Successful attorney with extensive experience in jury trials, complex investigations, legal guidance, and program coordination. Excels at representing clients in all stages of litigation, including discovery, law and motion, and trial. Proven track record of coordinating complex multi-state criminal investigations involving organized crime, international drug conspiracies, money laundering, and white-collar fraud. Experienced in complex civil cases involving civil rights, personal injury, business disputes, breach of contract, and medical malpractice. Highly skilled in developing strategic programs and community leadership.
Professional Experience
United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California San Diego, California
Assistant United States Attorney, Criminal Division 2011 to 2024
- Represented the United States in magistrate, district, and appellate courts at all stages of criminal proceedings, arraignment, disposition hearings, pre-trial motions hearings, trial, sentencing and appeal.
- Supervised complex criminal investigations with law enforcement partners, including cross-border drug tunnels, opioid overdoses, international drug conspiracies utilizing wiretap orders, drug cartel conspiracies, multi-million-dollar money laundering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, unlawful employment practices, and insider trading. Other duties included, Drug Tunnel Task Force Coordinator, law clerk supervisor, and Pro Bono Program creator and manager.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator 2022 to 2023
- Supervise PSN Program responsible for reducing violent gun crime in the district. Regularly met with NGOs and law enforcement partners to determine effective enforcement, prevention, and re-entry strategies.
Executive Office for United States Attorneys, National Border and Immigration Coordinator Sept. 2020 to April 2022
- Provided guidance, training, and resolved issues for the nation’s 94 United States Attorney’s Offices on border and immigration legal issues.
- Provided legal analysis on proposed legislation to the United States Congress through the DOJ Office of Legal Policy.
- Created multi-state program to combat human smuggling along the Southwest Border. Created and chaired the Human Smuggling Deaths Working Group and the Southwest Border Criminal Chiefs Roundtable.
Trial experience: 46 felony jury trials, 3 felony bench trials.
Appellate experience: approximately 12 appellate briefs and 5 oral arguments in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement El Centro, California
Assistant Chief Counsel Mar. 2009 to Nov. 2011
- Represented the DHS-ICE in immigration proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review and Board of Immigration Appeals. Provided legal advice, operations review, and training to law enforcement personnel.
Gomez Law Group San Diego, California
Associate Attorney Jul. 2007 to Mar. 2009
- Represented civil litigation plaintiffs in wide variety of state and federal court cases. Conducted client intake, discovery, depositions, motions for summary judgement, and all other phases of civil litigation. Cases included, section 1983 civil rights, personal injury, business disputes, breach of contract, and medical malpractice.
Thomas Jefferson School of Law San Diego, California
Adjunct Professor May 2022 to Present
- Classes taught: 1L Criminal Law (Summer 2022, Summer 2023), Legal Writing II (Spring 2023, Spring 2024)
Education
California Western School of Law San Diego, California
Juris Doctor, cum laude Sept. 2006
- Published: Peering Over the Great Wall: Extraterritorial Securities Regulation and U.S. Investment in China’s State-Owned Banks, 7 U.C. Davis Bus. L.J. 7 (2006).
University of California, San Diego San Diego, California
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy Aug. 2004
Professional Activities & Memberships
San Diego Federal Bar Foundation, President of Board (2022-present), Chair of annual golf tournament (2022, 2023)
Federal Bar Association, San Diego Chapter President (2020), Chapter Board member (2016-2021), National Ethics Committee (2017-2019), Vice Chair of National Professional Development Committee (2020-2023)
California Western School of Law Alumni Board of Directors, President of Board (2023-2024), Board member (2021-present), Chair of Governance Committee (2021-2023), Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee (2021-present)
San Diego County Bar Association, Chair of Criminal Law Section (2023), Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Diversity Fellowship Subcommittee (2021-present), Leadership Academy Subcommittee (2021-present), Governance Committee (2021), member (2006-present)
Southern District of California Lawyer Representative, (2022-present)
SDCA Court History Committee, member (2020-present)
Lawyers Club of San Diego, member (2014-2018)
Welsh Inn of Court, barrister (2016-2018)
San Diego Consumeer Attorneys
Community & Volunteer Activities
Judge Pro Tem, San Diego Superior Court, Small Claims Division (2022-present)
Voices for Children, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for child in Dependency Court (2021-present)
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, pro bono attorney, Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic (2022-present), Guardianship Clinic (2023-present)
Reality Changers, Inc, fundraising committee member, program mentor, job shadow host, volunteer (2012-present)
Wesley House Student Residences of SDSU, Board member, Chair of Strategic Planning Committee (2021-2024)
Rotary Club of San Diego, member (2021-present), Membership Development and International Aid Committees
Crawford High School Academy of Law, annual program mentor (2016-present)
San Diego County High School Mock Trial Competition, annual team coach (2012-present)
SDCBA, Diversity Fellowship Program, formal mentor to three diversity fellows, (2021-present)
Project LEAD, annual elementary school instructor (2016-present)
Open Doors to the Courts, United States District Court-SDCA, attorney participant (2012-present)
Awards & Honors
Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Director’s Award for Superior Performance (2012)
Federal Bar Association, National Federal Younger Lawyer Award (2015)
Federal Bar Association, National Chapter Activity Award for Presidential Achievement (2020)
Letter of Commendation from Assistant Attorney General, Leadership on Inter-agency Working Group (Apr. 2021)
San Diego County Bar Association, Service by a Public Attorney Award (2022)
United States Attorney’s Office, Volunteer of the Year Award (2023)
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