Elizabeth Franklin-Best is a nationally recognized federal criminal defense and appellate attorney with over 20 years of experience in high-stakes post-conviction advocacy. Clients across the United States turn to Elizabeth to challenge wrongful convictions and unjust sentences in the federal courts, including matters before various U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Elizabeth is known for combining compassionate, individualized client care with relentless advocacy. She founded her boutique firm, Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., to ensure every client receives a personalized legal strategy. By keeping her caseload intentionally small, Elizabeth devotes her full attention to each client’s case, from the initial consultation through the final appeal.
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Practice Focus
Elizabeth Franklin-Best concentrates her practice exclusively on complex federal criminal matters, including:
- Appeals and Post-Conviction Relief
- 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) Motions
- 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motions
- 28 U.S.C. § 2241 Petitions
- Federal Criminal Appeals
- Compassionate Release
- Federal Bureau of Prisons Matters
- Sentence Mitigation & Federal Supervised Release
- Early Termination of Supervised Release
- Motions to Amend Supervised Release Conditions
- Sentence Mitigation Strategies
- U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Application and Objections
- Pre-Trial, Trial & Other Federal Matters
- Pre-Trial and Trial Representation
- Federal Cooperation Assistance
- Federal Prisoner Treaty Transfer Requests
- Presidential Pardon and Commutation Petitions
Across all these areas, Elizabeth’s goal is to reverse wrongful convictions and reduce harsh sentences so that her clients can reclaim their lives and futures. Her firm’s guiding principle—“no stone unturned”—reflects a commitment to meticulous research, creative legal strategy, and impassioned advocacy.
Experience & Education
After earning her Master’s in Philosophy and her law degree from the University of Wyoming, Elizabeth became licensed in South Carolina and New York. Early in her career, she served at the Richland County Public Defender’s Office in Columbia, SC, and later at the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, Appellate Division, where she handled numerous appeals before South Carolina’s highest courts.
In private practice, Elizabeth became a partner at Blume Franklin-Best & Young, LLC, focusing on capital post-conviction and appellate advocacy. The South Carolina Public Defender Association recognized her as the 2010 “Public Defender of the Year” for her excellence in appellate work on behalf of indigent defendants. In 2019, she launched Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., a boutique firm dedicated to federal criminal defense, federal appeals, and post-conviction litigation. Today, she leverages her 20+ years of experience to secure relief in federal courts and through post-conviction motions nationwide.
Speaking & Writing
A respected thought leader in appellate and post-conviction law, Elizabeth frequently presents at legal conferences and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars on topics such as:
- Effective appellate brief writing
- Federal post-conviction procedures
- White-collar criminal defense strategies
She has also organized and hosted white-collar defense seminars in collaboration with the South Carolina Federal Bar Association and the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Elizabeth is the author of Reversing Your Criminal Conviction: Develop Your Winning Strategy (2023), a practical guide for challenging convictions through appellate and post-conviction advocacy. She has contributed articles to legal journals, including:
- Biting The Apple: Legal and Ethical Obligations of Post-Conviction Relief Counsel (South Carolina Lawyer, 2017)
- A co-authored 2019 piece for The Champion on federal forfeiture challenges
Bar & Court Admissions
Serving clients nationwide, Elizabeth Franklin-Best is admitted to practice in these federal courts:
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. District Court – District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court—Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court—Maryland
- U.S. District Court—Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court – District of South Carolina
- U.S. District Court—Southern District of Texas
Elizabeth is also admitted to practice in the following state courts:
- New York State Courts
- South Carolina State Court
Professional Memberships & Leadership
Elizabeth is highly engaged in professional organizations, demonstrating her leadership and commitment to criminal defense:
- Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA): Co-leader and Charter Member of the South Carolina Chapter
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL): Co-Vice Chair, Amicus Curiae Committee (Fourth Circuit)
- American Bar Association (ABA): Active member of the White Collar Crime Committee and International White Collar Crime Committee
- International Bar Association (IBA): Member, staying informed on global perspectives in criminal justice
- South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (SCACDL): Active member, contributing to the state’s defense community
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
She has also served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Justice 360, a non-profit devoted to equity in capital cases. She participates in community outreach to support prisoners and their families seeking post-conviction relief.
Hire Elizabeth Franklin-Best Today
If you or a loved one needs an experienced federal criminal defense or appellate lawyer, Elizabeth Franklin-Best provides the focused advocacy and personalized counsel required for these complex matters. With a national practice, decades of experience, and an unwavering commitment to each client’s well-being, Elizabeth and her firm are poised to help you develop a winning legal strategy.
Contact Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C. today to discuss your case and take the first step toward justice.
Published Apr 13, 2025 by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA | Last Updated by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA on Apr 13, 2025 at 1:46 pm