Joe Serpa | Boston Criminal Lawyer

A Deeply Experienced Boston Criminal Defense Lawyer. Serious Representation For Serious Problems. Boston Criminal Defense Attorney Joe Serpa is among Boston’s most highly respected and accomplished felony criminal and civil trial attorneys, thanks in large part to an extraordinary winning jury trial record in the trial courts of Massachusetts. With an innovative and assertive approach to the law, Attorney Serpa has repeatedly obtained acquittals in serious felony prosecutions charging murder to sexual assault to operating under the influence of alcohol (DWI / OUI). He has consistently tried cases to acquittal before juries in Massachusetts and Attorney Serpa’s clients have been found not guilty in ninety percent of those trials over nearly two decades. We believe in the fight because we owe it to our clients and because a fair and just system only works when there is a real fight by a smart and tough and serious lawyer.” Joe Serpa Attorney Serpa was educated at Georgetown University’s prestigious Law Center by many of the world’s greatest legal thinkers. He is deeply versed in the intricacies of criminal and trial law, and has a sharp ear for weakness in an accusation or in the credibility of a witness or a piece of scientific evidence. His sharp ear for unreliable evidence and his skill in presenting his clients’ cases has repeatedly left the prosecution’s cases in pieces before juries and judges. Attorney Serpa also gets results in civil cases and family cases, such as divorce, child custody and paternity matters. He has consistently won money damages for his clients in injury claims and lawsuits, has successfully defended individual clients and businesses against civil lawsuits, and has both tried and settled the entire range of family cases, from divorce and spousal support cases to child support and custody cases. Attorney serves a wide client base. He practices in the Federal, Superior, Family and District Courts of Massachusetts, and represents clients from: Greater Boston and the South Shore including Quincy, Cambridge, Somerville, Revere, Chelsea, East Boston and Brockton. Metrowest including Framingham and Newton. The North Shore including Woburn, Peabody, Lawrence, Lynn and Salem. Southeastern Massachusetts including Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. Attorney Serpa’s approach to advocacy comes from a deep ethic of work, family and empathy. His accessible and attentive approach to representing his clients makes him an advocate who will be by your side from the beginning of your case until the very end.

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
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.

How did you build a successful practice?
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.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
The three most important traits for a lawyer are preparation, smarts and sympathy for your client.

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
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.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
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 do you need in a free phone consultation?
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.

What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
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.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
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.

What are your other interests in addition to law?
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.

Are you involved in your community?
I do local volunteer work for institutions assisting the poor, but I do not advertise the work.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Owner	Serpa Law Office	Boston, MA	June 1998 to present
Attorney	Regan Associates, Chtd.	Boston, MA	2004 – 2013
Owner	Law Office of Joe Serpa	Boston, MA	1998 – 2004
Attorney	Legal Aid Society		1996 – 1998

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Georgetown University Law Center	LL.M.	Law School	1995
Georgetown University Law Center	LL.M.	Criminal and Constitutional Litigation	1995
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	Bachelor of Arts	English & Journalism	1990

State / Court	Date
Massachusetts	1995

• 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

• Attorney Joe Serpa has deep experience and attentive representation with a winning record.

• Suffolk University Law Review; Editor, Technical.
  

Sun.	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.
9:00 am - 3:00 pm	8:00 am - 7:00 pm	8:00 am - 7:00 pm	8:00 am - 7:00 pm	8:00 am - 7:00 pm	8:00 am - 7:00 pm	9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Joe Serpa has been a Premium Member since March 19, 2015.
Lawyers with longer memberships tend to have more experience so we use the Membership date to help prioritize lawyer listings on search pages.

Verified Credentials	Date Verified
(1995) Licensed as Attorney in Massachusetts. Verified with The Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.	March 19, 2015

---

Above credentials have been verified independently by Lawyer.com.

As a service to our visitors and members, Lawyer.com displays the credentials for Premium Lawyer Profiles which Lawyer.com has independently verified. These are displayed at the at the 'Verified Credentials' table. Lawyer.com independently verifies these credentials when a lawyer signs up for a Premium Lawyer Profile. Each Premium Profile lawyer also certifies that they are licensed to practice as an attorney in their state, that they are in good standing with their applicable bar, and that they will notify Lawyer.com if this changes while they have an active profile.

• LinkedIn Serpa Law
• Facebook Serpa Law
• Google + Serpa Law
• For More Information About Joe Serpa

Should I Take the Breathalyzer or Breath Test in Massachusetts?  (2015-04-29 19:18:21)
Breathalyzer consequences in Massachusetts.

What is Statutory Rape or the Age of Consent in Massachusetts? What if I am Falsely Accused of Rape or a Sex Crime?  (2015-04-29 19:20:09)
Overview of sex offenses in Massachusetts

What is the Difference Between a Felony and a Misdemeanor in Massachusetts?  (2015-04-29 19:23:02)
How to identify whether your case involves a felony or a misdemeanor in Massachusetts.

Clerk's Hearings or Clerk Magistrates Hearings in the Massachusetts District Court  (2015-04-29 19:26:01)
What to Expect When Your Receive a Notice to Appear at a Clerk's Hearing in Massachusetts.

OPERATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE/DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE- OUI/DUI/DWI  (2015-04-29 19:28:15)
Basic Overview of Drunk Driving Laws in Massachusetts