Melissa A Weinberger

Melissa A Weinberger

5.0
Rating: 9.0

Licensed for 20 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Los Angeles, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, White Collar Crime

The Oviatt Building, 617 S. Olive. St., Suite 1015, Los Angeles, CA

About Melissa

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in California for 20 years

State: California

Acquired: 2005

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Utah for 13 years

State: Utah

Acquired: 2012

Inactive

No misconduct found

Location

TOUCHTON & WEINBERGER

The Oviatt Building, 617 S. Olive. St., Suite 1015, Los Angeles, CA, 90014-2729

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Melissa A Weinberger's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

8 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (8) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 8 reviews

Posted by Yannira D | March 14, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

I didn’t want to go to jail!

In 2021-2022 , I received a wet and reckless conviction, I retained an attorney just for the initial proceedings, including sentencing. After sentencing I was ordered to complete a three-month program, online videos and community labor. While I finished the online videos and 3 month program, I de...layed fulfilling my community service obligation. After a couple years, the judge expressed significant dissatisfaction with my non-compliance. At my last appearance before contacting Ms. Weinberger. The judge warned me that failure to complete the hours by the next court date would result in immediate incarceration. Understandably, I was terrified and sought legal counsel. I researched top attorneys in Los Angeles County, and Ms. Weinberger was one of the few who promptly responded to my inquiry. I explained my situation and fears, and she agreed to represent me on short notice. At court, I was impressed by Ms. Weinberger's kindness and calming presence. She took the time to thoroughly understand my case, which was a refreshing change. Needless to say I didn’t go to jail that day she secured an extension to complete my community labor. At the following hearing, despite extenuating circumstances that hindered my progress, I still had not completed my hours. Ms. Weinberger again managed to negotiate an additional extension without breaking a sweat .By the following court date I finally had completed my community service hours! I am so relieved and happy to be able to put it behind me now. I am immensely grateful to Ms. Weinberger for her exceptional work. Her expertise and dedication were crucial in navigating this challenging situation. Despite my poor communication with her due to personal issues, she consistently provided support and ensured my case progressed. I highly recommend Ms. Weinberger for her professionalism, empathy, and effective advocacy. Without her, I believe I would have been incarcerated. Thank you Melissa for your invaluable assistance.

Posted by Frankie | August 13, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Melissa helped me work out my troubles in a very wise way and I will be forever grateful.

I've been struggling for a long long time and from time to time I would become very confused and Abrasive............ to the point where I think it concerned certain folks........... Well, so I landed myself down in the County Clinker and thanks to a law office just around the corner from where I liv...e.............. I was referred to the very Gracious and Exceptionally Incredible work of a woman who navigated the troubles I was in with a beautiful sense of both Understanding and a tremendous amount of consideration for all the Parties involved............. I will truly be forever grateful and in the future if ever I have more troubles, I've got her on speed dial and I wouldn't hesitate.............. What an Unbelievable soul and Guide through some of the more difficult experiences that can become very stressful and painful............. I was facing 2 felonies and in the end I walked away with a single misdemeanor but an understanding that I needed to improve my Public Relations and Consideration for everyones Safety, Security and Sense of Well being............. I will feel forever grateful for the very Wonderful and Incredible abilities of Mrs. Melissa A. Winberger and her Unblievably Beautiful Partner, Mrs. Amanda Touchton who during my Trial was equally as helpful and compassionate............ Cheers to these Women with a such an AMAZINGLY GREAT sense of both Community and Well being for all............... I am forever Grateful.............

Posted by anonymous | October 28, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Excellent Defense Lawyer

My family hired Melissa to represent me in a case involving extradition across state lines, a complicated tangle of financial and property issues, and an investigation tainted by both a vindictive third party and a (purported) victim who had descended into dementia.  She was able to not only quickly ...break down and comprehend an incredibly convoluted and bizarre set of circumstances, but to effectively synthesize dozens of pieces of evidence and hundreds of supporting details into a compelling defense against a case that included both a felony abuse charge and two misdemeanor fraud charges.  I credit this to a combination of being phenomenally intelligent and having a great work ethic and sense of pride in the quality of the work she does.   On an interpersonal level, Melissa is also excellent.  She's encouraging, warm, energetic, and optimistic.  Also, she's never condescending and has proven exceedingly punctual and willing when it comes to answering additional questions as they've come up.  What's also reassuring is that she's very comprehensively informed within her areas of expertise and able to discuss these things with a confidence that's totally commensurate with this depth and breadth of knowledge. I almost immediately got the sense that she makes a point of continuing to stay informed about developments and emergent trends both within the area of criminal defense and within the law at large.  However, I never got the sense that she was being anything other than 100% honest about my situation and what she could do for me at any given point in the proceeding.  I also applaud her ability to parse the various cruxes of the case against me in a way that made my process of gathering evidence to refute the charges exponentially more efficient than it would've been otherwise. After my case was dismissed, Melissa also took the time to reach out to other professional contacts in order to explore potential civil remedies to cover the hardship inflicted by the ordeal of being falsely accused, jailed, forced to lose work time etc.  She also continued to provide valuable guidance in helping me navigate the process of cleaning up my records so as to minimize further damage to my reputation or loss of professional opportunities.  She wasn't obligated to, but she did it anyways because she's just that good a person period.  Hiring her was not cheap (it rarely is when someone is this good at what they do), but she was very accommodating and was more than fair in terms of billing and accounting.   In short, If you're facing these kind of accusations, I can't recommend Melissa highly enough.

Posted by Carey | September 09, 2015 | Hired Attorney

Best Lawyer in Los Angeles

Melissa Weinberger is the best lawyer in Los Angeles. She is very patient, caring, highly intelligent and saved my life. She will not stop until you are happy and satisfied. Melissa is great at making things happen quickly and professionally, answers calls and emails daily and will win your case. Mel...issa Weinberger deserves "Best Lawyer of 2015!"

Posted by anonymous | July 09, 2015 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Simply The Best

Melissa is Simply the best attorney out there. I hired Melissa in 2014 for a case that at first seemed simple enough but as we got into it, all kinds of wrong was going out there for me. Melissa helped me through the case step by step, she walked me through motions that were filed, evidence agains...t me as well as evidence for my defense, she kept me updated through phone calls, emails and in person meetings. While this case was going on and being continued Melissa never tired, was always energetic, she was upbeat and able to be positive of her abilities and of the system and how it works. Now in 2015, Melissa was able end this nightmare for me through negotiation and hard work. I appreciate her tireless efforts and investigation through this matter and am happy it ended with a positive outcome and I am forever grateful that she took my case.

See All Client Reviews

Melissa A Weinberger's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Melissa
R. James Christie III headshot
R. James Christie

Criminal defense lawyer | Sep 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I was asked to help find a top notch criminal defense attorney in SoCal. Ms. Weinberger was intelligent, honest and obviously well-versed in the law. Moreover she demonstrated sincerity and real compassion to the unique circumstances of this particular case. She is a credit to the profession."

Mark M Hathaway headshot
Mark Hathaway

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Melissa is hard-working, diligent, and unrelenting in the defense of individuals and companies facing serious criminal charges."

Karen Lynn Goldstein headshot
Karen Goldstein

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Melissa is the consummate criminal defense attorney--intelligent, aggressive, compassionate, and persuasive. I have been consistently impressed with her detailed understanding of the law and her ability to argue fiercely for her clients and to obtain amazing results in both state and federal court."

Debra Sarah White headshot
Debra White

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Melissa is a highly experienced criminal defense attorney whose brilliance and dedication are unmatched by most criminal attorneys I know. She is also passionate about the law, and has compassion for her clients. She is a true gem among attorneys. It is without hesitation that I endorse her."

Stephen Peter Jones headshot
Stephen Jones

White collar crime lawyer | Feb 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I've known Melissa her entire career. She's bright, talented, dedicated, and trusted. I look forward to continuing to work with her in the future and am pleased to endorse her."

Nina Elisabeth Daly headshot
Nina Daly

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 28

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer."

Mark Jacob Werksman headshot
Mark Werksman

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 18

Relationship: Co-worker

"Melissa is hardworking, caring and effective in her representation of our clients, obtaining excellent results in state and federal criminal cases."

View All Endorsements
Todd A. Bussert headshot
Todd Bussert

Criminal defense lawyer

Brian Edward Klein headshot
Brian Klein

Criminal defense lawyer

Mark M Hathaway headshot
Mark Hathaway

Unknown lawyer

Mark Jacob Werksman headshot
Mark Werksman

Criminal defense lawyer

Kelly Christine Quinn headshot
Kelly Quinn

Appeals lawyer

Stephen Peter Jones headshot
Stephen Jones

White collar crime lawyer

Amanda Ruth Touchton headshot
Amanda Touchton

Criminal defense lawyer

Debra Sarah White headshot
Debra White

Unknown lawyer

Stephen Amory Meister headshot
Stephen Meister

Unknown lawyer

Nina Elisabeth Daly headshot
Nina Daly

Unknown lawyer

Karen Lynn Goldstein headshot
Karen Goldstein

Criminal defense lawyer

Christopher Wren Taylor headshot
Christopher Taylor

Employment and labor lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.0 (Superb)

Honors

2014

Top Attorneys, Pasadena Magazine

Work Experience

2015 - Present

Partner, TOUCHTON & WEINBERGER LLP

2005 - 2014

Associate, Law Offices of Mark J. Werksman

Associations

2005 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Attorney Member

2005 - Present

American Bar Association

Attorney Member

2005 - Present

Federal Bar Association

Attorney Member

2005 - Present

California Public Defenders Association

Attorney Member

2005 - 2014

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Attorney Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Felon in Possession

Dismissed

Resisting Arrest

Not guilty

Conspiracy, Bribery, Mail and Wire Fraud

All charges dismissed (successfully negotiated Federal diversion)

Money Laundering

Motion granted

Domestic Violence

Case Dismissed

Physician charged with Federal Misbranding

All charges dismissed (successfully negotiated Federal diversion)

RICO Conspiracies and Drug Trafficking

Multiple overt acts were stricken from the Indictment

See More Legal Cases

Education

2005

Loyola Law School

JD - Juris Doctor (Law Review 2003-2005)

1999

American University (Magna Cum Laude; Dean's List; Phi Beta Kappa; University Honors Program)

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2015

Live Free Strategy

Implementation of Prop. 47

Publications

Languages

English

Spanish

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution