Jailed reggae star Buju Banton's managers have reportedly retained Miami lawyer David Oscar Markus, a rising star in the American justice system, to represent him.

Tracii McGregor, president of Banton's Gargamel Music Incorporated, is quoted as telling the CaribWorldNews.com website: "We're going to get him the top legal representation there is. We are ready to fight."

Last weekend, BET News said Marcus will lead the team to get Banton off charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute just over five kilograms of cocaine. He was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration officers on December 10 in Sarasota, Florida, and charged one week later in a Miami court.

The singjay is best known for the 1995 album, Til Shiloh, and songs like Deportee, Untold Stories and Murderer. He is facing a lengthy prison term if convicted.

Among top 40 under 40

The 36-year-old Markus is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and has been involved in several high-profile cases. His success rate has earned him recognition from respected publications such as the National Law Review, which named him among the Top 40 Litigators Under 40 in the United States.

Since 2007, Markus has been cited as one of the US's leading criminal defence lawyers. Among his clients were Gilberto and Miguel Rodriquez-Orejuela, brothers and alleged founders of the infamous Cali Cartel which operated a multibillion-dollar cocaine trade in Colombia during the1970s and 1980s.

In February, he successfully represented Dr Ali Shaygan who was charged with 141 counts of illegally selling pain medication. Shaygan was acquitted of all charges, and he and his lawyers awarded damages of US$600,000.

Banton's arrest capped an eventful year for the Rastafarian performer whose given name is Mark Myrie. His highly anticipated Rasta Got Soul album was released in April.

A subsequent tour of the US to support the disc was curtailed by protests by gay groups which claimed that Banton's 1992 song, Boom Bye Bye, promotes violence against them.

This resulted in several of his shows in major cities being cancelled.