Michael E Lawlor

Michael E Lawlor

1.8
Rating: 5.4

Licensed for 27 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Greenbelt, MD
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Federal Crime, Violent Crime ... +2 more

6305 Ivy Lane, Suite 608, Greenbelt, MD

About Michael

Biography

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 40%

Attorney Lawlor has been practicing criminal defense in Maryland & DC since 1997. For a professional, knowledgeable, and experienced defense attorney, call Attorney Lawlor today for a consultation.

40%
Federal Crime 20%

Attorney Lawlor has decades of experience handling federal crimes. If you have been accused of a federal crime, you need a great lawyer in your corner. Call Attorney Lawlor today for a consultation and get the attorney you deserve.

20%
Violent Crime 20%

Attorney Lawlor has experience handling violent criminal cases. If you have been accused of a violent crime, call the Law Office of Lawlor & Englert today.

20%
Appeals 10%

Issues raised on direct appeal are typically trial or sentencing errors that were objected to on the record by trial counsel. Errors that were not objected to sometimes may be raised, but face a higher “plain error” standard of review.

10%
Juvenile Law 10%

Maryland juvenile courts handle cases involving youths who are under 18 years of age. Once the court exercises jurisdiction over a youth, however, the court’s jurisdiction may continue until the age of 21. Call now for a consultation.

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


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Licenses

Licensed in District of Columbia for 27 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 1998

Good Standing

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2021

Licensed in Maryland for 27 years

State: Maryland

Acquired: 1997

Active

Location

Law Offices of Michael E Lawlor

6305 Ivy Lane, Suite 608, Greenbelt, MD, 20770

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Michael E Lawlor's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

1.8 /5.0

5 Client Reviews

5 star (1)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (4)

Posted by MCBETH | October 31, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

WORkS WITH DEFENSE

This attorney needs to be disciplined again and barred from law. He tells client to take a trumped up plea deal on false charges and gives a 17 year old 10 minutes to decide. He proceeded to not speak to client or family after sentencing . He handed the client to the defense and walked away. Horribl...e attorney and proved the unfairness of thr legal system as a system. Do nOT HiRE THIS CROOkED ATTORNEY!!

Posted by anonymous | March 6, 2024 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Lies and definitely don't care

If I can give 0 stars he would get that! I feel the last review he lies to client and family acts very petty and does not follow up nor did he communicate to federal prosecutor and have not provided discovery in its entirely to client, only been to visit 3 times within a year! He wants the easy way a...n easy money he don't work hard or in the best interest of the client or family! Overall he makes his clients feel as if he not on they side but on the prosecutor side. He still have yet to work on my case as he should he don't give an effort and our future an life in his hands and he refuses to talk directly to my significant other. He doesn't answer questions

Posted by anonymous | November 4, 2023 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Thank you isn’t enough!

Michael Lawlor was absolutely my hero in my case. It was a three year case due to Covid and such and he was there every step of the way with me. He worked so hard and is an amazing lawyer. I can not praise this man enough. He was thorough and honest, caring and compassionate. He never let me done at ...all. Nick and Adam were also amazing when Michael wasn’t available they answered and helped me as well. I recommend this form 1000 times over. They are the best.

Posted by anonymous | June 1, 2023 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Negligent lawyer who lies to you constantly.

I regret hiring Michael Lawlor because he changed his tone completely after I made the retainer payment. Prior to doing so, he made assurances that were never followed after I paid him. For example, he had promised me that he would talk to lawyers that were involved in a duplicate case as mine, but h...e never did. Also, prior to the retainer payment, he assured me we would win this case if I had to take this to trial. However, as soon as I made the retainer payment (which was around the time that he met with the federal prosecutor), he kept saying "we're gonna lose if we take this to trial" before he explained to me all that I would be giving up if I choose to plead, to a felony no less. I honestly regret hiring him and wish I had gone with a free federal defender. The rumor that they are overworked and overstressed is simply not true when it comes to federal cases and they are usually top of the line from Harvard/Yale.

Posted by anonymous | November 12, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Strongly Recommend Hiring Another Attorney

I would rate Michael 0 stars if I could. I deeply regret retaining this attorney on behalf of a loved one and would do anything to go back in time and hire another lawyer. Throughout our entire experience with Michael, I strongly felt that he lacked understanding and compassion. During the few meetin...gs that we did have with him, I felt that he would constantly interrupt and talk over us, even speak down to us and thereby prevent us from having adequate time to weigh in and ask questions. There was one call in particular during which it seemed that Michael was raising his voice and seemed irritated. When I respectfully made a note of this, he admitted that this was the case and that he felt I was asking the same questions. When I confirmed that I did indeed ask novel questions and that I learned information that I was not previously aware of, he responded that, "it does not take a law degree to know that." After this encounter, we only spoke with Michael one more time. Not only do I generally feel that Michael is crass and disrespectful, but I am also not confident that he was a strong advocate for his client. We do not feel that Michael conducted sufficient research on the case, and we are still not sure what tools of negotiation, if any, Michael employed during the course of his representation. We feel that he led us to believe that a certain outcome was extremely likely and, when that did not happen, we feel that he offered absolutely no compassion or support. I recognize that a lawyer's primary role is to provide legal counsel, but I think it speaks volumes that we did not even feel comfortable asking Michael basic legal questions about the case. Although lawyers are not required to show compassion or understanding, I think that they should at the very least take the time to listen to the client, sufficiently answer their questions and address any concerns. When individuals are in the position such that they need to retain counsel for either themselves or a loved one, one would hope that they maintain a productive, even agreeable relationship with their lawyer. This was not at all how we felt in our interactions with Michael. I think it's crucial that lawyers do all they can to advocate for their clients, which is why I strongly recommend hiring anyone but Michael during what is likely a very critical time for you or a loved one.

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Michael E Lawlor's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Michael
Kathryn Louise Blevins headshot
Kathryn Blevins

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Michael Lawlor is an excellent criminal defense attorney. He zealously advocates for his clients, and is respected by both the bar and bench."

Enrico Salvatore Leo headshot
Enrico Leo

Criminal defense lawyer | Jun 20

Relationship: Friend

"I have known Mr. Lawlor for the past ten years and he has been a talented and zealous advocate in the courtroom since the first day he stepped into one. He knows the law and the local practices of the courts that he practices in. Mike's only concern when he takes on a legal matter is what is in the best interests of the client. "

View All Endorsements
Enrico Salvatore Leo headshot
Enrico Leo

DUI and DWI lawyer

Experience

Rating:  5.4 (Average)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021.

Informal Admonition issued in DC, 2021

updated on 07/27/2022

An admonition means an attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The Bar gives the lawyer an admonition in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior.

Honors

2017

Super Lawyer, Maryland Super Lawyers

Education

1997

Catholic University of America

JD - Juris Doctor

1994

Bridgewater State College

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution