Neil S. Rockind

Bar / Professional Activity

• U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 2003
• Member, Michigan State Bar Association, 1993
• Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (NACDL).
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1997
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2001
• Member of the Criminal Defense Attorneys Association of Michigan (CDAM).
• Member, State Bar of Michigan, Criminal Defense section
• Member of the Oakland County Bar Association (OCBA).
• U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Videos

• ASAP Rocky was on trial for assault with a weapon and weapon's offenses and the trial was covered gavel to gavel by Justice Served TV. Neil Rockind was privileged to appear on the show as a guest and co-host with Linda Kenney Baden and Michel Bryant, Justice Served TV - ASAP Rockind Trial - Guest Co-Host with Linda Kenney Bryant, 2025
• My interview with Alan Dershowitz., Killer Cross Examination - Alan Dershowitz, 2021
• Fox 2 News, 2011
• Practical Law Show, 2011
• Medical Marijuana Town Hall, 2011

Special Licenses / Certifications

• American Chemical Society, Hands on Gas Chromatography Seminar (40 Hours) at Axion Laboratories in Chicago, Illinois. Rockind worked studied the science behind Gas Chromatography and performed tests for blood alcohol and participated in the wet lab in the preparation of samples, etc. Rockind received a certificate demonstrating his completion of the program., 2014
• Member of the National College for Drunk Driving Defense (NCDD)., 2012
• Driving Under the Influence Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA) - Neil Rockind was invited and joined the DUIDLA as a member in 2015, 2015
• Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) - Drug Evaluation and Classification Training Program - completed 3 day training by Lance Platt, Platt and Associates in Detroit, MI April 12, 2012 to April 14, 2012 - learned the protocols of drug evaluation by police officers that are specifically trained as DRE's (Drug Recognition Experts) to determine if arrested drivers are impaired by drugs., 2012, 2012

Pro bono / Community Service

• Constitution Day Volunteer: Neil Rockind volunteered his time and service to the Hon. Michael Warren's Constitution Day program put on by the Oakland County Bar Association and the Hon. Michael Warren, a Circuit Court Judge The program teaches high school students about both the United States and Michigan Constitution. Lawyers re-enacted the Brown v Board of Education trial for the students. Rockind volunteered his time for this program., 2010
• Represented Karen O'Keefe and the Marijuana Policy Project in federal court in the Western District of Michigan.
• Neil Rockind, represented the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan (CDAM), before the Michigan House Judiciary Committee during hearings on proposed modifications to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. Neil Rockind testified before the House Judiciary Committee. His testimony is considered to have motivated several legislators to attempt to improve the language of 333.26428, the Affirmative Defense Section, to create more opportunities for affirmative defenses before juries., 2012

Educational Background

• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Bachelor of General Studies, Disciplines – Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, 1990

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• Neil Rockind spoke to a group of therapists, treaters, medical professionals, social workers and experts in Royal Oak in March, 2012. His presentation was considered by many the most lively and engaging discussion of the seminar. The group, by and large, is opposed to medical marijuana. By the end of the discussion, a listener turned to Neil Rockind, Speaker, Addictionology, Psychology, Social Work, Therapists, 2012
• In 2015, Neil Rockind was a featured speaker at the State Bar conference and for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) on the subject of representing high school and college aged clients. Due to the response to the presentation, Rockind was invited back to give a similar presentation for ICLE in the spring., Featured Speaker, The Top 10 Things To Consider In Defending High School and College Age Clients, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2015
• In 2015, Neil Rockind gave a presentation as a member of a panel to the Oakland County Bar Association on the intersection between Medical Marijuana and Employment Law., Panelist, Medial Marijuana and Employment Litigation, Oakland County Bar Association, 2015

Other Outstanding Achievements

• The Michigan Lawyers Weekly named Neil Rockind one of the Leaders in the Law in 2015. Among the fellow recipients that year was the Hon. Steven Rhodes, the judge who presided over the City of Detroit Bankruptcy., 2015
• Best in Detroit Honors -- Hour Magazine Names/Selects Attorney Best in Detroit., 2011

Honors

• Dbusiness Magazine - Top Lawyers, https://www.dbusiness.com/top-lawyers/top-lawyers-2025/, 2025
• Best Lawyers, https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/neil-s-rockind/161868, 2026
• Best Lawyers, https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/neil-s-rockind/161868, 2025
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers - National Trial Lawyers Association. The National Trial Lawyers Association invited Neil Rockind to join its organization, an organization of trial lawyers who peer review other trial lawyers for consideration and/or inclusion in the Top 100. Membership is by invitation only., 2011
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association, 2012
• In 2013, Neil Rockind was again recognized as a Top Criminal Defense Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine. The award and recognition is based on peer-review surveys and includes only a small percentage of lawyers in the metropolitan Detroit area., Top Lawyer, DBusiness- Criminal Defense, 2013
• Awarded the honor of being a DBusiness Magazine Top Criminal defense lawyer for 2014, Top Lawyer, DBusiness Magazine, 2014
• Neil Rockind was given a superb rating by Avvo.com and given awards for the firm's and his relationship with clients., Superb Rating, Avvo, 2014
• Top 10 Criminal Defense Lawyers - In 2015, the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys named Neil Rockind among the Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in the State of Michigan. This is the 2nd year in a row that Neil Rockind has been named to this list. In fact, the Academy named Neil Rockind to its Board of Advisors in 2015., Top 10 Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, 2015
• Superb - In 2015, AVVO rated Neil Rockind a perfect "10" and gave him a superb rating., Superb, Avvo, 2015
• Recognized as one of Detroit's Movers and Shakers, 2009 - 944 Magazine (Detroit) First Edition. In October, 2009, "944", a magazine in major cities such as New York, Miami, San Diego and Los Angeles, published its first edition of the magazine in Detroit.
• Neil Rockind was selected as a leading lawyer in the field of DUI/OWI Defense by LeadingLawyers.com, a peer review, blue-ribbon lawyer rating group. Only a small percentage of lawyers are chosen for this honor and Neil Rockind is proud to join the stellar group of lawyers who are already recognized in their various fields by Leading Lawyers., Leading Lawyers, LeadingLawyer.com, 2014
• Neil Rockind was selected as a Leading Lawyer by LeadingLawyers.com for 2014 in the area of DUI Defense., Leading Lawyer, LeadingLawyer.com, 2014
• Leading Lawyer - In 2015, Leading Lawyers, a lawyer rating service based on the ratings of peers and other lawyers, named Neil Rockind a Leading Lawyer in OWI/DUI (Drunk Driving Defense) and Criminal Defense. Reportedly, the number of lawyers selected for Leading Lawyer recognition total no more than 1% of all practicing lawyers., Leading Lawyer, LeadingLawyers.com, 2015
• 10 Best - In 2015, the American Institute of Criminal Defense Attorneys named Neil Rockind among the 10 Best criminal lawyers in the state of Michigan. This is 2nd year in a row that the American Institute has named Neil Rockind among the 10 Best Criminal Defense attorneys in Michigan., 10 Best, American Institute of Criminal Defense Attorneys, 2015
• Leader in the Law - In 2015, the Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Michigan's most trusted state wide legal newspaper and periodical, named Neil Rockind one of its Leaders in the Law for 2015. The honor is among the highest and rarest for a lawyer to receive. Other recipients included, the Hon. Steven Rhodes, the bankruptcy judge that handled Detroit's Bankruptcy Case, the Hon. Michael Talbott, who reformed the 36th District Court, Ven Johnson, noted plaintiff's lawyer and Norman Lippitt, former judge and noted trial lawyer., Leader in the Law, Michigan Lawyer's Weekly, 2015
• In 2014, LegalsFinest.com, a lawyer recommendation and rating service selected Neil Rockind as the American criminal defense lawyer it would recommend to individuals searching for a criminal defense lawyer. Legal Finest includes lawyers from all over the world and includes only one (1) lawyer in each field in each country. Neil Rockind is proud to represent American criminal defense lawyers in this rare group., Recommended Criminal Defense Lawyer, 2014
• Top One Percent - In 2015, the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, an organization with members such as Roy Black, Thomas Cranmer and other prominent lawyers, named Neil Rockind among the Top One Percent of lawyers practicing in the United States. Having been included in a group featuring some of the best and most recognized lawyers in the United States reveals Neil Rockind's standing among his peers., Top One Percent, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015

Awards

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Avvo Client's Choice Award: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com

“I had the privilege of trying a long and complex, multi-defendant, two0-jury trial with him recently, and he was the most prepared, the most focused and the most client-dedicated attorney I have met in a long, long time. Two defendants were convicted of everything, my client of only a single count, but Rockind's client was acquitted of all counts. I would recommend him to anyone who needs a fine criminal defense lawyer who will work tirelessly for the client.”

“This lawyer is the most outstanding lawyer I have ever seen in court. He works harder than anyone I know and obtains incredible results. His dedication to his clients is unlike that of any other attorney. He truly cares about every case and treats each case as if it were the only one on his docket. It is always a pleasure to co-counsel any case with him and I look forward to every opportunity to work with him. Neil Rockind is the quintessential definition of a SuperLawyer.”