Why These D.C. Criminal Lawyers?
We help connect consumers with top-rated criminal defense attorneys in Washington, D.C. To determine which are the best of the best, we scored each criminal defense attorney or law firm across a half-dozen metrics covering three categories. Each firm or attorney’s results were analyzed to bring you a handpicked list of the very best criminal defense lawyers in D.C.
- Attorneys reviewed: 20
- Top picks: 5
If you or a loved one have been arrested, do not delay seeking the assistance of an attorney. The sooner an attorney can get involved in your case, the better your chances of having a strong defense.
The attorney you hire may start right away, studying the authorities’ against you, doing legal research, and preparing legal motions. That’s why the sooner they begin, the better, as they work to chip away at the prosecution’s case against you.
Skilled criminal defense attorneys in D.C. handle everything from DUIs to simple misdemeanors to white-collar crimes to violent felonies. Get the best legal defense in Washington, D.C. by choosing from this list of best criminal defense attorneys.
Read the profiles below and choose the attorney or law firm that best aligns with your needs.
Best D.C. Criminal Defense Lawyers
Here are the best criminal defense law firms and attorneys in Washington, D.C:
- Law Office of K. Lawson Wellington
- Ervin Kibria Law
- David Benowitz
- Rollins and Chan
- Scrofano Law
Best D.C. Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2021
If you or a loved one are looking for an outstanding criminal defense attorney in D.C., these lawyers are the best of the best.
Law Office of K. Lawson Wellington
1003 K Street, NW Suite 805
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 486-1186
Opened in 1993 by founding partner K. Lawson Wellington, this three-attorney firm focuses primarily on personal injury and criminal defense, especially defending those accused of driving while intoxicated.
In addition to its office in the district, the firm represents clients from Maryland, and it maintains an 8.6 rating on Avvo as well as being awarded a clients’ choice honor on the platform. Other criminal defense practice areas include assault, fraud, hit-and-run, theft, and drug charges.
Visit law firm website: https://dctrafficlawyer.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dc.lawyer.1
Ervin Kibria Law
1627 I ST, NW Suite 600 #509
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 689-4439
The two attorneys of Ervin Kibria serve clients in the district and throughout northern Virginia and Maryland. Ervin Kibria has been honored by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, and the firm maintains a 10.0 rating on Avvo.
Their primary practice areas include defending those accused of traffic violations, DUI, reckless driving, drug crimes, and other serious criminal offenses like assault, extortion, stalking, and more.
Visit law firm website: https://ervinkibrialaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EKLawDC/
David Benowitz
409 7th St NW # 222
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 831-0506
Attorney David Benowitz holds the distinction of being board certified in criminal trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, making him one of the most elite litigators in the nation. He’s the only attorney in Washington, D.C., to hold that distinction at present.
He has been honored by the National Trial Lawyers and Martindale-Hubbell and was named D.C.’s best lawyer in the Washington City Paper from 2014 to 2018. His entire practice is focused on criminal defense, including defending those accused of assault, sex crimes, DUI, gun charges, and federal cases.
Visit law firm website: https://criminallawdc.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BenowitzLaw/
Rollins and Chan
419 7th St NW #405
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 455-5610
The three attorneys of Rollins and Chan combine for more than two decades of criminal legal experience, including in D.C. and Maryland. Founding partners Mark M. Rollins and Ada Chan each maintain high ratings on Avvo.
Rollins and Chan’s primary practice areas in criminal defense include advocating for individuals charged with a range of crimes in D.C. and Maryland. This includes DUI, assault, hit-and-run, traffic violations, and domestic violence. The firm also assists individuals in having previous criminal records expunged.
Visit law firm website: https://rollinsandchan.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rollinschan/
Scrofano Law
600 F St NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 946-3388
The four attorneys at Scrofano Law focus largely on defending clients accused of DUI and other driving-while-intoxicated crimes. Three of the four have been certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to administer field sobriety tests, making them experts in attacking prosecutors’ cases against their clients.
Attorneys at the firm practice in D.C. as well as Virginia and Maryland, helping the firm reach as many people in the area as possible, and other practice areas include gun and drug offenses, federal criminal charges, and more.
Visit law firm website: https://www.scrofanolaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ScrofanoLaw/
What Types of Crimes Are Most Common in Columbus?
Like most other areas of the United States, property crimes like theft and burglary are far more common in Columbus than violent incidents like murder or assault. In 2019, the most recent year for federal crime data in the U.S., about 30,000 property crimes were reported in Columbus compared to about 4,500 violent crimes. Among all types of crimes reported in Columbus, nearly 60 percent were larceny-theft.
The population-adjusted property crime rate in Columbus for 2019 is 3,308 per 100,000 people, which is considerably higher than the overall property crime rate in the U.S. of about 2,100 per 100,000. When compared with other major American cities, Columbus has a lower property crime rate than many cities of similar size, including Austin and Las Vegas, but its rate is higher than comparable cities like Sacramento and Cincinnati.
Crimes in Columbus, by number and per 100,000 people
| Crime | Number | Per 100,000 people |
| All violent crimes | 4,561 | 503 |
| Murder | 81 | 9 |
| Rape | 882 | 97 |
| Robbery | 1,810 | 200 |
| Aggravated assault | 1,788 | 197 |
| All property crimes | 29,974 | 3,308 |
| Burglary | 5,809 | 641 |
| Larceny-theft | 20,606 | 2,274 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 3,559 | 393 |
Among the 10 biggest cities in Ohio, Columbus ranks in the top half for just two types of crime, rape, where the city has the fourth-highest rate, and motor vehicle theft, where the city ranks fifth. Its population-adjusted murder rate is seventh, with Cleveland, Canton, and Dayton taking the top three spots. Columbus also ranks seventh for overall property crimes, with its population adjusted rate almost 2,000 points behind Canton’s.
Columbus, like many other American communities, saw an increase in crime in 2020, with many observers linking rising rates to the pandemic and racial justice protests in the wake of the Minneapolis murder of George Floyd. And so far in 2021, Columbus looks to continue producing rising crime rates, with city police reporting nearly double the number of homicides for the first part of 2021 as they did in 2020.
It’s important to note that police- and FBI-reported data does not cover closed cases or incidents for which a person was convicted.