MEET OUR TEAM

We provide our clients with seasoned criminal defense. We offer our clients an aggressive and exceptional defense through the entire process, from arraignment to preliminary hearing, trial, and appeal, if necessary.

Our attorneys, Austin Thompson, and Jesse Garcia, realize that our clients are normal people who, through a series of unfortunate events, find themselves in our office seeking defense against sobering criminal charges. We take the time to listen to the stories and circumstances that have brought them to this place and use those details to craft a solid defense on their behalf. Our focus is to help them move past their legal troubles and back to a place where they can begin to reassemble their lives.

To read more about Mr. Thompson and Mr. Garcia, please follow the links below:

JESSE J. GARCIA

Partner

Bio

For the past 49 years, Jesse Garcia has been a criminal defense attorney practicing in both state and federal courts throughout California and the West Coast. During law school, Mr. Garcia clerked in the office of the San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation's Mission District Office. After graduating from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1974, he received a Regional Herbert Smith Fellowship and practiced law with Legal Services in the San Joaquin Valley. He then joined the Alameda County Public Defender's Office in 1975. In 1981, Mr. Garcia moved into private practice and formed a partnership focusing exclusively on criminal defense. He has represented defendants charged with every crime imaginable, including murder, vehicular homicide, all drug offenses, sex crimes, and violent crimes of all types. Since entering private practice, Mr. Garcia has had the opportunity to develop expertise in white-collar crimes, including software piracy and commercial fraud of all types.

Mr. Garcia approaches each of his cases as a unique problem and fashions his defense based on each case's special characteristics. When dealing with crimes involving allegations of domestic violence or sexual assault, Jesse Garcia aggressively defends his clients. In his juvenile practice, Jesse Garcia maintains those same high standards with an eye toward restorative justice and rehabilitation. His large practice draws from many diverse communities. Mr. Garcia has represented clients with identifiable gang affiliations.

The diversity of cases has taken Jesse Garcia into federal courts throughout California and the Pacific Northwest and into state courts throughout Northern, Central, and Southern California. In almost 50 years of practice on the west coast, Jesse Garcia has achieved consistent success.

Bar Admissions

California, 1974

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California
Honors: Regional Herbert Smith Fellowship

Honors and Awards

Reginald Heber Smith Community Law Fellow, 1974 – Present
Super Lawyers of Northern California, 2010 – Present
Super Lawyers of Northern California, 2011 – Present

Professional Associations and Memberships

California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Alameda County Bar Association

Past Employment Positions

San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation's Mission District Office, Clerk, 1972 to 1974
San Joaquin County Legal Aid Society, Staff Attorney, 1974 to 1975
Alameda County Public Defender's Office, Assistant Public Defender, 1975 to 1980

AUSTIN M. THOMPSON

Partner

Bio

Once Austin Thompson is on your side, he takes immediate action to regain your advantage over law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys. With over a decade of experience as a criminal defense attorney, Austin Thompson has a deep and dependable knowledge of the law. His record of proven results and consistent dedication to his clients has earned him a strong reputation with prosecutors, judges, and fellow defense attorneys throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

Mr. Thompson aggressively cuts through the complicated legal obstacles in order to navigate you and your family through the difficult process of a criminal case. Employing top investigators and experts in various fields, Mr. Thompson uncovers all facts in your favor and presents them in the most compelling manner available. Mr. Thompson's trial skills have earned jury acquittals in matters ranging from misdemeanor to serious felony cases, and his impassioned efforts have also achieved dismissals and favorable dispositions through pretrial negotiations and motion hearings.

Mr. Thompson is the lead writer and researcher in an office known for its winning motions and petitions to the court. These written briefs win many cases on their own merits and avoid lengthy, uncertain trials.

Additionally, Mr. Thompson has handled hundreds of juvenile cases, from homicide to vandalism. He has won the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of property in criminal asset forfeiture proceedings. He has helped hundreds of undocumented immigrants avoid deportation based on criminal convictions. Mr. Thompson has also presented a successful oral argument in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, winning a significant reduction in federal sentencing.

While Mr. Thompson excels at working with complex facts and law, his focus remains on his clients' simple goal of reaching the best result possible in their case. By hiring Austin Thompson to handle your matter, you can feel confident that you are working with the best!