Of Counsel
Melvin L. Allen, Jr. is an accomplished Waldorf criminal defense lawyer and an associate attorney at the Law Office of James E. Farmer, LLC. A former prosecutor, Attorney Allen is well-versed in both sides of criminal defense. Now, he uses this in-depth understanding of the criminal justice system and invaluable insights he gleaned from his time with the State Attorney’s Office to the advantage of his clients.
Attorney Allen received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2004 before then going on to obtain his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Radford University in Virginia. During his time as a graduate student, he taught Introduction to Criminal Justice as a Graduate Teaching Fellow.
Attorney Allen went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2009. He focused his legal studies on criminal law, obtaining a Certificate of Concentration in Criminal Practice. Attorney Allen also earned his Mediation Certificate after completing a comprehensive mediation training course. While in law school, he interned for the Office of the Public Defender for Anne Arundel County and practiced as a Maryland Rule 16 attorney as a third-year law student.
Upon the completion of his legal studies, Attorney Allen served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County. In 2010, he was hired by the Office of the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County as a prosecutor. As an assistant state’s attorney, he handled thousands of criminal cases, including both felony and misdemeanor cases, involving drug possession with intent to distribute, firearms and handguns, theft, assault, rape, economic offenses, and more. While serving at the Office of the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, Attorney Allen was appointed as the Constitutional Law Advisor to the District Court division and was named as the Maryland Rule 16 supervising attorney for nine third-year law students.
Attorney Allen is committed to ongoing education and training. He has attended a number of insightful legal seminars covering topics ranging from trial advocacy to insurance fraud to arson training. He has also completed an undercover law enforcement training program, known as “Top Gun,” that is held exclusively for narcotics investigators and prosecutors.
Throughout his legal career, Attorney Allen has earned a reputation as a passionate, aggressive, and knowledgeable trial lawyer. Now, he uses that same passion and intensity to skillfully advocate for the rights of his clients.
