Proven Results - Negotiating Favorable Plea Deals

Armed Robbery on the UW campus

A young, promising student athlete was accused of a brazen, armed robbery in the Quad at the University of Washington.  The state's evidence was convincing, and the family did not want to see their son risk a conviction that would send him to prison for 3-4 years.  Our client asked us to plea bargain his case.  We were able to negotiate a favorable deal, and we argued that the local jail sentence should be served through "work release" - an alternative to confinement where a person sleeps at the jail but is released to their regular job during the day.  Through effective advocacy at sentencing, the judge imposed 5 months of work release.  Our client kept his job and was released just on time to see his first son born.  We hope to see him in the NFL one day!

Federal Gun and Drug Charges

Our client was charged with federal conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking (what is called a 924(c) charge).  He was looking at a ten-year mandatory minimum on the drug charge and an additional five-year mandatory minimum on the gun charge.  We dove into reviewing the discovery, the DEA reports and other evidence that the government would use against my client.  We found several issues, drafted a motion to suppress, and aggressively negotiated the case.  Through hard work and a firm stance on behalf of my client, we were able to convince the Assistant United States Attorney to a reduced plea offer.  We capped the government to 96 months (8 years) in the plea agreement, a tactic used to ensure my client knows what the government will be asking for at sentencing.  The judge sentenced my client to six-and-a-half years.  He was overjoyed and thankful that we fought hard for him throughout the process.

Aggressive Motion Practice

In a first degree murder case, I wrote extensive pretrial motions, including a motion to admit other suspect evidence and a motion to exclude ER 404(b) evidence. The judge based his decision primarily on the arguments and case law in my legal briefs. The judge ruled favorably for the defense on both motions. The result was that our client was offered a plea deal which would have him released in seven years, rather than the possibility of twenty years or more.

In a three-strikes case where my client was facing life without possibility of parole, I drafted two motions:  a motion to dismiss and a motion to remove consideration of strike offense.  After filing these motions, but before I ever got the chance to argue them, the prosecutor offered us a deal to resolve the case with credit for time served.  My client was released.

In a Violation of Controlled Substance Act offense (VUCSA), I filed a motion to suppress based on an illegal search under the guise of a protective sweep.  After filing the motion I was offered a plea deal of misdemeanor possession.  My client served minimal jail time instead of a possibility of five years in prison.

In most of these cases the mere filing of a motion has resulted in favorable results for my clients. Prosecutors often substantially reduce charges in hopes of avoiding the motion hearing

Effective Trial Attorneys

We are trial attorneys, which means we love being in trial.  Not every case will go to trial (in fact, less than 5% of criminal cases go to trial in Washington State). However, when our clients want to go to trial to assert their innocence, they know we are passionate attorneys that are ready to fight.  We have tried many serious, felony cases all around the state.  When we go to trial, you will have a prepared, organized, and diligent attorney ready to make the Government prove every single element against you beyond a reasonable doubt.

We have tried cases with complex mental health issues, skillfully presenting evidence of our client's mental health issues in a way that the judge and jury could easily understand.  We have navigated complicated medical testimony in a "Shaken Baby Syndrome" case, artfully explaining what each medical concept meant to the jurors so they could easily grasp the issues. In 2012, we received an acquittal in a self-defense trial after ensuring that our client’s story was explained to the jury in an effective way.  We have tried murder cases as well as other serious felonies, with victories and favorable results.  

Proven Results - A Passionate Advocate at Sentencing

Eight Counts of Bank Robbery

A family searching for help came to us in desperation after their loved one was arrested for eight counts of bank robbery.  They went to other lawyers before meeting us, and were told by everyone that their loved one would spend 40-60 years in prison.  After spending significant time with the family and client, it became clear that the client had a pathological gambling addiction that led him to become so desperate for money that he felt compelled to rob these banks.  We employed a psychologist to evaluate our client and obtained an evaluation describing the gambling addiction and how debilitating it was to our client's ability to make rational decisions.  We were able to aggressively negotiate the case, almost leading right up to trial, and the client was offered a 108-144 month range.  Then, we zealously advocated for an “exceptional low” sentence (a sentence below the standard range).  Although these exceptional sentences are rarely given, the judge was compelled by our oral and written argument, the circumstances surrounding the offense, and the many reasons my client deserved leniency.  The judge gave us an exceptional sentence!  Our client was released from prison after just 4 years.

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