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Vikas Dhar

Vikas Dhar

High-Profile, Award-Winning Boston Criminal Defense Firm
  • Criminal Law, Domestic Violence, White Collar Crime ...
  • Massachusetts
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Biography

Vikas is widely recognized as a leader in the New England legal community. He specializes in White-Collar Criminal Defense, International Extradition matters and State Criminal Defense. He is a past recipient of the “Excellence in the Law” award by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and has been recognized by Boston Magazine annually for the past 15 years as a “Super Lawyer” in white-collar criminal defense.

He has twice been invited by the Federal judiciary to serve on Merit Selection Panels to appoint new Federal magistrate judges in Boston, served a 5-year term as a Hearing Officer for the Board of Bar Overseers and is a panel member of Senior Partners for Justice. Vikas is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and his firm’s pro bono work and community contributions have been profiled by Forbes Magazine and Harvard Business Review.

Regarded as powerful in the courtroom and unflappable at the negotiating table, clients rave about his calming demeanor, friendliness, and never-ending energy reserves.

Education
Southern Illinois University School of Law
J.D. (2003) | Law
Full Merit Scholarship; John S. Rendleman Award
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Washington University in St. Louis
B.A. (1999) | Political Science
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Professional Experience
Partner
Dhar Law, LLP
- Current
Publications
Articles & Publications
The Dookhan Fallout: Tainted Drug Lab Samples & Guilty Pleas
Dhar Law LLP
The Use of Substitute Experts at Trial and the Confrontation Clause
MCLE
Coordinator, Forensic Psychiatry & Memory: Perspectives in Law
MCLE Program
The Department of Homeland Security Initiative
Massachusetts Bar Institute Section Review, Vol. 7, No. 1
Speaking Engagements
The Intersection of Civil & Criminal Legal Issues: Exploring the Crossover, Commonalities and Differences of Both Practices, Boston Bar Association
Extradition in Federal Criminal Cases - Featuring US v. Taylor (2020, D-MA), Boston Bar Association
Practical Advice for New Lawyers, Social Law Library
Hot Topics in Criminal Law, Know Your Rights Community Seminar
Speaker, New England Law Journal Commencement
Speaker, SABA KYR Inaugural Graduation Event
Speaker, Recent Developments in Criminal Law
Panel Coordinator, Forensic Psychiatry & Memory: Perspectives in Law
Awards
Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2014-2023
Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Boston
Expertise.com
Superb Rating
Avvo
Client's Choice Award
Avvo
2011-2014, 2016-2017, 2022
Peer Reviewed 5.0/5.0
Martindale-Hubbell
Top 100 Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorney
The National Trial Lawyers
Top Attorney Award
Attorney.com
2019-2022
Top 40 Under 40 Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorney
The National Trial Lawyers
Rising Star
Super Lawyers
2009-2013
Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Attorney Award
Massachusetts Bar Association and Lawyers Weekly
Professional Associations
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being
Mentor
Current
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Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
Current
Activities: Judicial Advisory Committee
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Senior Partners for Justice
Pro Bono Panel Member
Current
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South Asian Bar Association
Member
Current
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Boston Bar Association
Member
Current
Activities: Criminal Justice Section
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Massachusetts Bar Association
Member
Current
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Litigation Counsel of America
Fellow
Current
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American Bar Association
Member
Current
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National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
Current
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Massachusetts State Bar  # 657539
Member
- Current
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Federal Merit Selection Panel
Member
-
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Board of Bar Overseers
Hearing Officer
-
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National Clemency Project - Obama Administration
Member
-
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Federal Merit Selection Panel
Member
-
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American Immigration Lawyers Association
Member
-
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Governor's Commission for Revision of the School Code
Member
-
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Massachusetts
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1st Circuit
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U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
Practice Areas
Criminal Law
Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Criminal Defense
White Collar Crime
DUI & DWI
Stockbroker & Investment Fraud
Immigration Law
Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation Defense, Family Visas, Green Cards, Immigration Appeals, Investment Visas, Marriage & Fiancé(e) Visas, Student Visas, Visitor Visas, Work Visas
Languages
  • Arabic: Spoken, Written
  • English: Spoken, Written
  • French: Spoken, Written
  • Mandarin: Spoken, Written
  • Portuguese: Spoken, Written
  • Spanish: Spoken, Written
Legal Answers
Q. If you please guilty to a felony crime in the state of Massachusetts can you appeal your guilty plea
A: Instead of “appeal”, I think you should reflect on the more general term of “seeking post conviction relief.”

Yes, after entering a guilty plea in Massachusetts, if you have sufficient grounds, you can attempt to go back and undo the guilty plea, which is often times done based on Rule 30 of the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure, which states that if your plea was not completed in the interests of justice, there may be a way for you to walk it back. Other avenues of relief could be ineffective assistance of counsel, constitutional grounds or procedural error. As always, you should consult an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense attorney. Good luck!
Q. I wanted to know if the federal court system take ONLINE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS. OR DO THEY HAVE TO BE DONE IN PERSON?
A: This is a great question as it has come up previously due to the changes in the Federal court system system because of the pandemic. In the end, however, the possibility for you to perform community service online is going to be specific to the court in which your case is in, and even more specifically, what your probation officer will allow you to do. You should definitely check with your probation officer, and when you do, be prepared to provide reasons why you feel that you need to do this online rather than in-person and you should also be prepared to provide programs that you have found which will allow you to do it online. The more prepared you are to be in being persuasive with your probation officer, the more likely that your request will be successful. Best of luck to you. ... Read More
Q. If I’m on federal pretrial can I switch my lawyer in get a new one my lawyer not doin her job now bein though I’m reales
A: I’m assuming that you mean that you’re currently on pretrial release while your case is pending, correct? You can certainly terminate and hire a new lawyer at any time. If your current lawyer is court-appointed, you should discuss it with them to determine whether or not you would be eligible for another court appointed lawyer. If your lawyer is privately retained, then you can certainly choose to terminate them and hire a new lawyer. Best of luck to you!
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Websites & Blogs
Website
Dhar Law, LLP
Blog
Contact & Map
Dhar Law, LLP
Schrafft's City Center Powerhouse
529 Main Street, Suite P200
Charleston, MA 02129
Telephone: (617) 880-6155
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours (Today)
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours