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 - 4 of 4 reviews | Communication Style

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 | February 04, 2014 | Criminal Defense

Anthesis of Negative Lawyer Stereotype

Never Judgmental (Asks the Important Questions Pertaining to the Case, but Sympathetic) + Understands the Nuances of the Law (ie. How to Cover You) + Returns Calls and Emails Prompty (Even Though Busy Running to Court) + Prompt And Prepared for Court Dates + Willing to Explain Circumstances Clea...rly and Respectfully (No Patronizing) = Melissa Weinberger (Defense Attorney) Defense Attorneys were not often easily referred in my network as a Los Angeles college student. I picked her at random from the web, and the choice was a lucky draw. My case was a bit dramatic and involved a university disciplinary sanction and a charge by the police department. Throughout the process, (took about 3-4 months), she corresponded with me through mail, email, and phone consistently, as soon as there was new information available. She handled the case with complete professionalism, compassion, and dexterity. In the end, I got the most favorable outcome. To better serve someone who aims to hire her, in my demographic of 20-somethings who might feel more comfortable with a genuine advocate (sounds corny, but there is no better way to put it), as opposed to the stereotypical (sometimes rings true) loud and crudely assertive lawyer who feigns interest- you need the former, not the latter (as you see on TV). She seems young, but it serves as an asset, manifesting in more energy and commitment to the case. This Los Angeles lawyer gets to the heart of the charges, but bills prudently. For criminal defense, your experience with Melissa will be discreet, efficient, and skillfully handled. Under the umbrella of the the large firm of Mark Werksman, her office is in a tall highrise at the heart of downtown LA. The underground parking is validated (remember to get your ticket stamped). Her office is clean as well as the office floor. Although the environment looks very corporate, Melissa is warm and accommodating, which is very much needed when you are feeling anxious about the unfortunate circumstance you may face. With respectful honesty, no one wants to hire a criminal lawyer at the end of the day. In the event that it does happen, Melissa Weinberger will aim to cover you- pure and simple. No fancy language or sweet talk.

Posted by anonymous | December 20, 2013 | Criminal Defense

Professional to the core

It was a scary experience going through the criminal court process. Ms. Weinberger explained every step of the way, clearly outlined the various choices and paths, and made it manageable with the best possible outcome. I feel indebted for her exceptional care and support and would absolutely hire her... again should an issue ever arise. Her professionalism and expertise truly is outstanding.

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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  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
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