Appellate Practice Criminal Defense: General Practice Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Ellen Brotman
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Ellen C. Brotman began her career as a law clerk in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York. She has served as an Assistant Federal Defender in Philadelphia, PA and practiced in small, medium and large firms with a focus on criminal defense, appellate advocacy, professional responsibility and ethics. She has defended a wide variety of high-profile criminal cases, including political and public corruption, securities fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, currency structuring and other white-collar crimes involving complex trial, sentencing and appellate issues. Ms. Brotman also has extensive experience representing lawyers before the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania.
She has been recognized by Best Lawyers® / The Best Lawyers in America© and SuperLawyers® since 2007 in the area of criminal defense and has served on the boards of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Ellen Brotman is a frequent event speaker and has authored more than fifty articles in various legal publications. She is active in the community and has been a recipient of The Legal Intelligencer’s Women of the Year award in 2014.
She is the founder and owner of Brotman Law, Radnor, PA. https://ellenbrotmanlaw.com/
In 2017, Ellen is launching her first blog: PA Legal Ethics. https://palegalethics.com
Overview
- English
- Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., graduated 1987
- Pennsylvania, Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- American Bar Association - Criminal Justice Section, Defense Function Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2014-2016; Criminal Justice Section, Long Range Planning Committee, 2015-2016
- Federal Bar Association - Criminal Justice Section, Defense Function Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2014-2016
- Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania - Secretary, 2017-Current
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Board of Directors, 2012-2015; Member, White Collar Crime Committee, 2012-2016; Member, Social Media Committee, 2012-2016; Editorial Advisory Board, The Champion, 2012-2016
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Board of Directors, 2017-Current; Publications Committee, 2016-Current; Lawyers Assistance Committee, 2014-Current; Amicus Committee, 2014-Current
- Pennsylvania Bar Association - Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee, 2017-Current
- People’s Emergency Center - Board of Directors, 2005-2017; Vice Chair, 2014-2017
- People’s Emergency Center Foundation - Chair, 2017-Current
- English
- Pennsylvania, Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- American Bar Association - Criminal Justice Section, Defense Function Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2014-2016; Criminal Justice Section, Long Range Planning Committee, 2015-2016
- Federal Bar Association - Criminal Justice Section, Defense Function Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2014-2016
- Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania - Secretary, 2017-Current
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Board of Directors, 2012-2015; Member, White Collar Crime Committee, 2012-2016; Member, Social Media Committee, 2012-2016; Editorial Advisory Board, The Champion, 2012-2016
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Board of Directors, 2017-Current; Publications Committee, 2016-Current; Lawyers Assistance Committee, 2014-Current; Amicus Committee, 2014-Current
- Pennsylvania Bar Association - Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee, 2017-Current
- People’s Emergency Center - Board of Directors, 2005-2017; Vice Chair, 2014-2017
- People’s Emergency Center Foundation - Chair, 2017-Current
- Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., graduated 1987
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
- Legal Malpractice Law
- Commercial Litigation
Special Focus:
- Appellate
- Criminal Investigations
- Grand Jury
- State and Federal
- White-Collar Criminal Defense
Awards:
Best Lawyers® recognized since 2007; Best Law Firm (2019-2023) by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®; Super Lawyers® (2008-2025) and Top 50 Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® (2023, 2025); The Charles P. Gelso President's Award - Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Lawyers (2019); The Legal Intelligencer’s Women of the Year (2014)
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