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A NOTE TO READERS. This profile was researched and written independently by Awesome Attorneys’ editorial team. The Law Offices of Robert J. McWhirter did not pay for, request, or review this article prior to publication, and placement on Awesome Attorneys’ editorial pages cannot be purchased. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the outcome of any future case.
At a Glance
| Firm | The Law Offices of Robert J. McWhirter |
| Attorney | Robert J. McWhirter |
| Office | 812 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix, AZ |
| Focus | Serious felony defense — violent crimes, sex crimes, drug trafficking, white-collar crimes, and homicide — plus federal appeals and the immigration consequences of criminal convictions |
| Admitted | Arizona (1988) |
| Certifications | State Bar of Arizona Certified Specialist in Criminal Law; qualified by the Arizona Supreme Court to defend capital cases |
Sources: State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization roster, Avvo, firm website, Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. Compiled August 2026.
Origin
From Assistant Federal Public Defender to Solo Practice
Robert McWhirter was admitted to the Arizona bar in 1988 and spent years as an Assistant Federal Public Defender before moving into private practice, where he has practiced criminal law in both state and federal court for nearly three decades. He has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals more than 25 times.
Practice
Serious Felonies and a Distinctive Immigration-Consequences Niche
McWhirter’s practice centers on serious felony defense — violent crimes, sex crimes, drug trafficking, white-collar offenses, and homicide — along with DUI and appellate work. He also maintains what he describes as a “unique immigration practice relating to the immigration consequences of criminal conviction and citizenship issues,” a niche crossover practice reflected in his published book, The Criminal Lawyer’s Guide to Immigration Law: Questions and Answers, used as a resource by defense attorneys nationally.
Track Record
Criminal defense outcomes are governed by confidentiality and court record limitations that make a public, itemized results table impractical, and no such compilation was located in the sources reviewed for this profile.
Past-Results Disclaimer: Every case is different, and no past result guarantees a similar outcome in any future matter.
Client Voice
An Avvo client review states: “I spent 10 years in prison for a crime I didn’t commit. Bob was part of the team that got me out of prison. Bob’s personal effort in working on my release went well above what most lawyers would do.” A fellow attorney’s endorsement calls him “an excellent trial lawyer and a superb researcher.” No negative reviews were located in the sources reviewed for this profile; that reflects the available public record, not a claim of a flawless history.
Community
McWhirter is a nationally and internationally known speaker and author on trial advocacy, immigration law, and the history of the Bill of Rights, and is a frequent guest on Arizona Horizon, the PBS Arizona public affairs program. His published works include Bills, Quills, and Stills: An Annotated, Illustrated, and Illuminated History of the Bill of Rights.
Recognition
McWhirter is a State Bar of Arizona board-certified specialist in criminal law and is qualified by the Arizona Supreme Court to defend death-penalty-eligible cases — a separate, additional qualification beyond general certification. He has been named to the Southwest Super Lawyers list since 2009. This profile uses the word “specialist” advisedly, on the strength of that documented, individually attributed certification.
The Arizona Legal Backdrop
What follows is general legal information, not legal advice.
Arizona classifies felonies by class (1 through 6), with capital murder charges handled under a separate, heightened set of procedural protections. Non-citizens facing criminal charges in Arizona should be aware that many convictions carry immigration consequences — including mandatory deportation for certain offenses — independent of the criminal sentence itself, a federal issue governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act rather than Arizona statute.
The Awesome Attorneys Assessment
Robert McWhirter’s differentiator is a genuinely uncommon crossover: board certification in criminal law paired with capital-case qualification and a published legal guide specifically on how criminal convictions affect immigration status. The honest trade-off: as a solo practitioner handling serious, often complex felony matters, his caseload capacity is inherently limited, and clients with time-sensitive charges should confirm his current availability directly.
Methodology & Sourcing
This profile was researched in August 2026 from the State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Legal Specialization public roster, Avvo, the firm’s own website, and Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. The Law Offices of Robert J. McWhirter did not commission, review, or pay for this profile.
Publisher Disclosure & Independence Notice
This profile is an independent editorial article published by Awesome Attorneys. Awesome Attorneys does not endorse, recommend, or warrant any lawyer or law firm profiled on this site, and inclusion in this series is not paid placement.