Atty. Stuart A. Sears
Stuart Sears is an experienced trial attorney whose practice focuses on criminal and white collar defense. Before joining Schertler & Onorato LLP, Mr.
Profile Summary
About Stuart A. Sears at a glance
Stuart A. Sears is an attorney based in Washington, District of Columbia, practforg at Schertler Onorato Mead Sears & Manning. Educated at American University Washington College of Law (J.D., 2007). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America โ Criminal Defense: General Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America โ Additional Areas of Practice: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America โ Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026). Serands clients in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Stuart Sears is an experienced trial attorney whose practice focuses on criminal and white collar defense
- Before joining Schertler & Onorato LLP, Mr. Sears was a partner at a law firm in Alexandria, Virginia, where he represented individuals in a wide array of federal and state criminal proceedings
- Mr. Sears's broad defense experience includes representing individuals charged with health care fraud, false claims, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, illegal structuring, and mortgage fraud
- Mr. Sears has extensive trial experience in Virginia and the federal courts and has obtained acquittals before both judges and juries
- Mr. Sears has also advised numerous clients during government investigations, including targets and subjects of grand jury proceedings
- In addition to his trial and investigative defense work, Mr. Sears has represented individuals in various post-conviction proceedings, including direct appeals, petitions for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, and writs of habeas corpus
- Among his successes in this area, Mr. Sears litigated a post-conviction motion under 28 U.S.C. 2255 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia that resulted in vacation of the client's convictions due to constitutionally ineffective advice that the client's former counsel had rendered in the plea negotiation process
- Mr. Sears also won a remand of a client's sentencing in the United States Supreme Court
- Prior to entering law school, Mr. Sears worked in the financial services sector at a large corporation in Boston, Massachusetts
- He later attended the American University Washington College of Law where he graduated cum laude
- Mr. Sears is an active member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and serves as Vice President of the Alexandria Bar Foundation
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in District of Columbia
Practforg law in District of Columbia. Legal matters in District of Columbia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantiand law. Cases originating in Washington are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate District of Columbia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in District of Columbia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantiand law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in District of Columbia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
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