Wakefield Criminal Lawyers

Former prosecutor. Veteran of more than 150 jury trials in state and federal courts. Concentration on criminal defense and traffic matters from reckless driving to Capital Murder.

I began practicing law in 1980 with a firm where I tried my first felony jury after being in practice approximately 4 months. Just as in the NBA or MLB the rookie who is good gains responsibility and rises in the ranks. I have dedicated my career to helping those who sometimes felt that their situatio was impossible to win or overcome. I have heard on many occasions from judges around the state that "this is the first time I have heard that defense" when finding my client "not guilty". There are many lawyers who will take your money, and...

I practice Criminal and Traffic Defense in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Eastern Shore, Isle Of Wight and other surrounding areas. Representative cases include reckless driving, drug possession, DUIs, No Operator's License, Assault and Battery, to name a few. My practice also includes Federal Court representation, where the rules are very different than In State Courts. Additionally, my firm and I can advise you if you are not a U.S. Citizen and face Criminal charges that can get you deported. This is a specialty of my firm, and we advise non-U.S. Citizens and defense...

Marissa Boyce is a Virginia native and Richmond transplant. She is a 2013 graduate of the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, and worked as a magistrate in the central Virginia area before coming to the Richmond Public Defender’s Office. The majority of her practice is in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations courthouse, where she litigates cases involving juvenile defendants, juvenile victims, and family or household members. She spends her free time playing with her dogs and making off-color and nihilistic needlepoint pieces.

Jim Gochenour grew up in the Fredericksburg area and Westmoreland County, Virginia. He graduated from the preparatory school Woodberry Forrest, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The College of William and Mary in 1984 and his law degree from the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law in 1987. He began practicing law in a small general practice as an associate, then as partner in a firm and then as a solo practitioner. In 1992, Jim was introduced to criminal law from the perspective of the prosecutor when the judges of the 15th Judical Court appointed him...

Ken Golski concentrates his practice on general business matters such as contract review and negotiation, corporate formation, collection issues and other matters a small, large, or individual business owner may face. He also has extensive experience in employment law, civil litigation, and criminal law. Ken is a member of Golski Law Group in Norfolk, Virginia, was a Senior Trial Attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, represented the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Beach Public Schools as a member of the Office of the City Attorney of the City of Virginia Beach, and served as...

Michael graduated from the University of South Carolina Pettigrew School of Law in 1969 with a Juris Doctor. He was a finalist in the Prince Competition, where he demonstrated exceptional ability in appellate advocacy. He was a recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Conflicts. While in law school, he was selected by the NAACP to travel to Memphis, Tennessee. There, he helped investigate police brutality in connection with the Memphis riots that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. He was a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Among lawyer associations, Michael was admitted to both...

Bassel received his B.A. from the University of Hawaii in 2005 and his Law Degree from Washington & Lee University in 2008. After graduating from law school, he served as a magistrate conducting bond hearings as well as probable cause hearings for the issuance of search warrants and arrest warrants. For over the past decade, he has devoted his entire practice to defending clients in serious criminal cases. He has received recognitions by various lawyer awards such as Super Lawyers and CoVA Biz Magazine, but he's most proud of the cases he has won for his clients. Bassel has successfully...

STEPHEN V. SOMMERS (licensed in Virginia 1999, Texas (1997), Maryland (1996)), was born at Camp Pendleton, CA, October 4, 1956 and educated at Troy State University (B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1981), Golden Gate University (M.A., 1986) and American University (Juris Doctor, 1995). Mr. Sommers retired from the United States Air Force at the rank of Major after 22 years flying fighter aircraft. Mr. Sommers has been admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Fourth Circuit and the Tenth Circuit and all Virginia Courts. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the...

Matt Ballard of Ballard Law Firm was born and raised in Hampton, Virginia. He graduated from Kecoughtan High School and received his Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Tech before earning his Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary School of Law. After an internship at the National Labor Relations Board, Division of Judges, in Washington, DC, employment at the Law Firm of Jenkins & Rhea in Charlottesville, and six years of service as a prosecutor at the Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney office, he joined the Smith Law Firm, where he practiced from 2010 to 2023. Licensed...

I was born in Britain and moved to Canada as a young child. During my teenage years, I traveled between England, Portugal, and Spain while completing my secondary school education. I earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in French and a minor in Spanish from the University of Calgary, followed by a Bachelor of Laws from the same university in 1989. Later, I pursued an American Master of Laws with a focus in litigation from the George Washington University School of Law, receiving my degree in 2003. I became an American citizen in 2006. In 1991, I established my...

I am a former prosecutor who is a seasoned trial lawyer focused on achieving outstanding results for my clients. I am a born fighter and a high-profile problem solver. My firm handles personal injury and civil litigation, state and federal criminal law cases, divorce and custody, and education and Title IX law. Our firm stands out among the rest because of our experience in courtroom litigation. We fight for our clients!

Attorney Shemeka Hankins is an experienced prior prosectuor with years of criminal litigation experience. A seasoned trial attorney, she is well-versed in a number of criminal areas such as drugs/narcotics/marijuana, driving under the influence (DUI/DWI), theft crimes, and juvenile justice. She also has experience with mental health programs, license restoration, restoration of gun rights, and expungements.

Shemeka Hankins is a committed servant of the community and puts the rights of clients at the forefront of the defense. She is dedicated to helping her clients protect their freedoms and defend their rights in legal situations. Attorney Shemeka Hankins is a...

Matt C. Pinsker is an award winning criminal defense attorney in Henrico and Richmond, Virginia, as well as a former professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) where he taught Criminal Justice. He previously served as both a Federal Special Prosecutor and State Prosecutor as well as a Magistrate, offering him unique insight from all sides of a case. A nationally recognized expert in his field, he is regularly sought by the media for his insights and wrote a textbook in criminal justice used at universities across the nation. Matt Pinsker also served as a Captain in the US Army Reserves...

Dan Miller was raised in Chesapeake, Virginia. He graduated from Norfolk Collegiate School in 1985, and graduated from Oxford College in 1987 with an Associate of Arts degree. Dan went on to graduate from Emory University in Atlanta in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Philosophy and Sociology. From 1989 to 1995 Dan played drums in a band based in Atlanta Georgia where he toured the College Circuit throughout the Southeastern United States. Dan graduated a semester early and was admitted to practice law in Virginia in November 1998. In 1998, Dan was hired by Michael...

If you have been arrested for a serious offense, and the fate of your liberties and livelihood depends on the outcome of negotiations with prosecutors, or a trial in criminal courts — when experience matters in the defense attorney you select — Invictus Law, aggressively defends your rights. Attorney Eric Leckie is an experienced trial lawyer in both state and federal criminal law. As an active duty Marine Officer, he spent nearly 12 years as a Judge Advocate. During that time, Eric Leckie served as a prosecutor, operational law advisor, and staff judge advocate for numerous commands in...

As a TOP 40 UNDER 40 lawyer by National Trial Lawyers, Abraham has represented clients in a wide variety of criminal matters from DUI/DWIs, drugs, white collar, and computer crimes throughout Virginia and the federal U.S. District Court for the Eastern District.

As former Virginia magistrate, Abraham Del Rio III has protected 4th Amendment rights while conducting hundreds of hearings involving arrest warrants, search warrants, and bail determinations and uses this experience to get the best results for his clients.

Abraham is a certified criminal defense attorney by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission for both felonies and misdemeanors.

A native of Southside Virginia, Clint Clary has been defending criminal and traffic cases in Southside Virginia for over 30 years.