For over thirty years, Steve has been successfully defending individuals in the Los Angeles area who have been accused of committing a crime. His long-standing relationships with prosecutors and judges, give him the opportunity to present his client's case in the best possible light and ensure that his arguments on behalf of his client will be heard. His credibility and reputation mean that he will be taken seriously.
Steve is the lawyer whom judges and prosecutors often call when their friends or loved ones are in trouble. He's credible, respected, and has over 45 years of experience representing people in criminal cases in the state and federal courts of Southern California and beyond.
When a client is innocent, no one will fight harder than Steve. He has investigators and experts available to help build the case and prove his client's innocence. He has an outstanding record as a trial lawyer, at one point winning nine consecutive federal jury trials.
When clients want to settle a case, Steve has the knowledge and experience to know what the issues are and how best to resolve them. Because of Steve's personal relationship with each client, he always negotiates and resolves with the client's priorities in mind.
Steve loves being a criminal defense lawyer. Every day he gets to help people who are often in trouble and experiencing a terrible time in their lives. Being able to help people dig out of those situations is very rewarding.
Although being arrested or charged with a crime is a horrible experience, Steve always tries to find a way to make it a positive experience. Many of Steve's clients keep in touch with him long after their cases are over, often telling him that they hated the experience of being arrested, but that it caused them to change some habitually negative behavior which they had not acknowledged prior to their arrest.
Steve published an article entitled “Busted,” about representing celebrities in high profile criminal prosecutions. The article was published in the American Bar Association's Entertainment and Sports Lawyer. Steve has also been recognized by his peers every year since its inception in Los Angeles Magazine's annual poll of Super Lawyers in Criminal Defense.
Steve is a recognized authority in the criminal defense field, and has served as a legal expert on television, radio, and print media. Steve has been featured on: The Today Show, CNN, CNN Europe, Good Morning America, Fox News Channel, Bill O'Reilly, Court TV, Celebrity Justice, MSNBC, Inside Edition, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Reuters and People, to name a few.
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Defense
- Juvenile Law
- Felonies
- Sexual Assault
- Misdemeanors
- Driving While Intoxicated
- Drug Crimes
- Homicide
- Assault and Battery
- White Collar Crime
- Domestic Violence
- Weapons Charges
- Personal Injury
Bar Admissions
- California, 1974
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California, 1973, J.D.
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 1970, B.A.
Classes/Seminars Taught
- Adjunct Professor, Pepperdine University School of Law
- Legal Commentator, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Local Television and Radio Programs, National and Local Newspapers and Magazines
Honors and Awards
- Rated AV
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Santa Monica Bar Association, 1992 – 1993, President
- Santa Monica Bar Association, 1987 – 1994, Member, Board of Trustees
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member
- State Bar of California, 1993 – 1996
- Member, Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct
- National Conference of Bar Presidents, 1993 – 2000, Member
- California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Member
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
Past Employment Positions
- Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, Deputy Public Defender, 1974 – 1980
Languages
- Spanish
Fraternities/Sororities
- Zeta Beta Tau
Contact Information
401 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1200, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Phone: 310-451-9888
Get my answers to legal questions at Avvo.com
Read what Steve's past clients are saying
Recommendations
- Dear Steve,I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate you looking into my situation and following through. It has been so hard for me to process and your guidance has been invaluable.
- Steve,I thank you for your competence, your professionalism, and the prompt attention you gave to my every call and inquiry, even though in the broad scope of the problems you handle, mine was probably a minor case. I came to you on the referral of a former client of yours. I will now be that cli...
- Dear Steve,The end of my brother's case is a huge weight off our parents' shoulders, and they are very grateful. I can't begin to thank you enough. I am eternally indebted to you for all you've done. Thank you again.
- Dear Professor Cron,We just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful semester. Though some of us were nervous about taking trial practice, the course ended up being one of our favorites thus far in law school. We really appreciate your dedication to the course and all of the interesting speakers ...
- Steve,THANK YOU AGAIN. You have changed my life in so many ways. From the bottom of my heart, thank you again for being a champion. You are a special man. I am so grateful you were willing to put your valuable reputation, relationships, experience and expertise into service on my behalf. Talk to ...
- View More Recommendations