Attorney Profiles

Tad A. Yates is admitted to practice law in the state courts of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Florida in 1991 and from the University of Florida College of Law in 1994. He has served as President, Vice President and Criminal Law Committee Chair of the Orange County Bar  Association. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the First Central Florida American Inns of Court and has served as that organization's program chair. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association and previously served as secretary of that organization.

In 2004, Mr. Yates was awarded the Young Lawyer Professionalism Award by the Orange County Bar Association. He is a member of The Florida Bar, the National and Florida Associations of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Yates was selected by Florida Trend Magazine as one of "Florida's Legal Elite" in the area of Criminal Law. In 2009, he was selected by "Florida Super Lawyers" for inclusion on the Florida Rising Stars list, featuring outstanding young lawyers in the state.

In addition to representing clients in the criminal trial court, Mr. Yates also represents defendants on appeal and at various stages of post-conviction proceedings, including Rule 3.850 proceedings.