Top 5 Criminal Defense Attorneys in West Palm Beach

Facing a criminal charge in Palm Beach County — whether a DUI, drug trafficking offense, domestic violence allegation, white-collar crime, or a federal matter in the Southern District of Florida — carries consequences that can reshape your career, freedom, and reputation. The 15th Judicial Circuit courts serving West Palm Beach are among the most active in Florida, and the quality of your criminal defense attorney from the moment of arrest onward often determines the entire trajectory of your case.

After thorough research into attorney credentials, client feedback, peer ratings, and professional recognition, here are five of the most highly regarded criminal defense attorneys serving West Palm Beach:

1. Michelle Suskauer — The Suskauer Law Firm, P.A.

Michelle Suskauer is the most institutionally recognized criminal defense attorney in Palm Beach County. She is the Past President of The Florida Bar — the third-largest unified bar in the country — becoming only the sixth woman and the first former public defender ever to hold the position when she was sworn in as the 70th President from 2018 to 2019. She began her career as an Assistant Public Defender in West Palm Beach in 1991 and has practiced criminal defense exclusively in Palm Beach County state and federal courts for over 35 years.

Why Clients Choose Her:

• AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, recognized by Florida Super Lawyers for 18 consecutive years, named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, rated a perfect 10.0 Superb on Avvo, and recognized by Florida Trend’s Legal Elite — a sustained combination of peer and independent recognition over three decades that reflects institutional standing matched by very few attorneys in South Florida.
• Past President of both The Florida Bar and the Palm Beach County Bar Association, Vice Chairperson of the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission, and former Board of Governors member for the 15th Judicial Circuit — leadership positions that reflect relationships with local judiciary, prosecutors, and law enforcement built over more than three decades of Palm Beach County practice.
• More than 90% success rate at trial reported by associate attorney Tyler DiMaio, who also began at the West Palm Beach Public Defender’s Office and has handled thousands of cases — giving the firm a depth of bench strength across DUI, domestic violence, sex crimes, drug charges, violent offenses, white-collar crimes, and federal matters.

Address: Address: 515 N Flagler Dr Suite 350, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, United States | Phone: (561) 954-3494

2. John M. Howe — Law Office of John M. Howe, P.A.

John Howe is a West Palm Beach trial attorney, former County Court Division Chief and Felony Trial Attorney with the Public Defender’s Office for the 15th Judicial Circuit, and a civic trailblazer who became the first African-American to serve as the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s president when installed as its 89th president in 2011. His practice spans criminal defense, personal injury, and federal court matters across Palm Beach County.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and selected to Florida Super Lawyers, combined with past presidencies of both the Palm Beach County Bar Association and the Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers — dual bar leadership reflecting deep, long-standing judicial and prosecutorial relationships throughout the 15th Judicial Circuit.
• Recognized by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida as a Legal Trailblazer in the South Florida region — an acknowledgment of both professional excellence and community impact that carries particular weight in federal court, where reputation with the bench matters significantly in pre-trial and sentencing proceedings.
• Former Public Defender’s Office Division Chief who represented hundreds of clients in serious criminal matters before entering private practice — insider knowledge of how Palm Beach County’s public prosecution and defense systems operate that continues to inform his case strategy over 25 years of private practice.

Address: 500 Australian Avenue, Suite 500, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 | Phone: (561) 473-1945

3. Greg Rosenfeld — Law Offices of Greg Rosenfeld, P.A.

Greg Rosenfeld is a West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney who has tried more than 75 jury trials in state and federal courts, handled some of the most high-profile media cases in South Florida, and serves as Past President of the Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and holds a 5.0 Avvo score across 93 verified reviews — with 63 consecutive five-star ratings and not a single review below five stars.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2016 through 2025, Martindale Client Champion Platinum award holder, National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 member, and selected to the Wm. Reece Smith Jr. Leadership Academy — one of only 30 Florida attorneys chosen annually — a set of credentials that confirms both peer recognition and institutional standing well beyond what his years in practice would typically suggest.
• Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 and actively practicing in both state and federal courts across Palm Beach County — giving clients facing overlapping state and federal charges a single attorney with genuine admission and experience across both court systems without the cost or complexity of retaining separate counsel.
• A 5.0 verified Avvo score across 93 reviews and 167 Birdeye reviews consistently describe a practitioner who attacks cases with the intensity of a great white shark, convinces state attorneys to drop charges before they gain momentum, and delivers acquittals and dismissals in matters other attorneys considered lost causes.

Address: 515 N. Flagler Drive, Suite P-300, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 | Phone: Available via firm website

4. Matthew Konecky — Law Office of Matthew Konecky, P.A.

Matthew Konecky is a Palm Beach County criminal defense attorney with over 20 years of practice serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and the surrounding 15th Judicial Circuit. Founded in 2004 with a deliberate focus on individual client attention and limited caseloads, his firm has defended clients in charges ranging from DUI and domestic violence to attempted murder and drug trafficking.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, named a Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star, selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 in criminal defense, and holding a Superb Avvo rating backed by 81 verified reviews at 5.0 stars — an aggregate credential profile reflecting peer respect and client confidence built steadily across two decades of 15th Judicial Circuit practice.
• A 5.0 Avvo average from 80 five-star reviews and one four-star review out of 81 total — a near-perfect verified client satisfaction record that includes a client acquitted of attempted murder charges who described Konecky’s commitment as delivering exactly what he promised and then some.
• Practices in both Palm Beach County and Broward County with offices in Palm Beach Gardens and Fort Lauderdale, offering clients whose charges span multiple South Florida jurisdictions consistent representation under a single attorney without gaps in local court knowledge or judicial familiarity.

Address: 4440 PGA Boulevard, Suite 402, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (serving West Palm Beach) | Phone: (561) 671-5995

5. Douglas Rudman — Rudman & Glickman, P.A.

Douglas Rudman is a West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney whose client testimonials on FindLaw describe a practitioner who goes beyond standard representation — making personal time for clients, meeting with them repeatedly throughout their cases, and caring deeply about outcomes rather than treating matters as routine files. His firm, Rudman & Glickman, has built a steady reputation in Palm Beach County for accessible, thorough, and results-driven criminal defense.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• Verified FindLaw client reviews describe Rudman as an attorney who did everything possible to achieve the best result, made time to meet when requested, and whose associates genuinely care about their clients — qualities that distinguish a boutique firm from high-volume practices where clients are managed rather than personally represented.
• Consistent recognition across Palm Beach County legal directories and directories for criminal defense in West Palm Beach, with a practice covering felonies, misdemeanors, DUI, domestic violence, and drug charges across the 15th Judicial Circuit — full-spectrum coverage without the impersonality of a large regional firm.
• Deep-rooted West Palm Beach presence with knowledge of local judicial preferences, courtroom culture, and prosecutorial tendencies in the 15th Judicial Circuit — the institutional familiarity that only comes from years of practice in the same courts before the same judges, and that can meaningfully influence outcomes at every stage from bond hearings through trial.

Address: 101 Plaza Real South Suite 214 Boca Raton, FL 33432 | Phone: Available via firm website