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Criminal Defense Lawyers in Melrose, MA: 2026 rankings

299 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →

The short answer

  1. 1

    Highest LFR Score in Melrose: Toland Law, LLC, LFR Score 72/100; 4.9★ from 488 Google reviews; open 24/7.

  2. 2

    Open 24 hours (per Google): Contant Law, P.C., posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 299.

  3. 11

    Most-reviewed: The Law Office of Brian Simoneau, P.C., 921 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 299 ranked; ranked #11.

Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank

299 Melrose criminal defense lawyers are ranked here by LFR Score, from nine published factors. 87 are open 24/7, 129 open Saturdays and 117 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 299 rated law firms.

Most of this list also appears on the Criminal defense lawyers in South Boston ranking. See Criminal defense lawyers in South Boston

Top 10 criminal defense lawyers in Melrose at a glance

Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.

Top 10 criminal defense lawyers in Melrose at a glance
RankBusinessLFR ScoreGoogle ratingBased inHoursNotable for
1Toland Law, LLC724.9★ (488)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)Top score
2Contant Law, P.C.715.0★ (166)Woburn, 4 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)Open 24 hours
3Law Office of Matthew W Peterson715.0★ (196)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
4Law Office of William J. Barabino715.0★ (307)Medford, 4 mi awaySat · Sun—
5Markey Law Partners - Restraining Order Lawyers705.0★ (174)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
6Law Offices of Stephen Neyman Criminal Lawyers705.0★ (125)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
7The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski695.0★ (93)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
8Criminal Defense Lawyer Paul R. Moraski695.0★ (120)Salem, 10 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
9Joseph Waldbaum, Esq.694.9★ (167)Beverly, 12 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—
10Law Office Of Frank Fernandez, Esq.694.8★ (118)Boston, 7 mi awayOpen 24 hrs (Google)—

All 299 criminal defense lawyers in Melrose, in rank order

Ordered by LFR Score, a 0–100 score from nine published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.

Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.

Scores below: based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.

  1. Ranked #1 in Melrose

    #1 Toland Law, LLC

    Based in Boston, 7 mi away

    72/100LFR Score

    Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 488 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 4.9★ from 488 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    2 Oliver St #701, Boston, MA 02109
    View profile for Toland Law, LLC(781) 819-3647

  2. #2 Contant Law, P.C.

    Based in Woburn, 4 mi away

    71/100LFR Score

    Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 166 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 166 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    10 Cedar St STE 23, Woburn, MA 01801
    View profile for Contant Law, P.C.(617) 227-8383

  9. #9 Joseph Waldbaum, Esq.

    Based in Beverly, 12 mi away

    69/100LFR Score

    Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 167 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 4.9★ from 167 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    100 Cummings Center, Suite #207-P, Beverly, MA 01915
    View profile for Joseph Waldbaum, Esq.(978) 921-4100

  12. #12 Dhar Law, LLP

    Based in Medford, 5 mi away

    69/100LFR Score

    Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 142 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 142 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Sun 9 AM–5 PM
    Address
    Schrafft’s City Center Power House, 529 Main St Ste P200, Charlestown, MA 02129
    View profile for Dhar Law, LLP(617) 880-6155

  13. #13 Erkan & Sullivan, PC

    Based in North Andover, 15 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 168 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 168 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    300 High St, Andover, MA 01810
    View profile for Erkan & Sullivan, PC(978) 647-3685

  15. #15 Rakhlin Law

    Based in Boston, 7 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #15 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 69 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 69 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    230 Commercial St #19, Boston, MA 02109
    View profile for Rakhlin Law(617) 564-0466

  16. #16 Dakota Martin Law

    Based in Boston, 7 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #16 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 63 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 63 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    1 Washington Mall #1106, Boston, MA 02108
    View profile for Dakota Martin Law(617) 657-4529

  20. #20 Simons Law Office

    Based in Boston, 7 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #20 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 104 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 104 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Sun 7 AM–11 PM
    Address
    53 State St Ste 500, Boston, MA 02109
    View profile for Simons Law Office(781) 797-0555

  21. #21 Nate Amendola Defense

    Based in Norwell, 22 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #21 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 228 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 228 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    Rear of Building, 183 Washington St, Norwell, MA 02061
    View profile for Nate Amendola Defense(781) 650-6710

  22. #22 Conley Law, PLLC

    Based in Danvers, 9 mi away

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #22 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 55 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 55 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    153 Andover St Ste 205, Danvers, MA 01923
    View profile for Conley Law, PLLC(978) 406-9093

  25. #25 Greater Boston Law

    Based in Norwood, 20 mi away

    67/100LFR Score

    Ranked #25 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 155 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    • 5.0★ from 155 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    89 Access Rd Ste 21, Norwood, MA 02062
    View profile for Greater Boston Law(781) 436-0316

Criminal defense lawyers ranked #26 to #29

#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #29, in LFR Score order; each links to its profile. We publish the top 29 of 299 ranked criminal defense lawyers here; the rest are on their profiles.

criminal defense lawyers in Melrose, ranks 26 to 29
RankBusinessLFR ScoreGoogle ratingDistance
26Gens & Stanton P.C.675.0★ (67)12 mi
27Riccio Law - Criminal Defense Attorney675.0★ (84)15 mi
28Boston Attorney Susan M. Rayburn, Criminal Defense Boston Practice675.0★ (39)7 mi
29Carney, Gaudet & Carney674.8★ (39)7 mi

How we ranked Melrose criminal defense lawyers

We scored 299 Melrose criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, weighted as shown. A law firm is ranked when its practice area is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.

Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Attorney advertising businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.

Read the full method: formula, sources and exclusions

LFR Score factors and weights
FactorWeightComputed fromIn Melrose data
Reputation25%Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back itMeasured
Bar status10%An active bar or law society record matched to a lawyer at the firm (not measured until a record source is loaded)Not yet collected
Review volume10%Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the listMeasured
Recency10%Share of reviews from the last 12 monthsNot yet collected
Availability5%Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7Measured
Practice focus15%How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name)Measured
Proximity5%An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it isMeasured
Claimed profile10%The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same)Measured
Law Firms Ranked reviews10%Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there areMeasured

How to choose a criminal defense lawyer

  1. Check the lawyer’s status and any public discipline in the state bar or law society directory.
  2. Ask how many criminal defense matters the lawyer handles each year, and who at the firm will do the work.
  3. Get the fee arrangement in writing: hourly, flat or contingency, and which costs are charged on top.
  4. Ask how and how often the firm will update you, and how fast it answers calls and emails.
  5. Read recent reviews for how the firm communicated and billed, not only for outcomes.
  6. Ask whether the lawyer regularly appears in the court where your case is filed.
  7. Meet more than one firm; many offer a short first consultation, sometimes free.

Questions to ask a criminal defense lawyer

  • How would you approach a matter like mine, and what are the realistic options?
  • How do you charge, and what will the total likely cost?
  • Who will be my main contact, and how quickly do you reply?
  • What does the flat fee cover, and what costs extra if the case goes to trial?
  • Who will appear with me at each hearing?
  • Is there any conflict of interest that would stop you representing me?

Terms explained

Contingency fee
A fee that is a share of the money recovered, paid only if there is a recovery. Common in injury cases; not allowed for criminal defense or for securing a divorce.
Retainer
Money paid up front and held in a trust account, which the lawyer draws on as fees are earned.
Flat fee
One set price for a defined piece of work, such as a will or an uncontested matter.
Limited-scope representation
Paying a lawyer for part of a matter only, such as reviewing documents or coaching for one hearing (also called unbundled services).
Statute of limitations
The deadline to file a lawsuit or charge. It differs by state or province and by type of claim.
Good standing
A lawyer’s status as active and eligible to practise with a state bar or law society.
Law society
The body that licenses and disciplines lawyers in a Canadian province or territory.
Board certification
Recognition in a field of law by a state program or an organisation accredited for that purpose. Lawyers may only claim it when they hold it, naming the certifying body.
Attorney–client privilege
The rule that keeps confidential communications between a client and lawyer, made for legal advice, out of court.
Conflict check
The search a firm runs before taking a matter to make sure it does not represent someone on the other side.
Pro bono
Legal work done for free, usually for people who cannot afford a lawyer.
Legal aid
Publicly funded legal help for people with low incomes, through legal aid offices, public defenders or provincial legal aid plans.

Criminal defense lawyers in Melrose: frequently asked questions

Which criminal defense lawyer has the highest LFR Score in Melrose?

By LFR Score, the highest-ranked criminal defense lawyer in Melrose, MA is Toland Law, LLC with an LFR Score of 72/100. It has 4.9★ from 488 Google reviews. It is open 24/7. Contant Law, P.C. (#2) and Law Office of Matthew W Peterson (#3) follow. We ranked 299 criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, last updated November 9, 2026.

How many criminal defense lawyers are there in Melrose?

LawFirmsRanked ranks 299 criminal defense lawyers serving Melrose, MA. Counts are as of November 2026.

Which criminal defense lawyers in Melrose are open 24/7?

87 ranked criminal defense lawyers in Melrose post 24/7 hours. The highest-ranked are Toland Law, LLC (#1), Contant Law, P.C. (#2) and Law Office of Matthew W Peterson (#3). Hours come from each law firm's Google listing as of November 2026, so call to confirm.

Which criminal defense lawyers in Melrose work on weekends?

129 of 299 ranked criminal defense lawyers post Saturday hours and 117 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Toland Law, LLC (#1), Contant Law, P.C. (#2) and Law Office of Matthew W Peterson (#3). Posted hours are office hours; many firms meet clients by appointment outside them.

What Google rating do Melrose criminal defense lawyers have?

The median Google rating among 299 rated criminal defense lawyers in Melrose is 4.8★, with a median of 21 reviews. The Law Office of Brian Simoneau, P.C. has the most, 921 reviews, and ranks #11. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.

How does LawFirmsRanked rank criminal defense lawyers?

Each criminal defense lawyer gets a 0–100 LFR Score from nine published factors, led by reputation (25%), practice focus (15%), review volume (10%) and recency (10%). A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only law firms with a confirmed practice area and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.

Do criminal defense lawyers outside Melrose count in this ranking?

Yes, if they are within 30 mi of the Melrose city center, our service radius for criminal defense lawyers. Each listing shows where the law firm is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 5% of the LFR Score, so a nearby law firm gets a small edge.

Can criminal defense lawyers pay to rank higher on LawFirmsRanked?

No. The LFR Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured law firms may appear above the list, labelled Attorney advertising and showing their honest rank.

How do criminal defense lawyers in Melrose, MA charge?

Criminal defense lawyers usually charge a flat fee per stage (for example, through a plea or through trial) or an hourly rate. Contingency fees are not allowed in criminal cases under ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Lawyers using Clio billed an average of $219 an hour in this area (Clio Legal Trends data, October 2026; all areas $362). Ask for the fee arrangement in writing before you agree.

What if I can’t afford a criminal defense lawyer?

If a charge can lead to jail, the court must appoint a lawyer for you if you cannot afford one (Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963; Argersinger v. Hamlin, 1972). Ask about a public defender at your first court appearance. This is general information, not legal advice.

How is this list of criminal defense lawyers in Melrose, MA ranked?

By LFR Score only, from public data on reviews, practice focus, office location and hours. Firms labelled “Attorney advertising” paid for that placement; payment never changes a rank, and a rank is not an endorsement.

Does a lawyer need an office in Melrose?

No, but the lawyer must be licensed in your state (or, for federal matters such as immigration, in some state). A local office makes meetings and court appearances easier, so proximity is one of our factors.

Update log for Melrose

  1. November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 299 criminal defense lawyers serving Melrose.

More criminal defense lawyers and Melrose pages