For the past 20 years, I have practiced law as a criminal and DUI defense attorney. I have represented thousands of clients, and I am well-versed in criminal procedure and the law. In addition to writing motions, briefs, writs and appeals for my clients, I have also contracted with other attorneys. When I started my legal career, I learned there were few secondary materials available to criminal lawyers. Despite the lack of resources, I realized using canned or recycled briefs was unacceptable. While there are useful secondary sources, I consider every criminal case unique, and I do my best to convey it in my writing.
I completed my undergraduate studies at California State University, Fresno where I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology. While I have always enjoyed reading and writing, I did not realize just how much I enjoyed researching until I had the honor of conducting scholarly research for my criminology professor. Due to a lack of information on the subject, our research centered on rural crime. Soon thereafter, my professor promoted me to editor on several journal articles funded by federal grants. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I volunteered and completed two internships with the Fresno County Public Defender's Office. During my four years at the PD's Office, I not only gained courtroom experience, but I also received legal research, writing, and investigation training while working on a first-degree murder case.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I attended California Western School of Law in San Diego, California. After my first year, I joined Law Review and I also became a teaching assistant for a legal writing course. I was responsible for preparing research and writing tasks, as well as editing law students' course work. During my last trimester, I accepted an internship where I wrote a number of federal appellant briefs, and drafted several motions for civil cases involving police misconduct.
I finished law school in two years and am a Cum Laude graduate. I was a member of California Western School of Law, Law Review and received the California International Journal Award. I received multiple accreditations, including the Academic Excellence Award in Legal Writing, Criminal Procedure, and California Practice and Procedure.
I am admitted to practice law in California as well as the United States District Court, Eastern District of California. After being admitted, I started my practice, where I concentrated primarily on criminal, driving under the influence, and traffic defense. For a several years, I contracted with Barker and Associates (NKA Fitzgerald Alvarez & Ciummo), where I represented indigent individuals charged with a wide variety of crimes, from misdemeanors to murder. I served as a mock trial judge and a guest lecturer for a criminology course, teaching fundamentals of jury trials and DUI trial techniques and consequences. Additionally, I have hired dozens of interns from California State University, Fresno and San Joaquin College of Law, where I train my interns the fundamentals of legal research and writing.
As a lawyer with twenty years of experience, I have written numerous motions, briefs, and petitions. My research skills and writing abilities have led to positive outcomes for my criminal clients, including the new 1473.7 motions. I also handled numerous complex civil cases. Civil law was never my primary focus, but I realized quickly the way to gain favorable results was to out-research my opponents. However, I took what I learned in civil law and applied it to my criminal practice, where I have successfully written and argued hundreds of motions.
As an advocate of criminal justice reform, I wrote my law review article on California's Three Strikes. "Strike One, Ready for More?: The Consequences of Plea Bargaining First Strike Offenders under California's 'Three Strikes' Law", which is located in 36 California Western Law Review 545 (2000). Numerous articles have cited my work, including the government in a most notable decision in the United States Supreme Court, Padilla v. Kentucky (2010) 559 U.S. 356.
