Joseph A. Scrofano

Scroll down to watch our interview with Joseph A. Scrofano for the Masters of the Courtroom series.

Mr. Scrofano is a Washington, D.C. trial lawyer with over 300 cases litigated in the District of Columbia Superior Court. He’s earned a reputation as an aggressive advocate who’s willing to fight harder for his clients than other conventional criminal defense lawyers.  Mr. Scrofano’s passion for defending his clients’ rights has led him to take bold actions, such as subpoenaing an individual prosecutor and filing for contempt against another, all to ensure his clients receive the best possible outcome.

Mr. Scrofano has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyer’s Magazine, a prestigious attorney rating service by Thompson Reuters. He’s also been named to the Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers and the American Society of Legal Advocates. With a perfect score of 5.0/5.0, he’s achieved the highest peer review rating as “AV-Preeminent” from Martindale Hubbell. As a founding member of the DUI Defense Lawyer’s Association, Mr. Scrofano is at the forefront of challenging DC DUI cases using innovative tactics, shrewd instincts, and sound judgment. He has a flawless 10/10 rating on AVVO and earned the 2014 Client’s Choice Award. Additionally, Mr. Scrofano is certified by the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration to administer the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, the same training that officers undergo to make DUI arrests.

Mr. Scrofano is an active member of the District of Columbia Bar Association, having been elected to the Steering Committee for the DC Bar Criminal Law and Individual Rights Section in 2016 and later selected as Committee Chair by his peers in 2017. He’s also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and an Associate Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

Mr. Scrofano’s deep commitment to client-centered advocacy was strengthened by his training at Trial Lawyer’s College. In 2010, despite limited experience but a strong desire to fight for individual rights, he established Scrofano Law. Starting out by representing indigent defendants on the Criminal Justice Act Panel, he quickly gained a reputation as a tireless advocate who put in countless hours on behalf of his clients, regardless of their financial situation or the severity of their charges. His dedication to every case paid off, as he built one of the top criminal defense practices in the District of Columbia.

Prior to founding Scrofano Law, Mr. Scrofano spent two years as a clerk for the Honorable Natalia Combs Greene in D.C. Superior Court. Judge Combs Greene, a former Director of Training at the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, imparted invaluable lessons on trial skills and gave Mr. Scrofano incredible insight on how judges make decisions. During his clerkship, he worked on hundreds of civil and criminal cases, including significant work on an opinion published by the Daily Washington Law Reporter that was referred to as “one of the most well-written, thoroughly-reasoned, erudite, impartial, and comprehensive Memorandum Opinions ever to come out of the D.C. Superior Court.”

Mr. Scrofano is a graduate of American University’s Washington College of Law and the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from American University’s School of International Service. He’s a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the Maryland State Bar Association, and is licensed to practice in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He’s argued before both the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Circuit.