Attorney Profile: Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney

Lori Doganiero Palmieri, Esq.

Ms. Palmieri has been practicing Criminal Trial Law in Florida since 1990. Before founding her very successful criminal defense practice, she was a prosecutor with:

• The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office, Felony Deputy Chief


• The Office of Statewide (inter-county) Prosecution, Assistant Statewide Prosecutor


• The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office, Lead Trial Attorney

During her 12 years as a prosecutor, Ms. Palmieri worked closely with law enforcement officers to build successful cases against defendants. Having built thousands of strong cases for the prosecution, it follows naturally that she has the insight and expertise to recognize weaknesses in the State's case against you. There are very few other attorneys with both this vast and diverse prosecutorial experience, and Board Certification by the Florida Bar.

Ms. Palmieri is the 2009 - 2010 Chair of the Committee for Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law. There are only 9 attorneys in the entire state that sit on the committee each year. Their primary responsibilities are to write and grade the annual Certification exam, review applications for Certification, and ultimately recommend approval or denial of Board Certification of attorney applicants.

Ms. Palmieri joined the committee in 2005, and last served as the Vice-Chair from 2008 - 2009. She has helped to write and grade four Board Certification exams to date, and is starting on the fifth for the 2010 test date.

With the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's office, Ms. Palmieri was a Lead Trial Attorney handling DUI, domestic battery, and other misdemeanor cases. Ms. Palmieri then advanced to the Felony Division where she was assigned child sexual abuse crimes, in addition to other serious felonies: murder, robbery, sexual battery, carjacking, drug trafficking, burglary, theft, and fraud. She was also part of the DUI Manslaughter squad which responded to traffic accident scenes and advised law enforcement.

Ms. Palmieri furthered her prosecution and trial experience as an Assistant Prosecutor for the Office of Statewide Prosecution in the Tampa Bureau. (See http://myfloridalegal.com/swp and click on 'General Information' for a brief synopsis.) The Statewide Prosecutor and his Assistants are charged with investigating and prosecuting multi-circuit organized crime including: bribery, burglary, usury, extortion, gambling, kidnapping, theft, murder, prostitution, perjury, robbery, home invasion, carjacking, narcotics violations, antitrust violations, anti-fencing violations, crimes involving fraud and deceit, computer crimes, racketeering, and attempts, solicitations, or conspiracies to commit these offenses. Ms. Palmieri personally handled numerous extremely complex white collar prosecutions including racketeering, conspiracy, securities fraud, bank fraud, and other related crimes.

While an Assistant Statewide Prosecutor, she was asked to lecture to Special Agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in their White Collar Crime training course, and at the St. Petersburg Criminal Justice Training Academy.

Finally, to round out her criminal trial experience across the Tampa Bay Area, Ms. Palmieri accepted an appointment with the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office as a Lead Trial Attorney, and ultimately as a Deputy Chief in the Felony Division. She handled hundreds of serious felony offenses including drug trafficking, carjacking, attempted murder, armed robbery, weapons charges, and burglary. Her cases frequently involved 10-20-LIFE, Habitual Felony Offender, Prison Releasee Reoffender (PRR), and Three Strikes sentencing enhancements. To date, she has handled thousands of cases and tried over 80 jury trials, most involving serious felony offenses.

Professional Qualifications

• Board Certified® by the Florida Bar, Specialist in Criminal Trial Law in 2000.


• Admitted to practice in all courts in Florida, The US District Court for the Middle District of Florida and The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals

Memberships/Associations

• The Florida Bar, Member in good standing since 1990


• The Florida Bar, Chairwoman of the Board Certification Committee in Criminal Law, 2009-2010


• The Florida Bar, Vice-Chair of the Board Certification Committee in Criminal Law, 2008-2009.


• The Hillsborough County Bar Association


• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers


• Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers


• Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers


• President of the Pinellas County Trial Lawyers Association, 1997


• Florida Association of Women Lawyers


• Fox13's 'Ask-A-Lawyer' Panelist

Education

• Juris Doctor Degree
  
  
  
  • Stetson University College of Law, 1990


• Bachelor of Science Degree - Microbiology
  
  
  
  • University of Florida, 1985


• Continuing Legal Education, ongoing