Melinda Sarafa

Melinda Sarafa is the founder and principal of Sarafa Law. With more than 15 years of experience dedicated to defending individuals and businesses at all stages of criminal proceedings and related civil litigation, she has represented hundreds of clients in federal, state and international investigations, enforcement actions, trials and appeals, and is adept at handling sensitive and high-profile cases.

Prior to establishing Sarafa Law, Melinda was a partner at the white collar and civil litigation firm Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. Her experience also includes several years of practice with prominent criminal defense attorney Benjamin Brafman in New York City, and as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Houston, Texas. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jerry Buchmeyer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and to the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Melinda earned her J.D. with distinction from Stanford Law School (1995) and is admitted to practice in New York and Texas. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, where she co-chaired the White Collar Crime Committee, is a member of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers and speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.

山本 了宣

後藤貞人法律事務所／大阪弁護士会

• 大阪弁護士会刑事弁護委員会（公判弁護部会）所属
• 日弁連人権擁護委員会（再審における証拠開示特別部会）所属
• 2011年季刊刑事弁護新人賞最優秀賞受賞
  • その後も否認事件の弁論の方法論や被告人質問での黙秘に関する論考について執筆。
• 2012年より大阪弁護士会での否認事件研修の企画・講師を担当。
  • 証拠開示に興味を持ち、弁護人側の証拠開示請求の方法論を体系化する。