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Client Services
Our Model
Our office utilizes an integrated defense model where each client's individual needs is at the center of all we do. Each case is staffed by not only an attorney, but in many cases an investigator, mitigation specialist, law clerk, paralegal, and an initial services person to receive the most comprehensive defense possible.
Click on each title below to learn more about their role.
Attorneys are the lead on every criminal case and ensure that the scales of justice are balanced. They appear on a client's behalf in court, strategize with the other team members regarding the best approach in the case, get to know the client and his or her specific life situation, review evidence, visit in custody clients in jail, and file motions, deviation requests, and memos. Our attorneys have diverse backgrounds and experiences, bringing their own strengths to each client’s case.
We also have attorneys who dedicate their work to certain types of cases. These focused areas include:
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Investigators are critical to any defense team. They track down potential witnesses, medical and other histories, look into victims’ histories, and work to understand how the alleged incident occurred according to our client’s perspective as well as the accusing authority’s perspective. Additionally, investigators do important work of recreating accidents in our vehicular cases, and assist in providing credibility and experience on the stand as expert witnesses in some cases.
Mitigation specialists ensure that each client is seen as an individual with a story and dignity by the judge, jury, and prosecutors in each case.
Our mitigation specialists have backgrounds in social work, and use their experience to not only learn about our client’s lives before the charge, but ensure that each client’s mental, physical, and emotional needs are being met while we represent them.
Additionally, mitigation specialists ensure that the proper experts are hired to testify in trial, work to present mitigation evidence in a compelling way, and maintain a consistent relationship with the client and their family during the course of the case.
Law clerks are third-year law students or recent law school graduates who help our attorneys by researching legal issues, preparing legal documents, and assisting them in proceedings. Because law clerks do not have their own case load, but still have substantial legal training, they can devote significant time to prepare motions and memoranda. They work in a collaborative environment supervised by an experienced attorney and use their collective knowledge and skillsets to provide the best research and analysis possible to help our clients.
Through their extensive training and experience, paralegals assist attorneys with trial preparation and legal research. Paralegals interact with various parties involved in a criminal matter, either by interviewing witnesses or maintaining contact with clients and their families. They organize, synthesize, and analyze a high volume of information to help ensure that cases run smoothly and efficiently. They provide analyses of legal issues and assist attorneys in the development of trial strategies and case theories.
An initial services assistant acts as a liaison between clients. They translate conversations between attorneys and clients at jails, at the office, and other off-site places. They also meet with clients one-on-one to discuss their cases and review complex case discovery, to ensure that clients understand their case and feel comfortable asking questions. All Initial Services Assistants have past experience in social service or criminal justice settings. This means they are well-equipped to deal with confidential and highly-sensitive information. On a daily basis, they collaborate with other staff members to provide seamless and quality client service. They are responsible for coordinating daily activities, preparing informal documents, and answering client questions about court procedures.