Elizabeth Franklin-Best

Elizabeth Franklin-Best is a nationally recognized federal criminal defense and appellate attorney with over 43 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.

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.