Joe Serpa | Boston Criminal Lawyer

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Boston Bar Association

• Cum Laude Graduate
• Trial Attorney with a 90 Percent Rate of Acquittals

I have tried three serious felony cases in the last year and all have been of equal importance to me and to my clients. Each ended in acquittal. Two were family-related sexual assault allegations. In one, the younger sister of my client's ex-girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her repeatedly over several years. In the other, in the aftermath of a fractious divorce, my client's wife accused him of raping her with force repeatedly. These men had no criminal histories, had new families and careers and stood to lose everything. At trial, thanks to thorough preparation and a private investigation of the accusations, we were able to demonstrate that the accusations had been fabricated and motivated by anger and vindictiveness. The third acquittal was in a trial accused my client, a twenty-year old college student, of stabbing another man in the back during a fight outside a party. The other man was in critical condition and almost lost his life because of a punctured lung and excessive blood loss. My investigation uncovered an eyewitness who was able to testify that the victim was not stabled during the fight with my client, but seconds later by another man as he walked away from the fight. This witness contradicted many government witnesses who had fabricated an accusation against my client, perhaps under pressure from the government. My client was acquitted of the near-fatal stabbing and found guilty of having had the fight with the man.

I think the success of my practice comes from deep empathy for my clients and the drive to appear in court completely prepared in order to give them the best representation possible, whether in a criminal case, a family case or a civil case. There is simply no substitute for preparation in effective advocacy. Also, that empathy translates to my being accessible to my clients whenever they have questions. Clients deserve a lawyer who is a available to them and makes them feel comfortable to reach out and ask questions or express concerns.

The three most important traits for a lawyer are preparation, smarts and sympathy for your client.

Local knowledge is important in a couple of ways. Familiarity with the court and the people who work there makes the case run smoother and the client more comfortable in what is otherwise an incredibly stressful atmosphere for litigants. When it comes to trying cases, knowing the courtroom and the players makes an attorney more relaxed and confident in front of the jury, and better able to focus on the job.

I will answer almost amy question a potential client asks in a free phone consultation, and have often directed clients to save their money and handle a matter alone if it is sufficiently simple and non-serious, such a first-offense motor vehicle infraction (driving on a suspended license, for example).

What information I need in a phone consultation depends on the issue the client is calling about, but the client should be prepared to answer my questions about the history of the dispute.

I think it is difficult to find a lawyer who is trilingual (Spanish, Portuguese and English) who excels in court regardless of the identity of his client. I think I am a naturally talented litigator with a gift for effectively and passionately communicating my clients' decency and humanity to juries and judges in writing and verbally.

There is nothing more rewarding that watching the months and years of the stress of living under a criminal accusation float off of my client's shoulders as a jury reads the words, ""not guilty."" You can almost see the chains of years of terror and uncertainty melt away.

I am a father of two incredible kids. My first love is my wife and kids and watching use grow as a family. I also love reading literature (I'm still a sucker for the classics) and watching international soccer. I used to be a politics junkie, but the divisiveness in politics recently has turned me off.

I do local volunteer work for institutions assisting the poor, but I do not advertise the work.