Meet Rocky Brancato

Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney | 25+ Years | Death-Qualified

For more than 25 years, Rocky Brancato has defended clients facing Florida’s most serious criminal charges—murder, sex crimes, violent felonies, and cases where freedom and life hang in the balance. As Managing Partner of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., he leads a trial-first practice where experience, preparation, and courtroom skill determine outcomes.

Rocky holds the AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell® (2015–Present)—the highest rating for legal skill and ethical standards. Moreover, he maintains death-qualified status, meaning he meets the rigorous standards required to defend capital cases where the State seeks the death penalty.

“You can take the attorney out of the prosecutor’s office, but you can’t take the prosecutor out of the attorney. I’ve never worn that lens—and that’s an asset to my clients. I see people, not labels.”

— Rocky Brancato

Recognition and Professional Distinction

In major-felony defense, credibility and reputation shape every negotiation and courtroom exchange. Consequently, peer-reviewed honors signal that an attorney commands respect among judges, jurors, and opposing counsel:

The Major-Crimes Leadership Advantage

Before entering private practice, Rocky served as Chief Assistant Public Defender (Chief Operations Officer) for the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office—one of Florida’s largest defense agencies, with more than 100 attorneys and over 200 staff members.

In that executive role, he oversaw felony and homicide divisions, mentored senior trial lawyers, and collaborated with judges and prosecutors on policy and problem-solving court initiatives. However, even as an executive leader, Rocky continued maintaining an active caseload of homicide and sex-crime trials. As a result, his leadership remained grounded in real-world trial experience rather than administrative distance.

This rare blend of executive oversight and frontline advocacy gives him unmatched insight into prosecutorial strategy, evidence development, and jury dynamics. Furthermore, unlike many former prosecutors who later turn to defense work, Rocky’s entire career has focused on protecting the accused. Consequently, he brings a defense-first perspective that former prosecutors simply cannot offer.

Trial-Tested Defense Strategies

Rocky grounds his defense strategies in deep analysis of forensic, medical, and digital evidence. As a result, he often exposes weaknesses that shift the balance of a case before trial. Specifically, his approach includes:

• Forensic Evidence Analysis: Challenging DNA interpretation, fingerprint conclusions, and blood spatter analysis through independent experts
• Medical Expert Coordination: Working with pathologists and physicians to dispute prosecution theories about injuries and cause of death
• Digital Evidence Examination: Scrutinizing computer forensics, cell phone extraction data, and social media evidence
• Jury Selection Expertise: Reading jurors and anticipating biases developed through decades of trial experience
• Cross-Examination Mastery: Delivering persuasive cross-examinations that expose inconsistencies in prosecution witnesses

Whether defending a major felony or a criminal-traffic allegation, clients benefit from the calm, tactical mindset of a veteran trial lawyer who prepares every case as if it will go to trial.

Education and Court Admissions

Professional Affiliations and Community Leadership

Current Memberships:

• Board of Directors, Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (HCACDL)
• Member, Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA)
• Member, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL)
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
• Life Member, NAACP
• Member, The Florida Bar (since 2000)

Community Leadership (Past Positions):

• Chair, Juvenile Justice Board, 13th Judicial Circuit (2022–2024)
• Member, Problem-Solving Courts Oversight Committee (2012–2023)
• Vice Chair, Pace Center for Girls (2015–2021)
• Board of Directors, DUI Counterattack (2014–2025)

Educator and Thought Leader

Rocky regularly presents at bar associations, law schools, and public agencies on topics central to today’s most challenging criminal cases. His presentations cover:

• Advanced techniques in sex-offense defense
• Treatment-court innovation and the opioid epidemic
• Effective deposition strategies for law-enforcement and expert witnesses

Through teaching, he helps newer attorneys develop the judgment required to defend complex, emotionally charged cases. In addition, his lectures highlight both his technical mastery and his balanced perspective on justice-system reform.

Author

Rocky authored How to Choose a Major Crimes Attorney — or Any Criminal Defense Attorney for That Matter, a practical guidebook for evaluating trial skill, integrity, and strategy when freedom is at stake. The book provides real-world guidance for anyone facing serious criminal charges.

Schedule a Consultation

When your freedom, career, and family are at stake, you need more than just a lawyer—you need a seasoned trial attorney who has spent 25+ years defending serious felonies in Tampa Bay courtrooms. Rocky Brancato brings the same level of preparation and commitment whether you face murder charges or a DUI.

Call (813) 727-7159 for a Confidential Consultation

The Brancato Law Firm, P.A.

620 E. Twiggs Street, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33602

Two Blocks from the Hillsborough County Courthouse