Florida Bar Certified Criminal Appellate Lawyer
Michael Ufferman is board certified in criminal appellate law and considered an expert in criminal appeals.
Michael Ufferman Law Firm, P.A.
The Michael Ufferman Law Firm is committed to assisting clients in need of representation in the legal system. The firm’s number one goal is protecting the client’s rights in a time of need. The firm offers experience and dedication, with particular attention paid to the personal interests of the client.
The firm concentrates on state and federal criminal appeals and state and federal postconviction motions. Mr. Ufferman is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, the United States District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, and all state and appellate courts in the State of Florida.
Mr. Ufferman has handled hundreds of state and federal appellate and postconviction motions. Mr. Ufferman has drafted state and federal direct appellate briefs, postconviction appellate briefs, federal 2254 and 2255 motions, and state 3.800 and 3.850 motions. Mr. Ufferman has appeared at oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Supreme Court of Florida, and the First, Second, and Fifth District Courts of Appeal.
Ufferman Law Welcomes New Associate: Laurel Niles
the firm as an associate. Mrs. Niles is the first associate to work at the firm and she began her
tenure in January 2024. She has been licensed as an attorney since 2013. She has litigated
every stage of the criminal legal process, from first appearance through certiorari petition to the
United States Supreme Court, providing zealous advocacy for individuals accused of
misdemeanor, felony, and capital offenses.
Mrs. Niles is a wonderful addition to the firm, which specializes in criminal appeals and
postconviction matters. She has briefed hundreds of direct appeals as well as final orders from
postconviction petitions. Mrs. Niles has argued in the Florida Supreme Court and is admitted to
practice in all state courts of Florida and the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Florida.
Florida Criminal Practice and Procedure
Mr. Ufferman is the author of the book Florida Criminal Practice and Procedures, 2024 ed. (Vol. 22, Florida Practice Series). Florida Criminal Procedure is a comprehensive guide to pretrial criminal procedure, investigation of criminal offenses, and stages of trial.
Florida Bar Certified Criminal Appellate Lawyer
In 2015, Mr. Ufferman became President of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL). In 2010, Mr. Ufferman received the FACDL President’s Appreciation Award, and in 2009, he received the FACDL President’s Extra Mile Award. In 2009, Mr. Ufferman was elected to the board of directors of FACDL. He has also served as the Chair of FACDL’s Amicus Curiae Committee. Mr. Ufferman served on the board of directors of the Innocence Project of Florida from 2007-2014.
Mr. Ufferman is a frequent lecturer, having spoken at statewide and local seminars (including FACDL’s annual meeting and FACDL’s “Showcase on Sentencing”). Mr. Ufferman has previously served on The Florida Bar’s Criminal Law Certification Committee.
Mr. Ufferman earned his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1994, graduating Cum Laude and majoring in both Political Science & History. Mr. Ufferman earned his Juris Doctorate from the Florida State University College of Law in1997, graduating with high honors. After graduating from law school, Mr. Ufferman clerked for Justice Major B. Harding at the Supreme Court of Florida from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, Mr. Ufferman joined the Robert Augustus Harper Law Firm, where he worked until 2004 when he left to start his own law firm.
Mr. Ufferman is a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Bar Association, and the Tallahassee Bar Association.
As of 2024, Mr. Ufferman is an adjunct professor teaching criminal procedure at the Florida State University College of Law.
