Pinellas Defense Attorney
Pinellas County DUI & Criminal Defense Attorney
David C. Hardy – Board Certified Criminal Trial Law Expert
Attorney David C. Hardy is a trusted and highly respected criminal defense lawyer representing clients in Pinellas County and throughout Florida. His practice concentrates on DUI defense, state criminal defense, and federal criminal defense, with more than twenty years of courtroom experience guiding his work.
In 2010, The Florida Bar honored Mr. Hardy with the designation of Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Trial Law. Fewer than one percent of Florida attorneys hold this elite credential, which represents the Bar’s highest measure of trial skill, professional knowledge, and experience.
By 2014, he achieved another rare distinction: National Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Of nearly 100,000 licensed attorneys in Florida, fewer than two dozen hold both state and national board certifications in this area of law.
In addition to these credentials, Mr. Hardy has earned some of the highest ratings available in the legal profession. Martindale-Hubbell awarded him the AV-Preeminent rating, reflecting exceptional legal ability and ethical standards, while AVVO has rated him 10.0 Superb, its top score.
Education & Early Career
Mr. Hardy graduated with high honors from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, ranking in the top four percent of his class. While there, he received the Best Oral Advocate Award, the Jurisprudence Award, and the Paul McLaughlin Memorial Prosecutor Fellowship. He also gained valuable experience as a U.S. Department of Justice intern before completing his degree in 2000.
Following graduation, he joined the Peace Corps in Honduras, where he trained judges and police officers in criminal trial law.
Prosecutor & Defense Experience
Before founding The Hardy Law Firm, Mr. Hardy spent more than five years as an Assistant State Attorney in Tampa, prosecuting thousands of cases ranging from DUI charges to serious felony matters. This background gave him a unique understanding of how prosecutors approach cases—insight he now uses to craft strong defenses for his clients in Pinellas County courts and beyond.
In federal court, Mr. Hardy has represented clients facing serious charges such as drug trafficking, fraud, firearms offenses, identity theft, healthcare fraud, immigration violations, and international extradition. He has appeared in federal trial and appellate courts in Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
Defense for Clients in Pinellas County
Today, Attorney Hardy draws on his rare combination of board certifications, prosecutorial background, and trial experience to defend individuals facing DUI and criminal charges in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and across Pinellas County. His focus is on protecting clients’ rights, preserving their freedom, and achieving the best possible outcomes in even the most challenging cases.
Pinellas DUI Defense Attorney
DUI Defense Attorney
A DUI arrest in Pinellas County can have serious and lasting consequences. Beyond the immediate stress, a conviction may cost you your driver’s license, place a permanent mark on your record, and create problems for your career and family life. You don’t have to navigate this alone. At The Hardy Law Firm, we defend individuals across Pinellas County, helping them fight DUI charges, protect their rights, and work toward safeguarding their future.
Why You Should Hire The Hardy Law Firm P.A.
Choosing the right 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 Florida DUI defense, Florida criminal defense, and federal criminal defense. I have been practicing criminal law in Florida since 2005 and my offices are located in Tampa, Florida serving clients in Hillsborough County, Pinellas, Tampa, Plant City, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
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.