Hugo Apellaniz

Hugo Apellaniz has dedicated his entire career to one side of the courtroom — the defense. His path to founding Apellaniz Law began not in a law school classroom, but in the field, working as an investigator for the Office of the Public Defender in Tallahassee. That ground-level experience gave him something most attorneys never develop: a deep, practical understanding of how criminal cases are built — and how they can be dismantled.

After earning his Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law in 2009 — where he served as President of the Criminal Law Society and earned a Book Award in Immigration Law — Hugo was admitted to the Florida Bar and immediately began his career as an Assistant Public Defender in Tallahassee's 2nd Circuit.

In 2011, he joined the Public Defender's Office in Broward County's 17th Circuit, where he represented clients in Ft. Lauderdale facing serious criminal charges. Two years later, he took the experience, the courtroom instincts, and the commitment to his clients and founded Apellaniz Law, P.A. — a private criminal defense firm built on the same principles that guided his public defender work.

Since 2013, Hugo has represented individuals throughout South Florida facing felony charges, violent crimes, drug offenses, domestic violence allegations, DUI charges, and white-collar matters. His approach is methodical and client-focused: understand the facts, challenge the evidence, and fight for the best possible outcome — every time.