Bjorn E. Brunvand - Clearwater, FL

Overview

Mr. Brunvand has concentrated his legal practice in the area of federal and Florida state criminal defense from the investigative stages through motions, resolution negotiations, trials and sentencing if necessary.

Born in Stavanger, Norway, Bjorn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of South Florida and a law degree from Stetson University College of Law. While attending Stetson, he was a founding member of the Stetson Intramural Law Journal and handled several jury trials in the Public Defender Clinic. Upon graduation from Stetson, he became an Assistant Public Defender in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, and served in that capacity from 1989 to 1992. As an Assistant Public Defender, he tried more jury trials than most attorneys try in a lifetime. In 1991 he had the opportunity to attend and graduate from the National Criminal Defense College, in Macon, Georgia. In December 1992, he entered private practice, in the Tampa Bay Area (Florida).

While in private practice, Bjorn has been fortunate to successfully represent individuals and corporations that faced serious criminal charges in Federal and State Courts. The fraud cases range from government fraud cases involving Medicare, Medicaid, Defense Contracting, Mortgage and Banking. His practice includes the representation of individuals charged as participants in major international drug trafficking ventures whether they choose to defend their case via a jury trial or through negotiations to avoid lengthy prison sentences. Other cases handled by his office include but are not limited to the following: murder, manslaughter, child pornography, burglary, grand theft, embezzlement, organized crime, DUI and other criminal traffic offenses.

Bjorn is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is recognized both as a Florida Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney and a Nationally Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer. He was voted as a Super Lawyer in 2008 and 2009 and continues to be AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Bjorn is the former President of and remains active in the Pinellas County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the Pinellas County Trial Lawyers Association. He has served as an active member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Barney Masterson Inn of Court, the Federal Bar Association, Clearwater and St. Petersburg Bar Associations, the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar and the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (N.O.R.M.L.)