High-profile criminal defense
High-Profile Criminal Defense Lawyers in Arizona
When the charges are serious and the case is public, you need a defense built for the courtroom and for everything outside it. Confidential consultations, 24/7.
A Pima County jury verdict · November 10, 2026
- 01Not guilty
- 02Not guilty
- 03Not guilty
- 04Not guilty
- 05Not guilty
- 06Not guilty
- 07Not guilty
- 08Not guilty
- 09Not guilty
- 10Not guilty
- 11Not guilty
- 12Not guilty
- 13Not guilty
- 14Not guilty
- 15Not guilty
- 16Not guilty
- 17Not guilty
- 18Not guilty
- 19Not guilty
- 20Not guilty
- 21Not guilty
- 22Not guilty
- 23Not guilty
- 24Not guilty
- 25Not guilty
- 26Not guilty
- 27Not guilty
- 28Not guilty
- 29Not guilty
- 30Not guilty
- 31Not guilty
31 counts. 19 accusers. Not guilty on every count.
Featured answer
What Is a High-Profile Criminal Defense Lawyer?
A high-profile criminal defense lawyer defends people whose cases draw media, public or professional attention, such as doctors, executives, public figures and anyone facing serious charges with multiple accusers. The job is to win the case in court while protecting the client’s reputation, career and privacy outside it.
- Defends the case and the client’s name at the same time
- Controls what is said to the media, employers and licensing boards
- Prepares every case for trial, because volume and headlines are not evidence
- At Tamou Law Group: a 2026 jury verdict of not guilty on all 31 counts in a Pima County case with 19 accusers
The answer is the same whether the case involves one count or thirty: the State still has to prove every element of every charge beyond a reasonable doubt. What changes is everything around the courtroom, and that is what this guide covers.
Talk to Michael Tamou
In his words
Why You Can Trust This Page on High-Profile Criminal Defense in Arizona
As an Arizona criminal defense lawyer, I’ve dedicated my career to protecting people facing some of the most serious charges in Arizona. Over the years, I’ve been honored with multiple awards that recognize my work in criminal defense, including distinctions for trial advocacy and client service. These awards reflect not only my commitment to fighting for clients but also the respect I’ve earned from peers in the legal community.
When I write about high-profile cases, it comes from real courtroom experience, not theory. I’ve cross-examined witnesses, challenged flawed evidence, and worked to secure favorable outcomes for clients when everything was on the line, including a 2026 jury verdict of not guilty on all 31 counts in a case that was covered across Arizona. You can trust Tamou Law Group because you’re hearing directly from me. I also have the following accreditations:
- Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers
- Super Lawyers 2027
- Elite Lawyer
— Michael Tamou, Founding Attorney, Tamou Law Group, PLLC
Proof, not promises
Has Tamou Law Group Won a High-Profile Case at Trial?
Not guilty on all 31 counts.
Jury verdict · Pima County · November 10, 2026
A Tucson physician was charged with 31 counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse (A.R.S. § 13-1406 and § 13-1404) brought by 19 accusers, a case that drew news coverage across Arizona. Michael Tamou and the Tamou Law Group trial team took the case to a jury. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on every count.
- Counts
- 31
- Accusers
- 19
- Convictions
- 0
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
Defining it
What Makes a Criminal Case High-Profile in Arizona?
A case becomes high-profile when attention from the media, the public or a profession follows the charges. Any one of these is enough:
- The client is known. Physicians, nurses, teachers, business owners, executives, public officials, athletes and other people whose names carry weight in their community or profession.
- The case is in the news. An arrest that reaches TV, newspapers or social media before the client has said a word.
- There are multiple accusers or counts. Prosecutors and reporters both treat volume as proof. It is not.
- A license or career is on the line. Medical, nursing, teaching, real estate, securities and other licenses can be investigated alongside the criminal case.
- The charges are serious. Sex crimes, homicide, fraud and other felonies that carry prison exposure and long-term stigma.
Our approach
How Does Tamou Law Group Handle High-Profile Criminal Cases?
We defend the case in court and the client’s name outside it at the same time, starting before charges are filed and preparing for trial from the first day. Our approach, in order:
Call 623-321-4699- Take control before charges are filed. In Arizona a felony is charged either by grand jury indictment or by a prosecutor’s information after a preliminary hearing (Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 30). If you learn you are under investigation, we step in early: we handle contact with detectives, preserve evidence that helps you, and when a grand jury is likely, we can send a Trebus letter asking the prosecutor to present clearly exculpatory evidence to the grand jury (Trebus v. Davis, 189 Ariz. 621 (1997)).
- Manage the media and the message. Statements to reporters are planned, rare and limited to what helps. Arizona’s trial-publicity rule, ER 3.6 of Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. 42, limits what lawyers may say publicly, and it also allows a response to protect a client from substantial undue prejudicial publicity. We use that line carefully.
- Protect your career on a parallel track. We coordinate the criminal defense with any employer, licensing board or professional review, so nothing you say in one forum is used against you in another.
- Build the case for trial from day one. Independent investigation, full discovery, defense experts, and a separate look at every count and every accuser’s account, because each one has to be proven on its own.
- Deal with pretrial publicity in court. When coverage threatens a fair jury, we use the tools Arizona provides: detailed jury questionnaires and questioning during jury selection, and where warranted a motion for a change of place of trial under Ariz. R. Crim. P. 10.3.
- Try the case, or negotiate from strength. Prosecutors make their best offers to lawyers who are ready to try the case. When the evidence does not hold up, we take it to a jury.
Our defense team
Which Experts Do We Bring to a High-Profile Case?
High-profile cases are often built on volume, statements and digital records. We bring the specialists who test each one.
Independent Investigation
Criminal Defense Investigators
Re-interview witnesses, track down people the police never called, and build the timeline the State left out.
Phones, Messages & Social Media
Digital Forensics Examiners
Recover full message threads, metadata and timestamps, and show when screenshots were cropped, edited or taken out of context.
How Statements Were Taken
Forensic Interview Experts
Review recorded interviews for leading questions, contamination between accusers and departures from accepted interview protocols.
Lab Evidence
DNA Forensic Analysts
Audit lab procedures, mixture interpretation and chain of custody, and test whether the science says what the State claims.
Memory & Suggestibility
Forensic Psychologists
Explain how memory, suggestion and repeated retelling can shape an account, especially when multiple people come forward after publicity.
Financial Records
Certified Fraud Examiners
Trace transactions and test the State’s summaries in fraud, embezzlement and other white collar cases built on documents.
Side by side
How Is a High-Profile Case Different From an Ordinary Criminal Case?
The law and the burden of proof are the same: the State must still prove every element of every count beyond a reasonable doubt. What changes is the pressure around the case, who is watching and what is at stake beyond the sentence:
| Ordinary Case | High-Profile Case | |
|---|---|---|
| Media attention | Little or none | Coverage can begin at arrest, before you have a lawyer |
| Who is watching | The court and the prosecutor | Employers, licensing boards, clients, family and the public |
| Prosecutor’s approach | Routine plea offers | Pressure to file broadly and avoid looking lenient |
| Jury pool | Usually unaware of the case | May have read about it; jury selection matters more |
| What is at stake | Penalties in the case | Penalties plus reputation, license and livelihood |
| What the defense must do | Win the case | Win the case and protect the client’s name |
The press
Should You Talk to the Media About Your Case?
No, not on your own. Anything you say to a reporter, post online or tell a friend can become evidence. Let your lawyer decide whether a statement helps, what it says and who gives it. In many cases the strongest move is a short statement through counsel, or none at all.
The same goes for employers and licensing boards. A written response to a board or an HR investigation can be used by prosecutors, so it should be reviewed by your defense lawyer before it is sent.
Choosing counsel
How Do You Choose a High-Profile Criminal Defense Lawyer in Arizona?
Choose a lawyer with real trial verdicts, a team large enough to work every count, and the discretion to manage the media before talking to it. Look for:
- Real trial results. Ask for verdicts, not just plea deals. A lawyer who tries cases gets better offers.
- Discretion. The lawyer should talk to you about media strategy before talking to any reporter.
- A team, not one person. High-profile cases need investigators, experts and enough attorneys to work every count.
- Experience with the charge. Sex crime, fraud and homicide cases each have their own science and their own experts.
- Independent recognition. Peer-reviewed honors and verified client reviews say more than advertising.
Why us
Why Choose Michael Tamou and Tamou Law Group for a High-Profile Case?
Michael Tamou is the founding attorney of Tamou Law Group, a criminal defense firm with offices in Phoenix and Scottsdale that defends clients across Arizona. The firm works as a full team of attorneys, investigators and experts, and prepares every serious case for trial. Michael’s honors include:
- National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40
- Super Lawyers 2027 (Southwest)
- Elite Lawyer 2026: Criminal Defense
- National College for DUI Defense (member)
- DUI Defense Lawyers Association (member)
Clients rate the firm 5.0 on Google. See more outcomes on our case results page, meet the team, or read about our sex crime defense, white collar defense and violent crime defense practices.
Right now
What Should You Do If You Are Under Investigation?
- Do not talk to detectives, reporters, your employer or a licensing board about the allegations.
- Do not contact any accuser, directly or through someone else.
- Do not post about the case or delete anything; preserve messages and records.
- Call a defense lawyer before you respond to anyone. We answer 24/7 at 623-321-4699.
What is a high-profile criminal defense lawyer?
A defense attorney who handles cases that draw media, public or professional attention, defending the charges in court while protecting the client’s reputation, career and privacy outside it.
What makes a criminal case high-profile?
A well-known client, news coverage, multiple accusers or counts, a professional license at risk, or serious felony charges. Any one of these changes how the case has to be defended.
Should I talk to the media if I am charged with a crime?
Not on your own. Anything you say can be used in the case. Let your lawyer decide whether any statement helps, what it says, and who delivers it. Often the best statement is a short one, or none.
Can a high-profile case be moved because of publicity?
Yes, in some cases. Arizona Rule of Criminal Procedure 10.3 lets a party ask to change the place of trial when the party cannot get a fair and impartial trial where the case is pending. More often, careful jury selection and questionnaires address the problem.
Can I be acquitted when there are multiple accusers?
Yes. The State has to prove every count beyond a reasonable doubt, and each accuser’s account is tested on its own. In November 2026 a Pima County jury found our client, a Tucson physician, not guilty on all 31 counts involving 19 accusers. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What should I do if I find out I am under investigation?
Do not talk to detectives, employers or reporters about the allegations, do not contact accusers, and call a defense lawyer before you respond to anyone. Early representation can shape whether, and how, charges are filed.
Will a criminal charge affect my professional license?
It can. Licensing boards often open their own investigation, and statements made there can affect the criminal case. We coordinate both so you do not damage one while defending the other.
Is my consultation confidential?
Yes. What you tell us in a consultation is protected, and we do not confirm or discuss who our clients are without their permission.
Recognition
Independently recognized
Credentials earned by Founding Attorney Michael Tamou. Click any badge to verify it.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.