About Carlos J.
Carlos J. Vidal-Collazo built his path to law across two campuses. He completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Florida, then returned to Puerto Rico to earn his J.D. from the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras. Those years set the stage for a career that has moved between public service and private practice.
He began his legal career in the State Lawyer's Office as a volunteer in 2010. A year later he joined that office as a prosecuting lawyer, handling matters for the state and gaining courtroom experience early in his career. In 2016 he took a position at the Law Office of Leanna Smith, shifting from prosecution to defense work. That move exposed him to the other side of criminal litigation and to the particular demands defense clients face.
Over time Vidal-Collazo developed a practice shaped by those varied roles. His time as a prosecutor gave him insight into how cases are evaluated and prepared for trial. His defense work has involved case assessment, client counseling, and representation in court. He has worked on matters across the criminal docket in Florida courts and has navigated both pretrial proceedings and contested hearings.
In 2022 he is listed as working at Carlos J. Vidal-Collazo, P.A., where he continued to practice criminal defense. He is admitted to practice in Florida and draws on experience from public office and private firms in advising clients. Colleagues describe him as someone who knows the local court landscape and the practical pressures that affect case strategy.
Outside the courtroom Vidal-Collazo’s background ties together mainland and Puerto Rican legal education, a perspective he brings to practice in Florida. He holds memberships in professional circles, and he participates in matters that keep him engaged with developments in criminal law. He is accessible to clients seeking representation and to attorneys seeking a collaborative approach on difficult matters.
He currently practices criminal defense in Florida.
