Alvin Ernest Entin Esq.

r. Entin, born in Brooklyn, New York, came to Florida for law school in 1967 and never looked back. With a degree in Government from American University in Washington (B.A. 1967), he attended and graduated from the University of Miami School of Law (J.D. 1970). While at the University of Miami, Mr. Entin won the Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Championship by leading the team in the Regional and International competition (1969 and 1970). Mr. Entin was selected as the outstanding speaker in the competition, as well as author of the Best Memorial (Brief). Mr. Entin was a member of Delta Sigma Rho, Tau Kappa Alpha, Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, and a Forensic Honorary (1966). He was also listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities (1967).

Since admission to the Florida Bar in 1970, Mr. Entin has practiced both criminal and civil litigation in both State and Federal Courts. In 1976 and through 1978, Mr. Entin was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys Association. In 1978, he authored “The Law of Mobile Homes in Florida” a Landlord-Tenant CLE Booklet and became an Associate Judge-Mediator for the City of North Miami-Beach, People’s Justice Court. In 1980, he authored “Trial Tactics in Multi-Defendant Cases” for the South Carolina Bar. He was a Member of the Board of Directors for the North Dade Bar Association (1979-1980, 1983-1984) and the Federal Bar Association (1995-1996). From 1980-1985, he was a Member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers.

Mr. Entin has appeared in criminal matters throughout the continental United States as well as in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Mr. Entin has enjoyed a reputation as one of the nation’s preeminent criminal defense lawyers. As a result of his appearance in numerous high profile matters, Mr. Entin, his cases and career have been mentioned in books such as “Flowers for Mrs. Luskin” and “Courting Justice”, as well as film documentaries such as “The Life and Death of Death Row Records”.

Mr. Entin developed his national reputation as a trial lawyer through a long list of acquittals in significant cases. Some of Mr. Entin’s most significant cases include the acquittal of his defendants in the popularly known “Bubba Bust” case in Key West, Florida. Mr. Entin’s cross-examination of the principal witness in that case was instrumental in the jury verdicts in favor of Fire Lieutenant Fleita and Mr. Leon Edwards. Mr. Entin also represented the only acquitted defendant in the federal government’s four year prosecution of the “Moscow Posse”. In a case where the death penalty was sought against several Defendants, Mr. Entin’s client was released after a jury verdict.

Mr. Entin has secured favorable results in state court as well. He has succeeded in gaining acquittal for violent crimes as well as those charging political corruption. The stunning, fast (40 minute deliberation), not guilty verdict in the first degree murder prosecution of Dr. Fred Kaytes is but one of numerous acquittals that has been obtained by Mr. Entin for his state court clients. His defense of City of Miami Code Enforcement Commissioner and former State Representative, Eladio Armesto, was one of the few exonerations of public officials charged by the State Attorney’s Office. In fact, Mr. Entin’s reputation has caused him to be hired as a member of the Defense teams in the Barry Minkow ZZZZ Best case, the Snoop Doggy Dogg murder case, and the Mario Fortunato murder case in New York.

Mr. Entin’s excellence as a criminal defense attorney has been consistently recognized by his peers. Mr. Entin has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating (AV) every year since 1980. Martindale Hubbell has also recognized Mr. Entin as Pre-Eminent Criminal Defense Counsel in its Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Lawyers. Mr. Entin has also been included in several editions of “Who’s Who in American Law”.

Mr. Entin has an equally impressive resume of public and civic service which is so vital to having effective ethos as a lawyer. Mr. Entin has been Chairman of the Board of Pembroke Pines Theater of Performing Arts for more then 10 years. His service to the theater and the respect he has drawn from other critics and professionals in that discipline has led to his appointment as a judge for the Carbonnell Awards, South Florida’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards. Mr. Entin has acted and starred in numerous roles for many of South Florida’s community theaters. In 2014 Mr. Entin received the South Florida Theater Leagues REMY Award for Outstanding Service to Community Theater. Mr. Entin is also a past President of Beth Torah Adath Yeshuran Congregation and has served at various times on the Board of Directors of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the David Posnack J.C.C., the Aventura – North Miami Beach Lions Club (Past President), Boys Town Jerusalem, Grand Palms Community Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Republican Jewish Committee.

Mr. Entin has been counsel to both the Dade County and Broward County Republican Executive Committees and has been active in those venues for more than 25 years. As a result of Mr. Entin’s long history of civic and public service he was appointed to the Florida State Boxing Commission in 1998, and served on that Commission until 2006. Mr. Entin was elected Chairman of the Commission twice.

Attorney Admissions

• Florida Bar 1970
• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida 1974
• United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1976
• United States District Court, Northern District of Florida 1981
• United States Supreme Court, 1981
• United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit 1982
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1983
• United States Court of Appeal, Eleventh Circuit, 1986
• United States Court of Appeals , Second, Third, Fourth, and Sixth Circuits, 1992
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1992
• United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit 1995
• United States Tax Court, 2002
• United States District Court, District of Vermont 2002

BA Government and Public Administration 1967    The American University, Washington, D.C.

JD Law      1970                                                                 University of Miami School of Law