I am an attorney who is passionate about defending people and the freedoms that this country affords them. From a very young age I knew I wanted to be a lawyer and I knew I wanted to be the type of lawyer who is in a courtroom as much as possible fighting for people and their constitutional protections. In law school I participated as much as possible in moot courts and mock trials which validated that my goal to be a trial lawyer was the right one. I also interned at the Defenders Association of Philadelphia and volunteered a lot of time with clinics and Public Interest Law groups that solidified my devotion to those people and communities who are traditionally maligned and underrepresented.

After graduating and a year of clerking with a New Jersey Superior Court Judge I took both of those passions to the New Jersey Public Defender’s Office where I represented people who have the constitutional right to an attorney but could not afford one. People who are facing some of the most difficult times in their lives, staring at serious criminal charges, but because they don’t have money or enough money now need an attorney appointed to them. My goal for these clients was singular, to provide the best legal representation possible. After many years as a Public Defender, although I absolutely loved my job and the clients I was fortunate enough to represent, I decided to make a change. I started my own firm where my focus is still the same, to provide the best legal representation possible.

I am also a current New Jersey National Guardsman with over 20 years of service with the U.S. Army. I was an Enlisted Servicemember for a brief time before I commissioned as an Officer and then trained and became an Army Aviator. I deployed and flew Blackhawk helicopters in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Joint Guardian, and many state-side support missions. I am passionate about the challenges many Veterans face after they transition to the civilian side and seek to be of service to them in any way that I might be able to, whether professionally as their attorney or volunteering time and information other ways.

Everyone who is accused of a crime is entitled to a defense. Everyone who I represent is entitled and will be afforded a vigorous defense. Those two concepts while similar can make all the difference in the case you are facing and ultimately in the outcome. I understand the stress and uncertainty that comes with criminal charges and the potential consequences that can follow. I also understand that when the time has come to make the decision to hire a lawyer you may feel that so far this process has felt extremely one-sided. That is why the first thing I will do is listen. I will listen to you so we have a better understanding of the facts that make up the entire case, and not just the inaccurate and abbreviated version that has been told so far. My commitment to communication with you will continue while we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the case against you and decide what the next best steps are. Those steps may include filing of motions or conducting follow-up investigations or maybe presenting those best things about you and your life that can mitigate the situation.

Ultimately, the steps may lead to a trial. At a trial is when most people first think of the constitutionally protected rights of “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” and “Guilt Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”. While it is true that it is the criminal trial which gives these rights more teeth in a sense, the idea that they just magically appear at the time the jury is sworn in does a disservice to clients. From the very beginning of my representation all the way to the end we will make sure those freedoms are front and center. Preparing and presenting the case this way with those rights at the forefront will always give us the best chance for the best outcome. And if and when a trial becomes necessary, we will be prepared for that too.