Serving the Criminally Accused Who Are Serious About Retaining or Winning Back Their Freedom
For more than 25 years attorney Jake Arbes has been assisting clients charged with serious state and federal criminal offenses. Although Mr. Arbes's practice is centered in Georgia, he has handled high profile post conviction criminal cases all over the country. He successfully represented a banker who was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea in a politically charged Iran Contra case. He was appellate co-counsel for a defendant in one of the largest bankruptcy frauds in history, a case that took more than nine months to try in Florida. Most recently, Mr. Arbes won federal parole for an inmate in California who served more than 30 years for murdering a DEA agent. The inmate had repeatedly been denied parole until Mr. Arbes took his case. Mr. Arbes has handled hundreds of post conviction cases involving state parole, sentence reduction, appeals, habeas corpus, prison designations and transfers. Mr. Arbes received his college degree from Harvard, his graduate degree from Princeton, and his law degree from New York University where he participated in the prestigious Root Tilden Snow program. He clerked for a federal appellate judge on the Eleventh (formerly Fifth) Circuit and was a federal prosecutor in the Northern District of Georgia where he was awarded a commendation from the Justice Department for his work. He served as Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, Vice-President of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and was a founding member of the Georgia Innocence project. He was named a "Super Lawyer" by Atlanta Magazine and a "Preeminent Lawyer" by Martindale Hubbell, which also gave him the highest ranking possible for his ability and ethics. He has written part of a book on criminal appeals in Georgia and has given many speeches on various post conviction topics. Mr. Arbes is well known and respected for his dedication to his clients.
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This elite award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 4.5 or higher.
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Martindale Peer Awards
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AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Jake Arbes got this award in 2021
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
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Avvo Top Contributor: The Avvo Top Contributor Award is granted to attorneys who have earned significant contribution points in a given year on our sister site, Avvo.com. Contribution points are earned by answering questions in Q&A,
publishing Legal Guides, and other useful contributions to the Avvo community.
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Jake first represented me in the early 1990's, and made such an impression upon me, that I have maintained contact to this day. Truly one of the most knowledgeable individuals I have met, in any area of legal expertise. Combine this with his down to earth and understanding demeanor, a "never quit" approach and the ability to convey all to his clients in "layperson" terms. You end up with a true advocate in your corner. Best of all, he wins. He helped me correct a crooked path, and get back on the straight and narrow. Now, more than 20 years later, he continues to help others, which restores my faith in the system. Worked for me, and it's worth trying for yourself. I am certain you will be overwhelmed with the level of service and the support you will receive. I encourage you to reach out and speak with Jake. With Gratitude and Fondness Robert S.
Mr. Arbes is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, and has been admitted to practice before most federal circuit courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is also a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta.
Representative Clients
The Innocent, the Guilty, and Those Somewhere In Between.
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• Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
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