Why These Seattle Criminal Lawyers?
We help connect consumers with top-rated criminal defense attorneys in Seattle. 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 Seattle.
- Attorneys reviewed: 22
- 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 Seattle handle everything from DUIs to simple misdemeanors to white-collar crimes to violent felonies. Get the best legal defense in Seattle 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 Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyers
Here are the best criminal defense law firms and attorneys in Seattle:
- Black & Askerov
- Will & Will
- Emerald City Law Group
- Bradley Johnson Lawyers
- Kevin Trombold
Best Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2021
If you or a loved one are looking for an outstanding criminal defense attorney in Seattle, these lawyers are the best of the best.
Black & Askerov
705 2nd Ave #1111
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 623-1604
Black & Askerov is one of the few criminal defense firms in Seattle that can claim to be experts in immigration law. In fact, partner Tim Askerov has coined his specialty as “crimmigration,” which consists of helping non-citizens avoid deportation by getting their convictions vacated.
Other specialty areas of this two-person firm include drug crimes, white-collar crimes, fraud, domestic violence, theft, DUI, and more. The firm has also helped defendants avoid having their assets seized according to civil forfeiture rules, including those in marijuana grow cases.
Visit law firm website: https://www.blacklawseattle.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BlackLawOfficesPLLC/
Will & Will
701 5th Ave #4200
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 231-5338
Married legal team Court and Michelle Will have a combined 35-plus years of legal experience, and partner Michelle Will brings prosecutorial experience to every case. That helps give Will & Will clients a leg up, since their attorney understands both sides of the trial process.
Practice specialties include sex crimes, domestic violence, drug crimes, theft, pornography, and more. Additionally, Will & Will specializes in advising those who are under criminal investigation but have yet to be charged with crimes, helping make sure they are in the best possible position before a case even begins.
Visit law firm website: https://willdefendwa.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/willdefendwa
Emerald City Law Group
1366 31st Ave. South
Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 973-0407
Emerald City Law Group is a firm consisting of attorney Stryder J. Wegener and paralegal Fredy Merida. Wegener is a long-time resident of the Seattle area, and the early part of his legal career was spent serving the YWCA of Pierce County, where he helped victims of domestic violence.
Wegener’s primary practice areas include criminal defense and personal injury. His specialty criminal defense areas include protection orders, domestic violence, drug crimes, theft, fraud, traffic violations, and more.
Visit law firm website: https://www.emeraldcitylawgroup.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldcitylawgroup/
Bradley Johnson Lawyers
1333 Stewart St
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 223-1601
The seven attorneys who comprise Bradley Johnson Lawyers have a vast and diverse collection of experience. Founding partner Bradley Johnson launched the firm in 1993 after working in the New York City District Attorney’s Office.
Major practice areas include criminal defense, personal injury, and DUIs. The firm’s main office is in Seattle, but it also has locations in Tacoma, Everett, and Bellevue, helping its attorneys serve as many people in western Washington as possible.
Visit law firm website: https://bjattorneys.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BradleyJohnsonAttorneys/
Kevin Trombold
720 3rd Ave #2015
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 249-9656
Attorney Kevin Trombold has been honored as one of the 100 best trial lawyers in the country, and his aggressive, thorough defense on behalf of his clients extends to cases like DUIs, domestic violence, drug crimes, and more.
Trombold’s primary focus includes defendants in Seattle, but he has also successfully represented individuals from the greater region, including Everett, Tacoma, Pierce County, and Snohomish County.
Visit law firm website: https://www.tromboldlaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.trombold.3/
What Types of Crimes Are Most Common in Seattle?
About 38,000 crimes were reported in Seattle in 2019, the most recent year for federal data on crime across the country. Almost 90 percent of them were property crimes like burglary and motor vehicle theft. In fact, larceny-theft, a type of property crime, accounted for more than 60 percent of all crimes. That means that in Seattle, as in just about everywhere else in the country, property crime is much more common than violent crime.
On a population-adjusted basis, violent crimes took place in Seattle at a rate of just under 600 per 100,000 residents, while property crimes were reported at a rate of about 4,500 per 100,000. Both rates are much higher than the national rates in those categories, 367 per 100,00 and about 2,100 per 100,000, respectively. That puts Seattle in ample if unfortunate company, since most other big cities have much higher crime rates than the nation as a whole.
Crimes in Seattle, by number and per 100,000 people
| Crime | Number | Per 100,000 people |
| All violent crimes | 4,471 | 585 |
| Murder | 28 | 4 |
| Rape | 358 | 47 |
| Robbery | 1,339 | 175 |
| Aggravated assault | 2,746 | 360 |
| All property crimes | 34,333 | 4,496 |
| Burglary | 7,210 | 944 |
| Larceny-theft | 23,478 | 3,074 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 3,645 | 477 |
| Arson | 98 | 13 |
Compared to other major cities in Washington, Seattle’s crime rates tend to be on the high side. In fact, the city ranks in the top half for all crime types except motor vehicle theft, though its only first-place rate is in burglary. Seattle proper, excluding the greater Seattle-Tacoma metro area, tends to have higher crime rates than the average big city. In fact, it’s first in overall property crime, burglary, and larceny-theft. Additionally, Seattle is in the top 10 in motor vehicle theft and robberies and fourth overall in violent crimes, though that’s due largely to its nation-leading burglary rate. Other violent crime rates aren’t elevated in Seattle compared to other cities.
In Seattle, as in many other major cities, some types of crime have risen since the start of the pandemic. Seattle posted the highest number of homicides in more than a quarter-century in 2020, but overall violent crime rates have fallen. And while there’s been an increase in property crimes, it’s a slight one, less than 2 percent.
It’s important to note that police- and FBI-reported data does not cover closed cases or incidents for which a person was convicted.