Neal Sonnett
Founder
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Sonnett was a foundational figure in Miami's legal community, serving as president of the Dade County Bar Association and maintaining his law practice at 1581 Brickell Ave in Miami for decades. He was the former president of the Florida Bar Foundation and received the Florida Bar Foundation Medal of Honor in 1989, the highest award given by the legal profession in Florida. His influence shaped criminal justice advocacy in South Florida and nationally through his work with the U.S. Attorney's Office and subsequent private practice defending complex cases.
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Neal R. Sonnett (1943-2024) was a celebrated criminal defense lawyer who earned national recognition for defending complex white-collar and corporate cases. He graduated from the University of Miami with a B.A. in 1964 and J.D. in 1967, serving as senior class president and student body attorney general. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami, rising to chief of the Criminal Division for the Southern District of Florida before founding his private practice in 1972. Sonnett became deeply involved in legal leadership, serving as president of the Dade County Bar Association, the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, while also chairing the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section.