If you're facing state or federal criminal charges, the prosecution is counting on you not understanding your legal rights. They're hoping you'll agree to the charges with vague promises of leniency or a reduced sentence.

At The Law Offices of Steven R. Adams, we are dedicated to protecting the rights of our clients. If you've been accused of a DUI, violent crime, drug offense, or other criminal activity in the Cincinnati metropolitan area (including Northern Kentucky), we'll explain your options and advocate for your interests through every step of your case.

What We Want You to Know

Steven Adams: "Since I started the firm in 2000, we have grown to have three attorneys; we know the ins and outs of DUI defense. We take pride in our work ethic and I believe our clients know that we work hard for them. That’s what they expect, that’s what we expect and that’s what we will do."

"We act quickly and aggressively at this firm. We need to because we need to investigate the facts, we need to investigate defenses, and we need to anticipate where the prosecution is going with the case. That helps us prepare an adequate and thorough defense for our clients so by the time we go to trial, we can be completely prepared to win our case. We are also a very determined law firm. We are determined to win at trial, prepare vigorously, and to achieve the best outcome for our client each and every time."

Bill Cunningham: "Steve established his law practice many years ago. I have had cases with him now, co-counseled many things and there is not a better criminal defense attorney in the Tri-State then Steven R. Adams."

About Our Founder, Steven R. Adams

Steven AdamsSteven Adams, age 55, passed away on November 1st, 2020 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Ohio. He was the loving husband of Dr. Maria Bustamante, and a caring and providing father for Ulysses Samuel and Abraham Galo. He was a self-made hard worker, wonderful husband, father, friend and colleague.  Steve was born August 22, 1965 to Donald Russell Adams & Sally Diane (Nee Hrudicka) Adams, and was the oldest of two children growing up in Quincy, IL. He is survived by his wife, two children and mother; and will be missed by the professional and personal community at large. Read the obituary here.

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Steven R. Adams has been in the private practice of law since 2000. Prior to establishing his own private law practice, he was an Assistant Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney for eight years. His law practice is focused on criminal and DUI defense. Mr. Adams has been qualified to administer the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests of NHTSA through the NHTSA Student Course (2001). In addition, Mr. Adams has successfully completed training for the NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor Development Training Program (2003). Mr. Adams has been deemed as an expert witness on standardized field sobriety testing in Hamilton County. He recently hosted a seminar on the Role of the Expert Witness in OVI/DUI Cases. Mr. Adams is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Greater Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Hamilton County Bar Association and he serves as a board member for the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Mr. Adams is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association College. Mr. Adams received his B.A. degree from the University of Kentucky and his J.D. degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law.

A graduate of Salmon P. Chase, College of Law in 1990, Steven R. Adams is an attorney, whose practice emphasizes the representation of individuals accused of criminal offenses. He has been in private practice since August 2000.

After law school and some time spent as a law clerk, he spent eight years working as an Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor. Beginning in the Juvenile Division and finishing in the Felony Criminal Division, where he prosecuted adult felony cases including murder, rape and other sex offenses, drug trafficking and abuse, robbery, burglary, felonious assault, arson, felony DUI, aggravated vehicular homicide and felony domestic violence.

Steve’s numerous years of experience in the criminal law arena, have given him a tremendous amount of insight into the legal systems and workings of Hamilton County. He has seen the system from both sides and has a clear understanding of the work of Police Officers, Judges, Prosecutors, Victims and now the side of the Defense and the Accused.

In addition to his understanding of the legal world in Hamilton County, Steve has been very active in the community, serving as campaign manager for local political races, on the boards of local charities and civic groups and as a volunteer with Children’s Hospital and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He has even represented Cincinnati in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship four times.

Education

  • Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Highland Heights, Kentucky, 1990 J.D.
  • University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky B.A.

Professional Experience

  • Attorney at Law, emphasizing criminal defense, OVI/DUI, and traffic law, Present
  • Southwest Ohio Regional Representative for Joseph T. Deters, Treasurer, State of Ohio, 1999 – 2000
  • Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor, Felony Criminal Division, 1995 – 1999
    Managed all aspects of trial preparation for criminal felony cases. Prosecuted adult felony cases that occurred within Hamilton County including but not limited to murder, rape and other sex offenses, drug trafficking and abuse, robbery, burglary, felonious assault, arson, felony DUI, aggravated vehicular homicide and felony domestic violence. Also presented cases to Hamilton County Grand Juries on felony matters. Argued numerous motions to suppress evidence, and prosecuted probation violations and shock probation cases. Significant jury and court trial experience before Judges of the Common Pleas Court, as well as daily interaction and communication with Court of Common Pleas personnel and all area police departments.
  • Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor, Municipal Division, 1993 – 1995
    Managed all aspects of trial preparation for criminal and traffic misdemeanor cases. Prosecuted adult misdemeanor cases including but not limited to DUI, domestic violence, speeding, license suspensions, other traffic violations, theft, sex offenses, assault, minor drug offenses and passing bad checks. Significant jury and court trial experience before Municipal Court Judges, as well as daily interaction and communication with Municipal Court personnel and all area police departments. In addition, argued motions to suppress evidence, set bond amounts, and handled numerous probation violation cases.
  • Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor – Juvenile Division1991 – 1993 
    Managed all aspects of trial preparation for juvenile criminal and traffic cases. Prosecuted felony and misdemeanor offenses including but not limited to traffic offenses, DUI, sex offenses, domestic violence, theft, robbery, burglary, arson, drug trafficking and abuse and felonious assault. Presented evidence on serious offenses, including murder, resulting in the juvenile being bound over and tried as an adult. Significant trial experience before Juvenile Court Judges and Magistrates, as well as daily interaction and communication with Juvenile Court personnel and all area police departments.
  • Admitted to Ohio Bar, 1991
  • Law Clerk for Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, Judge Norbert A. Nadel, 1990 – 1991 
  • Law Clerk for Attorney Henry E. Sheldon (Cincinnati)1990 – 1990 
  • Law Clerk for Attorney Kenneth H. Stone (San Diego, California), 1989 – 1989 
  • Law Clerk for Judge Dennis K. Cashman, Eighth Judicial Circuit of Illinois, Adams County, 1988 – 1988 
  • Health Orderly for Illinois Veterans’ Home (Quincy, Illinois), 1987 – 1997 

steve-avvoSteven R. Adams Receives Superb Avvo Rating 2016 – 2020

Steve Adams is one of a select group of attorneys who has received a rating of “ Superb” from Avvo.com (a website that contains reviews and helpful information about lawyers in your area). This prestigious distinction is given to attorneys who are top-notch performers in their industry and who have been rated well amongst their clients and peers.

For more information on this Avvo rating, please click here.

Steven R. Adams Selected for Best Lawyers In America 2016 – 2020

Congratulations to Steven R. Adams who has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Criminal Defense: General Practice, and DUI/DWI Defense. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services.

Best Lawyers® compiles its list of outstanding attorneys through tens of thousands of confidential peer-review surveys. Lawyers are nominated solely based on their professional accomplishments and contributions to the legal field, and cannot nominate themselves or pay to be included in the list. The 2016 edition of Best Lawyers in America includes more than 55,000 lawyers in 140 areas of practice, and was compiled based on more than 6.7 million peer-review surveys. To be included in this list is a huge accomplishment that truly speaks to Attorney Adams’ outstanding skill and reputation in Ohio and throughout the country.

In addition to inclusion in Best Lawyers, Attorney Adams has also been named to the prestigious list of Ohio Super Lawyers® and has earned an AV® Preeminent™ Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®. As a result of the efforts of Attorney Adams, The Law Offices of Steven R. Adams, LLC has grown to be recognized as one of the most distinguished law firms in Ohio.

For further information on Best Lawyers®, please visit their website at www.bestlawyers.com.

super lawyers steve adamsSteven R. Adams: Ohio Super Lawyer 10 Years in a Row

The Ohio Super Lawyers 2020 list is out and we are honored to have Steven R. Adams as one of Ohio’s Super Lawyers for the 10th year in a row. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have gained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Click here to take a look at Steve’s Super Lawyers profile.