Jeffrey S. Weiner

Attorney & Founder

Bio

Jeff Weiner graduated from Chicago-Kent in January 1974. At Chicago-Kent, Jeff was president of the Student Bar Association, a Moot Court winner, and editor of The Kent Commentator.

For almost 50 years, Jeff has been a staunch advocate for the preservation of our constitutional rights. Jeff has argued trials and appeals in over 25 states including before the U.S. Supreme Court, The Florida Supreme Court, and numerous Florida and Federal appellate courts.

In 1991, Jeff argued Florida v. Jimeno, 500 U.S. 248 (1991), before the United States Supreme Court.

Jeff’s distinguished legal career includes the term of president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), president of the Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association (FACDL), and chair of the Miami-Dade County Bar Criminal Courts Committee. Jeff is a Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers and a former Regent of the National Criminal Defense College. Jeff is a Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

In 1985, Jeff was the recipient of the NACDL’s highest honor, awarded annually to “The one Criminal Defense attorney who best exemplifies the goals and values of the Association and the legal profession”. In 2021, Jeff received the highest recognition from the Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association (FACDL) for “A Career Dedicated to Preserving Constitutional Rights and Manifesting an Open Devotion to Justice, Civility, Discretion, Courage, Respect for Human Dignity and Mercy for All Citizens”.

Jeff has authored numerous legal articles and is a co-author of O’Connor’s Federal Rules & Codes Plus, published by Thomson Reuters ®, now in its 13th edition.

Jeff has been voted by his fellow attorneys as one of the 2023 “Best Lawyers in America”, is “Super Lawyer” and is named as one of Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” which singles out less than 2% of the nearly 108,000 Florida Bar members.

Jeff is the managing partner of Jeffrey S. Weiner, P.A. in Miami, Florida. He considers it a great honor to be 2023’s commencement speaker at his beloved Alma Mater, especially because his son, Fernando, is one of the 2023 graduates.

Jeff received the Chicago-Kent Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993 and was one of the “125 Alumni of Distinction” celebrating Chicago-Kent’s 125^th Anniversary in 2013.

Jeff’s undergraduate years were at the University of Miami where he was voted as a member of Iron Arrow, the university’s highest honor.

My Advice

Do not say anything to anyone without first consulting a competent and experienced criminal defense attorney.
Do not make the mistake of thinking you will “look guilty” if you retain the services of a respected criminal defense attorney. Consult your lawyer immediately.
A good criminal defense attorney will instruct you to say nothing to the police or investigating authorities. Do not think that your innocence and truthfulness will quickly end the matter.
You must be candid with your attorney and tell the whole truth, omitting nothing – even embarrassing details – so your attorney can intelligently plan his or her strategy and your defenses.

Education

J.D., Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1974
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Fraternities

Phi Alpha Delta

Past Employment Positions

Dade County, Special Assistant Public Defender, 1974 – 1990
Metropolitan Dade County, Florida, Hearing Examiner, 1982 – 1987
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference, Lawyer-Delegate, 1988 – 1989

Areas of Practice

Attorney Jeffrey S. Weiner has been practicing criminal law since 1974.

Jeff Weiner has been a Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers since May, 1984.

Bar Admissions

Illinois, 1974
Florida, 1974
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1974
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1975
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1986
U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1989
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1989
U.S. Supreme Court, 1978
U.S. Tax Court, 1981

Professional Associations & Memberships

South Miami-Kendall
Member
Dade County, 1985 – 1986
Chairman, Criminal Courts Committee
Dade County, 1984 – 1985
Co-Chairman
Dade County, 1985
Member, Police Standards Committee
Dade County, 1975 – Present
Member
Illinois State, Criminal Law Section
Member
Federal, Criminal Law Section
Member
American, Criminal Law Section, 1987 – Present
Member, Defense Function Committee
American, Criminal Law Section
Member, White Collar Crime Committee
American, Criminal Law Section, 1999
Member, Post Conviction Committee
The Florida Bar, Criminal Law Section
Member
The Florida Bar, 1985 – 1986
Member, Liaison with the Judiciary Committee
The Florida Bar, Federal Practice Commission, 1987 – 1988
Member
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Criminal Law Section
Member
Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, 1981 – 1982
President
Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, 1977 – 1979
Member, Board of Directors
Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
American Board of Criminal Lawyers, 1985 – 1987
Member, Board of Governors
Illinois Attorneys for Criminal Justice
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Life Member
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1991 – 1992
President
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1998
Vice-Chair, Nominating Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1999 – 2002
Co-Chair, Nominating Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1999
Member, Post Conviction Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1985 – 1992
Member, Executive Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1979 – 1984
Member, Board of Directors
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1982 – 1983
Chairman, Local and State Bar Liaison Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1980 – 1982
Co-Chairman, Lawyers Assistance Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1984 – 1985
Chairman, Publications Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1985 – 1986
Chairman, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1988 – 1991
Chairman, Judicial Liaison Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1996
Chairman, Judicial Liaison Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1992 – 1994
Chairman, United States Department of Justice Liaison Committee
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1995 – 1996
Chair, Judicial Relations Committee
International Association of Penal Law
Iron Arrow
Member
Bar and Gavel
Member
Student Bar Association, 1973
President
Dade County Guardianship Ad Litem Program, 1988 – Present
Member
American Civil Liberties Union
Member, Legal Panel and Lawyers Council Steering Committee
American Arbitration Association
Member, Panel of Arbitrators
American Inns of Court
Barrister
BNA Criminal Practice Manual
Former Member, Board of Advisors
United States Federal Courts Study Committee, 1989
Witness
Inside Drug Law, 1986 – 1991
Board of Advisor

Languages

English

Honors & Awards

Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School Center for Addiction Studies, 1990 – 1992
National Directory of Criminal Lawyers
National Registry of Preeminent Lawyers
Florida Leading American Attorneys and Law: Consumer Guidebook
Who’s Who in American Law
Fellow, American Board of Criminal Trial Lawyers
Recipient, Moot Court Award, 1973
Florida Bar Award for Media Excellence, 1988
Former President of the National Association of Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers
Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers
Voted as a Top Criminal Trial Advocate by Law and Leading Lawyers
Top 250 Lawyers in the South Florida Legal Guide
Top Law Firm in the South Florida Legal Guide
Recognition in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Selected for listing in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Selected as among Florida’s Top Florida Criminal Defense lawyers by Florida Trend magazine
The Florida Bar, Member for Fifty Years

Certification/Specialties

Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification

Published Works

Managing Editor, The Kent Commentator, Chicago, Illinois, 1973
Editor, “Criminal Law Newsletter,” The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1979-1983
Editorial Board, “Drug Research Report,” Harvard Medical School, 1985-1990
“Entrapment,” Inside Drug Law, 1985
“Taking the Lid Off The Government’s Silent Partner,” The Champion, Jan., 1990
“Counseling Counsel: Contempts, Conflicts and Disciplinary Action,” The Champion, July, 1990
“Prosecutorial Misconduct: Alive and Well,” (Co-author), Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, 1990

Representative Cases

United States Supreme Court Argument, State of Florida vs. Jimeno, (111 S. Ct. 1801 1991)
U.S. v. Koblitz, 803 F.2d 1523 (11th Cir. 1986)
In re Witness-Attorney Before Grand Jury, No. 83-1, 613 F. Supp. 394 (1984)
U.S. v. Hernandez, 574 F.2d 1362 (5th Cir. 1978)
State of Florida v. Gomez, 363 So. 2d 624 (1978)
In re Raymond Seidler, 411 So.2d 873 (1982)
State of Florida v. Robinson, 391 So. 2d 221 (1981)
U.S. v. Levy-Cordero, 67 F.3d 1002 (1st Cir. 1995)
U.S. v. Escobedo, 623 F.2d 1098 (5th Cir. 1980)
Billie v. State, 774 So. 2d 819 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2000)
State v. Cowles, 790 So. 2d 426 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2001)
Cowles v. State, 758 So. 2d 682 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2000)
State v. Mane, 780 So. 2d 82 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2000)

Pro Bono Activities

Exceptional Participation Pro Bono Project for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and Dade County Bar Association, 1994 – Present

Classes/Seminars Taught

2023 Alum Commencement Speaker, Chicago- Kent Law
Professor of Law, Southeast Florida Institute of Criminal Justice
Faculty and Board of Regents, National Criminal Defense College
Faculty, Advanced Criminal Practitioner Seminar, Hawaii, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia
Faculty, Advanced Criminal Litigation Course, Association of Trial Lawyers of America National College of Advocacy
Faculty, Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, Aspen, Colorado