Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers | Arizona Attorneys
Arizona Criminal Law Resource
Arizona Criminal Defense Attorneys in Phoenix
In the event you or a loved one is charged with a crime, it is imperative that you enlist an experienced, dedicated, and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona to ensure your rights are upheld and you receive a fair trial. Alan Hock is the supervising attorney for Hock Law Group, defense lawyers in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Arrowhead. If you have been charged with a crime, are being questioned by detectives or feel you may be the suspect in a crime, it is imperative you hire the best Phoenix defense attorney to protect your rights.
To qualify to be an Arizona Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, an attorney must:
- Be licensed to practice law for at least five years (seven years for criminal certification)
- Receive favorable peer review from attorneys, judges, or other professionals in the specialty field
- Have four years of practice in the specialty field
- Devote the equivalent of 50 percent of a full-time law practice in the specialty field
- Handle a specific number of cases in the specialty field
- Demonstrate integrity, professionalism and a high degree of competence in the specialty field
- Pass a written examination
Meet Our Phoenix Criminal Defense Team
Mark Benson
Mr. Benson is an Arizona native, born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. After graduating from Brophy College Preparatory, he attended both the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1987. He continued his studies in Eugene, Oregon, where he obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1991.
After graduation, Mr. Benson served as a Deputy Public Defender in Pinal County (Florence, Arizona) for eight years. In 2000, Mr. Benson accepted employment with the Maricopa County Public Defender's office, which he continued until April of 2007. Thereafter, he joined our firm in September of 2007 in the Criminal department. In 2009, Mr. Benson answered the call to help distressed homeowners in our Residential Home Loan Modification department where he learned bankruptcy and debt negation law. Mr. Benson rejoined the Criminal team in 2010 and currently limits his practice to serious felony matters.
Cindy Castillo
Ms. Castillo is a trial attorney and a bilingual member of our criminal defense team. Ms. Castillo has dedicated her career to representing the accused and underprivileged members of society. She has litigated a wide variety of criminal matters ranging from misdemeanors to complex felony cases; and has represented both juvenile and adult clients.
Ms. Castillo has earned numerous trial victories for our firm, including driving under the influence (DUI), assaults, both misdemeanor and felony, shoplifting, possession and sale of dangerous drugs and narcotics, drive by shooting, assisting a criminal syndicate, and vehicular manslaughter. Ms. Castillo has also prevailed on a number of evidentiary hearings involving violations of constitutional rights, which have resulted in the dismissal of cases.
Ms. Castillo is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and is admitted to practice in the United States District Court of Arizona. Ms. Castillo is active in the Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association and the Sandra Day O’Connor Chapter of the American Inn of Court. Ms. Castillo also volunteers her time conducting mock interviews for the ASU law school.
Prior to joining Hock Law Group, Ms. Castillo practiced in the areas of Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation law.
While in law school, Ms. Castillo served as the Chairperson on the ASU College of Law Executive Moot Court Board; practiced in both the Public Defender’s Clinic and Civil Practice Clinic; was selected to the Order of the Barristers; and graduated with a Pro Bono distinction. Ms. Castillo also held an externship position at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office where she represented the State in numerous child support proceedings.
Prior to going to law school, Ms. Castillo was the law office manager for a criminal defense firm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She received her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Ms. Castillo also received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Air Force.
Barry Handler
Mr. Handler has dedicated his career to the defense of the accused. He has over twenty-two years of experience in Criminal Law. Mr. Handler has been a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law since 1998, certified by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization, and is also death penalty qualified.
Mr. Handler has won not guilty verdicts for clients charged with First Degree Murder, Manslaughter, Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Sexual Assault, Armed Robbery, Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage, Drug Possession and Aggravated DUI, just to name a few. His efforts have directly led to the dismissal of numerous serious felony cases.
Mr. Handler began his career with the City of Phoenix Prosecutor's Office in 1988. Thereafter, he was a Deputy Public Defender for Maricopa County from 1990 to 1997. Prior to joining the firm, he was in private practice in Phoenix since 1997.
Mr. Handler currently is or has been a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice (AACJ) and the American Bar Association (ABA). Furthermore, he has served as a legal analyst for KFYI radio in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mr. Handler was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961. After moving to Phoenix in 1975, he graduated from Central High School in 1979. Mr. Handler attended the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado before obtaining his law degree from the University of Arizona in 1987.
Alan R. Hock
Alan R. Hock is the managing lawyer at the Phoenix Arizona criminal defense group, Hock Law Group. A trial attorney, he is originally from Tucson, Arizona and his family has lived in Arizona since the 1880's. Mr. Hock graduated from the University of Arizona in 1976 with a Degree in Political Science. After graduation, Mr. Hock made his home in Roanoke, Virginia where he was employed for several years as a stockbroker.
Upon returning to Arizona, Mr. Hock graduated from Arizona State University College of Law. Following admission to the State Bar of Arizona, Mr. Hock served as Assistant City Prosecutor for the City of Phoenix, where he handled only criminal and D.U.I. cases. As an assistant city attorney, Mr. Hock obtained considerable trial experience. Mr. Hock has now limited his practice to D.U.I. and criminal defense cases.
Mr. Hock has been certified as a Criminal Law Specialist in the State of Arizona by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Hock was a Flight Commander, Squadron Administration Officer and Pilot in the United States Air Force (Reserve). He is currently involved with the Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association.
Allen F. Jacobs
Allen F. Jacobs is a criminal defense attorney in Phoenix. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Jacobs graduated from Drake University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science. He then continued his studies at the University of Illinois, College of Law, where he graduated in 1968 with his Juris Doctorate in law.
Prior to moving to Phoenix with his family, Mr. Jacobs was a sole practitioner in the Chicago area from 1973 to 1997. He practiced both civil and criminal law. Shortly after his admittance to the State Bar of Arizona and U.S. District Court, District of Arizona in 1997, Mr. Jacobs joined Hock Law Group. Mr. Jacobs has now limited his practice to D.U.I. and criminal defense cases.
Lawrence Magid
Larry Magid is a trial attorney and a member of our team of criminal defense attorneys in our Phoenix office. Mr. Magid was recognized as a Certified Criminal Trial Attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1982 and has practiced criminal law both as a prosecutor and defense attorney. Mr. Magid has more than thirty years experience in criminal law. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and Seton Hall School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey in 1969. He is also admitted to practice in various Federal Courts.
Mr. Magid is a member of the Arizona State Bar and has limited his practice exclusively to criminal defense and D.U.I. cases. Mr. Magid has given specialized courses in various areas of criminal law and investigations for may agencies including the F.B.I. and D.E.A. He has taught criminal law and procedure for several years.
David R. Mika
David R. Mika is a trial attorney and a member of our team of criminal defense attorneys in our Phoenix firm. He has handled numerous felony and misdemeanor criminal defense and D.U.I. cases in his twenty years of practice. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Roosevelt University in 1977 with a degree in Business Administration. He then attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago and received his degree to practice law in 1980. Mr. Mika was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1980 and to the Arizona bar in 1983.
After relocating to Arizona in 1981, his main practice area was originally civil litigation including personal injury and insurance coverage matters. Since 1992, Attorney Mika has limited his practice to the area of criminal defense and D.U.I. defense and has represented numerous Arizona clients in criminal and D.U.I. jury trials.
Jose A. Montaño
Jose A. Montaño is a trial attorney in the criminal law division of the firm. Mr. Montaño is originally from our sister city, Hermosillo, Sonora, México. Mr. Montaño is a graduate of Arizona State University with honors and Arizona State University College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, admitted to practice in the United States Federal Court of Arizona and also in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Montaño has tried numerous felony and misdemeanor cases as both prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Mr. Montaño has a broad background in Business, Real Estate, Immigration and Criminal law. After joining our firm, Mr. Montaño has limited his practice exclusively to criminal defense and D.U.I. cases.
Mr. Montaño is currently a member of Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association and numerous other community service organizations.
Gordon Thompson
Gordon Thompson is a trial attorney in the criminal defense division of our Phoenix firm. He has more than twenty years of legal experience and limits his practice to D.U.I. and criminal cases. He is originally from New York, where he graduated from Harper College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Syracuse University College of Law. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1979. From 1979 through 1981 he was an associate to a sole practitioner with a criminal defense and civil trial practice in upstate New York.
In 1982, Mr. Thompson was admitted to the Arizona Bar. From 1982 through 1989 he engaged primarily in the practice of criminal defense law, working successively in La Paz County, the Phoenix Municipal Court, and Maricopa County. He also handled civil and criminal defense matters for individual members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes.
From 1989 through 1993, Mr. Thompson lived in New York City where he was employed as an Associate General Counsel with the New York City Department of Probation. His duties there included supervision of the prosecution of probation violation proceedings in Queens, as well as representing the Department on civil and criminal motions and appeals in various courts located throughout the city.
Upon returning to Arizona in 1994, Mr. Thompson has joined the law firm of Hock Law Group and since that time has focused his practice on D.U.I. and criminal defense law. Attorney Thompson has presented numerous criminal cases to juries in Arizona over the years.
David R. Wroblewski
David R. Wroblewski is a trial attorney and a member of our team of criminal defense attorneys. Mr. Wroblewski attended the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he earned a B.A. in Economics in 1994 and graduated Magna Cum Laude with Commencement Honors. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Golden Key National Honor Societies.
Mr. Wroblewski earned his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, Illinois in 1998, where he was inducted into the Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity and was an active member of the Latino Law Student Association. While in law school, he worked for and held a litigation internship with two prominent Chicago law firms.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wroblewski practiced law in Chicago, Illinois with a large plaintiff’s personal injury firm, where he was responsible for the litigation of numerous cases on behalf of individuals injured as a result of another’s negligence. He co-chaired trials before Chicago juries and arbitrated dozens of cases before three-member arbitration panels, earning favorable results.
Thereafter, Mr. Wroblewski maintained his own law practice in the East Valley of Maricopa County, Arizona with an emphasis on personal injury and negligence law. He has years of experience fighting for and obtaining just compensation on behalf of his clients.
Furthermore, Mr. Wroblewski has several years of criminal law experience, having handled hundreds of criminal law matters ranging from serious felony to misdemeanor offenses in federal and state courts. He has earned felony and misdemeanor not guilty jury trial verdicts.
Mr. Wroblewski is licensed to practice law in the States of Arizona and Illinois. He is admitted to practice law before the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Mr. Wroblewski lived, worked, and studied in Mexico City, Mexico and is fluent in Spanish. During one of his numerous stays in Mexico, he held an international trade internship with the Department of Commerce for the State of Wisconsin International Trade Office, Mexico City, Mexico. He also lived and studied in Tres Coracoes, Brazil as an international exchange student.
Mr. Wroblewski has represented individuals under criminal investigation by local and state law enforcement and by the federal government, including the DEA, FBI, IRS, and Secret Service. He currently limits his practice to criminal law and represents individuals facing serious criminal charges.
Michael S. Yucevicius
Michael Yucevicius is a trial attorney with the Firm. Mr. Yucevicius is originally from Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Purdue University in 1977 and subsequently worked as an auditor for the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, prior to enrolling in law school. Mr. Yucevicius graduated with honors from Chicago Kent College of Law in 1984.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Yucevicius practiced as a criminal defense attorney in the state and federal trial and appellate courts of New York City until 2004. As an attorney in New York, Mr. Yucevicius tried more than seventy-five criminal matters, ranging from misdemeanors to murder charges. Among the trials in which Mr. Yucevicius was involved were several high profile cases. In one such trial, Mr. Yucevicius achieved an acquittal in a murder case in which his client made a videotaped confession to the crime. In addition to numerous accomplishments as a criminal defense attorney in New York, Mr. Yucevicius also successfully represented several clients in civil lawsuits involving claims of police misconduct and civil rights violations.
Upon relocating to Arizona, Mr. Yucevicius has continued to successfully practice as a criminal defense attorney since 2004. He has aggressively represented clients in all facets of criminal matters, from the early stages of investigation by law enforcement authorities, through trial and post-conviction proceedings. Moreover, Mr. Yucevicius has defended clients in misdemeanor and serious felony cases in the federal courts and the state courts in virtually every county of Arizona. During his career as a criminal defense practitioner, Mr. Yucevicius has not been hesitant to utilize experts in diverse scientific fields. In this regard, he has consulted with experts in the areas of forensic pathology; forensic psychiatry; psychology; toxicology; DNA analysis; serology; ballistics; fingerprint analysis; handwriting analysis; crime scene investigation; arson investigation; accident reconstruction; and DUI investigation, in order to provide his clients with the best defense possible.
In addition to his focus on criminal defense, Mr. Yucevicius has also represented claimants in civil forfeiture proceedings against the State and federal government. Furthermore, he has represented licensed professionals before administrative tribunals and business owners before State licensing boards.
Mr. Yucevicius is a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, certified by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization. He is admitted to the State Bars of Arizona and New York, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Second and Ninth Circuits and the United States District Courts for the District of Arizona, the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Yucevicius is also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
