5 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Albuquerque (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

We compared 19 criminal defense lawyers in Albuquerque on Google Maps · 5 listed · How we rank

A criminal charge in Albuquerque runs on court dates, not on your schedule. Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC leads this page with 608 Google reviews at 4.9 stars, and the criminal defense lawyers below split into quite different practices, from trial work to clearing a record once a case is over.

Short answer: Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC is the top pick for criminal defense in Albuquerque, with 4.9 stars across 608 Google reviews. Padilla, Montoya and Associates (4.8 stars, 361 reviews) and Mitchell Law Offices, LLC (4.9 stars, 311 reviews) also carry deep review histories. Fees are not published in the data we reviewed, so ask for a written fee agreement before you hire anyone.

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1. Law Office of Adam Oak…
2. Padilla, Montoya and A…
3. Mitchell Law Offices,…
4. Lizzy Bunker, Attorney…
5. New Mexico Expungement…
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Albuquerque Defense Firms at a Glance

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC	4.9 ★	608	Trial and misdemeanor defense	View ›
2	Padilla, Montoya and Associates	4.8 ★	361	DWI, DUI and domestic violence	View ›
3	Mitchell Law Offices, LLC	4.9 ★	311	Clear communication	View ›
4	Lizzy Bunker, Attorney At Law	5.0 ★	230	Evenings and weekends	View ›
5	New Mexico Expungement: A Subdivision of Peake Law Firm	5.0 ★	156	Clearing a past record	View ›

5 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Albuquerque (2026)

Who handles what, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC

4.9608 Google reviews

Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC is a law firm on 4th St NW in downtown Albuquerque. Google lists it simply as a law firm, and the reviews describe criminal defense work: misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor charges, a case that went to trial, and families whose relative had been assigned a public defender before they hired the firm. Clients name attorney Adam Oakey and attorney Sean Grady most often.

What people praise

Reviewers describe a charge dismissed and a trial that ended in a not guilty verdict
Clients say the team is responsive and answers questions in reasonable time
Families praise staff for treating the person charged with respect
The owner replies to reviews, which shows an engaged office

Worth knowing

Several staff members come up by name in reviews, so ask who will handle your file day to day

Reputation scorecardrank in Albuquerque

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume608 · 97th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown98% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A deep review base and a 4.9 make this the safest starting call for a trial-bound case. Confirm which attorney will be assigned to you.

Website +1505-433-4953 Directions

500 4th St NW #405, Albuquerque, NM 87102

#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Padilla, Montoya and Associates

4.8361 Google reviews

Padilla, Montoya and Associates is a defense firm on Gold Ave SW. Google lists it as a criminal justice attorney and trial attorney, and its website says it represents clients in misdemeanor, felony, DWI, DUI and domestic violence cases in Albuquerque and surrounding areas. The site also cites over 14 years of case results.

What people praise

Reviewers describe plain, honest explanations of how a case will likely go
Attorney Maria Padilla is named again and again as caring and direct
A parent reports a son's case was dismissed
Reviewers say options and the court process were explained in advance

Worth knowing

Reviews center on one attorney, so ask whether she or a colleague will take your case
Open weekdays only, 9 AM to 5 PM

Reputation scorecardrank in Albuquerque

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume361 · 92nd

Confidencehigh

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown94% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The firm's own site lists DWI and DUI work, and client praise is specific about communication. Ask who will appear in court.

Website +1505-459-3699 Directions

817 Gold Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

#3🕑 Open 4 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Mitchell Law Offices, LLC

4.9311 Google reviews

Mitchell Law Offices, LLC is a trial-focused law office on 4th St NW, founded by attorney Aaron Mitchell, whose brother Trey Mitchell practices alongside him according to the owner's own review replies. Google lists it as a law firm and trial attorney. There is no usable website text in our data, so what follows rests on its Google profile and what clients describe.

What people praise

Reviewers say cases were dismissed, including two separate matters for one client
Clients highlight that they were kept informed and never rushed
A client represented from out of state says the office stayed proactive
Owner replies are detailed and personal

Worth knowing

Listed hours are Tuesday through Friday only, so call early in the week if timing matters

Reputation scorecardrank in Albuquerque

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume311 · 87th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown98% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Ranks on both a 4.9 and a sizable review base. Communication is the thread running through nearly every review.

Website +1505-420-1826 Directions

1100 4th St NW Ste a, Albuquerque, NM 87102

#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Lizzy Bunker, Attorney At Law

5.0230 Google reviews

Lizzy Bunker, Attorney At Law is a criminal defense practice that Google lists as a criminal justice attorney. Its website describes defense of misdemeanor and felony charges in Albuquerque and across New Mexico, and says Lizzy Bunker is a former social worker. Reviews also mention work under the Children's Code, and listed hours run into evenings and onto weekends.

What people praise

Clients describe frequent updates, clear goals and time frames from the start
A client living in Texas says the team arranged meetings around the distance
Reviewers praise the legal assistant, Heather, alongside Lizzy
Hours include Saturday and Sunday

Worth knowing

Reviews name Lizzy and one assistant most often, so ask who covers when she is in court

Reputation scorecardrank in Albuquerque

Rating5 / 5

Review volume230 · 82nd

Confidencehigh

Recency3 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown99% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Its 5.0 rests on 230 reviews, a smaller base than Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC has, which is why it ranks where it does. A good fit if weekend access matters.

Website +1505-551-3337 Directions

1100 4th St NW Ste a, Albuquerque, NM 87102

#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk

New Mexico Expungement: A Subdivision of Peake Law Firm

5.0156 Google reviews

New Mexico Expungement: A Subdivision of Peake Law Firm handles expungement, which is clearing past charges from a record, rather than defending a pending case. Google lists it as legal services. Reviewers describe old charges showing up on background checks and say the firm walked them through the process by phone and email before any commitment.

What people praise

Reviewers say a staff call explained the process before they paid anything
Clients report felonies expunged in more than one county
A reviewer mentions payment plans for people who cannot pay upfront
Every one of the 156 ratings on Google is five stars

Worth knowing

This is a record-clearing practice, not a trial defense team, so it will not fit a pending charge

Reputation scorecardrank in Albuquerque

Rating5 / 5

Review volume156 · 66th

Confidencemoderate

Recency8 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown100% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Included because many people search for it alongside defense. Excellent for its specialty, but call a trial firm first if you have an open case.

Website +1505-750-0755 Directions

1100 4th St NW Ste a, Albuquerque, NM 87102

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How the scoring works

Each number comes from public Google data on the verified date, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the live Google average. Review volume is how many people rated the firm, set against other Albuquerque defense lawyers. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.9 from hundreds of people counts for more than a 5.0 from a few dozen. Recency shows how recently reviews are still arriving. No business can pay to change these numbers.

What does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Albuquerque?

Fees depend on the charge, whether it is a misdemeanor or felony, how likely a trial is, and whether the firm bills a flat fee or hourly. We found no published prices in the data for these firms, so use a written fee agreement as your benchmark.

Defense help around Albuquerque

The firms here keep offices in central Albuquerque, on 4th St NW, Gold Ave SW and nearby blocks. Lizzy Bunker’s website also says it serves clients across New Mexico. If you are searching for a criminal defense lawyer near me, each listing shows a live phone number so you can call and confirm that the office covers your court.

Questions to put to a defense attorney first

Have you handled this kind of charge in this court before?
Who will actually appear at my hearings?
Is your fee flat or hourly, and what does it cover?
How will you keep me updated, and how fast do you return calls?
What are the realistic options for my case, including a plea?

Frequently asked questions

How were these Albuquerque lawyers picked?

We looked at criminal defense firms with a public Google profile in Albuquerque and ordered them by rating, review volume, consistency and recency. The scoring section above explains each measure.

Are these rankings paid?

Businesses marked Featured Partner have a paid listing with us. Ratings and review counts are the real Google numbers and are never edited.

How often is this page updated?

Data on this page is verified as of October 2026. We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Is an expungement lawyer the same as a defense lawyer?

No. An expungement firm works on clearing past charges from your record, while a defense lawyer represents you in a pending case. New Mexico Expungement is on this page for the first kind of need.

Can I hire a private lawyer if I was assigned a public defender?

One reviewer of Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC describes doing exactly that for a family member. Ask the firm about timing and how a handoff would work.

Where to start

Call Law Office of Adam Oakey, LLC first if a trial looks likely, and Padilla, Montoya and Associates if your charge involves DWI or DUI. Whoever you pick, get the fee agreement in writing before you pay.

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