“Just because you have been charged with a crime, it doesn’t mean you will be convicted of that crime.”
As founding partner and lead litigation attorney at Norwood & Norwood, Doug Norwood truly embodies the top of the criminal defense field. The former prosecuting attorney has devoted his legal career to representing clients across Northwest Arkansas, finding his calling early on for DWI and criminal defense cases. Norwood now leads a hand-picked team of highly skilled litigation attorneys who have defended more than 35,000 criminal cases, including thousands of felonies and more than 11,000 DWI cases. In private practice since 1988, Norwood was joined by his wife, Cathy, in 1995.
“I love using the law to find mistakes the police make that allow us to negotiate a dismissal or achieve a not guilty for our clients,” Norwood said. “Every mistake we can identify in a case helps us get great results for our clients. Cathy and I have worked hard to build a criminal defense team that effectively achieves great results for the people who put their faith in us to help them.”
In addition to sharp legal skills and decades of experience, Norwood stands apart thanks to his true passion for his areas of expertise. He was a founding member and past president of the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and is widely acknowledged by peers as one of the most knowledgeable attorneys in the areas of DWI and criminal defense law. Constantly staying up to date on DWI and criminal cases nationwide, Norwood is also certified to administer the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Field Sobriety Tests and has had training on the blood alcohol content testing device used by Arkansas police agencies.
Norwood is a regular on all manner of industry rankings and voting lists year after year, including in Super Lawyers and both AY About You and Arkansas Money & Politics. He has twice been named the Champion of Justice by the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has been the recipient of the Arkansas Bar Association’s Lawyer Community Legacy Award. Highly rated by colleagues, peers and clients alike, Norwood has continued to set the standard for criminal defense in Arkansas.
Core to Norwood’s work is the belief that everyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty and entitled to the best legal defense possible. He has made it his mission, from the earliest days of his practice, to make world-class criminal defense accessible to people in Northwest Arkansas regardless of their means. He offers a free, no-obligation initial visit, in addition to reasonable fees and payment plans.
Whether winning outright or negotiating dismissals, Norwood and his team have made a difference in the lives of thousands upon thousands of Arkansans and their families — not to mention demonstrating the true measure of what it means to be in AY About You’s “Best of Lawyers.”
Voted ‘Best of NWA’ in criminal defense multiple years in a row, as voted by citizens
NORWOOD & NORWOOD
Offices in Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale and Bentonville
479-235-4600
Facebook: Norwood & Norwood, PA
SEE THE FEATURE BELOW AND IN OUR AUGUST 2026 ISSUE OF AY MAGAZINE
