Neal R. Sonnett

Background

Sonnett, Neal R. was born on November 29, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Education

University of Miami (Bachelor of Arts, 1964. Juris Doctor, 1967).

Career

Worked at Neal R. Sonnett, P.A. (Miami, Florida) specializing in Federal and State Criminal Trials and Appeals, Grand Jury, White Collar, Corporate and Complex Crimes Litigation, Sentencing, Post-Conviction and Parole Representation, Asset Forfeitures, International Extradition, Immigration and Naturalization Practice. Admitted to the bar, 1967, Florida and United States. District Court, Southern District of Florida, including Federal Trial Bar.

1971, United States.

Supreme Court. 1972, United States. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. 1981, United States. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.

1982, United States.

Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. 1984, United States. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. Phi Alpha Delta; Tau Kappa Alpha (President, 1966).

Omicron Delta Kappa.

Iron Arrow Society. Bar and Gavel (President, 1966). Recipient, 1993, Anti-Defamation League Jurisprudence Award.

1990 Outstanding Past Voluntary Bar Association President Award. Florida Bar Foundation, Medal Of Honor, 1989 for Dedicated Service In Improving The Administration Of Justice.

NACDL Robert Heeney Memorial Award for Service, 1989.

University of Miami Law Alumni Thomas Davison, III Service Award, 1987. Outstanding Young Manitoba of Miami, 1971. One of Five Outstanding Young Men of Florida, 1972.

Outstanding Federal Employee of the Year, South Florida Federal Executive Board, 1972.

President, 1978-1979 University of Miami General Law Association. Vice President, 1982-1985, University of Miami General Alumni Association.

Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida, 1967-1972. Chief, Criminal Division, United States Attorney" General’ s Office for the Southern District of Florida, 1971-1972.

Special Assistant United States Attorney: Middle District of Florida, 1969.

District of Puerto Rico, 1969. Lecturer in Law, Immigration and Nationality, 1976-1982. Adjunct Professor of Law, Advanced Federal Criminal Procedure, 1983-1988, University of Miami School of Law.

Guest Lecturer, Drug Enforcement Administration, 1983, 1989.

Member, Board of Editors, Criminal Law Advocacy Reporter, Matthew Bender & Company, 1992—. Member, Editorial Advisory Board, BNA Criminal Practice Manual, 1991—.

Member, Editorial Advisory Board, The DOJ Alert, Prentice Hall Law & Business, 1993—. Charter Member, Advisory Board, National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, 1990—.

Member, Florida Regional Executive Committee, 1984—, Florida Regional Director, 1982-1984 and Member, Law Committee, 1982—, Anti Defamation League of B"nai B"rith.

Member, Florida State Cabinet Task Force on Drug Abuse and Dropout Prevention, 1986-1987. Chair, Dade County Independent Review Panel, 1981-1984. Member, 1984-1986, Metro-Miami Action Plan.

Member, Transition Ex-Offender Rehabilitation Program, President, 1976-1977 and Member, Advisory Council, 1980—.

Member: Dade County (American Bar Association Delegate, 1986-1990. President, 1983-1984), Federal (President, South Florida Chapter, 1971-1972) and American (Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Criminal Justice Improvements, 1994—.

Chairperson, Criminal Justice Section, 1992-1993. Chairperson-Elect, 1991-1992.

Vice-Chairperson Foreign Planning, 1990-1991.

Member, Executive Council, 1987—. Liaison Representative, Department of Justice, 1991. Chairperson, American Bar Association Ad Hoc Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, 1993—.

American Bar Association Presidential Emissary Spokesperson for Criminal Justice Issues, 1992—.

Member, House of Delegates, 1986-1990, 1991-1993. Member, House Membership Committee, 1988, 1990.

Member, House Credentials Committee, 1989-1990. Member, Special Committee On The Drug Crisis, 1991-1992.

Member, Section of Litigation Task Force on the State of the Justice System, 1993—.

National Conference of Bar Presidents, Executive Council, 1987-1990. Member, Nominating Committee, 1986, 1991. National Caucus of Metropolitan Bar Leaders, President, 1985-1986.

Member, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.

Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Bail Reform Acting, 1986-1987. Chair, Criminal Law Committee, Individual Rights and Responsibilities Section, 1987—) Bar Associations.

The Florida Bar (Delegate to American Bar Association House of Delegates, 1991-1993. Member: Special Commission of Delays in Death Penalty Cases, 1989-1990.

Federal Practice Committee, 1985—.

Voluntary Bar Liaison Committee, 1986—. Special Study Committee on Model Rules Of Professional Conduct, 1982-1984. The Florida Bar Foundation, President-Elect, 1996, Secretary Treasurer, 1995-1996.

Executive Committee, 1992-1993.

Board of Directors; Chairperson, 1993 and Vice-Chair, 1992-1993, Administration Of Justice Committee, Member, Legal Assistance To The Poor Committee, 1990-1992). The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (President, 1989-1990.

President-Elect, 1988-1989. Chairperson Legislative Committee, 1984-1988.

1991-1992; Chairperson, Public Affairs Task Force, 1990-1991.

Company-Chair, Department of Justice Liaison Committee, 1986-1991). Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers (Member, National Board of Governors, 1975-1977. President, South Florida Chapter, 1975-1976).

Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association (President, 1984-1985).

The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. American Judicature Society (Member, Board of Directors, 1995—).

Florida Association Foreign Women Lawyers. Neal R. Sonnett, P.A. engages exclusively in federal and state criminal defense law throughout the United States, emphasizing corporate, white collar, and complex crimes litigation.

The firm represents individuals and corporate entities in grand jury investigations, trials, appeals, forfeiture proceedings, sentencing guidelines and post-conviction issues, and administrative and professional disciplinary matters.

The Firm"s attorneys act as counsel in state, federal, and regulatory investigations and cases involving business entities, financial institutions, environmental and health care matters, insurance, securities and mail fraud, money laundering, and criminal tax matters. Our lawyers provide aggressive, innovative, and quality representation. The Firm is committed to professional responsibility and development, and our members are active in local, state, and national bar and civic associations, and lecture and write extensively on substantive, trial, and appellate practice topics.

Achievements

• Neal R. Sonnett has been listed as a reputable lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell.

Membership

Member, Board of Editors, Criminal Law Advocacy Reporter, Matthew Bender & Company, 1992—. Member, Editorial Advisory Board, BNA Criminal Practice Manual, 1991—. Member, Editorial Advisory Board, The DOJ Alert, Prentice Hall Law & Business, 1993—.

Charter Member, Advisory Board, National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, 1990—.

Member, Florida Regional Executive Committee, 1984—, Florida Regional Director, 1982-1984 and Member, Law Committee, 1982—, Anti Defamation League of B"nai B"rith. Member, Florida State Cabinet Task Force on Drug Abuse and Dropout Prevention, 1986-1987.

Chair, Dade County Independent Review Panel, 1981-1984. Member, 1984-1986, Metro-Miami Action Plan.

Member, Transition Ex-Offender Rehabilitation Program, President, 1976-1977 and Member, Advisory Council, 1980—.

Member: Dade County (American Bar Association Delegate, 1986-1990. President, 1983-1984), Federal (President, South Florida Chapter, 1971-1972) and American (Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Criminal Justice Improvements, 1994—. Chairperson, Criminal Justice Section, 1992-1993.

Chairperson-Elect, 1991-1992.

Vice-Chairperson Foreign Planning, 1990-1991. Member, Executive Council, 1987—.

Liaison Representative, Department of Justice, 1991. Chairperson, American Bar Association Ad Hoc Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, 1993—.

American Bar Association Presidential Emissary Spokesperson for Criminal Justice Issues, 1992—.

Member, House of Delegates, 1986-1990, 1991-1993. Member, House Membership Committee, 1988, 1990. Member, House Credentials Committee, 1989-1990.

Member, Special Committee On The Drug Crisis, 1991-1992.

Member, Section of Litigation Task Force on the State of the Justice System, 1993—. National Conference of Bar Presidents, Executive Council, 1987-1990.

Member, Nominating Committee, 1986, 1991. National Caucus of Metropolitan Bar Leaders, President, 1985-1986.

Member, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.

Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Bail Reform Acting, 1986-1987. Chair, Criminal Law Committee, Individual Rights and Responsibilities Section, 1987—) Bar Associations. The Florida Bar (Delegate to American Bar Association House of Delegates, 1991-1993.

Member: Special Commission of Delays in Death Penalty Cases, 1989-1990.

Federal Practice Committee, 1985—. Voluntary Bar Liaison Committee, 1986—.

Special Study Committee on Model Rules Of Professional Conduct, 1982-1984. The Florida Bar Foundation, President-Elect, 1996, Secretary Treasurer, 1995-1996.

Executive Committee, 1992-1993.

Board of Directors. Chairperson, 1993 and Vice-Chair, 1992-1993, Administration Of Justice Committee, Member, Legal Assistance To The Poor Committee, 1990-1992). The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (President, 1989-1990.

President-Elect, 1988-1989.

Chairperson Legislative Committee, 1984-1988. 1991-1992; Chairperson, Public Affairs Task Force, 1990-1991. Company-Chair, Department of Justice Liaison Committee, 1986-1991).

Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers (Member, National Board of Governors, 1975-1977.

President, South Florida Chapter, 1975-1976). Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association (President, 1984-1985).

The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. American Judicature Society (Member, Board of Directors, 1995—).

Florida Association Foreign Women Lawyers.