In December 2024, the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers presented James R. Amarosa II with the Barry Cohen Award for Excellence in Criminal Defense, one of the most significant recognitions a Tampa-area criminal defense attorney can receive. That recognition is the product of a legal career that began at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where Amarosa learned criminal law from the ground up, representing both adults and juveniles across a spectrum that ran from misdemeanor disorderly conduct to felony robbery and organized fraud.
Introduction
Amarosa Law Firm, P.A. operates out of Tampa, Florida, at 3825 Henderson Blvd., Suite No. 207, Tampa, Florida 33629. The firm handles criminal defense and personal injury matters, with criminal defense representing the deeper and broader part of the practice. The firm’s range of criminal defense work is extensive: from DUI and drug crimes through sex offenses, white-collar crimes, RICO charges, federal crimes, and capital sexual battery. Whatever the charge, the firm’s approach reflects James Amarosa’s career-long development as a trial-level criminal defense practitioner.
The firm operates on a schedule that makes access straightforward. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and a 24/7 emergency availability ensures that clients facing urgent situations after hours are not without resources. The office is appointment-based, and clients are kept informed through an automated system that tracks case developments and communicates updates.
The firm has a motto that captures the kind of relationship it seeks with its clients: “Where friends become clients, and clients become friends.” Clients have specifically noted reasonable fees and successful outcomes in their feedback. The firm can be reached at 813-736-9397, toll-free at 877-275-5461, or through its website at amarosalaw.com.
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense
The firm’s criminal defense practice covers virtually every category of offense handled in Florida state courts, as well as federal criminal matters.
Assault and Battery: Assault and battery charges in Florida are graded by the degree of force and the circumstances of the offense. The firm handles simple assault and battery, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and felony battery, with each category carrying different penalty exposure and requiring different defensive strategies.
Homicide and Violent Crimes: Homicide cases represent the most serious charge a person can face. The firm handles homicide cases, as well as kidnapping and child abuse charges.
Sex Crimes: Florida sex crime prosecutions carry severe penalties and require careful examination of the evidence, the investigation procedure, and the legal standards that govern consent and age. The firm handles indecent exposure, statutory rape, prostitution, lewd and lascivious behavior, child pornography, sexual battery, capital sexual battery, and voyeurism.
Theft Crimes: Property offenses range from shoplifting and petit theft through grand theft, carjacking, robbery, armed robbery, and burglary. The firm defends clients across this full range of theft-related charges.
Drug Crimes: Florida drug prosecutions can result in serious prison exposure depending on the substance, the quantity, and the circumstances of the arrest. The firm handles drug crime defense at both the state and federal level.
White-Collar and Federal Crimes: Complex financial offenses, RICO charges, federal crimes, and human trafficking cases require attorneys with the ability to review extensive documentation, understand regulatory frameworks, and engage with federal prosecutors and investigators. The firm handles these matters in addition to its street-level criminal practice.
Domestic Violence: Domestic violence cases frequently involve disputed accounts and emotionally charged circumstances. The firm provides defense representation in these matters.
Hate Crimes: Hate crime enhancements under Florida law can substantially increase penalty exposure for underlying offenses. The firm defends clients against hate crime allegations.
DUI: Driving under the influence cases require prompt action to protect both the client’s driver’s license and their criminal record. The firm handles DUI defense from first-offense matters through more serious DUI charges.
Stand Your Ground Defense: Florida’s Stand Your Ground law provides an affirmative defense in certain circumstances involving the use of force. The firm advises clients on Stand Your Ground applicability and presents Stand Your Ground defenses where the facts support them.
Gun Crimes: Firearms offenses carry serious mandatory minimum sentences under Florida law. The firm handles gun crime defense.
Juvenile Defense: Young people who face criminal charges deserve representation that takes into account the different legal standards and consequences that apply in juvenile proceedings. The firm handles juvenile defense matters.
Expungement: A criminal record can limit employment, housing, and educational opportunities long after a case is resolved. Florida law permits expungement of certain charges. The firm advises clients on eligibility and handles expungement petitions.
Personal Injury
The firm also handles personal injury cases, focusing on car accidents and slip and fall claims. Florida personal injury law allows injured parties to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The firm applies the same client-focused approach to personal injury representation that it brings to criminal defense matters.
Mediation Services
In addition to his litigation practice, James Amarosa II offers mediation services. Mediation provides parties in civil disputes with a structured process for reaching negotiated resolution outside of court, often saving time and expense compared to full litigation.
Attorney Profile
James R. Amarosa II began his legal career as a Certified Legal Intern at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where he represented both adult and juvenile clients in matters ranging from misdemeanor disorderly conduct to felony robbery and organized fraud. That foundational experience gave him direct trial exposure early in his career and a thorough grounding in the mechanics of Florida criminal proceedings.
He built on that foundation to develop a criminal defense practice that spans the full range of state and federal charges handled in Tampa-area courts. In December 2024, his peers recognized that work with the Barry Cohen Award for Excellence in Criminal Defense from the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a distinction that carries particular meaning because it comes from the community of attorneys who observe his work directly.
Beyond the courtroom, Amarosa has developed mediation skills that allow him to serve clients and other parties in civil dispute resolution, adding a dimension to his practice that extends beyond pure litigation.
Clients consistently highlight two features of their experience with Amarosa: reasonable fees and successful outcomes. Those dual qualities, affordable access and results, reflect a practice that has not sacrificed client service in pursuit of profit margins.
Location and Service Area
The firm’s office is located at 3825 Henderson Blvd., Suite No. 207, Tampa, Florida 33629. Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County and the primary hub of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, positioning the firm to serve clients across Tampa and the surrounding region. The office operates by appointment, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with emergency availability around the clock for situations that cannot wait.
Client Focus
The firm’s motto, “Where friends become clients, and clients become friends,” describes a specific kind of attorney-client relationship, one built on personal attention, honest communication, and genuine investment in each client’s outcome. That philosophy is supported by the firm’s use of an automated client communication system that keeps clients informed of case status without requiring them to chase down updates.
Clients facing criminal charges deal with uncertainty that extends beyond the legal process: uncertainty about their jobs, their families, and their reputations. The firm’s combination of accessibility, reasonable fees, and direct attorney involvement is designed to reduce that uncertainty and give clients the information and advocacy they need to face their situation with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What criminal charges does Amarosa Law Firm, P.A. handle?
The firm handles a comprehensive range of Florida criminal charges, including DUI, drug crimes, assault and battery, sex offenses, theft crimes, white-collar crimes, RICO charges, federal crimes, domestic violence, hate crimes, gun crimes, human trafficking, juvenile offenses, and expungement matters, among others.
Does the firm handle federal criminal charges in addition to state charges?
Yes. The firm handles federal crimes, RICO charges, and other matters that extend beyond Florida state court jurisdiction. Federal criminal proceedings have distinct rules and procedures, and the firm has experience in that environment.
What is the Stand Your Ground defense and when does it apply?
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law provides that a person who is not engaged in unlawful activity and who is attacked in any place where they have a right to be may use force, including deadly force, to defend themselves without a duty to retreat. The applicability of this defense depends on the specific facts of each situation. The firm evaluates Stand Your Ground arguments as part of its criminal defense analysis in eligible cases.
Does the firm offer payment plans or work to keep fees reasonable?
Client feedback has specifically noted the firm’s reasonable fees, which reflects a conscious effort to make quality criminal defense accessible. Specific fee arrangements should be discussed directly with the firm.
How do I reach Amarosa Law Firm, P.A.?
The firm can be reached at 813-736-9397, or toll-free at 877-275-5461. For non-emergency inquiries, the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Emergency availability is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additional information is available at amarosalaw.com.
Closing
The Barry Cohen Award and a career begun in the demanding environment of the Public Defender’s Office are not decorative credentials. They represent a practitioner who has been tested in Florida’s courts and recognized by the professional community that watches that work up close. For individuals in the Tampa area facing criminal charges or dealing with personal injury claims, Amarosa Law Firm, P.A. offers the combination of hard-won experience, personal attention, and accessible fees that the firm has made its defining characteristics. Contact the firm at 813-736-9397 or visit amarosalaw.com.