Andrew Criado
Pandak & Taves, PLLC
Andrew Criado is a former Virginia prosecutor.
He represents clients throughout Northern Virginia on a variety of criminal and traffic charges. Andrew served for ten years as a prosecutor in the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, where he was a Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney and headed the office’s White Collar/Fraud Unit.
Mr. Criado began his career as Alexandria’s traffic prosecutor, gaining expertise in DUI law. He completed the Advanced DUI Training program in Williamsburg, VA and the Prosecutor Bootcamp at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, SC.
From Virginia trial court to the U.S. Supreme Court, Andrew has fought tirelessly for his clients. He secured a denial of certiorari at the U.S. Supreme Court in Tyree v. Virginia, where he wrote the Commonwealth’s brief in opposition. And he persuaded the Virginia Court of Appeals to grant a pretrial appeal in Commonwealth v. Lemus, a felony DUI case where the circuit court had suppressed evidence. Agreeing with Andrew’s arguments, the Court of Appeals later reversed the circuit court.
Andrew’s criminal law experience runs the gamut of adult and juvenile crimes from DUI, reckless driving, and larceny to financial exploitation, child abuse, malicious wounding, robbery, and murder. From his decade-long experience as a prosecutor, Andrew knows how to respond to investigations, answer criminal charges, and stand strong in the courtroom. He has tried over 30 jury trials and hundreds of bench trials. Andrew has gained a reputation as a trusted adviser, a keen legal mind, and a skilled courtroom litigator.
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- Tax Law
- Business Taxes, Property Taxes, Tax Appeals
- Gov & Administrative Law
- Administrative Law, Government Contracts, Legislative & Government Affairs
- Municipal Law
- Not Currently Accepting Clients
- New York
- New York State Office of Court Administration
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- Virginia
- Virginia State Bar
- ID Number: 76634
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- 4th Circuit
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Spanish: Spoken, Written
- Associate
- Pandak & Taves, PLLC
- - Current
- Senior Attorney
- Robinson Law, PLLC
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- Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
- Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for the City of Alexandria
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- Unit Supervisor, White Collar/Fraud Unit 2017-19 Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney 2008-16
- The George Washington University Law School
- J.D. (2008) | Law
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- Pennsylvania State University - University Park
- B.A. (2004) | Advertising and Public Relations; Spanish
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- Honors: Bunton-Waller Scholarship
- Activities: Penn State Crew
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- Virginia Rising Star
- Super Lawyers
- Awarded to only 2.5% of Virginia attorneys, who have exhibited excellence in practice.
- Virginia Rising Star
- Super Lawyers
- Awarded to only 2.5% of Virginia attorneys, who have exhibited excellence in practice.
- Ten Year Public Service Award
- City of Alexandria
- Legal Writing Mentor
- Alexandria Commonwealth's Attorney
- Virginia Bar Association, Criminal Law Section
- Member
- - Current
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- Fairfax Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- Alexandria Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- Virginia State Bar # 76634
- Member
- - Current
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- Memorandum for DUI cases pending before Birchfield v. North Dakota
- Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council
- Justice Alito's Purposive Textualism
- Statutory Interpretation Seminar (George Washington University Law School)
- Virginia DUI Law, Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, Alexandria, VA
- What is the Rule of Law?, Virginia Bar Association Rule of Law Project, Hammond Middle School
- Juvenile Driver's License Ceremony, Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Alexandria Courthouse
- Legislative Update for Law Enforcement, Alexandria Police roll call training, Alexandria Police Headquarters
- Criminal Justice and Local Government, Alexandria Student Academy, Alexandria City Hall
- City of Alexandria
- https://www.alexandriava.gov/communications/default.aspx?id=104058#article12
- Red Flag Insurance Fraud Training
- Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council
- Advanced DUI Program
- Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council
- Prosecutor Bootcamp
- National Advocacy Center, U.S. Department of Justice
