Experience
CERTIFIED CRIMINAL LAW SPECIALIST
Jonathan is one of only 358 Certified Specialists in Criminal Law out of over 176,000 California attorneys. He is the only attorney from Los Angeles County on the State Bar Criminal Law Advisory Commission which oversees the Legal Specialization in that field.
FORMER PROSECUTOR
For three years, Jonathan was a trial prosecutor with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. In a one-year period, he tried over 32 trials. Jonathan did not lose any of his last twelve trials as a Deputy City Attorney . This experience not only taught him how to assemble and prosecute cases, but also provided the equally important perspective on how to negotiate the best possible offer.
FORMER PUBLIC DEFENDER
Jonathan was a Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender for 5 years. He was one of very few promoted by merit to a felony III attorney within three years. As a Deputy PD he was appointed on thousands of cases trying 30 misdemeanor cases while maintaining a case load of over 200. After being promoted to felonies, Jonathan won his first murder case as well as successfully defending his felony clients more than two thirds of the time. The high case loads and almost monthly trials taught Jonathan how to handle busy calendar and navigate in a courtroom.
FORMER ENTERTAINMENT LITIGATOR
For 3 years, Jonathan practiced business and entertainment litigation in Century City for clients including: Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas, Tom Selleck, Richard Pryor and Michael Jackson. This experience taught him how to do complex legal research and write with force and clarity.
EXPERIENCED TRIAL ATTORNEY
For over twenty years, Jonathan has been in private practice specializing in criminal and mental health law. He has tried many difficult cases zealously representing defendants charged with murder, sex crimes, gang crimes and mental health issues. Jonathan has tried over 175 cases. This number includes over twenty-five murder cases. He has avoided convictions in almost 70% of his last 13 murder trial and has successfully represented clients in 80% of his last twenty trials.
EXPERIENCED & SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATOR
As a prosecutor, PD and private practitioner Jonathan has settled thousands of cases and obtained hundreds of dismissals while appearing in every criminal courthouse in LA County as well as every county in Southern California. He also appeared in Federal Courts in Los Angeles and Western Virginia.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
DRUG CASES
Jonathan has handled hundreds of drug cases involving marijuana, cocaine, heroin, PCP, LSD and peyote. He has tried over twenty possession and sales cases and succeeded with numerous motions to suppress illegal searched. He is an expert in medical marijuana law.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Jonathan has represented hundreds of clients charged with domestic violence and tried more five domestic violence cases.
DRIVING OFFENSES
Jonathan has handled a thousand driving offenses as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. He has tried over forty cases involving driving offenses including DUIs, Vehicular Manslaughter, Reckless Driving. Jonathan has also successfully kept client licenses at DMV hearings.
FRAUD & COUNTERFEIT
Jonathan has represented hundreds of clients charged with fraud and counterfeit.
JUVENILE CASES
Jonathan has handled over three hundred and tried over twenty juvenile cases in courts all over Los Angeles County.
MURDER & VIOLENT CRIMES
Jonathan has handled over two hundred and tried over forty five cases involving crimes of violence including murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault and battery cases (avoiding convictions in nine of his last eleven murder trials).
SEX CRIMES & PORNOGRAPHY
Jonathan has handled over one hundred and tried over twenty sex crime cases including rape, date rape, molestation, lewd conduct, possession of child pornography and prostitution.
THEFT OFFENSES
Jonathan has handled hundred and tried over fifteen property crime cases including burglary, receiving stolen goods and petty theft.
