Brett McIntosh

A question that I am often asked is "why have you dedicated so much of your career to defending criminals?"

The answer is this.   First, experience has proven to me that many people who find themselves arrested or accused of a crime are hardworking, decent people who have made a mistake.   Often these mistakes are the end point of complex and  difficult  circumstances  in a persons’ life that have ultimately led to an error in judgment. For these individuals, the unfamiliar process of an arrest can be particularly stressful and confusing.  These individuals need help  navigating the dark waters of the Court process and this turbulent time in their life.  With proper guidance and representation, these persons will return to being the productive citizens and family members they have been and that they want to be again.    There will always be plenty of people to cast stones at the accused.  However, it is my belief  that being an effective advocate for the person in this circumstance benefits us all.

Second, experience and raw statistics has also proven that there are many more people who are falsely accused of crimes than most people will ever realize.
In my years practicing law, I have seen false or mistaken accusations leveled at my clients by strangers, friends, family members, domestic partners,  employers, employees and law enforcement. Too often these accusations result in an arrest and irrevocable damage to the accused.  I take pride in knowing that I have helped individuals fight back when faced with false or mistaken accusations and that I have played a role in restoring freedom and reputation to those who might otherwise have met a different plight.

Finally,  i enjoy a good challenge.  I represent people and my goal is to not allow my clients to be steamrolled by a system that too often devalues personal rights in the pursuit of security.

I have spent my entire life and over 20 year professional career in this community.
My philosophy in creating McIntosh Law was to build a firm dedicated to  personalized, superior, results oriented representation.

I believe in supporting this philosophy by surrounding myself with dedicated professionals with strong community ties

There are well over 150 completed criminal trials amongst the attorneys at McIntosh Law. Each attorney has handled  all manner of misdemeanor and driving offenses as well as serious and complex felony cases. Not only  do we have experience  “ handling “ these cases, we have experience winning them.

Not Guilty verdicts for our clients have included  DUI, DUI with Accident and Personal Injury, Battery, Trespass,  Assault,  Aggravated Assault with  a Firearm,  Drug Possession, Trafficking,  Aggravated Battery,  Sexual Assault,  Attempted  Murder, DUI Manslaughter, Second Degree Murder  and others.

I am not going  to send you a flier in the mail to tell you how aggressive we are.  In Mexico I learned that bulls are aggressive in the ring but they most often lose to the matador.  Our approach to your case will be individualized and based upon what our experience dictates will achieve the best results for you.

Brett McIntosh is a trial  attorney and  member of the Florida  bar since 1993.  He is also licensed to practice in the Federal Court's of  Florida's Middle District. Past and present professional memberships and associations include the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Past President   Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Sarasota Chapter,  Chapter Representative Manatee County Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys.
Manatee County Bar Association, Sarasota County Bar Association, Inn of Court Sarasota, National College of DUI Defense. Peer Review BV Rated Martindale Hubble.

legal commentary or analysis provided to Court TV,   Local affiliates for ABC, Fox, SNN Sarasota Herald, Bradenton Herald,  Guest Editorialist Sarasota Herald, ME TV Panelist youth sports and juvenile crime

Publications :   "The Runaway Train". Article on Gang Related Rico prosecutions in State Court.  Florida Defender Magazine.

Specialized DUI Training :  Two time graduate of National College of DUI Defense intensive Summer Session presented at Harvard Law School.  Axion analytical lab training 40 hour intensive course on Forensic Chromatography ( blood testing ).  NHTSA Certification in Field Sobriety Testing procedure. Over 40 hours of additional DUI specific CLE credit.

Areas of Practice

• Criminal Law

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 1993
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1995

Education

• Nova Southeastern Law University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • J.D.

Honors and Awards

• Jim Slater Award for Professionalism for Criminal Law -- Voted by Judges of the 12th Circuit which includes Sarasota, Manatee & Desoto Counties, 2015