About AnneMarie
AnneMarie Rizzo grew up and studied in Florida, earning her law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law after attending the University of Florida for her undergraduate work. She stayed close to home to build a legal career that has unfolded inside Florida courts and local legal communities. The state is where she is licensed to practice.
Her early work began in private practice. In 2008 she joined Finebloom & Haenel, P.A., handling a range of matters that introduced her to trial work and client counseling. The move from associate to partner followed a common arc: more courtroom time, heavier caseloads, and deeper involvement in local bar activities. By 2015 she had become a partner at The Law Place, where she continues to work.
Rizzo’s professional life has been shaped as much by association work as by casework. She holds memberships in the Sarasota County Bar Association and the Florida Association of Woman Lawyers. She is active in community groups as well, including the Young Professional Group of Sarasota and the Junior League of Sarasota. Rizzo also has an ongoing leadership presence in organizations tied to criminal defense: she served as president of DUIDLA and currently serves as a Director At Large for the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Those roles give a clear sense of the kinds of matters she handles. Her practice centers on criminal defense, including DUI-related cases, and the work often involves trial preparation, negotiations and motion practice. Colleagues describe her as practical in the courtroom and thorough in pretrial work. She balances client advocacy with attention to the procedural steps that can determine outcomes.
Her courtroom style is straightforward. She prepares witnesses, tests evidence and presses judges on contested issues. Outside courtrooms she contributes to bar programs and local professional groups, bringing a local perspective to statewide criminal defense conversations. She also takes part in mentoring younger lawyers through association activities.
In private practice at The Law Place, Rizzo manages a docket that mixes contested criminal matters and DUI defenses. She divides her time between court appearances, client consultations and bar association work. Her current practice focuses on criminal defense and DUI cases in Florida courts.
