PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Highly accomplished, meticulously organized, and detailed Attorney with a proven track record of success conducting legal research, analysis, trial preparation, document review, and drafting. Experience providing counsel to individuals and private corporations has contributed to exceptional, broad based legal knowledge. Proven ability to logically and effectively analyze statutes, ordinances, case law, and factual data. Outstanding ability to be concise, complete, logical, objective and persuasive in both written and oral communications. Resourceful individual with an ability to anticipate and evaluate all issues to adequately protect clients, and complete projects producing professional results while adhering to rigid deadlines.
THE STRAUSS LAW GROUP, Los Angeles, California & Honolulu, Hawaii
April 1993–December 2005; June 2007-Present
§ Lead counsel or sole counsel in at least twenty jury trials with a minimum length of three days, plus at least two hundred non-jury trials/arbitrations. Attended over three hundred mediations/settlement conferences. Since 1991 have prepared and prosecuted to conclusion, either by trial or settlement, over seven hundred fifty cases.
§ Interviewed witnesses, site inspections, propounded and responded to interrogatories, document productions, inspections, and admissions.
§ Took and defended depositions, filed motions, argued and requested jury instructions.
§ Selected expert witnesses based on issues of the case.
§ Examined and cross-examined all types of fact witnesses and expert witnesses.
§ Met deadlines for pretrial procedures, trials, and appeals.
§ Managed a private law practice for over thirteen years, including all aspects of administration, accountability for profit and loss, technology issues, controlling costs, and achieving revenue objectives.
§ Recruited, supervised, motivated, and evaluated employees including clerical staff, paralegals, law clerks, and attorneys.
§ Panel attorney for the State of Hawaii Family Court, District Court, and Circuit Court of the First Circuit.
§ Practice areas include criminal law, personal injury, foreclosure and eviction defense, bankruptcy, transactional matters (negotiating, drafting, and review), and civil litigation.
OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, COUNTY OF KAUAI, Lihue, Hawaii
January 2006–June 2007
§ Investigated and researched factual basis of cases to prepare for trial.
§ Interpreted and applied laws, court decisions and other legal authorities for use in preparation of cases, opinions and briefs.
§ Prepared pleadings and other legal documents in connection with trials, hearings and other legal proceedings.
§ Conducted extensive legal research using independent judgment, discretion, and initiative.
§ Interviewed and advised police officers, victims, and witnesses in regard to prospective criminal complaints.
§ Negotiated plea agreements with opposing counsel.
§ First assignment was Circuit Court misdemeanor jury demands and Juvenile Family Court which included all misdemeanor and felony cases: Established contacts with all Kauai County middle schools and high schools in an attempt to establish a limited P.A.V.E. (Prosecutor Advocates Violence Education) program. Corresponded with Teen Court.
§ Second assignment was District Court. Vertical prosecution including screening of all criminal cases and traffic cases. Responsibilities included traffic de novo trials, petty misdemeanor, and misdemeanor bench trials.
§ Last assignment was District Court and Circuit Court: Preliminary hearings and grand jury proceedings. Circuit Court felony and misdemeanor jury trials. Circuit Court sentencing hearings.
§ “On Call” duties included communicating with police officers after hours and on weekends, and reviewing custody packages.
§ Trained Kauai Police Department (KPD) Recruits regarding criminal laws of various offenses and new attorneys regarding court procedures and computer technology.
§ Member of several committees such as Kauai’s juvenile drug court, juvenile justice, District Court, and jail diversion program for mental-health candidates.
§ Received training in sexual assault cases, trial advocacy classes, PowerPoint, KPD firearms (qualified to carry a weapon), and effectively dealing with difficult people.
ENSOTECH, INC./AER LABS, INC, Sun Valley, California
January 1992–April 1993
§ Directly responsible for all legal matters affecting Ensotech. Managed day-to-day corporate housekeeping, corporate expansion, and supervised outside counsel.
§ Oversaw insurance, risk management, legal cost containment, contracts and leases.
§ Prepared defense for all significant legal claims, disputes and litigation.
§ Supervised a secretary and legal assistant.
§ Performed a variety of legal services. Handled all in-house legal transactions with concentration on customer claims, and litigation. Played a significant role in all I.T. issues.
§ Corporate Secretary for analytical laboratory.
§ Organized the corporation and drafted the articles, bylaws, and minutes.
§ Responsible for all license, rules, and regulatory compliance.
§ Maintained the corporate records and executed corporate documents when necessary.
KAUAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Lihue, Hawaii April 2007
§ OCET Classes (PowerPoint, How To Effectively Deal with Difficult People)
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Glendale, California December 2003
§ Certificate in Aviation Magna Cum Laude (Scholarship Recipient)
LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL, Los Angele, California May 1991
§ J.D. Emphasis: Commercial Lending and Bankruptcy
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Los Angeles, California May 1988
§ B.S. Finance, Emphasis: Real Estate, Investments, and Entrepreneurship
§ Magna Cum Laude (Top 5% in Undergraduate Business School)
U.S. CENTRAL DISTRICT BANKRUPTCY COURT, Hon. Barry Russell, Chief Judge Los Angeles, California January 1991–April 199
U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, Glendale, California May 1990-August 1990
§ Hawaii, 2005
§ California, 1991
§ United States District Court, Hawaii
§ United States District Court, Central District of California
§ United States District Court, Eastern District of California
§ United States District Court, Southern District of California
§ United States Court of Federal Claims, Washington D.C
§ FAA private pilot’s license holder
§ PADI scuba diver
§ Working knowledge of Spanish
§ Piano
§ Candidate, 2003 California Gubernatorial Recall Election
§ Numerous scholastic awards and honors
§ PC, windows and DOS
§ HTML Programming
§ All basic software including word processing, Internet, presentation, e-mail, and research programs.
§ Available upon request
