100% Confidentiality
Whether you're innocent, guilty, or somewhere in between, having open and honest conversations will help me to best advise you.
Education
Juris Doctor (J.D.),
University of San Diego School of Law
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), History
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Former Prosecutor
I was a Deputy District Attorney (DDA) in multiple California counties), so I know what it's like to prosecute cases, to work with law enforcement, and to negotiate with defense counsel. Understanding the behind-the-scene challenges DAs face provides a perspective and advantage for my clients.
Jury Trial Experience
It is risky to hire an attorney who lacks years of real-life jury trial experience and success. That's similar to going into surgery with a doctor who lacks surgery experience. Also, successful trial lawyers gain an edge in pre-trial negotiations with prosecutors and judges because of their credibility that they fight cases to trial—and win. I've at least gone to jury trial dozens of times—and won the vast majority of my cases (~80%), so you're in good hands.
Small Firm Model
If you hire my law office, you will be directly represented by me. I prepare your case and attend court on anything substantive. I take your phone calls and answer your questions. I don't pass the work off to less experienced associates.
In criminal law, hiring a bigger firm is not necessarily better. Many of the best criminal defense lawyers in the country have solo boutique practices or only a couple lawyers. Hiring a larger firm, particularly in the criminal law context, will often lead to your case being handled by an associate who lacks the trial experience and courtroom credibility that you believe you're paying for.
Cases Are Not Passed Off to Less Experienced Associates
The more cases a lawyer takes, the less time and attention that lawyer can devote to each individual client. To ensure that proper care is reserved for each case and that I can provide top tier representation for clients, I limit the number of new cases that I accept.
Fees
The following is NOT a guarantee of what your quoted fee will be; all cases require a consultation first before a quote is provided. That's why criminal defense lawyers never publish their fees online. But to be transparent and give you a general idea of what to expect, misdemeanor cases (including DUIs) typically range from $2,900 to $3,900. Complicating factors in a case could result in higher fees.
For standard non-"strike" felony cases or felonies without any prior strikes, fees generally start from $6,900 to $8,900. That includes representation through a preliminary hearing but not trial. For serious and/or violent strike cases, or cases with prior strikes, fees generally start from at least $10,000.
In either misdemeanors or felonies, if your case went to a jury trial, there is a fee—generally $750 per day of trial. But note that most cases do not require going to trial. Additionally, some cases necessitate hiring an expert witness or other specialized service.