North Carolina Criminal Defense Attorney
When you or someone you love is facing serious criminal charges, the fear is immediate and overwhelming. Your reputation, freedom, career, and family may all feel at risk — and the legal system can feel confusing, unforgiving, and stacked against you.
Patrick Roberts understands that fear. For more than two decades, he has stood beside people at their most vulnerable moments and guided them through some of the most serious criminal cases in North Carolina.
Patrick Roberts is the founder of Patrick Roberts Law PLLC and a veteran criminal defense attorney with over 21 years of courtroom experience. He has handled thousands of criminal cases across North Carolina, including high-stakes felony matters involving sex crime allegations, child sexual assault accusations, drug trafficking, domestic violence, and complex white-collar charges.
What sets Patrick Roberts apart is not just experience — it’s perspective.
Before dedicating his career to defending the accused, Mr. Roberts served as an Assistant County Attorney in three North Carolina jurisdictions. He knows how prosecutors evaluate cases, where investigations break down, and how charging decisions are really made behind closed doors. That insider understanding allows him to identify weaknesses early and protect clients long before trial becomes inevitable.
Clients and families often come to Mr. Roberts feeling panicked, ashamed, or unsure who to trust. His approach is calm, direct, and strategic. He takes the time to explain what is happening, what is likely to happen next, and — most importantly — what can be done to protect the client’s future. Many cases are resolved quietly and favorably because of decisions made before charges are ever filed.
Mr. Roberts is a seasoned trial lawyer, but he is equally known for preventing cases from escalating unnecessarily. When trial is unavoidable, he brings disciplined preparation, sharp cross-examination, and a deep understanding of North Carolina criminal procedure into the courtroom.
His professional credentials reflect the respect he has earned within the legal community:
- Graduate of Duke University School of Law
- Bachelor’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University
- AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell (peer-reviewed)
- Featured in Super Lawyers Magazine
- Featured on the cover of Attorney-at-Law Magazine
- Quoted by national outlets including USA Today and Fox News
- Co-author of two legal books
- Former Commissioner of the North Carolina State Ethics Commission
- Former member of the North Carolina Juvenile Justice Planning Committee
- Admitted to practice in all North Carolina state and federal courts, as well as the United States Supreme Court
Despite these credentials, clients consistently describe Mr. Roberts as approachable, focused, and relentlessly prepared. He understands that no two cases — and no two families — are the same. Every defense strategy is built around the specific facts, risks, and long-term consequences involved.
If you are searching late at night, worried about what tomorrow will bring, know this: an accusation is not a conviction. There are options. There are defenses. And having the right attorney early can change everything.
Patrick Roberts does not promise outcomes — no ethical lawyer can. What he does promise is experience, honesty, preparation, and an unwavering commitment to protecting his clients at every stage of the criminal process.
