Founder & Principal Attorney
Elizabeth Franklin-Best is a federal appellate and post-conviction lawyer. Over more than two decades she has appeared in more than 330 federal proceedings — over 100 of them appeals — and has been counsel of record in sixteen published decisions. Her practice is concentrated where federal cases are most often won or lost: on the record.
- Best Lawyers in America 2027 ×3
- Chambers USA 2026 — Band 2
- SC Public Defender of the Year, 2010
- Admitted, Supreme Court of the United States
- Author, Reversing Your Criminal Conviction
- Board Chair, Justice 360
Education
- J.D., University of Wyoming College of Law (2001)
- M.A., Philosophy, University of Wyoming
Bar Admissions
- New York (2002)
- South Carolina (2004)
- Supreme Court of the United States (2011)
Federal Courts
- Twelve of the thirteen U.S. Courts of Appeals
- Seven U.S. District Courts
- Additional courts pro hac vice
Recognition
- Best Lawyers in America 2027 — Appellate Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar; Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Chambers USA 2026 — Band 2, White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- SC Public Defender of the Year (2010)
- Avvo 10.0 “Superb” · Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated
- 330+federal proceedings
- 100+federal appeals
- 16published decisions as counsel of record
- 12 of 13U.S. Courts of Appeals
Overview of Elizabeth Franklin-Best’s practice
Elizabeth Franklin-Best is the founder and principal attorney of Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., a boutique federal criminal defense and appellate firm. She was admitted in New York in 2002, in South Carolina in 2004, and to the Supreme Court of the United States in 2011, and she is admitted to twelve of the thirteen U.S. Courts of Appeals.
She began in trial-level public defense at the Richland County Public Defender’s Office, moved to the appellate division of the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, and spent seven years as a partner at Blume, Franklin-Best & Young doing capital post-conviction and appellate work before founding this firm in 2019. That path matters: it is why the practice is built around reading records closely rather than around volume.
Federal Appellate and Post-Conviction Practice
The firm handles federal direct appeals, § 2255 motions, § 2241 habeas petitions, compassionate release and sentence reductions under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c), clemency petitions, capital habeas, and white-collar defense.
Appellate work is a different discipline from trial work. There is no new evidence and no new testimony — the case is decided on a record that already exists, which means the winning issue is usually already in the transcript and was simply missed. The firm’s guiding principle, “no stone unturned,” describes a method, not a slogan: read everything, then find what the last lawyer did not.
A Federal Appellate Record
The following reported decisions illustrate the depth and range of that experience. They are not a prediction or guarantee of the result in any other case.
United States v. Slager, 912 F.3d 224 (4th Cir. 2019)
Appellate counsel in a sentencing appeal arising from a widely reported federal civil rights prosecution.
United States v. Frias, 102 F.4th 98 (2d Cir. 2024)
Counsel in the Second Circuit.
United States v. Joseph, 108 F.4th 1273 (10th Cir. 2024)
Counsel in the Tenth Circuit.
Her admissions reach the Supreme Court of the United States and twelve of the thirteen U.S. Courts of Appeals, and she has appeared pro hac vice in matters from Montana to Florida. A full list of court admissions and honors appears on the Awards page.
Capital Post-Conviction and Habeas Work
Before founding the firm she spent seven years in capital post-conviction and appellate litigation, and she continues to serve as Board Chair of Justice 360, a South Carolina nonprofit working toward equity in capital cases. Capital habeas is the most procedurally demanding corner of post-conviction practice, and the discipline it requires — exhaustion, procedural default, deadline management under AEDPA — carries directly into ordinary federal § 2255 work.
Publications and Thought Leadership
She is the author of Reversing Your Criminal Conviction: Develop Your Winning Strategy (2023), a practitioner-facing guide to challenging federal convictions and sentences. Her published analysis includes:
- “What Justices’ Bowe Ruling Could Mean for Federal Prisoners” — Law360 Expert Analysis (2025)
- “Federal Compassionate Release: A Complete Guide to Early Release from Federal Prison” — Best Lawyers (2025)
- “Harjo v. City of Albuquerque: A Road Map for Challenging Policing for Profits” — The Champion (NACDL), with David B. Smith (2019)
- “Biting the Apple: Legal and Ethical Obligations of Post-Conviction Relief Counsel” — South Carolina Lawyer (2017)
She speaks frequently at CLE and bar conferences on appellate brief writing, federal post-conviction procedure, and white-collar defense. See In The News for media coverage.
Professional Leadership and Service
- Board Chair, Justice 360 (since 2018)
- Co-Vice Chair, NACDL Amicus Curiae Committee (Fourth Circuit)
- Charter member and South Carolina co-leader, Women’s White Collar Defense Association
- American Bar Association — White Collar Crime and International White Collar Crime Committees
- International Bar Association · Federal Bar Association (SC Chapter) · SC Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Working With This Firm
The firm keeps a deliberately small caseload. Federal appeals and post-conviction motions are won by the close reading of a long record, and that is not work that scales. Cases are selected where the firm’s strengths actually apply.
Representation begins with a paid, one-hour initial consultation — a substantive working session reviewing where the case stands and what options remain, not a sales call. Federal deadlines are short and unforgiving, so early advice is worth more than late advice.
Request a consultation · (843) 620-1100 · Contact the firm
Court Admissions
Every admission below is current and in good standing. Dates are taken from the official certificate of admissions on file with the firm, last reconciled May 17, 2026. Ms. Franklin-Best appears in additional federal district courts pro hac vice.
State bars and the Supreme Court
| Court | Admitted |
|---|---|
| New York | March 19, 2002 |
| South Carolina | May 24, 2004 |
| Supreme Court of the United States | February 28, 2011 |
U.S. Courts of Appeals — twelve of the thirteen
Every regional circuit (First through Eleventh) plus the D.C. Circuit. The Federal Circuit, whose docket is patent and claims work rather than criminal appeals, is not included.
| Court | Admitted |
|---|---|
| United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | January 13, 2025 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | March 5, 2018 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit | May 17, 2023 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | October 23, 2012 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit | May 2, 2017 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | April 3, 2024 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | April 21, 2023 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit | April 10, 2023 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | December 21, 2020 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit | December 29, 2020 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | April 10, 2024 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | October 5, 2023 |
U.S. District Courts
| Court | Admitted |
|---|---|
| U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina | July 12, 2007 |
| U.S. District Court, District of Columbia | May 1, 2023 |
| U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas | July 11, 2023 |
| U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois | August 1, 2023 |
| U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan | July 2, 2024 |
| U.S. District Court, District of Maryland | September 27, 2024 |
| U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio | October 10, 2024 |
Verify this record
Credentials on this page are checkable against independent sources rather than our own say-so:
- United States v. Slager, 912 F.3d 224 (4th Cir. 2019) — the Fourth Circuit opinion lists Elizabeth Franklin-Best as arguing counsel for the appellant.
- Chambers USA firm profile — independent research-based ranking.
- Best Lawyers attorney profile — peer-review recognition.
- Law360 Expert Analysis on Bowe v. United States — invited legal analysis.
- Justice 360 — the capital-defense non-profit whose board she chairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Elizabeth Franklin-Best?
Elizabeth Franklin-Best is the founder and principal attorney of Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., a boutique federal criminal defense and appellate firm. Over more than two decades she has appeared in more than 330 federal proceedings, over 100 of them appeals, and has been counsel of record in sixteen published decisions.
What courts is Elizabeth Franklin-Best admitted to?
She is admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States (2011), twelve of the thirteen U.S. Courts of Appeals, and seven U.S. District Courts, plus the state courts of New York (2002) and South Carolina (2004). She appears in additional federal courts pro hac vice.
Has Elizabeth Franklin-Best been recognized in her field?
Yes. She is named in The Best Lawyers in America 2027 for Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: White Collar, and Criminal Defense: General Practice, and is ranked Band 2 in Chambers USA 2026 for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. In 2010 the South Carolina Public Defender Association named her Public Defender of the Year.
What kind of cases does she focus on?
Federal criminal appeals, post-conviction relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, habeas petitions under § 2241, sentence reductions and compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c), clemency, capital habeas, and white-collar defense — work concentrated where federal cases are most often won or lost: on the record.
Does she handle cases outside South Carolina?
Yes. This is a nationwide federal practice. Federal-court admission, not state licensure, governs where a lawyer may appear, and she has been admitted pro hac vice in matters from Montana to Florida.
What notable cases has she handled?
She was appellate counsel in United States v. Slager, 912 F.3d 224 (4th Cir. 2019), and counsel in United States v. Frias, 102 F.4th 98 (2d Cir. 2024) and United States v. Joseph, 108 F.4th 1273 (10th Cir. 2024). These illustrate the range of her federal appellate work; they are not a prediction or guarantee of the result in any other case.
Has Elizabeth Franklin-Best published work in her field?
She is the author of Reversing Your Criminal Conviction: Develop Your Winning Strategy (2023) and has published in Law360 Expert Analysis, Best Lawyers, The Champion (NACDL), and South Carolina Lawyer.
Does she handle capital and death penalty cases?
She has substantial capital post-conviction and capital habeas experience and serves as Board Chair of Justice 360, a South Carolina nonprofit focused on equity in capital cases.
How much does an initial consultation cost?
Representation begins with a paid, one-hour initial consultation — a substantive working session in which she reviews the record and the options that remain, rather than a sales call. Call (843) 620-1100 or request a consultation online.
How quickly should I contact a federal appellate lawyer?
Federal appeals and post-conviction motions are governed by strict deadlines — generally 14 days to file a notice of appeal in a criminal case, and a one-year limitation period for most § 2255 motions. Because those windows are short and the calculation is fact-specific, it is worth getting advice early rather than late.
Discuss Your Federal Case
Representation begins with a paid, one-hour initial consultation — a substantive working session in which Elizabeth reviews the record and tells you honestly what options remain. It is not a sales call.
Generally 14 days to file a notice of appeal in a federal criminal case; most § 2255 motions carry a one-year limitation period. Deadlines are fact-specific — early advice is worth more than late advice.