Experience

American Samoa Government

• American Samoa
• Government Administration
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Assistant Public Defender

  • 2011 - Present

  Represent indigent juveniles charged with acts that would be misdemeanors and felonies if adults • As the first specially appointed juvenile public defender in American Samoa, I have been integral in establishing the position as a vital part of the office. • Work extensively with the Attorney General, Family Court judge and several local government agencies to attempt to establish improved schooling and programs for juveniles in American Samoa. • Interface with Child Protective Services to provide necessary care for juveniles under my representation needing protection. • Successfully argued an appeal before the Court of Appeals on an immigration issue resulting, not only in the client not being deported, but ultimately all charges dismissed and the District Court reversing its stance that mandatory deportation was required under the statute. • First-chaired a jury trial conducted in two separate languages (Samoan and English) through interpreters. • Act as back-up District Court public defender, the court responsible for processing initial appearances for every criminal case in American Samoa and prosecuting all misdemeanors to completion. Show less



Walton County Government

• Assistant Public Defender

  • Dec 2006 - Dec 2011

  Represented indigent defendants charged with misdemeanors and felonies in all aspects of trial and appellate litigation • First-chaired several felony jury trials with a winning record, including two acquittal verdicts coming in less than 10 minutes of jury deliberation. • Successfully argued approximately seven motions to suppress, the only motion to suppress victories for any public defender practicing in Walton County during my tenure, including one that was subsequently appealed by the District Attorney’s Office and fully upheld by the Court of Appeals. • Successfully briefed and argued to have a case against my client dismissed on double jeopardy grounds when, after being acquitted at trial on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, he was arrested and charged with sale of marijuana for the undercover buy that provided the sole basis for the search warrant in the previous charges. • Successfully briefed an appeal to the Court of Appeals resulting in my client’s sentence being vacated and him be resentenced to 10 fewer years in custody. • Received the sole acquittal in a five co-defendant bench trial in juvenile court. • As the senior attorney in a high-turnover office, was responsible for training several new public defenders in case management, investigation, motions, trial preparation and trial advocacy techniques. • Supervised the work of investigators and other office staff. Show less



Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

• United States
• Law Practice
• 700 & Above Employee

• Associate

  • Aug 2002 - Jul 2006

  Worked closely with partners and associates in both the corporate transactions and litigation departments with a focus on complex business litigation matters in Federal Court • Involved in virtually all aspects of pre-trial litigation, including: analyzing documents for litigation purposes; interviewing clients and witnesses; researching and drafting pre-trial motions, including dispositive motions; drafting answers for interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for production of documents; and preparing witnesses for deposition • Conducted research and prepare memoranda concerning a broad range of complex substantive and procedural law issues • Representative matters included: protecting a Fortune 500 company against a hostile take-over attempt; defending against a shareholder derivative litigation, SEC investigations and white-collar criminal investigations by the DOJ. Show less



San Diego County District Attorney Office

• San Diego

• Intern

  • Aug 2001 - Dec 2001

  Aided in the prosecution of serious felonies. Aided in the prosecution of serious felonies.