Sam Rabin: A Miami Criminal Defense Career Built on More than 300 Tried Cases

Samuel J. Rabin, Jr. is a criminal defense attorney who heads the Law Firm of Rabin & Lopez, P.A. in Miami, defending individuals and businesses against state and federal charges including white collar, healthcare and narcotics offenses. His career divides cleanly in two: a start in public service as a prosecutor, then a practice dedicated exclusively to criminal defense since 1985.

This feature traces that arc, from Rabin's 1976 degree at Purdue and 1978 law degree at Nova University School of Law through the charge categories his firm handles today, the courts where he is admitted, and the recognitions attached to his name. Further background appears on Sam Rabin's Haute Lawyer profile.

How Sam Rabin's Career Began: Purdue, Nova Law School, and a Start as a Prosecutor

Sam Rabin earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1976, and a Juris Doctor from Nova University School of Law in Fort Lauderdale in 1978. At Purdue he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society.

He began his legal career as a prosecutor, ultimately serving as Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney under former State Attorney Janet Reno. That period is the foundation on which everything after it was built. The prosecutorial post gave Rabin an intimate understanding of how the government assembles and sequences a case, which in turn allows him to anticipate and counter it.

Rabin has been a member of the Florida Bar Association since 1979, and a member of its Criminal Law Section over the same span. He joined the American Bar Association in 1979 as well, affiliating with its Criminal Law Section and its White Collar Crime Committee.

The 1985 Pivot: Why Sam Rabin Moved to Criminal Defense Exclusively

Since 1985, Sam Rabin has dedicated his practice exclusively to criminal defense, representing individuals and businesses facing investigation or prosecution at the state and federal levels. That single decision defines the second half of his career and explains the shape of the practice he heads today.

His courtroom record reflects a combination of several factors: the perspective he carries as a former prosecutor, thorough preparation, courtroom presence and sustained dedication. As an accomplished trial lawyer, Rabin has defended clients against a broad spectrum of charges, from complex white-collar offenses to high-profile criminal matters involving celebrities, professional athletes and members of multinational organizations. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in any future matter.

What Sam Rabin's Practice Handles Today: White Collar, Healthcare, Narcotics, Forfeiture, and Domestic Violence Cases

Sam Rabin handles state and federal criminal matters across several named categories. A major area of the firm's practice is white collar crime, which includes money laundering, real estate crimes, insurance fraud, public corruption, RICO racketeering, and tax and securities fraud.

Healthcare, Fraud and Narcotics Charges at Rabin & Lopez

On the healthcare side, the firm is qualified to take on cases involving healthcare fraud, insurance fraud, FDA and FTC investigations, pharmacy-related fraud, Medicare and Medicaid fraud, kickbacks, and durable medical equipment fraud. Mail fraud and wire fraud, which involves transmission of something fraudulent by mail or through electronic means, may be charged alongside other offenses or on their own. In narcotics and drug matters, the firm handles charges ranging from minor possession to manufacturing and trafficking, along with adjacent issues such as asset forfeitures and internet crimes.

Forfeiture and Restitution

As part of a criminal prosecution, the government may seek an order of forfeiture, restitution or both. The law governing those issues is complex, and successful litigation requires careful attention to the facts of each case; Sam Rabin has represented people in forfeiture and restitution matters both in conjunction with and separate from the underlying charges.

Domestic Violence Matters

In domestic violence cases, the firm handles criminal and civil matters, noting that criminal charges often run parallel with a civil injunction, and that it represents both petitioners and respondents in injunctions against domestic violence, stalking, and repeat violence.

How Sam Rabin Prepares a Case and Works with Clients

Sam Rabin is deeply involved in all aspects of his clients' cases, crafting legal defenses while also working to protect clients' rights in legal proceedings and in the court of public opinion. He distills intricate legal arguments into compelling narratives that connect with jurors and adjudicators. His reputation is built on meticulous preparation, persuasive advocacy and a formidable courtroom presence.

Sam Rabin characterizes his representation of clients based on several commitments:

• Accessibility. The firm is readily available to clients at any

time.

• Individual service. The firm limits the cases it takes so that

each client receives close attention.

• Expert network. In building a defense, the firm often engages

investigators, specialists and other experts.

• Focus. The practice is one hundred percent devoted to criminal

defense matters.

That stated work ethic runs alongside the firm's broader position that charges do not automatically equal a conviction, and that everyone facing them deserves a robust defense.

Where Sam Rabin Is Admitted to Practice and What His Recognitions Include

Sam Rabin is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States of America and the Supreme Court of the State of Florida, as well as the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. At the district level, his admissions include the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida, the Eastern District of Michigan and the Western District of Pennsylvania.

He has also appeared pro hac vice in the District of Alaska, the Northern District of Indiana, the Western District of Louisiana, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Southern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of Puerto Rico. He is licensed to practice in the State of Florida and throughout the United States, including before the Florida Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals.

Rabin has held an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell from 1980 to the present, the distinction for legal ability and ethical standards. His listed recognitions also include Outstanding Lawyers in America, Florida Legal Elite from Florida Trend, Super Lawyers (Criminal) in South Florida in both the South Florida Legal Guide and The Miami Herald, Top Lawyers in South Florida, Lawyers of Distinction, the National Directory of Criminal Lawyers, the National Registry of Preeminent Lawyers, Florida Leading American Attorneys and Law, Who's Who in American Law, and Leading Lawyers in America.

What Comes Next for Sam Rabin: Continuing Bar Leadership and a Practice Built for the Long Term

Sam Rabin carries forward a set of professional commitments that run to the present day. He is a Life Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and has belonged to the Miami Chapter of the Florida Association of Defense Lawyers since 1987, serving on its Board of Directors since 1989 and as Statewide Director in 1996.

His other continuing memberships include the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers statewide charter since 1995, the Federal Bar Association since 1986, the Dade County Bar Association since 1979, the National Health Lawyer's Association since 1994, the American Inns of Court since 1996, the American Civil Liberties Union since 1985 and the Miami Beach Bar Association since 1985. He served on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee from 1991 to 1994 and chaired it in 1994, and co-chaired the Dade County Bar Association's Federal Courts Committee in 1993.

The practice itself stays narrow by design. The firm is one hundred percent devoted to criminal defense matters, with experience advocating in state and federal courts throughout the country, including issues that have reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Rabin's legacy in criminal defense is built on excellence, discretion and an unrelenting pursuit of justice. More on the firm's practice areas is available at the Rabin & Lopez website, and his credentials are summarized on his Haute Lawyer profile.