Samuel Geller | Geller Law: San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney

Last updated June 28, 2026

Samuel Geller built his legal career around a single goal: criminal defense. A Bay Area native who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco and his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law, Geller didn't stumble into defense work after trying other practice areas. He attended law school specifically to become a criminal defense attorney, and that clarity of purpose has shaped everything about how Geller Law operates at 315 Montgomery St., Suite 900, in San Francisco's Financial District.

Geller Law focuses exclusively on criminal defense, serving clients across San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area counties. The firm's approach centers on listening closely to each client's situation, building a legal strategy tailored to those specific facts, and staying available when clients need answers. That combination of focused practice and genuine accessibility has drawn consistent recognition from clients navigating some of the most stressful moments of their lives.

For anyone searching for a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco, the firm's record speaks plainly. Sam Geller has tried multiple jury trials, achieved a dismissal rate that exceeds the field average, and has been featured in Forbes for his approach to legal representation.

History and Founding: From Public Defender to Geller Law in San Francisco

Before founding Geller Law, Sam Geller worked as a public defender, first in Marin County and then in San Francisco. That path gave him courtroom experience that private-practice attorneys often spend years trying to accumulate. By his second week as a San Francisco public defender, he had already secured a jury trial win in a DUI case, a result that signaled what was to come.

In 2014 alone, Geller conducted eight jury trials, a volume that sharpens courtroom instincts in ways that no amount of pre-trial preparation can fully replicate. After building that foundation in public defense, he launched Geller Law to serve clients who needed experienced, dedicated criminal defense representation in San Francisco and the broader Bay Area. The firm has grown from that foundation, with Geller continuing to handle cases personally rather than delegating them to junior attorneys.

Geller Law Services and Specialties: Criminal Defense in San Francisco

Geller Law's practice is focused on criminal defense matters in San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area jurisdictions. The firm handles cases at multiple stages of the legal process, from pre-charge investigation through jury trial, and Sam Geller brings direct trial experience to every case rather than treating courtroom appearances as a last resort.

Services and case types the firm handles include:

• DUI defense, including first-offense and repeat DUI charges
• Felony and misdemeanor criminal defense
• Jury trial representation
• Pre-charge legal guidance and investigation support
• Post-resolution counseling and guidance on next steps

One element that distinguishes the firm's approach is what happens after a case closes. Multiple clients have noted that Sam Geller continued to offer guidance and remained available to walk them through what to expect in the aftermath of their cases. That kind of post-resolution support is not standard practice, and clients have pointed to it specifically as something they didn't expect but found genuinely valuable.

The firm also operates on a client-first model with 24/7 availability, recognizing that legal crises don't follow business hours. When someone is arrested or charged, the ability to reach their attorney quickly matters, and Geller Law structures its practice around that reality.

Team and Leadership: Sam Geller, San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney

Sam Geller is the founder and lead attorney at Geller Law. His background includes:

• Bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco
• J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law
• Public defender experience in both Marin County and San Francisco
• Eight jury trials conducted in 2014 alone
• A dismissal rate well above the field average across his career

Clients and observers consistently describe Geller in terms that go beyond technical competence. He's been called compassionate and direct in equal measure, someone who explains the seriousness of a situation honestly while also providing the kind of calm reassurance that matters when a client is frightened. That combination is harder to sustain than it sounds; many attorneys lean toward one or the other. Geller has built a reputation for holding both.

In the Press and Milestones: A Track Record That Stands Out

Sam Geller has been featured in Forbes, a recognition that reflects both his expertise and his distinctive approach to client representation. The Forbes feature highlighted what makes his practice stand apart from more conventional criminal defense firms in the Bay Area.

On the trial record side, the milestones are specific and verifiable:

• First jury trial win came during his second week as a San Francisco public defender
• Conducted eight jury trials in 2014, an unusually high volume for a single year
• Maintains a dismissal rate that exceeds the average for criminal defense attorneys
• Featured in Forbes for his approach to legal representation

These aren't credentials assembled from participation ribbons. They reflect a practice built in actual courtrooms, against real opposition, with outcomes that mattered to real clients.

What Clients Say About Geller Law in San Francisco

The reviews Geller Law has received share a recognizable pattern: clients arrive in crisis, often frightened and uncertain, and describe leaving the experience feeling that they had someone genuinely in their corner. The emotional dimension of that support comes up repeatedly alongside the professional results.

Although I don't often write reviews, I couldn't help but share my family's exceptional experience working with Sam.

- Maria Digilov

Maria Digilov's account emphasized Sam's responsiveness and the emotional support he provided to her family throughout the process, qualities that clients in high-stakes situations tend to remember as clearly as any legal outcome.

From the very beginning, Sam was compassionate, professional, and direct. He understood how devastated we felt and clearly explained the seriousness of the situation.

- D.99island

D.99island's review came out of a DUI situation and described how Geller's calm, confident approach provided genuine reassurance during what the reviewer called a devastating experience. The ability to be direct about the seriousness of a charge while still projecting calm is a specific skill, and it's one clients notice.

Sam, without a doubt the best attorney in the Bay Area. His knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to their clients are unparalleled.

- Derek

Derek's review focused on Geller's knowledge and professionalism, calling him the best legal representative he could have asked for. Across all three reviews, the thread connecting them is that clients felt seen and supported, not just represented.

Location and Community: Geller Law in San Francisco's Financial District

Geller Law is located at 315 Montgomery St., Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94104, in the Financial District. Montgomery Street is one of San Francisco's central corridors for professional services, and the address puts the firm in close proximity to the courts and agencies that criminal defense work requires. For clients coming from across the Bay Area, the location is accessible from multiple transit options serving downtown San Francisco.

Sam Geller's roots in the Bay Area aren't incidental to how the firm operates. He grew up here, went to school here, and built his legal career in these specific courtrooms and with these specific prosecutors and judges. That local knowledge carries real weight in criminal defense, where relationships, procedural norms, and local court culture can influence how a case moves.

San Francisco's broader real estate market has seen home price appreciation averaging around 3.2% annually in recent years, with projections settling near 2.8% going forward, a reminder of the city's enduring appeal despite its well-documented costs. For residents who have built lives and assets here, the stakes of a criminal charge extend well beyond the courtroom, touching employment, housing, and family stability. That context shapes why clients seek out experienced, locally grounded defense counsel rather than the nearest available option.

Why Choose Samuel Geller | Geller Law for Criminal Defense in San Francisco

Geller Law offers something that's genuinely difficult to find: a criminal defense attorney who went to law school specifically for this work, spent years in the public defender's office building real trial experience, and now runs a practice structured around being available and responsive to clients when it matters most. Sam Geller tries cases. He doesn't just negotiate pleas and move files. That distinction is meaningful for anyone facing a serious charge in San Francisco.

The firm's client-first approach, combined with post-resolution support that continues after the case closes, reflects a practice philosophy that treats legal representation as more than a transaction. For anyone navigating criminal charges in San Francisco or the surrounding Bay Area, Geller Law's combination of trial experience, local knowledge, and genuine client care makes it a firm worth a direct conversation.

Customer quotes shown above are from public Google reviews.