Top Best Criminal Defense Lawyers | 26140 Available

For almost thirty years, John Samore has emphasized professional competence and personal service.  After ten years in a general law, Mr. Samore  focused his practice almost entirely on two challenging areas: families in crisis and defending persons accused of criminal conduct.     Mr. Samore acquired his appreciation for the law from his father, Edward, who practiced 57 years.  Both gentlemen  graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law.  Admitted to practice in New Mexico in 1989, John Samore has effectively represented almost 1000 accused of criminal conduct and handled 300 family law matters, including divorce, child custody, child support, and time-sharing.  As with any of the state's best attorneys, his clients have found successful results at the trial, pre-trial, and appellate levels.  He believes a case is built by personally working closely with each client.  Respect for the personal struggle of the entire families is always a paramount concern     Mr. Samore has served as  member or officer of many recognized professional organizations including the Medical Review Panel, New Mexico Criminal Defense Attorney Association, and the state bar.  He twice served terms as Chair of the Medical Review Panel, New Mexico Criminal Defense Attorney Association, Professionalism Committee for nine years, and Fee Arbitration Committee for sixteen years.  He has his Masters Degree in Business Labor Law and J. D. from University of Iowa in 1980 and was admitted to United States Supreme Court 1981, New Mexico Bar 1989.  Mr. Samore has spoken to professional organizations on various matters including trial practice, minority representation, and defending DWI. Fresh out of law school, John twice ran in the Olympic Trials, representing the USA in seven international meets, and earning two national championships himself.  He and his wife have six children and three grandchildren.

Jonathan is a 1995 graduate of the Marquette University School of Law after which he engaged in the private practice of criminal defense. Jonathan has appeared throughout the State of Wisconsin and has also represented clients in Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Vermont and California. His career led him not only to a wealth of state court experience but also to federal trial court and federal appellate court experience. He has been involved in dozens of trials, many of which have attracted national attention, and has earned the respect of judges and attorneys statewide. Jonathan has been successful in the trial of homicide, sexual assault, drug, DUI, and domestic violence offenses, to name a few. In 2001 Jonathan joined with Steve to form the Law Offices of Kohn & Smith.

John. J. Bresaw grew up in Dover, NH, where he graduated from Dover High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in from the University of Southern Maine and credits his desire to help accused persons with his time as a member of the Student Conduct committee, which dealt with potential violations of the Student Conduct Code. After his undergrad, John attended the University of New Hampshire School of Law, where he served as a member of the trial advocacy team. He also served as private investigator for the New Hampshire Public Defender program, and in 2002, joined the office as a staff attorney who represented thousands of clients charged with crimes. Before opening Friedman & Bresaw in 2019 with longtime friend and colleague Jesse Friedman, John worked for a private firm in Concord, NH, where he defended clients accused of crimes and litigated civil cases such as personal injury cases.

Born in New York City, Attorney Jesse Friedman grew up in Woodstock, NY. He attended Vassar College and later graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a bachelor’s degree in political science, concentrating in international relations. Jesse enrolled in Vermont Law School and graduated cum laude in 2000. He was a member of Law Review in his second year. That same year, he became a staff attorney for the New Hampshire Public Defenders Office, where he fought for justice for his clients until 2007 when he became a managing attorney of the Laconia office of the New Hampshire Public Defender. In that role, Jesse has represented and supervised over 3000 cases ranging from juveniles to homicide. In 2019, Jesse opened his private law practice, Friedman & Bresaw, with his colleague John Bresaw, whom he regards as family.  Together they have over 37 years of experience representing the highest profile cases in the State of New Hampshire.

My goal is provide quality and client-centered representation for every client.  I have more than two decades in practice and have represented thousands of clients charged with the full spectrum of criminal offenses from motor vehicle to homicides.

For over 30 years I have focused my practice on criminal defense and the ethical responsibilities of criminal defense attorneys. We represent citizens throughout New Hampshire in state and federal court. Our firm has an office in Keene, NH, where I am based, and we have an office in Concord, NH, where my partner, Ted Lothstein, is based.  The Keene Office is just one block from both 8th Circuit Court -  Keene Division and Cheshire County Superior Court. Our Concord office is across the street from New Hampshire's federal court, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire. We also have ready access to the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the NH Dept. of Public Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, from our Concord office.

Jim is a Partner at Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. and the Chair of its Criminal Defense Practice Group.. A native of Concord, New Hampshire, Jim brings substantial courtroom experience to Shaheen & Gordon’s litigation team, focusing his practice in the areas of criminal defense, white-collar defense, and DWI / DUI defense. He defends clients in a range of criminal cases throughout state and federal courts, often taking on difficult and well-publicized criminal cases. Through his straightforward and aggressive approach to courtroom work, Jim regularly earns victories for clients in matters large and small. He assists clients in mitigating the stigmatizing impact of criminal charges through effective negotiations and, when those negotiations reach an impasse, Jim tries his cases, regularly winning not-guilty verdicts after bench and jury trials. He has extensive trial experience in New Hampshire’s District and Superior Courts. He has successfully argued several appeals before the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He defends major crimes and minor offenses, representing clients in cases involving homicide, vehicular homicide, assault, sexual assault, public integrity matters, computer crimes, drug possession and drug distribution, theft, pornography, impaired driving, and DWI / DUI, as well as a range of motor vehicle offenses.. Jim has been repeatedly recognized for his outstanding work as a criminal defense lawyer. Since 2015, Best Lawyers in America and New Hampshire Magazine have named Jim among the top attorneys in New Hampshire in the areas of General Criminal Defense, White-Collar Criminal Defense, and DUI / DWI Defense. In fact, he is the ONLY criminal defense attorney in New Hampshire named by Best Lawyers in all three of these criminal defense categories. Jim was named “Lawyer of the Year” five times: 2024 (Criminal Defense: General Practice), 2023 (Criminal Defense: White-Collar), 2022 (Criminal Defense: General Practice), 2020 (Criminal Defense: White-Collar), and 2018 (Criminal Defense: White-Collar). These unique distinctions are in addition to his several industry honors for his criminal defense and DUI / DWI work. He was named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star List in Criminal Defense from 2008-2014, a list that includes only 2.5 percent of lawyers in New Hampshire. In 2015, he was promoted to the Super Lawyers List in Criminal Defense, an honor that has repeated itself for 9 years, between 2015-2018 and 2020-2024. Only 5% of lawyers in New Hampshire qualify. AVVO gave Jim its highest rating, a 10.0.. Jim has been honored for his commitment to New Hampshire’s legal community. In 2024, the Mayor of the City of Concord named Jim to the City’s Board of Ethics. In 2010, Governor Lynch appointed him to the Judicial Selection Commission, which is responsible for interviewing, investigating, and recommending candidates to the Governor to fill state court judicial vacancies. In 2013, Governor Hassan promoted him to serve as the Co-Chair of the Judicial Selection Commission, making him responsible for managing the Commission, a position he occupied through 2016. In 2005, the Union Leader named him to its 40 Under 40 list – an annual collection of the State’s “young leaders” selected by the State’s only newspaper of statewide circulation.. Prior to joining the firm, Jim served for four years as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. As a prosecutor, he appeared in every Superior Court in New Hampshire, tried several white-collar, theft, and homicide cases, and routinely argued appellate cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court. At the Attorney General’s Office, Jim was ultimately assigned to the Homicide Unit where he was one of five prosecutors responsible for the investigation and prosecution of all murder cases, statewide.. Jim began his legal career with the law firm of Testa, Hurwitz, and Thibeault in Boston, Massachusetts where he served in the litigation department and represented corporate clients in white-collar criminal matters, intellectual property disputes, and employment cases.

I represent clients in all areas of criminal law including DWIs, assaults, domestic violence, sexual assault/consent, possession or sale of drugs, entrapment, racial profiling, false confessions, theft, motor vehicle offenses, juvenile charges, major crimes, sexual assaults and homicides.. I have 30 years of experience in criminal law which includes appearing in courts throughout the state, including federal district court.  I have been lead counsel in numerous high profile cases.. I also have have extensive experience in post-conviction work including motions to suspend sentences, sentence review hearings, motions for a new trial and claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel as well as experience in prisoners' rights litigation.. I have helped clients who are suffering from mental health issues get the dignity and justice that they deserve.

Experience when you need it most. Since 1984 I have been representing and protecting accused persons from the enormous power of the government. My practice includes the representation of accused persons in federal and state courts on every type of criminal charge. I have also been privileged to serve the legal profession. I was president of the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NHACDL) for six years. I continue to serve on the Board of Directors for NHACDL. I also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) for six years. I continue to serve NACDL as the Chair or Co-Chair of several NACDL committees.

Attorney Arnold represents commercial and individual clients in District and Superior courts, and has also represented organizational clients before state regulatory authorities and the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He served on the city council of New Hampshire's largest city from 2009 until 2014, Attorney Arnold utilizes his experience in the government and nonprofit sectors to effectively represent the interests of clients throughout southern New Hampshire, and focuses his practice in the areas of busines law, criminal defense, landlord/tenant law, and civil litigation.

Jeff Odland specializes in state and federal criminal defense as well as civil litigation. A native of Connecticut, Attorney Odland has practiced in New Hampshire since 2008. In that time, Jeff has represented thousands of New Hampshire residents during their most difficult and trying times. A skilled trial lawyer, Jeff has brought serious cases to verdict in the New Hampshire Superior Courts resulting in favorable verdicts for his clients. He has trained other lawyers in trial skills, the rules of evidence, constitutional law and the art of cross-examination.. Jeff received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College in 2003 and his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in 2008. Prior to joining Wadleigh, he was employed at the New Hampshire Public Defender program for more than a decade. He is admitted to practice law in New Hampshire and Massachusetts (inactive status) state courts and the New Hampshire Federal District Court.. Jeff currently serves as the President of the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as well as a member of the Federal Court Advisory Committee.

I represent clients in all types of criminal cases. In my 33 years of practice I have represented many clients in New Hampshire circuit courts, superior courts, the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Federal District Court and Federal Circuit Court. I have also represented clients in civil (medical malpractice, personal injury, real estate) and criminal matters in New York State. I have briefed and argued many cases at the New Hampshire Supreme Court and in the appellate courts of New York.

Bonnie is an experienced trial attorney in Family Law and Criminal Law. Before joining Connoly Law, PLLC, she spent over a decade with the New Hampshire Public Defender defending misdemeanor and felony clients facing state criminal prosecutions for charges like Arson, Homicide, 1st Degree Assault and Drug Sales. Bonnie's Family Law areas of practice include Parenting Petitions and Divorce. When not working, Bonnie enjoys volunteering coaching youth sports, serving as the Treasurer of the NHAJ Board of Governors, and serving as the assistant moderator during local and federal elections.

I am a dedicated criminal defense & persoanl injury lawyer serving all of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.. I have tried cases in First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder, Bank Robberies, First Degree Assault, Federal Drug Conspiracies and much more throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts.. I have also successfully settled car accident, dog bite, sexual assault or slip and fall injury cases.. Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire.  He attended the University of New Hampshire where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree.  Following college, Attorney Monteith attended the Franklin Pierce Law Center, now the UNH School of Law.  After law school in 1992, Attorney Monteith worked for a short period of time for the Providence Rhode Island Public Defenders.  Thereafter, he entered private practice solely representing the accused.. Having graduated from Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College, a unique and fantastic experience devoted to the people's lawyers, he has learned at the feet of America's best trial lawyer. In addition, he is the defense attorney featured in the true crime novel "Because You Loved Me" by M. William Phelps; a murder case in Nashua involving two teenagers.. If you are facing criminal charges. I encourage you to call me today. You are innocent until proven otherwise. I will fight to prove your innocence!. Call me todayfor a free consultation..

So many lawyers today, just want to “bleed you then plead you” Not us!. Our reputation is more important to us than your money. We have fought for our reputation by fighting for our clients.  We provide the aggressive DWI/DUI defense you need to stand up to your charges, in and out of court. Because we focus on DWI & DUI, we have the skill and knowledge to create a solid defense that always makes YOU the priority.

Attorney John Edward Durkin is someone clients can trust. Credited as a "competent and knowledgeable legal counselor," he was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar in 1995 and has received many legal accolades, including being ranked one of the Top New Hampshire Lawyers for four consecutive years, and being a multiple-time recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Procedure, Commercial Transactions, and Wills, Trusts and Estates.