Tampa Criminal Law and DUI Expert


Attorney David C. Hardy
Board Certified Criminal Law Expert
Attorney David C. Hardy is an Expert in Criminal Trial Law. He practices in the areas of Federal Criminal Defense, Florida Criminal Defense, and Florida DUI Defense.
In 2010, The Florida Bar designated Attorney Hardy a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Trial Law. Board Certification is the Florida Bar's highest level of evaluation of the competency and experience of attorneys. Less than 1 percent of Florida attorneys have reached the distinction of Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law.
In 2014, The National Board of Trial Advocacy awarded Attorney Hardy National Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law. Of the approximately 98,000 Florida attorneys, there are fewer than 20 criminal defense attorneys that are both Florida Board Certified and Nationally Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law.
The attorney rating service Martindale Hubbell has rated Attorney Hardy AV-Preeminent. According to Martindale Hubbell, the AV Rating is a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. The attorney rating service AVVO has awarded Attorney Hardy it's highest rating of 10.0 Superb.
Attorney Hardy attended Boston's Suffolk University Law School where he won the Law School's Best Oral Advocate Award, The Jurisprudence Award, and The Paul McLaughlin Memorial Prosecutor Fellowship. In 1999, he served as an intern with the United States Department of Justice. In 2000, he graduated with high honors in the top four percent of his class.
From 2000 until 2002, Attorney Hardy served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, Central America where he trained hundreds of police officers and judges in Criminal Trial Law.
For more than five years, Attorney Hardy served as an Assistant State Attorney in Tampa, Florida. As a prosecutor, he handled thousands of criminal cases, ranging from DUI to first degree felonies.
In the Federal Courts, he has handled a wide variety of cases including international extradition, drug trafficking, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, immigration offenses, identity theft, the misbranding of drugs, and firearms offenses. He has represented clients in Federal Trial and Appellate Courts in Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
The Hardy Law Firm, P.A.
Board Certified Criminal Trial Expert
Attorney David C. Hardy is Florida Board Certified and Nationally Board Certified as an Expert in Criminal Trial Law. He practices in the areas of Federal Criminal Defense, Tampa Criminal Defense, and Tampa DUI Defense.
Why You Should Hire The Hardy Law Firm P.A.

Choosing the right Tampa criminal defense lawyer may end up being one of the most important decisions you'll ever make. Before you decide which attorney is going to represent you, take the time to do some research. Find out about the attorney's education, training, and experience.
My name is attorney David Hardy and I work in the areas of federal criminal defense, Florida criminal defense, and Florida DUI defense. I have been practicing criminal law in Florida since 2005 and my office is located in Tampa, Florida.
I attended Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts during the evenings while I worked as a high school and middle school teacher during the day.
Going to law school at night while working days was hard work, but I enjoyed all of it. During law school, I was also able to gain valuable legal experience as a summer intern at the United States Attorney's Office in Providence, Rhode Island. I graduated law school in the top 4% of my class with high honors.
For more than five years I worked as a Tampa state prosecutor. During that time, I handled a variety of cases, including DUI, assault, battery, theft, drug possession, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and violations of probation. As a prosecutor, I learned how the criminal justice system works, and I learned that a good criminal defense attorney can make a big difference in the life of his or her client.
In 2010, I left the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office and opened the Hardy Law Firm, P.A., where I defend people that have been accused of crimes in both Florida and federal courts. I represent individuals from all walks of life. What my clients all have in common is that their lives have been interrupted by a criminal accusation, and that they want an attorney who is going to stand up for them in court and fight for their rights. That is precisely what I do. Whether you are facing a second-degree misdemeanor or a first-degree felony, I have the knowledge, skills and ability to provide you with the best possible legal defense.
I am board certified as an expert in criminal trial law by both the Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. I have taught criminal evidence and constitutional law courses at the college level. In 2019, I was honored when my criminal law article, Simon a Slave v. the State of Florida, was featured on the cover of the Florida Bar Journal.
I am fluent in Spanish. While some attorneys may have a secretary or staff member that they use as an interpreter to communicate with clients, I speak directly to my Spanish speaking clients in their native language.
Like any law firm I charge for my services. However, I pledge to you that my fees will always be fair and reasonable. I base my fees upon a variety of factors, including the factual complexity of the case, the type of criminal charge, the amount of time the case required, and the level of expertise the case demands.
When a potential client calls me, they sometimes ask me for a guarantee that their charges will be reduced or dismissed. I can't guarantee how a particular case will turn out. However, there are some things that I can guarantee. First, I guarantee that you will be able to speak to me personally when you have a question about your case. Second, I guarantee that I will take the time to understand the goals you have for your case. Third, I guarantee that I will do everything in my power to get you the best possible result in your case. A lifelong friend of mine once told me that the best job is the one in which you are using your talents to help as many people as possible. For me, working as a criminal defense lawyer fits that description. I hope you will allow me the privilege of using the education, skills, knowledge and experience I have acquired throughout my career to fight for you, and to ensure that you get the best possible result in your case.