Other Practice Areas

If you have been charged with a crime, we understand the emotional turmoil that you feel, including the uncertainty of facing the criminal justice system.  The good news is that you don’t have to face it alone.  At The Feldman Law Firm, PLLC, we specialize in, and devote our entire practice to, helping those charged with crimes in the greater Phoenix area.

As a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor, Mr. Feldman possesses the skills and the experience to provide you with the best defense available in your criminal case.  After graduating with honors from the University of Miami School of Law, Adam began his career as a criminal defense specialist.  He became a Deputy County Attorney at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where he gained experience in a number of areas of criminal law, including drug crimes, violent crimes and other felony and misdemeanor cases.  From, there, he entered the private practice of law, devoting all his time and attention to criminal defense work.  His areas of concentration range from minor traffic violations, to DUI, to the defense of clients charged with murder and other serious felonies.  The end result is eight years of specialized training, including countless successful criminal trials, concentrating on all aspects of criminal law and the criminal justice system.

Why is Experience as a Prosecutor Important?

As a former prosecutor, Mr. Feldman brings to the table important skills and knowledge that significantly enhance his worth as a criminal defense attorney.  This experience inures to the benefit of his clients in a number of ways:

• Knowledge of the criminal justice system.  Practicing criminal law involves a lot more than understanding the particular statutes that define the various crimes with which people are charged.  It also involves understanding the system within which criminal prosecutions take place.  A successful criminal lawyer must be familiar with the procedures followed in criminal cases, not only in Arizona in general, but in Maricopa County and the other regions in the state.  This includes knowledge of the procedures for arraignments, pretrial discovery, and the like.  As a former prosecutor, Adam Feldman had the advantage of entering the world of criminal defense with over a thousand cases and innumerable trials to his credit.  In the process, he gained extensive knowledge of how the system works.  Since entering private practice, that knowledge has grown even more.
• Knowledge of how prosecutors develop criminal cases.  As a prosecutor, an attorney is able to see first-hand how a criminal case is developed from the government’s point of view.  Starting from the investigatory stage of a criminal case onward, Mr. Feldman has had years of experience watching how prosecutors prepare a case for trial, and also the experience of doing it himself.  He learned, in this way, to think like a prosecutor thinks.  This, in turn, provides knowledge of the inner workings of the prosecutor’s office.  As a defense attorney, this knowledge is used to find weaknesses in a criminal prosecution, and to anticipate the government’s every move.  This information can be exploited for the benefit of his current clients.  It also provides an insider’s look which allows a better opportunity to negotiate with a prosecutor for a dismissal, a reduction in charges and a reduction in the sentence the state will seek in your criminal case.
• Knowledge of the judges and the prosecutors.  Years of practicing criminal law as a prosecutor allows an attorney to learn the strengths and weaknesses of prosecutors and the idiosyncrasies of the various judges.  It also provides the stage to develop the respect of prosecutors and judges for his abilities, and to develop relationships with them.  Knowing exactly who is presenting the case on behalf of the state, and detailed knowledge of the judge will be hearing the case, is an invaluable tool for a criminal defense lawyer.
• Knowledge of the law.  After prosecuting thousands of criminal cases over a period of years, the breadth of knowledge gained as a prosecutor is substantial.  Mr. Feldman handled cases as a prosecutor ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.  Criminal law is a complicated and, to the uninitiated, often a confusing business.  With years of experience as a prosecutor, he has mastered the nuts and bolts of all aspects of criminal charges.

There is really no substitute for experience, and we believe you gain the best experience by years of practice.  Contact us to discuss how Mr. Feldman’s experience as a prosecutor can help in your case.

What Types of Criminal Charges Does the Mr. Feldman Defend?

At The Feldman Law Firm, we represent clients charged with a wide variety of criminal offenses.  From serious felonies to misdemeanors, from violent to non-violent offenses, white collar crimes, drug crimes, DUI, sex crimes, and other offenses, we have the experience to provide you with the best defense available in your criminal case.  Here are some of the specific offenses we handle:

• Homicide.  Homicide in Arizona consists of a group of offenses consisting of first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide.  Murder also includes capital murder and felony murder.  In the minds of many, it is the most serious crime that can be committed.  The penalties are obviously severe.  If you have been charged with homicide, contact us and discuss Mr. Feldman’s substantial experience defending homicide cases.
• Drug crimes.  The category of drug crimes is substantial, and the offense which you face will be a function of the particular drug involved, as well as the specific activity you are alleged to have undertaken with respect to that drug.  The activities include possession, possession for sale (possession with intent to sell), use, administration of drugs, manufacturing drugs, sale and offering to sell drugs, and acquisition and transportation of drugs.  The classification of a particular drugs crime in Arizona is also dependent upon the category of the drug or drugs involved, and those categories consist generally of narcotics, marijuana and “dangerous drugs.”  Moreover, there are separate statutes that govern certain specific drugs, including marijuana, methamphetamines, peyote, nitrous oxide and prescription drugs.  Finally, the offense may also be affected by the involvement of a minor, and by drug activity in a school zone.
• Theft offenses.  Theft is a broad classification that covers everything from shoplifting to embezzlement.  The gradation of the crime for purposes of sentencing is a function largely of the value of the property taken.  Theft can be charged as a class 1 misdemeanor (value under $1,000) up to a class 2 felony (value of $25,000 or more).  Related crimes which are separately classified under the Arizona Criminal Code are robbery (theft by force) and burglary (entry into a structure with intent to commit theft or any felony).
• Weapons crimes.   Illegal possession, use or transportation of a weapon is a crime in itself.  In addition, possession or use of a weapon in the commission of another offense increases the level of the offense and the penalties associated with it.  A simple example is robbery.  Theft through the use of force, or robbery, is a class 4 felony.  Add a deadly weapon to the mix, and it becomes a class 2 felony.  The difference is substantial – absent aggravating or mitigating factors, the sentencing range for a first-time offender convicted of a class 4 felony is up to 3 years in prison.  For a class 2 felony, that increases to as many as 10 years.
• Sex crimes.  If you have been charged with a sex crime, you may feel as if you have two strikes against you before your case has even begun.  Strike one is the fact that when sex crimes are charged, everyone seems to assume you are guilty whether or not they have any information regarding the events that occurred.  Strike two is the stigma of being charged with a sex offense.  Sex crimes range from forcible rape, on one end, to lewd behavior and other less serious crimes, on the other.  In between there are a host of offenses, such as incest, sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking (which may or may not be a sex crime), unlawful sexual conduct, sexual conduct involving minors, voyeurism, and the list goes on.  These offenses carry the threat of significant jail or prison time.  In addition, a sexual offense charge carries with it the possibility of having to register for life as a sex offender.  If you are facing a sex charge, contact The Feldman Law Firm for a free consultation.
• Violent crimes.  Apart from homicide and violent sexual offenses, violent crimes include assault, aggravated assault, domestic violence, kidnapping and other crimes.  While some of these offenses are classified as misdemeanors, most are serious felonies.
• White collar crimes.  The list of what are commonly referred to as “white collar” crimes is substantial.  It includes certain theft offenses (notably embezzlement), credit card offenses, counterfeiting, bribery, fraud (mortgage fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, insurance fraud, etc.), insider trading, perjury, extortion, obstruction of justice, false swearing, tax evasion and more.  Many white collar crimes are prosecuted in federal court, rather than state court; as a result, it is essential that you choose a Phoenix criminal attorney who knows the federal system, with its unique set of procedural and evidentiary rules.
• Preparatory offenses.  Preparatory offenses are attempts to commit crimes, solicitation, conspiracy and facilitation.  An attempt to commit an offense is classified one level lower than the crime itself, so that an attempt to commit a class 2 felony is a class 3 felony, and so on.  Solicitation, which is the request or demand that another person commit a crime, is classified two levels lower than the crime being solicited.  Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people that one of them or another person will commit an offense; conspiracy is classified at the same level as the offense itself, except that conspiracy to commit a class 1 felony is punishable by life in prison, with a minimum of 25 years served before becoming eligible for release on any basis.  Facilitation, or providing the means or the opportunity to commit an offense, is classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor at a lower level than the crime being facilitated.

Adam Feldman is a criminal attorney in Phoenix who regularly defends clients facing charge covering every variety of criminal case, and we practice in both federal and state courts.  We have the experience and expertise to provide you with quality legal representation if you have been charged with any criminal offense in Arizona.