Expert Criminal Defense Lawyer & Forensic Scientist

I grew up in Philadelphia. I'm a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan—sorry, Redskins, but you’ve got a way to go. In any event, I grew up in Philadelphia. I went to college for one year at the University of Miami. At that point in time, in the 1970s, the University of Miami was mostly known as “Suntan U.” It didn’t have the academic reputation that it has since earned. I left the University of Miami and went to school in Washington, D.C., at American University, where I earned a degree in criminal justice.

After graduating from American University with a degree in criminal justice, I decided that I wanted a career in law enforcement. I went to George Washington University and earned a master’s degree in forensic science. Back in those days—in the late 1970s and early 1980s—forensic science wasn’t as popular or as much of a household topic as it is now. Today, there are so many television programs like Bones, CSI: Miami, and CSI: Las Vegas. But back then, there was only one show: Quincy, M.E., about a coroner in Los Angeles County. That show inspired me.

At George Washington University, I earned my degree in forensic science. I was then recruited to become an FBI agent, qualifying in two categories: one, with my master’s degree in forensic science, which involves the scientific investigation and detection of crime; and two, with a law degree. 

While in law school, almost all my courses were concentrated in criminal law. I interned at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where some of the attorneys I assisted—United States Attorneys—are now federal judges. I attended law school at Pepperdine University in Malibu. What could be so bad about that? Pepperdine is an outstanding school.

One day, while I was at my desk, Janet Reno called me and invited me to Miami for an interview to become an Assistant State Attorney. My family was living in Florida at the time, and my brother had a connection to Janet Reno, which led to the interview. I was offered the job as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami, the largest jurisdiction in Florida.

I thought I was going to end up as a prosecutor, but that wasn’t my personality. I’m not the prosecutor type—I’m more for the underdog, the person trying to assert their rights. However, due to budget constraints, the job at the State Attorney’s Office didn’t work out. I became an Assistant Public Defender in Broward County (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) instead. I worked there for a few years before moving into private practice.

In private practice, I realized the attorney I was working for wasn’t as skilled as I had thought, so it wasn’t a great fit. I returned to public defense, working as an Assistant Public Defender in Palm Beach County and later in Miami. Over 12 years, I served as an Assistant Public Defender. I eventually became the training attorney for county court attorneys—those just out of law school.

I taught them an important lesson: it’s not about showing off how smart you are; it’s about being humble and working well with others. The attorney who gets along with everyone achieves better results than the one with a big ego.

After 12 years as an Assistant Public Defender, I opened my own law firm in 1996, focusing on DUI defense. This area became my forte. With my background in forensic science, I became an expert in DUI cases and was certified in the Intoxilyzer by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Over the past 23 years, my practice has expanded. I became a board-certified criminal defense attorney through the Florida Bar’s Board of Legal Education and Specialization. Only 3% of attorneys in Florida are board-certified as specialists or experts, and I’m proud to be one of them.

I also developed expertise in federal criminal defense, particularly in healthcare fraud and Medicare fraud, which are prevalent in Florida. To strengthen my knowledge, I joined the Healthcare Compliance Association, became certified in healthcare corporate compliance, and earned a graduate certificate in corporate healthcare compliance from George Washington University.

I started the Healthcare Fraud Blog, writing articles about how people can unknowingly or intentionally become involved in healthcare fraud. Examples include billing Medicare for services not provided, unbundling services to increase reimbursement, or violating the Stark Law, which prohibits kickbacks for referrals.

As a result of my expertise, I was invited by Thomson Reuters (formerly Thomson West), the world’s leading publisher of legal books, to co-author a book titled White-Collar Crime: Healthcare Fraud. I always tell anyone accused of healthcare fraud or Medicare fraud to “go see the guy who wrote the book”—and that’s me.