About Attorney Shawn Lupella - Managing Partner
For over 15 years and over 5000 court appearances, I have defended residents and visitors charged with all types of criminal offenses, from DUIs and Domestic Violence charges–to the most serious and complex felony cases. I have had many jury trials and have represented those charged with capital offenses, including murder.
I attended law school at the University of North Dakota. While there I focused on trial advocacy and litigation and worked with some excellent attorneys at Zimney, Foster, P.C. It truly was a wonderful experience to be a part of a top-rated defense firm.
So even as a law student, I was able to work with some of the best and brightest attorneys in their fields. I learned the art of being a zealous advocate while having impeccable professionalism. I worked in the areas of Insurance Defense, Commercial Law, and Federal Criminal Law.
Upon graduation, I moved to Navarre, Florida with my family and started working as a civil prosecutor for child abuse and neglect cases with the Florida Department of Children and Families. Afterwards, I decided to move away from the prosecution side to the defense so I rounded out my experience by working as an Assistant Public Defender in Okaloosa County.
Since then I have handled all types of cases in private practice, and in the process, have honed my skills as a technical and proficient criminal defense practitioner.
And while some criminal attorneys focus only on the bare facts and elements of a case, I have found it essential to have a command of criminal procedure process and the methodological aspects of that representation, in order to be a successful criminal defense attorney.
In addition, I have practiced law in front of every Judge in the area and I have also learned how the State’s Attorney Offices operates and how to negotiate with prosecutors.
I offer my services to clients with the hope to bring them an aggressive defense while protecting them against powerful forces. I have learned to strike the right balance of smart, tactical, strategic aggressiveness in order to keep my clients out of harm’s way while seeking the best possible outcome for each and every client’s case.
My criminal defense practice is focused on bringing the best possible legal representation to the Florida Panhandle, the beautiful Emerald Coast including: Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties.
My main office is centrally located in Fort Walton Beach, but I am willing to meet clients at one of my satellite office locations in Destin, Crestview, or Defuniak Springs.
David S. Rehr, Esq. - Senior Partner
David Rehr is a local gentleman with local roots, born and raised in Okaloosa County. The Emerald Coast has been and will always be his home. He currently lives in Fort Walton Beach with his wife, Jessica.
He graduated from the University of Florida in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. From there, he attended the Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee.
While earning his law degree, he also served as a Law Clerk at the Office of the Attorney General of Florida, served as a Judicial Intern to two judges of the Federal Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa, and served as a Judicial Extern to an Administrative Law Judge of the Division of Administrative Hearings in Tallahassee.
Those clerkships and opportunities allowed him the opportunity to be mentored and trained by some of the best and brightest attorneys in the entire State of Florida.
After graduating law school, he joined the Office of the State Attorney and worked as a Florida prosecutor in Okaloosa County. There he prosecuted thousands of criminal cases, from misdemeanors and DUIs to the most serious of felonies.
In so doing, he conducted many jury trials, showcasing his skillset as an excellent communicator and reliable advocate for justice; but while also conducting himself with impeccable ethics and restraint.
During his time there, he gained a reputation as a formidable, but likeable prosecutor. It was no surprise that he garnered the respect of judges, prosecutors, and many defense lawyers as well.
Seeking new professional challenges, he left the role of prosecutor behind and decided to enter private practice, but this time but to use his expertise as a champion and protector for those on the other side, to help those charged with crimes get the best outcome possible through aggressive, but intelligent representation.
And while his practice now centers primarily around criminal defense, he also is adept at solving tangential legal matters that may be related to criminal charges like domestic violence and stalking injunctions, as well as no contact and restraining orders.
David joined the Firm in the Fall of 2020, keen on the opportunity to work with one of the premiere criminal defense attorneys in the State of Florida, Shawn Lupella.
Now working together as a litigation and trial team, they are confident that they have a winning combination that will serve to benefit their clients for years to come.
David is a past Secretary and current Vice President of the Local Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers.”