Andrew J. Chmelir earned his B.A. degree in 1993 from Florida State University’s School of Criminology. Andrew then attended law school at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, where he excelled and received several academic scholarships and the prestigious Book Award in Criminal Law, Federal Income Taxation and Property Law. While in law school, Andrew interned at both the Brevard County State Attorney’s Office and the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office. At the Miami office, Andrew worked as a Certified Legal Intern and served as lead counsel in several jury trials. After law school, Andrew joined the Orange County State Attorney’s Office as a trial attorney and gained extensive experience prosecuting cases within Felony, Misdemeanor, Traffic and Juvenile Divisions.
After serving as a prosecutor in Orlando for over three years, in 1999, Andrew and his law partners formed the law firm Jacobson, Chmelir & Ferwerda. Since that time, Andrew and the firm have defended numerous individuals facing state and federal criminal prosecutions. Additionally, Andrew has represented countless individuals in family law related matters, including divorces, child custody hearings, and cases involving the Department of Children & Family Services. Andrew’s experience includes the handling of appeals as he has authored numerous appellate briefs and has argued before both state and federal appellate panels.
Andrew’s legal ability and high ethical standards have been acknowledged as he received and maintained the coveted Martindale-Hubbell “AV” peer review rating, the highest rating bestowed upon an attorney by fellow lawyers and judges. In 2012, Andrew was recognized by the Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine as one of “Orlando’s Top Lawyers.”
Andrew has, throughout his career, always volunteered within the community in some capacity with youth baseball, football and basketball. Andrew routinely accepts pro bono cases referred to him by the Orange and Seminole County Legal Aid Societies and he has provided countless hours of voluntary work on behalf of abused and dependent children in Central Florida. Andrew also previously served as both an advisor and judge in Orange County’s Teen Court program. In 2012, Andrew proudly served as the first recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award from the Altamonte Springs Babe Ruth Baseball Association.
Presently, Andrew voluntarily serves on an advisory board to the Florida State Seminole Club of Greater Orlando, as a mentor to new attorneys through the Orange County Bar Association and as a Guardian Ad Litem for dependent children.
