturers, and shipping companies in the world.  He has successfully represented clients with claims against state and local government agencies recovering millions for wronged people. Focusing on “whistleblower,” wrongful death, products liability, tractor-trailer (logging trucks and commercial trucks) and civil rights (including wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution, and violation of Federal rights) litigation, Robert has the background in these areas to get results for clients.. He is licensed to practice in every state court in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee as well as the Supreme Court of Georgia, Georgia Court of Appeals, United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Tennessee and District of South Carolina. In addition, he is admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits and the United States Supreme Court having been sponsored by noted attorney Bobby Lee Cook, the inspiration for Matlock.  In 2017 he became one of approximately forty American attorneys admitted to practice before the International Criminal Court at the Hague.. He is an experienced trial attorney and has handled thousands of cases, scores of jury trials and hundreds of hearings across the southeast.  With a depth of real-world litigation experience at the highest level he is an accomplished and driven trial lawyer. Ready to help clients get the best possible result.. By staying focused on our core mission and areas of practice outlined below the firm is able to effectively represent the best interests of clients. If you need assistance with an area of law not within my practice areas (such as divorce, child custody, wills, bankruptcy, immigration, and the like), please still do consider contacting us. Whatever your legal need may be, Robert T. Homlar's office welcomes any potential client contact. If we cannot help, we are committed to pointing people in the direction of someone who can.