Criminal Defense Lawyer practices and state hiring reshape access to counsel
As more defendants seek immediate representation, the role of the criminal defense lawyer is playing out on two fronts: private firms in South Florida emphasizing rapid, trial-ready advocacy, and Massachusetts moving to expand public defender staffing and short-term incentives to clear a backlog that built up last summer.
Criminal Defense Lawyer practices step up in South Florida
On Feb. 19, 2026, a Miami Lakes practice led by Nayib Hassan highlighted an aggressive, courtroom-focused approach for clients facing misdemeanor, felony and federal charges across Miami-Dade and Broward County. The practice promotes early motion work — reviewing arrest reports, analyzing evidentiary procedures and identifying constitutional issues — as central to influencing how charges develop, and cites a 4. 8-star rating based on 55 reviews as evidence of client satisfaction.
The release emphasizes that a criminal defense lawyer with prior prosecutorial experience can use that background in state and federal courtrooms to anticipate charging strategies and courtroom tactics. A named quote encapsulated the firm’s stance: "Every client deserves an aggressive defense and clarity in the courtroom. " The practice lists drug trafficking, firearm offenses, white-collar fraud, identity theft, violent crimes and obstruction-related charges among areas it handles, and stresses preparation for both trial and post-conviction planning.
Massachusetts ramps hiring and incentives to fill public defender ranks
Last summer’s work stoppage by hundreds of court-appointed attorneys left thousands of criminal defendants without counsel and prompted judges to dismiss thousands of cases and release dozens of jailed defendants. In response, the state expanded hiring and offered financial incentives to some private attorneys to reduce the backlog.
The state public-defense agency reported hiring 57 attorneys in the past four months and has another 45 signed to start in April and September. Officials expect to recruit an additional 50 to 60 lawyers this year and use new funding to add 320 staffers over two years, a plan tied to a bill signed by Governor Maura Healey in August that funds a doubling of the agency’s staffing.
Short-term relief, but a clear timeline of next steps
Committee for Public Counsel Services chief counsel Anthony J. Benedetti called the recent shift a "turning point, " noting the agency is now able to assign attorneys nearly as quickly as cases are identified. A court filing from ongoing hiring "is unlikely to solve the problem in the short term, " but the agency nonetheless expects the situation to be resolved once all hires are in place and trained.
Not all private attorneys returned: many continued a work stoppage while seeking higher pay. Some advocates cautioned that the incentives drawing private lawyers back are temporary — those monetary incentives run out at the end of March — and warned a lapse could reopen delays in representation. Shira Diner, a recent president of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said, "Then we're just teetering on the edge of being back where we were. "
What courts and defendants will see next is concrete: 45 attorneys are signed to begin work in April and September, and the temporary incentives end at the end of March. For private practices, the Miami Lakes firm’s Feb. 19, 2026 announcement signals continued emphasis on early, motion-driven defense in South Florida; for Massachusetts courts, the immediate milestones are the incoming hires and the March deadline on incentives.
