Being a public defender is the most immersive and intensive way to gain a large amount of experience handling a wide variety of criminal cases and clients in a short amount of time. As a public defender, I was assigned to handle misdemeanor cases, felony cases, preliminary hearings, and arraignments. I learned the value of a case at every stage of the process. I filed hundreds of motions, oversaw hundreds of dismissals and pleas, and conducted dozens of trials. I represented clients with mental health issues, financial problems, and addiction struggles, and I developed an ability to empathize with my clients and learn how to advocate their point of view respectfully and effectively. I am a defense attorney because I believe in the fight. I have seen firsthand how people can be railroaded and abused by the criminal justice system when they don’t have an attorney who has the desire or passion to fight. I have seen how clients can be let down by attorneys who only go to work for the paycheck. While I have a respectful relationship with all DAs and judges and I understand the value in being amicable, I also know that in the courtroom my one and only obligation is to my client. When I take on a case, I commit myself to my client and the cause of all persons struggling against the power of the state.
