Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney

Leslie M. Sammis

Leslie M. Sammis defends individuals charged with misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses in the State of Florida. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida, the State of Georgia, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the Eleventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1996, Leslie Sammis completed her first year of law school at Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. At Stetson University College of Law, Ms. Sammis competed as the only first year student on Stetson's Trial Team winning second place overall in the 1997 National Association of Trial Lawyers (ATLA) Competition in Denver. For her second and third year of law school, Ms. Sammis transferred to the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, Florida, where she graduated with Honors in 1999. While at the University of Florida, Ms. Sammis served on the Executive Board for the UF Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board and competed in several moot court competitions.

Gaining valuable insight into the criminal justice process, Ms. Sammis completed internships with the State Attorney's Office prosecuting felony offenses including three felony jury trials, the United States Attorney's Office in Tampa assisting federal prosecutors, and a federal judicial internship with the Honorable Henry Lee Adams, Jr., United States District Judge, for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.

Ms. Sammis' passion for trial advocacy lead her to the Public Defender’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida where she gained valuable jury trial experience while representing individuals in misdemeanor, juvenile and felony divisions.

After entering private practice in 2001, Ms. Sammis continued to focus exclusively on criminal and DUI defense before founding the Sammis Law Firm, P.A. Ms. Sammis provides aggressive and experienced legal representation to each of her clients charged with criminal offenses in Florida. She takes a scholarly approach to legal research using the most cutting edge resources available to stay current on recent changes in the law.

Ms. Sammis believes that trial preparation begins on day one by investigating the case, and then methodically attacking the prosecutor's evidence through motions to suppress, motions to exclude and motions to dismiss. Ms. Sammis believes in utilizing the top experts available including forensic accountants, toxicologists, and private investigators. The best pre-trial negotiations take place when the prosecutor understands that both the client and the attorney are willing and able to take the case to trial to obtain a "not guilty" verdict.

Education:

• University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida, 1999
  • Juris Doctorate, with Honors
• University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 1996
  • Bachelor of Arts

Bar Admissions:

• State Bar of Florida, 1999
• State Bar of Georgia, 2002

Criminal Trial Experience:

• Former Assistant Public Defender, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida
• Federal Judicial Internship with the Honorable Henry Lee Adams, Jr., United States District Judge, for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division
• Internship with the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida prosecuting felony cases and conducting felony jury trials under the supervision of the State Attorney’s Office
• Internship with the United States Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, assisting federal prosecutors
• UF's Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Executive Board
• Second Place National 1997 Trial Team Competition sponsored by the National Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
• Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL)
• Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA)
• Attorney on the NORML Legal Committee