Armada Law Injury Attorneys has announced the launch of Ironside Criminal Defense, a new criminal defense firm under the Armada Law family of legal brands owned by Chris Carsten. The new firm will be led by co-founders and managing attorneys Sloan Ellis and Brandi Hinton, both former state and federal prosecutors. Ironside Criminal Defense represents people facing criminal charges in Greenville and across South Carolina.
Recognized on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list as the fastest-growing law firm in South Carolina, Armada Law Injury Attorneys established its reputation by building a great team and treating every client as a person first. That growth made Ironside Criminal Defense possible. The firm’s name is inspired by “Old Ironsides," the USS Constitution, a ship built to withstand pressure and keep going, protecting the people aboard. It reflects the firm’s mission: defend the person, not just the charge.
“Each firm in our family of legal brands has its own personality but shares a common set of core values and operating principles” said Chris Carsten, founder and CEO of Armada Law Injury Attorneys. “With Ironside, we’re aiming to build a new kind of criminal defense law firm that pairs elite criminal defense with the best in class technology and operations. Armada and Ironside will work together and we want people to know if they trust one, they can trust both to deliver top notch legal representation. Sloan and Brandi are the best of the best and with them at the helm, I’m excited to see what we build with Ironside.”
Sloan Ellis and Brandi Hinton spent years on the other side of the courtroom and have worked together at every stage of their careers. When they were federal prosecutors, each received the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Prosecution, and they both supervise every case at Ironside Criminal Defense.
“We know how law enforcement builds cases, because that used to be our job,” said Sloan Ellis, managing attorney at Ironside Criminal Defense. “Now we use everything we know about that process for our clients. Whether it’s your daughter’s DUI or a federal white-collar investigation, every client deserves the same level of attention to detail and zealous advocacy. There are no big cases or small cases because every case matters.”
Ironside Criminal Defense’s goal is to bring that level of defense to more of the people who need it. Many people who call after an arrest have never been through the legal process. Sloan Ellis and Brandi Hinton make sure every client understands what comes next and the plan for their case. The firm is transparent and upfront about pricing, and consultations are free and handled by the attorneys themselves. With a full team behind every case, the attorneys can focus on their clients, in and out of the courtroom.
“We represent people, not warrants. It is our job to help the prosecutor understand our client beyond the case file in front of them,” said Brandi Hinton, managing attorney at Ironside Criminal Defense. “Our mission is to truly know our clients because it gives us the ability to make a difference in their case and provide them the highest level of service. Every case we have is treated as the most important case, because that is what our clients deserve from their attorney.”
To learn more about Ironside Criminal Defense, visit ironsidecriminaldefense.com or call 864-775-5775.
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