When I passed the bar in 2009, the economy was in deep recession, and the public defender’s office where I had hoped to work (and most such offices statewide) froze hiring. I hung out my shingle, temporarily, I thought. Thirteen years later, I have always worked for myself, never straying from my mission of defending the criminally accused. I have helped over 150 incarcerated folks, mostly lifers in California prisons, gain their freedom. I’ve guided hundreds more along their journey towards freedom.Read More
Assembly Bill 2644: Juvenile Interrogations Reform Bill
By Claudia Salinas California Innocence Project Staff Attorney Fellow
Picture this: you are cruising down California Highway 163 on a clear morning with your windows down, music blasting. You are driving to the gym, trying to hype yourself up for a killer workout to kick off the morning. Then, suddenly, you look in your rear-view mirror and see bright red and blue lights flashing. Your heart suddenly drops out of your chest and you quickly lower the music. Many thoughts race through your head: what did you do? What will the police officer say to you? And what can you do to expedite this unpleasant encounter as quickly as possible? The officer starts by asking you, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” You feel pressured to answer quickly and honestly. For most people, these series of questions come rapid-fire before you are sent on your way with a court date for a traffic infraction. The whole encounter feels like a blur, but you go on about your day.Read More
Settlement-Related Tax Issues that Litigators and Mediators Should Know About
By Aaron Hughes Hughes & Pizzuto, APC
Negotiations and settlements are an everyday occurrence in the legal profession. Tax implications are often overlooked in settlement discussions and negotiations yet often play a large part of the overall settlement.Read More
By Matthew Spolsky Ford, Walker, Haggert & Behar LLP
Veneeta Jaswal has known from a young age that she wanted to be a “laywer,” as she wrote in second grade when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. It is safe to say that this future litigator would be proud to see what became of her dream.Read More
You did it! Three years of stress. Three years of late nights hopped up on caffeine. Three years of interviews, internships, rejections, and successes.Read More
