Education

J.D., University of San Diego School of Law

B.A., History, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

​

Former Felony Prosecutor

I started my career as a Deputy District Attorney at multiple counties in California. I prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases over the course of about four years (from misdemeanors to serious felonies), not including several clerkships at various prosecutorial offices. As a prosecutor, I worked first-hand with law enforcement to build cases and learned what it actually takes to prove someone is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. I also handled countless plea negotiations with defense attorneys. Having been in the DA's shoes, I can speak to what I found to be the most persuasive strategies and approaches to get the best deals possible. Seven years ago, I switched to the defense side and haven't looked back. But to this day, I still draw on the invaluable behind-the-curtain experience I gained as a prosecutor to help to my clients.

​

Top-Tier Experience

I have practiced criminal law for over a decade, handled thousands of cases as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. I have successfully defended murder and three strikes cases, DUIs, and almost every misdemeanor in between. I have also won dozens of jury trials and maintain a very high winning percentage, which I believe helps for credibility in pretrial negotiations with DAs and judges.

​

Competitive Rates

I offer competitive rates starting at $1,999, plus a capped flat fee if we went to trial and in-house payment plans (where I split pretrial fees into five monthly payments with no credit checks). Final quotes require a conversation with me first and vary depending on the type of case you have and the circumstances.

​

Small Law Office Model

Larger firms generally pass cases off to associates who often lack the trial experience and courtroom credibility that you believe you're paying for. At Rief Legal, I handle all the important matters myself. And to ensure top-tier representation for each client, I limit how many new cases that I accept to help avoid scheduling conflicts and ensure enough availability for you and your case.

​

What About a Public Defender?

If you cannot afford to hire your own private attorney, you will receive a court-appointed attorney. There are some great ones in the Bay Area. (In fact, some of my caseload is court-appointed work.)  However, you will not have a choice in which court-appointed defender is assigned your case and most have massive caseloads. I am selective in how many cases I take on to ensure that I can provide enough dedicated time and personal attention to each of my clients.

​

Office Locations

Within the San Francisco Bay Area, I primarily handle cases in San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties. I can meet with you on either side of the bay. See LOCATIONS for further details.

​

Video Visits

Want to meet face-to-face quickly without any hassle? With Zoom (or other videochat options), it's no problem. 

​

MORE ABOUT THE ATTORNEY

If you are interested to learn more about me in general, such as why I became an attorney, please visit my bio page by clicking HERE.