Dan Barton has practiced criminal defense in the mid-peninsula since 1988. He received his A.B., magna cum laude, in 1983 from Brown University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and awarded the Prize for Academic Excellence in Latin American Studies. Dan received his J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1988, where his honors included induction into the Order of the Coif. Dan is a criminal law specialist certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and previously served as Chair of the California State Bar Criminal Law Advisory Commission. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America and designated as a Super Lawyer by SuperLawyers.com. In 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, he was designated by Best Lawyers as Lawyer of the Year in the San Francisco South Bay Area for criminal defense.
Dan Barton has represented individuals arrested at political actions on issues of reproductive rights, homelessness, affirmative action, beach access rights, and U.S. military policies.
He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in the Pre-Eminent Edition of Martindale-Hubbell. Working with the Palo Alto Area Bar Association, he set up the Lawyers in the Classroom project, which brought discussions of constitutional law issues to 10th grade students at Palo Alto and Gunn High Schools and local cable television.
While pursuing his legal education, Dan traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to research Spanish constitutional law as a Fulbright Scholar. Dan has served on the Board of Governors of the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and he is experienced in the defense of criminal intellectual property offenses. He is an expert in the complex area of driving under the influence law and is qualified as a specialist member of California DUI Lawyers Association. Dan collaborates with immigration attorneys to seek post-conviction relief for immigrants with a criminal record that affects their ability to remain in the country, adjust their status, or naturalize.
Dan has represented individuals arrested at political actions on issues of reproductive rights, homelessness, affirmative action, beach access rights, and U.S. military policies. Dan has successfully advocated for many clients charged under the California Three Strikes law. He is fluent in the Spanish language, and has studied the legal systems of Spain, Cuba, and the International Criminal Court. Dan has achieved verdicts of acquittal at trial in cases of homicide, theft of trade secrets, conspiracy, possession, sale and manufacturing of drugs, child pornography, child molestation, sexual assault, theft, burglary, domestic violence, assault, battery, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
