James E. Felman, Katherine Earle Yanes, Gus M. Centrone and Brandon K. Breslow have a sophisticated criminal defense investigation, trial, appellate, and post-conviction relief practice. They provide a high level of scholarship and creativity along with an aggressive dedication to the interests of the client. Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, and Mr. Breslow are former federal judicial law clerks, and each brings to the firm’s practice outstanding academic training and professional experience.

Representation in state and federal courts

Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, Mr. Centrone, and Mr. Breslow handle criminal matters in state and federal courts across a broad spectrum of alleged offenses, including financial crimes, such as business fraud, health care offenses, securities offenses, bank and mortgage fraud, tax offenses, embezzlement, bankruptcy fraud, bribery and kickback schemes, money laundering, antitrust violations, and public corruption; environmental crimes; homicide; sex offenses; drug and synthetic drug offenses; gambling offenses; and racketeering. Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, Mr. Centrone, and Mr. Breslow represent an array of clients, whether they are individuals, public companies, boards and board members of public companies, accounting firms, law firms and lawyers, or hospitals and doctors.

Advocates in criminal defense

Our lawyers protect client interests at every stage of a criminal proceeding or investigation, whether you are faced with a grand jury or other investigation, a state or federal criminal trial or sentencing, or defending a criminal forfeiture. Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, Mr. Centrone, and Mr. Breslow can assist you with matters such as:

Related civil proceedings – both plaintiff and defendant

In addition to representing clients in criminal defense matters in state and federal courts, Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, Mr. Centrone, and Mr. Breslow also represent clients in related civil proceedings, such as:

• Defense of related civil proceedings
• Civil forfeiture defense
• Receivership claims and litigation
• Qui tam – plaintiff and defendant
• Securities & Exchange Commission investigations and litigation
• Federal Trade Commission investigations and litigation
• Plaintiff’s actions for malicious prosecution

Recognition

• Mr. Felman was recently named by Best Lawyers in America as the 2024 Tampa “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: General Practice. Previously, Mr. Felman was named by Best Lawyers in America as the 2023 Tampa “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2021 Tampa “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: General Practice, and in 2018 Tampa “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: White-Collar. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America for appellate practice, “bet-the-company” litigation, and white-collar and non-white collar criminal defense. Florida Super Lawyers has listed Mr. Felman for criminal defense: white collar practice and named him one of the Top 50 Tampa Bay Lawyers  in Tampa Bay and previously named him a Top 100 Lawyer in Florida from 2014-2016. Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite names Mr. Felman for criminal law.
• Ms. Yanes is listed in Best Lawyers in America for white-collar criminal defense and appellate practice. Ms. Yanes was named by Best Lawyers as the 2017 Tampa “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: White Collar. She is also named in Florida Super Lawyers for criminal defense: white collar. In 2023, Super Lawyers named her one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Florida, one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Tampa Bay, and one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Florida. Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite names her for criminal law.
• Mr. Centrone is listed in Best Lawyers in America for criminal defense: general practice and white-collar. Florida Super Lawyers has listed Mr. Centrone for criminal defense.  Mr. Centrone was named by Tampa Magazine as 2019 Consumer Protection Attorney of the Year. He was also listed by Tampa Magazine as a Top Lawyer in Consumer Law. Florida Trend also lists Mr. Centrone Florida Legal Elite.
• Mr. Breslow is listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and Florida Super Lawyers Risings Stars for appellate practice.
• Kynes, Markman & Felman, P.A. has been named eight years in a row as a Best Law Firm in Tampa by U.S. News and Best Lawyers, the leading survey of lawyers worldwide. Most recently, the firm has been recognized for Criminal Defense: White-Collar – Governmental Investigations; Criminal Defense: White-Collar – Litigation; Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar; and Appellate Practice.
• Mr. Felman and Ms. Yanes have been recognized for their contributions to Clemency Project 2014, a joint project between the Federal Defenders, the American Civil Liberties Union, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the American Bar Association, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers created because of President Obama’s clemency initiative to provide pro bono assistance to federal prisoners who, if sentenced today, would likely receive shorter sentences. See https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/florida-leads-the-nation-in-the-number-of-prisoners-released-by-obama/2294150. In March 2019, Mr. Felman discussed Clemency Project 2014, the First Step Act, and other federal sentencing matters on The #JustPod, the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s podcast (available at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-justpod/id1454284972?mt=2).
• The firm is AV‑rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating available, and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
• Contact Mr. Felman, Ms. Yanes, Mr. Centrone, or Mr. Breslow to discuss your legal needs by calling 813-229-1118 or 800-584-3375.