About Melissa
Melissa Sherman earned her Juris Doctor from Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law in 2010. She finished law school the same year she began practicing and entered the public defender’s office in the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida. Her legal education included courtroom training and clinical work that prepared her for day-to-day trial practice.
Fresh out of law school, Sherman joined the Office of the Public Defender in 2010. There she handled a steady docket of criminal matters for indigent clients. The work demanded quick legal analysis, frequent courtroom appearances and managing cases from arraignment through trial. That early period shaped how she approaches evidence, witness preparation and client counseling.
After a decade in public defense, Sherman started her own practice. In 2021 she founded The Sherman Defense Law Office, P.A. The move to private practice broadened the range of matters she accepted and required building a small firm infrastructure. Establishing the office meant shifting from the structured environment of a public agency to running a business while maintaining a courtroom calendar.
Sherman is licensed to practice in Florida and holds membership in the District of Columbia Bar, a role she has maintained since 2012. Her background blends public-sector trial experience and solo practice management. She has navigated felony and misdemeanor dockets and adapted to the logistical demands of both bench and jury trials.
Colleagues describe her as matter-of-fact in court and organized in her case files. She favors clear, concise motions and relies on routine case preparation. Clients who choose private counsel with public-defense experience often seek an attorney comfortable with contested hearings and plea negotiations. Sherman’s record reflects those competencies rather than headline cases or appellate records.
At The Sherman Defense Law Office, P.A., Sherman balances client representation with administrative duties. She staffs and schedules hearings, prepares discovery responses and represents clients at hearings and trials. The practice handles criminal defense matters in Florida and draws on the procedural and trial skills she developed at the public defender’s office.
She maintains bar membership and continues to work primarily in criminal defense. Sherman currently practices at The Sherman Defense Law Office, P.A., where she concentrates on criminal defense matters in Florida.
