Amanda Bynum

Tucson Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney. Former public defender. Former trial advocacy professor. Practicing in Pima County since 2010.

I defend people accused of DUI, domestic violence, assault, drug offenses, and other criminal charges in Tucson and throughout Pima County. If you're here, something serious is probably going on. Let's talk about it.

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Why Clients Hire Me

Tucson has a lot of good defense attorneys. Here's what I bring that isn't easy to find in the same lawyer.

"You are hiring a human being to stand next to you during one of the hardest things you will ever go through. My job is to make sure you understand what's happening, tell you the truth about your options, and fight for the outcome that actually fits your life."

My Story

I got my first taste of criminal defense as a law student doing student practice with a public defender's office. That's where I learned the work was real to me. My career since then has moved through four phases — private practice, public defender, legal education, and back to private practice — and each phase taught me something the others couldn't.

In private practice, I learned how to run cases, manage clients, and think about defense as a business as well as a calling. As a public defender, I handled a massive volume of cases and learned what actually moves files inside the system — because when your first clients are people the system has decided are disposable, and you win for them anyway, you learn that good defense is not about showmanship or fear tactics. It's about preparation, procedure, and understanding the humans on every side of the courtroom.

Then I spent time as a law professor and administrator, teaching trial advocacy, workplace skills, and professional competencies to the next generation of lawyers. Teaching sharpens your practice. When you have to explain why a cross-examination works, you get much better at doing them.

I opened AJB Law Firm to combine everything — the trial skills, the teaching mindset, and the client-first ethic — into a practice that treats defendants like people, not case numbers. That's what you get when you hire me.

How I Work With Clients

A few things I believe about criminal defense, and how they show up in my practice:

1. 1. Plain English, not legalese. If I use a term you don't recognize, tell me and I'll explain. You should never leave a meeting with your lawyer more confused than when you walked in.
2. 2. Honest assessments — including hard truths. I tell you what I actually think about your case, not what feels good to hear. That's what real advocacy looks like. Overpromising is malpractice-adjacent.
3. 3. Every case is prepared like it could go to trial. Even when a case settles (and most do), the leverage that produces a good plea comes from being genuinely ready to try the case.
4. 4. Strategy is tailored, not templated. A first-time DUI for a nurse with immigration consequences is not the same case as a repeat DUI for someone with no professional license at risk. Same statute, completely different defense.
5. 5. You should understand what's happening. I explain the process, the timeline, the likely outcomes, and the trade-offs at each stage. Informed clients make better decisions and are calmer in court.

Credentials & Community

Beyond the Practice

Outside of the courtroom, I'm a mom, an entrepreneur, and someone who genuinely believes that being a good lawyer is inseparable from being a whole person. I run additional brands focused on trademark services for creators and small business owners, and on wellness and productivity for law students and attorneys. I'm also learning golf, which has been a humbling and useful reminder that persistence beats perfection.

I mention this because I think you should know who is going to be sitting next to you. Criminal cases are personal. The lawyer you hire matters — not just their résumé, but the way they show up.