Julian Montoya is a South Florida native. Born in Miami and raised in Broward, he speaks fluent Spanish. During his undergraduate years, he played collegiate soccer and worked as a martial arts instructor, before earning his Bachelor’s in Arts degree with a major in History and a minor in Philosophy.
While attending St. Thomas University School of Law, Julian published his first law review article. He was the recipient of multiple CALI awards, booked various classes, and made Dean’s List for his academic performance.
In 2019, Julian began his legal career at the Public Defender’s Office in Monroe County. He spent four years representing clients in the Lower Keys. He gained extensive experience with DUI and BUI cases. He worked with clients on child victim cases, sexual battery, drug trafficking and murder charges.
Julian is proud to have served individuals in Key West that were criminally charged with Florida’s Derelict Vessel Statute. After his relentless litigation that included motions to dismiss and motions to declare the law unconstitutional, the Florida Legislature amended this statute and corrected the legal issues raised by his motions. In the end, the law was changed for the benefit of his client(s) and the State as a whole.
In 2023, Julian moved to Lee County, Florida, where he worked in the Fort Myers Public Defender’s Office and handled a wide range of cases from domestic violence to first degree felony charges. He defended clients accused of committing sex offense crimes, white collar crimes, schemes to defraud, dealing in stolen property, drug sales and drug possession. He represented clients facing various types of grand theft, fraud, robbery and burglary charges. He has filed countless substantive and procedural legal motions. Julian has successfully tried many cases to jury verdicts, including violent felony crimes. He has experience defending clients facing battery by strangulation, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with deadly weapon and other weapon related offenses. Additionally, he has won numerous evidentiary hearings for violations of probation where clients faced first, second or third degree felony underlying offenses.
In 2025, Julian joined the Office of Robert Malove to continue his legal career as a criminal defense attorney handling cases throughout the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.
