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Los Angeles criminal defense attorney

Attorney Profile

Welcome to my law practice and my website! I love what I do, I love the practice of law, and I love helping people facing criminal charges get through what is probably the most difficult time of their life! It is a real joy to me to get people out of their legal difficulties with the minimum amount of exposure to negative legal consequences and punishments.

I think I'm really good at it, and pride myself on my ability to be the legal equivalent of a skilled doctor or surgeon with the skill, experience, and know-how to save people's freedom and even lives.

My Philosophy

My ideas and philosophy on how to handle a criminal case began when I was a young boy & my father bought me a book The Art of War, by Sun Tzu—the oldest military treatise in the world. Its basic philosophy is priceless—and it is my position that the same concepts that are utilized in this book can be utilized in the practice of law.

One has to know when to negotiate, and one has to know when to go to trial. Furthermore, one has to know when you have to make your adversary feel that you are ready to go to trial and they are in danger of losing.

One of the things that The Art of War taught me is that when you are dealing with an enemy with far superior resources, it can be a very immobile and unmanuverable enemy. The prosecution is often this type of enemy. They have access to lots of resources, but not the ability of maneuvering quickly.

As Sun Tzu taught, the best way to fight this type of enemy is with guerrilla warfare—and never take any enemy into a battle where they can bring all of their superior resources at you at one time. In a trial, when you are facing such an enemy, often times one must just attack a portion of their case. By doing this, you show that those witnesses for that portion are lying, and, as such, all of the witnesses are lying, and you can win the trial.

This does not mean that this strategy should be used in every trial. Every case is different, every trial is different. It is only with an experienced and knowledgeable attorney such as myself that the proper strategy to utilize in any given case will be recognized, to give the client the best chance of success.

That is why when one is facing a criminal charge, he should never consider hiring an inexperienced attorney or one who does not specialize in criminal law, for such an attorney will not have the knowledge or the experience that will come up with a strategy that will give the client a fighting chance to win.

Question Authority!

I was taught at an early age to question authority… I was blessed by having not only parents who taught me to question authority but also teachers who taught me that as well.

This has served me and, more importantly, my clients, very well in walking through a complicated and usually overburdened legal system that often cares little about one individual's rights.

Criminal law is often a matter of who shouts long enough and loud enough—even if it's 2+2=5!!! It's not about accepting the status quo, or the realities and events as presented by the Police or the District Attorney just because they say so.

In any given legal situation, whatever actually occurred may never be clear or known, but what you can be sure of is that there will be a District Attorney-Prosecutor who will put the very worst possible interpretation on the events, from the defendant's point of view.

Their interest is to convict you, and they will always interpret everything negatively as far as you are concerned. My job is to not let that happen!!! My job is to not allow the Prosecution or the Police's version of events to stand and convict you—I interpret the events in YOUR favor, and am not afraid to show strength and determination while I do it.

Some attorneys advertising their services in this field like to focus on the fact that they are a former District Attorney or Prosecutor. I'm proud of the fact that I have only practiced criminal DEFENSE and never worked as a prosecutor. Why would anyone want a criminal defense attorney who thinks, acts, and sees things like a prosecutor?

The problem is that when an individual has spent a significant portion of his professional life in an authoritative position such as Prosecutor or District Attorney he does not know how or when to question authority in the proper manner, and can only cower to the rules and the existing status quo.

One of the accomplishments I am proudest of in my life is to have earned the title of Criminal Law Specialist! I only do Criminal Defense, and have spent my entire life thinking of ways to defend people against criminal charges and to challenge authority.

Certificate of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law from the California State Bar

A Moment in every Case

Every case has what I like to call a "moment"—that time in the case when the Prosecution no longer feels that they are absolutely going to win the case and that they might be better off in settling it. I perceive it as my job not only to recognize that moment but to create that moment.

Ways that I have found to create that moment include extensive motion work, causing the District Attorney to feel overwhelmed. At that point the Prosecution will be wanting to find a way to get out of the case without having to do a lot of work so they can have an easy and quick exit.

Other times, the strategy will be by winning a motion that suppresses some of the evidence which causes the District Attorney to realize they will not have all of the weapons in their arsenal that they thought they would have if they had gone to trial.

Another way of creating the moment is through creative investigation and showing instances to the District Attorney where their witnesses might not be telling the truth. It is with these strategies and tactics that the best possible chance of an acceptable settlement can often be achieved.

Equal Justice for All is Not Automatic or Even Available Without a Fight

While I am very often impressed with the majesty and magnificence of our laws and criminal justice system, at times I am appalled, and after over 25 years in the field, still get shocked by some of the things that can happen when people aren't defended well and a client's defense file isn't worked properly and effectively.

Things can happen quickly in a courtroom. Many times, people wait to "see what will happen" instead of hiring a skilled criminal defense attorney right away, when we can be most effective (and for the least amount of money).

Prosecutors—and Public Defenders!!!—are overburdened and have large case loads. No one is automatically going to investigate a case properly just because it's the right thing to do when there isn't enough time or resources, and people lose their freedom because of it!

Clients often ask me what the exact end result of their legal matter will be, and I always have to tell them that I cannot guarantee or promise any specifics, other than that they and their families will have the satisfaction of knowing that, whatever happens, everything will be done on their case to work the file properly and get the best possible result in their case. Every effort will be made to ensure that the wheels of justice don't roll over my clients, and I will leave no stone unturned to defend them.

Contact Me Today for a Free Consultation

You can contact my office to schedule a free consultation about your case by calling toll free 1 (800) 972-1740 (phones are answered 24/7) or by filling out the form on the right. We have many offices in the Los Angeles area; you can also let us know if you would prefer to meet at your home or place of business. We look forward to hearing from you.

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