Robert Shafer Email & Phone Number

106 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Fl., 32202

After almost 40 years of practicing criminal law, I now own the largest and most experienced Criminal Defense only law firm in Northeast Florida. Our team has only handled criminal defense cases since its inception in 1989. We have a combined experience of over 100 YEARS in CRIMINAL LAW! We have four experienced criminal defense lawyers in the firm, we offer a team review of each new criminal matter from four different angles, and we select the best option to recommend to each client. The Team: (1) Me, Robert Shafer with almost 40 years of handling criminal cases (2) Hugh Fletcher; a former judge (24 years on the bench and representing folks in criminal law cases for over 22 years), (3) Zachary Shafer, a highly experienced criminal trial attorney who worked in the Courthouse as an attorney for several years before joining us (he totally enjoyed his courthouse gig, but I was in dire need and he came here, finally), and (4) Timothy Miller, a former prosecutor in this Circuit for 5 years and an excellent trial lawyer. Mr. Miller was prosecuting Habitual Violent Felony Offenders in one of the ROC (Repeat Offender Court) criminal divisions (big job). With his expertise as a skilled prosecutor, we were fortunate to get Tim to come across the table and fight for the little guys with us.AND, I have a fantastic office staff; very compassionate folks, yet totally professional.We handle Every type of Criminal Case. I really think I've seen it all, but every once and a while ....... Have always tried to use my talent as a tool for Good.Usually, jail/imprisonment is NOT THE FUCKING ANSWER! How did we get to this point? The United States is #1 or #2 in the world in the percentage of the population incarcerated and the vast majority of those are in for NON-VIOLENT offenses, and a great portion of which are in for NON-VIOLENT and completely VICTIMLESS CRIMES!!!! I think the next highest rate is North Korea or something like that ........... .. ..

Gulf Life Building, Southbank, Jacksonville

WORST JOB EVER !! First couple of years, Great! Flying first class, staying in 5 star hotels, selecting and managing civil litigation law firms to handle litigation our companies were party to. Last year just terrible. The boss, ALAN J. MCCORKLE, was an absolute nightmare! Almost actually provoked a mental breakdown, but I "nipped it in the bud" after actually SEEING A GUY IN THE MIDST OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AS A RESULT OF MCCORKLES' CONSTANT BARKING ABOUT HOW WORTHLESS HE IS, WHAT A TOTAL FUCKING FAILURE HE IS, HOW HE IS SO DEFICIENT THAT HE IS NOT REALLY EVEN ENTITILED TO AN ANSWER FROM MMMEEE! I’M YOUR HIGHNESS, fuckin plebe! He liked to talk over the phone, even when he was in the office; he would call me on the private intercom and talk and talk, and rant and rant, ad infinitum. I recorded many of his diatribes (conversations which I always put on speakerphone so that I could record them with my mini tape-recorder {the statute of limitations has long since run}. That’s right. He would also call from home on his portable phone and talk and harangue for Hours and Hours! I would find myself TRAPPED in my OFFICE at my DESK!! No bathroom! No portable phone! Pure fucking MISERY! One day he told me (over the phone of course) that my secretary was a fuckin’ idiot, and that when HE called (AND I QUOTE!) “it oughta be like G-D CALLING!” (he LOWDLY GROWLED into the phone!)!! Whenever I listen to the tapes (seldom, it WAS 30 yrs. ago!) I am completely awestruck by what a totally surrealistic environment I was in. An absolutely and totally bizarre experience... Evil atmosphere. ULTRA-paranoid employees (with good reason). I studied for the Washington State Bar Exam, was gonna move the family. On a whim, I cold called an ad in The Florida Bar News from a guy opening a criminal defense firm in Jacksonville. I QUIT THIS SHIT! I was FREE! I learned the true meaning of the words ‘vile’ and ‘ruthless’ from McCorkle. Soon Mobile America went totally bankrupt.

The Knight Building, Bay Street, Jacksonville.

Civil Litigation, Associate attorney. Very big clients for a small law firm. I left after 10 months. Bunch of over billing creeps. The partner I reported to was an absolute ALCOHOLIC and I felt, at first, that I should join him, every day, at 4:30 PM, when he would break out the Scotch and stay at the office, with only me there, getting shit-faced every evening until @ 10 or so when I was usually able to make a break for it!! I gradually tapered it off with him but I was able to quit and get out unscathed after only ten months! (Years later he was disbarred and I REPRESENTED HIM FOR STEALING OVER $120K FROM A CLIENT. I GOT HIM OFF, SCOTT FREE, WITH NOT EVEN RESTITUTION BEING OWED!... and the fucker never even paid me one red cent, but of course repeatedly and GRATEFULLY PROMISED TO DO SO). So this job really sucked! Made me really start to despise lawyers....But, ....FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.... NEXT STOP: MOBILE AMERICA CORP.

Duval, Clay, And Nassau Counties, Main Office In Jacksonville.

Despite my background, I was allowed to intern with this office in my third year of law school... talk about letting the fox in the henhouse! Subsequently, I was offered a permanent position as an Assistant State Attorney (this was the ultimate irony!). Within 6 years, I moved from a misdemeanor prosecutor in Jacksonville, to a full-time prosecutor in Clay County (having moved forward from misdemeanors to Death penalty cases, to Jacksonville felony division chief, to Director of County Court (overseeing 12 prosecutors and associated investigative and support personnel, while overseeing both Clay County and Nassau County Offices), to Director of Circuit Court Operations, overseeing 25 seasoned prosecutors and associate staff [investigators, paralegals, support staff, etc.] (real fun... I had a State car with a roof mounted detachable flashing blue light, police radios and all, for emergency visits to homicide scenes!). I not only trained younger prosecutors about prosecutorial ethics, I was responsible for setting Policy; which crimes to target and which cases should be treated more lightly (e,g. Victimless crimes: drugs, etc.; why lock up harmless folks?). I resigned only because I was at the top of the heap and the elected State Attorney, my boss, wanted to run for Mayor of Jacksonville, which he did, and WON!

Tallahassee, Florida

I was an aide to freshman Democratic Florida State House Member John Mills, who later became Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. My duties consisted of reading proposed bills and advising him accordingly.Lobbyists provided all my meals; they all laid out fantastic tables of food and appropriate libations morning, noon, and night.. Parties every night for staffers!

Tallahassee, Florida

Researching federal discrimination issues, e.g. Investigating disparate outcomes among minorities in higher education, employment, health care, etc.

Tallahassee, Florida

Worked as intern in Federal program investigating disparate racial impact in employment and providing legal counsel for litigation.

Juris Do, Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: Divorced from 1st wife after the first year of law school. I did not associate with hardly any of my classmates..

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Economics, A Natural Grade A Of Course

Activities and Societies: Partying and studying. Intense studying, drugs, sex, and rock and roll. Married. Wife's family does NOT like.

Associate Of Arts (A.A.), Living On My Own, Fantastic. Away From My Father, So I Slept Soundly., Fantastic! I Actually Learned How To Study! And Learn! Things. Great!(Really!)

Activities and Societies: First, partying, sex, and finally, ultimately, studying. Met and married first wife (older chick). Real bummer.

High School Diploma, Sex And Drugs: Whatever I Could Get.

Activities and Societies: Wolfgang, Chorus, Major Drug Dealing (lots of acid, pharmaceuticals, and marijuana). No studying at all, anti.