Attorney Samms has established himself as one of the foremost criminal litigators in Miami- Dade County representing hundreds of individuals and litigating hundreds of both jury and bench trials in the state and federal courts. Mr. Samms has represented individuals in multi-defendant drug trafficking matters, homicide cases, and all manner of criminal litigations.
Mr. Samms has also established himself as an expert in the field of police misconduct. Attorney Samms has represented family members of deceased persons who have been killed by inappropriate police use of excessive force. Mr. Samms has had numerous high profile police shooting cases including the Estate of Richard Beatty v. The City of Miami where a homeless, mentally ill veteran was shot 14 times by the City of Miami Police Department. Attorney Samms' representation of Mr. Beatty resulted in the establishment of crisis intervention team training for the City of Miami which trains police officers to respond in a different manner to mentally ill individuals who are in crisis. Since the establishment of this program which was sparked by the litigation involving Mr. Beatty's death, the City of Miami Police Department has not killed another mentally ill individual. This litigation has changed the face of police contact with the mentally ill and it led to a favorable settlement for the surviving members of Mr. Beatty's family.
Mr. Samms continues to be thoroughly involved in matters of police misconduct and has lectured at the University of Miami School of Law and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. on excessive force issues. Mr. Samms continues to lecture and train other attorneys in the area of police misconduct by his continuing lecture series to attorneys at ACLU training conferences.
Mr. Samms also spearheaded the firm's involvement in the representation of Pueblo, an international grocery store chain which had a viable presence in the United States Virgin Islands. Mr. Samms along with the firm represented this business in all manner of negligence cases that were filed against the company. Mr. Samms is also a member of the Virgin Islands bar and is currently involved in personal injury litigation and criminal defense in the Virgin Islands.
Mr. Samms is also involved in the community and is currently the chair of the Miami Dade County Nuisance Abatement Board, a position that he has held for over ten years and serves at the pleasure of the Miami-Dade Commission. Mr. Samms has also been a member of numerous community boards including the James E. Scott Community Association, which endeavors to provide social services to inner-city families.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
United States Supreme Court Bar
The Florida Bar
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Trial Bar
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Virgin Islands Bar
U.S. Virgin Islands Federal District Court Bar
Wilkie D. Fergerson Bar Association
Cuban American Bar Association
EDUCATION
University of Miami School of Law, J.D. 1984
Columbia University in the City of New York, B.A. 1981 | 
