Top Rated White Collar Crimes Attorney in Naples, FL

Honors/Awards:

• Florida Legal Elite 2015 - Florida Trend magazine's prestigious roster of attorneys exemplifying a standard of excellence int he legal profession and chosen for highest honors by their peers, 2015
• Lion of the Law Award 2014 for professionalism presented by the Collier County Judiciary recognizing excellence in legal skills, professionalism, character and public service, 2014
• The Best Lawyers in America® 2017 in the field of White-Collar Criminal Defense (Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken,SC)
• Martindale-Hubbell / AV Rating 2016 - An AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country's preeminent lawyer-rating service, signifies an attorney who has "achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity" based on peer reviews by members of the bar and judiciary.
• Martindale-Hubbell - Preeminent Lawyers 2016 
• Martindale-Hubbell - Client Distinction Award 2016
• Top Lawyers of Miami 2015 as published in Miami magazine, recognized for excellence and achievements by the legal community
• Courtroom Wizards - 11 Attorneys You Don't Want to Face in Court 2013 as selected by Gulfshore Business magazine
• Legal Aid Service of Collier County - Lawyer of the Year 2012
• U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Firms 2011-2012 in the fields of Criminal Defense: White-Collar Governmental Investigations and Criminal Defense: White-Collar Litigation
• Corporate Counsel® Top Lawyers 2011 - Recognized for excellence in White Collar Criminal Defense

Bar/Professional Activity:

• American Inns of Court - Michael R.N. McDonnell Chapter (President 2016-present)
• ACLU Collier County Chapter (A founding member and participant on the Legal Panel)
• Collier County Bar Association
• Collier County Women's Bar Association
• Lee County Bar Association
• Florida Bar Association
• Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Miami Chapter (Past Board Member)
• Collier County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• First Amendment Lawyers Association (Past President)
• Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society
• Cardozo Society (Jewish Federation of Collier County)
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee - Twentieth Judicial Circuit 20-B (Member 2005-2007; Chair 2006-2007)

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Collier Harvest (Vice President, 2016-present)
• Temple Shalom of Naples - Board of Trustees 2014-present; President 2012-2014
• American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Naples & Golden Gate - Sponsor & Participant 2011-2013
• American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer - Sponsor & Participant 2011-2012
• Lawyers v. Breast Cancer in support of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 2011-2012
• Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida - Board Member, President, Executive Director 1996-2006
• United Way of Collier County - Board Member 2009-2010

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• Local Chair of receptions honoring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (January 2015), U.S. Supreme Curt Justice John Paul Stevens-Retired (December 2012), and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (December 2011), presented by the Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society and co-hosted by the Cardozo Society of Collier County., 2015
• Presentation to the Paralegal Association of Florida – SW Florida Chapter, entitled “Recognizing the Warning Signs,” an analysis of events that indicate an impending criminal investigation. (February 2013)
• Presentation to the Real Estate Lawyers Section of the Collier County Bar Association in skit form depicting the issues confronting a real estate transactional attorney, and highlighting the decisions that eventually lead to his arrest. Entitled, “No one Talks, Everyone Walks,” the play was followed by a discussion as to the purpose and legal ramifications of each of the five acts. (November 2011)
• Presented as a skit to the Collier and Lee County Inns of Court, the presentation pertained to an improper withdrawal as Counsel of Record, and improper financial arrangements with clients. (September 2011)
• Presentation to the Trial Lawyers Section of the Collier County Bar Association entitled, “Lawyers Gone Wild,” was an analysis of the criminal conduct involving approximately 30 lawyers that led to the disciplinary actions. (April 2011)
• Presentation at a Collier County Women’s Bar Association event on the subject of how to analyze events that indicate an impending criminal investigation. A tutorial for general practitioners, the presentation was entitled “Caution! Recognizing the Warning Signs of Hazardous Conditions Ahead for your Client.” (February 2011)
• Presenter at an American Bar Association seminar in Miami, Florida, regarding representation of individuals charged with theft of monies from escrow accounts. The presentation entitled “They Say the Escrow Account Is Short 1.4 Million Dollars,” was made in conjunction with the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section and the Title Insurance Litigation Committee.
• Presenter at a seminar sponsored by the Association of Internal Auditors in Fort Myers, Florida, on the subject of Fraud from the Perspective of a Defense Attorney.
• Presenter at a meeting of the Collier County Democratic Club, and at the annual meeting of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State - Collier County Chapter.  The presentation addressed the First Amendment implications of the decision of the Collier County School Board to permit the distribution of Bibles by the Christian Coalition to students in public high school cafeterias during lunch.
• Presenter at Temple Shalom of Naples Adult Education Program on “Freedom of Religion - The Observance of Religious Customs and Traditions While Incarcerated.”

Transactions:

• REPRESENTATION OF SUNSHINE PHARMACY and its principal, Delmar Parrish in an investigation and prosecution conducted by the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with the Department of Justice Medicare Fraud Strike Force Operation, part of the Healthcare Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team — REPRESENTATION OF A RENOWNED SURGEON facing complex computer-related state criminal charges — REPRESENTATION OF A LOCAL INVESTOR/ENTREPRENEUR pertaining to allegation of participation in a $900 million Ponzi scheme, including an SEC investigation, an investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney, two bankruptcy proceedings, multiple pieces of civil litigation initiated by investors, and IRS investigations — REPRESENTATION OF A LOCAL CONTRACTING COMPANY to assess and analyze pending civil litigation poor a potential violation of criminal law — REPRESENTATION OF AN INVENTOR AND PARTS MANUFACTURER who had been victimized by a group of employees through a scheme to defraud — REPRESENTATION OF AN ART DEALER pertaining to materials claimed to be owned by world-renowned artist Robert Rauchenberg, and alleged to have been stolen - further allegations include acts of fraud, theft and copyright infringement through the resale - this case garnered international attention due to the unique matters raised in the U.S. District court as well as the facts and circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the materials.

Videos:

• Launching his organization, Lawyers v. Breast Cancer, Mr. Freeman recruited seventeen Naples law firms to participate in a flash mob to raise awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer “Put On Your Pink Bra” campaign to end breast cancer. View the video at ytfreemanlaw.com/giving.html.