Hal Uhrig
Attorney
Practice Areas:
- Criminal Defense
Mr. Uhrig graduated from the University of Florida College of Law in 1974. Before that he had spent over 6 years with the Gainesville Police Department, where he was a Sergeant at the time of graduation from law school. Since that time he has served as the Police Legal Advisor for the Gainesville Police Department; as General Counsel and Legal Advisor to the Orange County Sheriffs Department (4 years); as Police Legal Advisor to 10 Central Florida law enforcement agencies; as President of the Florida Association of Police Attorneys; Past President of the Florida Sheriffs’ Association Legal Officer’s Section. As Vice President of the Central Florida Criminal Justice Council; as an Assistant State Attorney for both the 8th and 9th Judicial Circuits; as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Florida in the RICO and Organized Crime section of the Attorney Generals Office; as an Assistant Public Defender for 3 years, trying hundreds of criminal cases; as an Adjunct Professor in the Masters Level Program in Criminal Justice at Rollins College; as an instructor in Criminal and Constitutional Law at Columbia College, as a Police Standards Instructor at four separate accredited Regional Police Academies and as a private criminal defense trial attorney. Mr. Uhrig was the lead defense attorney in the nation’s first four DNA evidence trials and has appeared on the Today Show as well as numerous radio programs over the years. As a result of various high-profile cases, Mr. Uhrig has appeared in New York on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, and shows including Scott Pelly, Piers Morgan, Sean Hannity, Charlie Rose, Ashleigh Banfield, Anderson Cooper, Anne Curry, Gail King and others. Mr. Uhrig spent nearly 3 years as a Legal Analyst and Commentator on Fox 35, the Fox News Central Florida affiliate.
EDUCATION:
- 1964-1965
- United State Coast Guard Academy
- 1972
- University of Florida, BA in Political Science & English
- 1974
- University of Florida, JD from the College of Law
- 1974
- FBI National Academy, Legal Officers School
- 1975
- Case Western Reserve University, Post Doctoral work in Public Safety Law
EXPERIENCE:
- 1969-1975
- Gainesville Police Department Police Officer, Police Sergeant, Police Legal Advisor
- 1975
- Special Assistant State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit
- 1975-1976
- Partner- Winnie, Winnie & Uhrig, PA. criminal defense
- 1976-1979
- Orange County Sheriffs Department General Counsel and Legal Advisor to the Department and the Orange County Jail
- 1976-1979
- Assistant State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, handled all extradition litigation for the State Attorneys Office
- 1977-1979
- Police Legal Advisor for the police departments of Winter Park, Maitland, Apopka, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland, Windermere, Eatonville, and Edgewater, while also serving as both General Counsel and Legal Advisor to the Orange County Sheriffs Department.
- 1976- 1980
- Instructor in Criminal and Constitutional Law at Columbia College
- 1978-1979
- Adjunct Professor in the Masters Program in Criminal Justice at Rollins College
- 1980
- Assistant Attorney General- State of Florida- assigned to RICO and organized Crime
- 1981-1984
- Assistant Public Defender, Ninth Judicial Circuit (Orlando)- trial attorney and Division Chief
- 1984-present
- Private practice, engaged in the practice of criminal defense.
MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
Mr. Uhrig is now, or has previously been a member of the following:
- The Florida Bar (Criminal Law Section)
- The American Bar Association
- The Alachua County Bar Association (Criminal Law Section)
- The Orange County Bar Association (Criminal Law Section)
- The Seminole County Bar Association (Criminal Law Section)
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- The Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers
- The National DUI College
- The Central Florida Criminal Justice Council
- The Florida Association of Police Attorneys (Past President)
- The Florida Sheriffs Association (Legal Officers Section)
- The International Association of Chiefs of Police (Legal Officer Section)
- The Vollie Williams Chapter, Inns of Court Sanford, Florida