Candidate for
Superior Court Judge; County of San Francisco; Office 20

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

I was born in San Francisco to immigrants from El Salvador. I spent my childhood in the Excelsior District -- just a few blocks from where I now live with my wife and two kids. My wife is also a San Francisco native, having grown up in the Richmond District.

I am blessed to have been born in the United States. I am also blessed to have been raised in a household full of family members who were not born in the US because I was able to see firsthand the struggles that they went through to learn English and, in general, to make more out of less.

Coming from a working-class background, I have always viewed education as a necessary tool for progress and equality. I joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves immediately upon graduating high school in an effort to gain the discipline that I knew I needed to succeed.

EDUCATION:

I attended California State University Sacramento where I completed my undergraduate studies in just 2 ½ years. I then received an academic scholarship to attend University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. I graduated law school in the top 25% of my class and with a concentration in Intellectual Property. Between college and law school, I worked as a group home counselor for at-risk youth. It was an engaging experience that continues to inform my perspective on matters of criminal justice and the importance of family stability.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE:

At the outset of my career as an attorney, I worked as a litigation associate at Ropers Majeski during which time I handled various civil cases including: automobile collisions; real property disputes; construction defect cases; wrongful death cases; fire damage claims; wrongful eviction matters; and other intentional torts.

I opened up my solo-practice in San Francisco in 2005 to be accessible to more people in need of quality legal assistance. As a native San Franciscan I have always been keenly aware of the City's divide between the haves and the have-nots and realized that I would be able to help more people if I were able to charge less.

In 2007, I decided to temporarily shut down my practice and take a four-month, full-time, volunteer position at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office. This was a wonderful opportunity to jump right into the criminal justice system and understand how cases were prosecuted and handled in San Francisco. I found the work very rewarding in that I was able to provide first-hand assistance to people at their most vulnerable time. Following my stint as a volunteer, I began working with seasoned criminal lawyers on their cases and ultimately integrated criminal law into my solo practice. I have since represented adults and juveniles in a variety of matters ranging from petty theft to 3 Strikes Cases.

AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

I attribute my success as an attorney to my hard work, compassion, and passion for justice.

• In 2006, I became one of the youngest attorneys in California to obtain a $1.5 Million dollar settlement for the victims of a car collision caused by a drunk driver.
• In 2007, I secured a $100,000 settlement, and six months of free rent, for tenants who were the victims of San Francisco rent ordinance violations.
• In 2010, I secured a dismissal and a finding of "factual innocence" for a man arrested and incarcerated based on a mistaken identity.
• In 2011, I secured a complete dismissal of all charges for a man wrongfully accused of a heinous crime that he did not commit.
• In the years 2009, 2010, and 2011, I was awarded with the distinction of "Rising Star" by the Northern California Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters Publication).
• In 2011, I was admitted into the California "Top 40 Under 40" group of The National Trial Lawyer Association
• In 2013, I succeed in avoiding a life sentence for a man who was improperly charged under California's 3-Strikes law.
• In 2013 and 2014, I was awarded the full designation of "Super Lawyer" by the Northern California Super Lawyers Magazine. (Only 5% of lawyers in each state receive the designation of Super Lawyer.)

I have been an active member in the San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association for over a decade and have served on the board of directors for three full terms. For over 10 years, I have also been an active member and contributor to a non-profit organization called Amigos De El Salvador that raises money for orphans in El Salvador and provides scholarships to students in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been an active member and contributor in a group called Help McLaren Park and have served as a frequent guest speaker at local public schools and universities.

Since the start of my practice, I have performed hours of pro-bono work every week by giving substantive free consults and guidance to persons in need of help. In 2012, I handled a full jury trial pro-bono for a deserving young student from San Francisco's Bayview District.