Mark J. O'Brien

The Criminal Defense Attorney That Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, Accountants, Business Executives, Federal Agents, Police Officers, Military Members, Professional Athletes, Entertainment Figures, Conservatives, Liberals, And First-Time Offenders Call When They Need A Criminal Defense Attorney.

So Should You.

Mark J. O'Brien

The Criminal Defense Attorney That Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, Accountants, Business Executives, Federal Agents, Police Officers, Military Members, Professional Athletes, Entertainment Figures, Conservatives, Liberals, And First-Time Offenders Call When They Need A Criminal Defense Attorney.

So Should You.

Top Federal Criminal Attorneys – with Offices in Tampa, Orlando and Miami – Defending Cases in Florida and Nationwide

Big Enough to Beat Goliath.

Small Enough to Care About David.

O’Brien Hatfield is a criminal defense law firm that represents individuals and corporations in federal criminal cases nationwide and in state criminal cases and in criminal appeals statewide. With physical offices in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa in the State of Florida and Billings and Missoula in the State of Montana, Mr. O’Brien and Ms. Hatfield have built a network able to defend state criminal cases nearly everywhere and federal criminal cases everywhere. O’Brien Hatfield have a complete criminal defense team and the resources necessary to leave no stone unturned – and an unmatched desire to win.

Equity Partner Mark J. O’Brien is the firm’s managing partner and handles select state criminal cases and federal criminal cases throughout the state and across the country. Formerly a Miami prosecutor in the 1990’s, Mark is now widely lauded by federal judges and federal prosecutors as one of the best defense attorneys in the country.

Equity Partner Victoria E. Hatfield is the chair of the firm’s criminal division. Victoria has achieved multiple trial not guilty verdicts and won numerous motions to dismiss and motions to suppress. When you need the very best, Victoria will stand by your side. And she fights to win.

Shawn P. Napier is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Orlando office. He is a former federal prosecutor and a former state prosecutor. Mr. Napier brings nearly twenty-five years of high-stakes federal and state prosecution experience to his federal and state criminal defense practice.

Partner Oliva M. Goodman is the co-chair of the firm’s state criminal division. Olivia is a former large firm defense practitioner who has won criminal jury trials, motions to dismiss, motions to suppress, and criminal appeals. She is a dogged practitioner who believes in and fights for the rights of her clients.

Partner Sheryl C. Johansen is the co-chair of the firm’s state criminal division. Sheryl has nearly two decades of criminal defense experience, with over fifty jury trials to her credit. Sheryl has achieved numerous trial not guilty verdicts, motions to dismiss, and motions to suppress. Sheryl has the necessary experience to achieve success.

Partner Justin P. Fahringer is the co-chair of the firm’s state criminal division. Justin has extensive criminal law experience with over fifty jury trials to his credit.

Partner Todd J. Murgo is the chair of the firm’s appellate division. Todd is a former large firm defense practitioner whose intelligence and tenacity challenges state and federal appellate prosecutors with every case. Todd balances this competitive fire with a unique compassion to his clients and their families to offer a rare human touch.

In addition, O’Brien Hatfield has assembled a criminal defense team to aid their criminal defense lawyers. Like how the law firm lawyers shape their strategy and approach to figure out what the prosecutor is going to do before he or she does it, the law firm assembled former federal and state law enforcement professionals to figure out what law enforcement will do before they do it. Their team includes a former Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Federal Special Agent who specializes in drug trafficking and gun crimes, a former Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS CID) Federal Special Agent who focuses on white collar and fraud crimes, a former United States Probation Officer who concentrates on sentencing guideline issues and mitigation efforts, and a former Tampa Police Department Detective who assists in all defense investigations. Their team also includes a support staff of experienced paralegals and dedicated legal assistants All these team members work only for the law firm and directly for you. As a result, there will never be a conflict of interest.

O’Brien Hatfield has Florida offices in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami and several offices throughout the country serving our federal clients.

How The Team Can Help You

Office wall with news clippings

Federal Crimes

State Crimes

Appeals And Post-Conviction Motions

Criminal Extradition

Federal/State
White Collar Crimes

Federal/State
Drug Crimes

Federal/State
Sex Crimes

Federal/State
Whistleblower Claims

Law Firm Awards, Recognition and News Coverage

Read What Judges Are Saying

Federal Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson

“Mr. O’Brien is a very excellent, skilled, experienced lawyer. If you want to go to trial, he’ll go to trial, and guess what, he’s a very competitive lawyer, he wants to win. I can’t think of anybody who could do a better job, whether you want a trial or not. I mean, there’s no one I could think of that would do a better job than Mr. O’Brien.”

United States v. Algarin
8:17-CR-438-MSS-TGW
The Middle District of Florida
Tampa Division
March 6, 2018

Federal District Court Judge James I. Cohn

“Your lawyer did a hell of a job for you. There are not a lot of lawyers that handle sentencing issues as well as your lawyer did in this case. So you owe him a debt of gratitude. He saved you a lot of time.”

United States v. Marcus Lewis
0:19-CR-60046-JIC
The Southern District of Florida
Fort Lauderdale Division
September 18, 2019

Federal District Court Judge William Jung

“And I'm not an advertising company for Mr. O'Brien's law firm, but in my humble opinion you got a million dollars’ worth of legal talent in this case.”
United States v. Kenyatta Anderson,
8:20-CR-81-WFJ-JSS
July 20, 2022

Federal District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood

“Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Jackson, come forward. Mr. Jackson, the jury has found that you are not guilty on both charges which you were indicted on. As a result, I now adjudge you no guilty of the offenses and you will be free to leave from these charges. Your attorney did an excellent job in the case and the jury’s verdict will become the record of The Court.”

United States of America v. Andrew Jackson
2:18-CR-14-LGW-BWC
The Southern District of Georgia
Brunswick Division
January 30, 2019

Federal District Court Judge William Jung

“You have actually, in my humble opinion, probably hired the best lawyer right now in the State of Florida.”

United States v. Jose Andujar,
8:20-CR-220-WFJ-SPF

Federal Magistrate Judge James R. Klindt

“Mr. O’Brien is not afraid to say what he thinks and believes. He is not going to pull any punches in terms of speaking up and representing his client in a vigorous and zealous way.”

United States of America v. Lorenzo Mendez-Ortiz
3:18-CR-39-MMH-JRK
The Middle District of Florida
Jacksonville Division
August 31, 2018

Federal District Court Judge John Antoon II

“And you’ve had outstanding counsel here. You found Mr. O’Brien on your own, which worked to your advantage because not every attorney would have spotted the issues that he spotted and communicated to the Court the way he did. But the likelihood of that ever happening again is minuscule.”

United States v. Tralvaster Epps
5:21-CR-13-JA-PRL
The Middle District of Florida
Ocala Division
February 15, 2022

Meet The Team

Office reception area

Mark J. O’Brien, Esquire

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Photo of Victoria E. Hatfield

Victoria E. Hatfield, Esquire

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Photo of Shawn P. Napier

Shawn P. Napier, Esquire

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Photo of Justin K. Fahringer

Justin K.
Fahringer, Esquire

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Photo of Olivia M. Goodman

Olivia Goodman, Esquire

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Photo of Sheryl C. Johansen

Sheryl C. Johansen, Esquire

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Photo of Todd J. Murgo

Todd J.
Murgo, Esquire

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Experienced In Federal And State Courts

The United States Constitution guarantees every individual the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. This fundamental principle is upheld in federal and state criminal defense, where Mr. O’Brien and Ms. Hatfield work tirelessly to protect the rights of the accused. Whether your case is in federal court or state court, you need the lawyers at O'Brien Hatfield, to protect your rights and fight back against prosecutors.

The role of a criminal defense attorney is to provide legal representation to individuals charged with crimes. These crimes can range from drug trafficking and white collar crimes to murder and sex crimes. The stakes are high, as a conviction can result in lengthy prison sentences, hefty fines, and a criminal record that can follow an individual for the rest of their life.

One of the key arguments in favor of hiring O'Brien Hatfield, for your federal criminal defense is the importance of protecting the rights of the accused. The Constitution guarantees the right to a fair trial, which includes the right to legal representation. Without skilled attorneys like Mr. O’Brien and Ms. Hatfield, a criminal defendant may not fully understand their rights or the legal process, which can lead to an unfair trial and an unfair result.

Another argument in favor of hiring O'Brien Hatfield, is the need to ensure that the government follows due process. The government has vast resources at its disposal, including federal and state law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. A skilled defense attorney like Ms. Hatfield will level the playing field by challenging the government’s evidence and ensuring that you are treated fairly.

White collar crime is a term used to describe nonviolent crimes committed by individuals in positions of power or trust, typically in the business or financial sectors. These crimes can include fraud, embezzlement, insider trading and money laundering, among others. When accused of such crimes, individuals can seek the white collar criminal defense services of Mr. O’Brien to represent them in federal criminal court.

Mr. O’Brien’s role is to protect the rights of his clients and ensure they receive a fair trial. This can involve challenging the evidence presented by the prosecution, negotiating plea deals, and presenting a strong defense case. In many cases, wherein trial is not the best option, Mr. O’Brien will work to mitigate the potential consequences of a conviction, such as fines, restitution, and most importantly imprisonment.

One of the key arguments in favor of retaining O'Brien Hatfield, is that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, regardless of the nature of the crime they are accused of committing. This is a fundamental principle of the American justice system, and it is the responsibility of the defense attorney to ensure that this principle is upheld. Additionally, Mr. O’Brien, Ms. Hatfield and Ms. Goodman can help to prevent wrongful convictions by challenging the evidence presented by the prosecution and presenting a strong defense case.

The federal and state criminal defense lawyers at O'Brien Hatfield, are a crucial component of the criminal justice system. They ensure that the rights of the accused are protected and that prosecutors follow due process. While the stakes are high, a skilled criminal defense attorney can make a significant difference in the outcome of a criminal case. Why play games with your life?

Attorney Mark J. O'Brien

“There is absolutely nothing that I can do that would be enough to thank Mark for literally saving my life. As we walked outside of the courthouse, my father in law was so happy and told Mark that, “I have to change your name in my cell phone to JC or Jesus Christ, because you just saved a life, in fact, you just saved the lives of an entire family!” My family and I are so impressed with Mark’s professionalism, demeanor and energy from that first scary day we met in a federal courthouse in Orlando, Florida to the amazing last day we hugged him goodbye standing outside a federal courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia. Thank you Mark for giving me back my life and making it possible for me to have a future!”

– Andrew Jackson

Client Testimonials

“Mark, thank you for everything. I will forever be indebted to you. You have stood by me and believed in me when it was not the popular thing to do. You are an amazing advocate.”
Adam Filthaut

“In taking my side, and standing by me with enthusiasm, and protecting my wife and child from myself, you’ve done me as great a service as anyone else ever has, even on the battlefield. I know I may never have the opportunity to repay you directly. So the best I can promise you, is that I will move forward as a man, citizen, Marine and father deserving of the service you’ve done me. I will not disgrace it by squandering this second chance.Again, thank you. You saved my life.”

Grady Kurpasi
United States Marine Corps

“God put the Best Attorney and human being in the world in my life, one who displayed outstanding professionalism and experience in every court, and in addition to that, never stopped offering his kindness and generosity. That was you, Mark J. O’Brien… Thank you for doing everything possible to make me a free man.” 

Eduany Cruz Alvarez