Atty. Brian L. Shrader
Brian Shrader is the founder of Shrader Mendez & O’Connell. His focus is on litigation and trials relating to all of the firm’s four practice areas.
Criminal Defense: General Practice & More Attorney · Serving Tampa, FL
Profile Summary
About Brian L. Shrader at a Glance
Brian L. Shrader is a criminal defense and white collar attorney based in Tampa, Florida, practicing at Shrader Mendez PLLC. Educated at Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., 2008). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: General Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026), and Lawyer of the Year — Criminal Defense: General Practice (Tampa) (2025). Serves clients in Tampa, FL and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Brian L. Shrader
- Brian Shrader is the founder of Shrader Mendez & O’Connell
- His focus is on litigation and trials relating to all of the firm’s four practice areas
- Brian has an AV Rating by Martindale Hubble, reflecting the highest rating by his peers and judges
- In addition, Brian was selected as a multiple-year Superlawyers Rising Star, an honor reflecting a peer review rating in the top 2.5% of lawyers under the age of 40
- As a respected trial attorney, Brian has been hired by other law firms to consult regarding litigation strategy and conduct trials on their client’s behalf
- Prior to starting Shrader Mendez & O’Connell, Brian was a founding partner of Centrone & Shrader, a National Partner at a large multi-national firm, and a prosecutor
- Prior to being a licensed attorney, Brian interned at Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal and consulted with legal scholars in Jamaica as part of a Caribbean Law Clinic
- Brian’s has been recognized by the Supreme Court of Florida for his commitment to pro bono work
- As part of his pro bono projects, Brian sought and obtained an executive clemency, signed by President Obama, granting freedom to a federal inmate originally sentenced to life
- Brian has lectured at Stetson University College of Law’s Bankruptcy Law Clinic regarding consumer law and at The University of Tampa regarding white collar crime
- He is also a multi-year speaker at the Federal Bar Associations Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar
- In addition, Brian is a published author in the areas of criminal law and business compliance with international treaties
- Experience that Matters in Criminal Defense Brian Shrader began his legal career as a prosecutor for the State of Florida
- He has handled over a thousand criminal cases and conducted nearly 200 criminal trials in front of both judge and jury
- As do most prosecutors, Brian started in a misdemeanor and DUI unit
- however, Brian was later selected to handle a specialized division of sensitive domestic violence cases
- After almost a year of serving as a domestic violence prosecutor, Brian was promoted to a division handling all types of serious felony crimes, such as burglary, aggravated battery, drug trafficking, robbery, firearm offenses, and attempted murder
- Brian was later promoted to the Economic/White Collar Crime Unit where he worked on various white-collar crimes, including insurance and mortgage fraud
- Through a grant from the State of Florida, Brian also oversaw a specialized Workers Compensation Fraud Unit
- Brian has dedicated himself to a career defending those accused of crimes in both state and federal court
- Brian has assisted defendants accused of crimes ranging from possession of marijuana to murder
- In addition, Brian has experience handling multinational drug smuggling defense, racketeering defense, and complex internal white-collar corporate investigations
- The Best Defender of Consumers is an Attorney who can go on the Offensive After leaving the prosecutor’s office, Brian became a senior trial attorney at a consumer protection law firm
- There he managed a high volume of litigated consumer protection cases against some of the largest corporations in the world
- Litigation against large law firms became his regular practice and he regularly took cases to trial against banks and debt collectors
- Brian’s consumer practice also includes Multi-District Litigation, class actions, and representing Chapter 7 Trustees
- Brian now regularly helps consumers turn the tables on harassing debt collection practices, predatory lending, and bankruptcy discharge violations
- IF YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED, SEEK AN ATTORNEY WHO CAN TAKE ON THE POWERFUL INSURANCE COMPANIES Whether it is a slip and fall, or a catastrophic automobile accident, Brian Shrader is prepared to take on the insurance company goliaths that will deny or undercut what you are owed
- Brian brings his prior experience on the defense of personal injury claims, including representing those in the trucking industry, to representing clients harmed by the negligence of others
- His diverse litigation experience and being willing and able to take a case to trial, no matter the challenges, makes Brian an ideal attorney for those seeking compensation
- RESOLVING BUSINESS DISPUTES FROM SMALL TO LARGE Brian has earned a reputation as a leading attorney on domestic and international contract disputes including disputes governed by the United Nations International Convention for the Sale of Goods
- Since co-founding Shrader Mendez & O’Connell, Brian has obtained million-dollar judgments on his client’s behalf against businesses in international business disputes
- His practice has included post-judgment collections of judgments against businesses through levy, writs, and proceedings supplemental
Practice Areas Explained
Brian L. Shrader's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Brian L. Shrader handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Tampa.
Criminal Defense in Tampa
A criminal defense attorney protects your rights from arrest through trial. Find experienced lawyers handling DUI, drug, federal, theft, and violent-crime charges.
Brian L. Shrader is one of 212,605 criminal defense attorneys indexed nationally. Browse criminal defense attorneys in Florida →
White Collar Crimes in Tampa
Brian L. Shrader is one of 19,824 white collar attorneys indexed nationally. Browse white collar attorneys in Florida →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Tampa
Practicing law in Florida. Legal matters in Florida are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Tampa are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Florida state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Florida brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Florida courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Tampa Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Tampa-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional Florida attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Tampa or all attorneys in Florida.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Tampa Choose Brian L. Shrader
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Brian L. Shrader's practice in the field of criminal defense and white collar.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering criminal defense and white collar, Brian L. Shrader can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Tampa
A Tampa-based practice means Brian L. Shrader attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
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Brian L. Shrader's Practice Areas & Specializations
Education & Law School Background
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