Rocky Brancato is an AV Preeminent-rated Tampa criminal defense attorney with over 25 years of trial experience — the kind of lawyer who treats every case like it's going to trial and knows how to fight the government's resources with strategy, preparation, and the right experts.
Before launching his private practice, Rocky served as Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender's Office, where he led and mentored a staff of over 100 attorneys. He handled cases at every level — from first-time misdemeanors to death penalty trials — and spent years in a specialized Major Crimes Unit focused on homicides, sex crimes, and child abuse cases.
Rocky is death-qualified to defend capital cases and is a member of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD). His ability to handle the full spectrum of criminal charges — DUI, domestic violence, drug trafficking, violent crimes, sex offenses, and murder — comes from decades of exposure to the most serious cases in the system.
As a former police academy instructor, Rocky trained law enforcement officers on criminal procedure and courtroom testimony. He knows exactly how officers are taught to build cases and present themselves on the stand — and he uses that knowledge to challenge their testimony effectively.
Rocky is known for his strategic use of expert witnesses to educate judges and juries, and for his deep familiarity with mental health courts and diversion programs. When the traditional system isn't the right path, he knows how to find alternatives that protect his clients' futures.
For over two decades, he has trained and mentored hundreds of criminal defense attorneys throughout Tampa Bay and lectured statewide for Florida Bar credit. In addition to his AV Preeminent rating, Rocky has been selected to Super Lawyers.
He is the author of How to Choose a Major Crimes Attorney — or Any Criminal Defense Attorney for That Matter, available on Amazon or as a free download at brancatolawfirm.com.
Rocky is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL), the Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA), and the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (HCACDL).
The Brancato Law Firm serves clients facing criminal charges throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties.
