Mr. Byrd is a Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney who practices exclusively in criminal defense.  After graduating from Florida State University, Mr. Byrd attended Quinnipiac School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut.  He graduated in the top 5 percent of his class and wrote for the Connecticut Probate Law Journal.  Mr. Byrd returned to his hometown of Sarasota, Florida, where he worked as an assistant public defender for two years, primarily in the Felony Division.  He served as President of the Sarasota FACDL Chapter from 1998 through 2001.  He is the President-elect of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.  Mr. Byrd is licensed in both federal and state court.