Michael P Cognata
About Michael
Biography
Hello friends!
My experience started with the Los Angeles Police Department. Prior to leaving the Department for law school, I was a collision investigator. Essentially, documenting and investigating traffic collisions as evidence to be ultimately used in settling property damage and personal injury claims and litigation.
Later, I was a prosecutor for the County of Ventura. I now handle personal injury plaintiff cases as well as expungements.
Expungements (criminal records clearing), there is a reasonable fee for this service and in personal injury of course, no fees are collected, unless we are successful at negotiating a settlement for you.
So give us a call if you have a need!
Practice Areas
2
Practice Areas
30 years
30 years
Fees and Rates
Cost
Always
Payment Methods
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 29 years
State: California
Acquired: 1996
No misconduct found
Location
Legal Rights Advocates
4607 LAKEVIEW CANYON RD., 419, Westlake Village, CA, 91361
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Michael P Cognata's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
70 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 7 reviews | Punctuality
Posted by Evan | May 16, 2017 | Hired Attorney | DUI & DWI
DUI Reduction
A dui would have ruined my life, increased my insurance premiums, and required me to go thru hell. Michael Cognata was able to help reduce it to dry wreckless, which eliminates a dui and pay fine with no license suspension. I am from out of state and Mr Cognata was able to attend all my hearings with...
Posted by Chris | May 01, 2016
Much respect
Mr. Cognato helped me with some DMV forms at no charge, on a weekend and was very prompt about it. That's the kind of character I would be looking for if I were shopping for a lawyer.
Posted by anonymous | June 18, 2015 | Lawsuits & Disputes
Do not hire this lawyer!
Micheal Cognata is nothing more than a court appointed attorney, but will charge you $2500 to do the same job. When you speak with him he'll always call you from a private number, does not return phone calls, and has no concerns for his clients. He sent someone else to represent me, and kept me wai...
Michael Cognata
Replied last June 18, 2015I would love to address this review. As the statements within it are contrary to the way we treat our clients. However, this reviewer did not reveal his name, so I am unable to properly respond. I would like to point out two things that I see in the review. Firstly he/she says I call from a blocked #...then says I do not return calls. Which is it? Secondly he/she refers to me as a court appointed attorney. I am not a Public Defender. It is very possible that this reviewer does not know whom he/she is reviewing. In other words, He/she may have used the court appointed Public Defender, and as many people who do, get handed off from PD to PD and is confusing me with one of the PDs who actually represented him/her.....Whichever it is, I wish the reviewer well.
Posted by anonymous | June 16, 2015 | DUI & DWI
TERRIBLE!!!! Waste of money
My first phone call with him was great! He spoke to me for 45 minutes explaining to me every last detail and I felt he would be a great person to represent me. Never heard from him again until right before my court date. He said he emailed me the papers with the court info and time which he didn't...
Michael Cognata
Replied last June 16, 2015We never want a part of our extended family upset at any time during or after the representation. We realize how traumatic a criminal case can be for the client. Having said that, there are a few things left out of the review, which are important to know. It is true that I spent 45 minutes with our initial consultation, which is over double what it usually takes. The reason is because this client had some self-admitted mental health issues, which will become relevant later in this response. He has anxiety, paranoia and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), hence, quite a few things needed to be repeated during the consultation, which I was happy to do for him. But these disorders were likely the cause for his behavior which manifested on the court date he refers to. My goal is to minimize the inconvenience to the client, which is why I tell all clients not to go to any of the court appearances until I have completed my Dismissal Issue Investigation and plea bargain phases of the case. This client was no exception. This was the 4th court appearance on the case and I had completed my 4 point dismissal issue inquiry. Unfortunately he had no dismissal issues. So the last phase was to negotiate a deal for the client with the prosecutor. After the last court date, I notified the client not to appear and that I would update him with a final disposition report after the court date. He stated in the review, that I notified him to appear and then he states he simply remembered the court date and was not even sure that was the correct date. This is not true as I only have clients appear after I send them a full report of my findings, with an opportunity to discuss and answer questions. I arrived at 8:30 am and checked in on his case. The court clerk informed me that the Judge was going to be late so if I had other cases, that I should take care of them first and she would hold my case for my return. So I did. At 10:45 I get a text from the client demanding to know where I was and that he had been in the courtroom for almost 2 hours. I immediately met with him and it turns out that the client wanted to watch me in court without me knowing . I told him that had he heeded my instructions not to appear or in the alternative to let me know that he was coming, he would never have been waiting for me at all. Essentially this long wait was the client's own doing. Since he was there he wanted to complete the case that day so he did not have to come back, I negotiated the case and left him my I pad so that he could read a dismissal issue report I had written for him, but yet to send. While I was in court, as he stated in his review, he read the report and then decided to rummage through my calendar. When I returned I attempted to discuss the case with him, but he was having trouble getting past the fact that he was waiting around for two hours. I reminded him that he was waiting around solely due to the fact that he failed to tell me that he was going to be present and I did not know to expect him. In an attempt to finalize the case before the lunch hour, since he did not want to come back at 1:30, I did my best to focus the client so that we could complete the case. Since the client had no dismissal issues and the alcohol level was too high for an agreed upon reduction, he decided to plea to the DUI. The reason why it was so quick in front of the judge is because the issues and terms are worked out with the prosecutor beforehand. The Judge simply officiates in plea deals. I never want my people unhappy. When I read the review, I knew who it was and I contacted the client and tried to again explain why things happened as they did. I also, offered him a free expungement to remove the conviction from his record ($1000 value) in an effort to make him feel better. He did not accept. I hope that the client does well and has a great life and my offer to expunge is still available to him.
Posted by anonymous | January 06, 2015 | DUI & DWI
Greatful
I'm so pleased that Michael Cognata was referred to me for my DUI. You don't have to look any further. Michael explained everything to me. He will make sure you understand and know the steps involved. When I had to appear in person, he was right there next to me. You do not have to go through this al...
Michael P Cognata's Lawyer Endorsements
"Michael is an excellent attorney committed to providing the highest quality representation to clients. I endorse this attorney without reservation."
"I endorse this lawyer.I have read many of the answers given by this attorney. I can say that the answers are well done and give solid advice."
"I endorse this lawyer. Michael knows his stuff inside and out! If you need good results he is who you call!"
"Michael is an exceptional trial lawyer, and one of the finest DUI defense attorneys around."
"I endorse Mr. Cognata. He is an asset to the community and has contributed greatly to helping answer people's questions on this forum."
"I endorse this lawyer. A great advocate and fights for clients in court."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse Michael Cognata. Highly experienced and skilled attorney with a history of success. Donates his time posting very helpful and accurate legal answers in Avvo for folks looking for help. He is widely respected by his peers in the legal industry."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse attorney Michael Cognata. Routinely post outstanding legal answers in Avvo to help folks looking for some legal advice. He demonstrates a clear and excellent knowledge of the law. He is a dedicated professional who is respected by colleagues."
"I endorse this lawyer. A former police officer and prosecutor now working to protect your rights."
"I endorse attorney Michael Cognata. He is an active participant in the Avvo community posting accurate and thoughtful legal answers to individuals who have asked for assistance. This not only demonstrates his excellent knowledge of the law, but also his commitment to serving clients very well. He is an asset to the legal industry."
"Attorney Michael Cognata donates a significant amount of time using his legal expertise helping people who came to the Avvo community looking for help. This demonstrates a dedication to his profession and compassion for individuals in need. He is a valuable member in our profession. I fully endorse him."
"I endorse this lawyer and highly recommend his services to anyone seeking DUI/DWI representation."
"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"When you are faced with a DUI charge it is important to have an experienced and knowledgeable DUI attorney on your side. Mr. Cognata is well respected in the legal community as an excellent and experienced DUI attorney."
"Mr. Cognata has both the legal experience and law enforcement background to deliver outstanding results in DUI/DWI cases. I highly recommend him to any potential client charged with an alcohol-related offense."
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Experience
Honors
2010
Rising Star, Legal Rights Advocates
1995
Who's Who in American Law Students, Who's Who In American Law
1991
Certificate Of Merit, United States Congress
1991
Certificate of Recognition, California Legislative Assembly
Work Experience
1998 - Present
Lead Attorney, The Legal Rights Advocates
2004 - 2012
Judge protem, Ventura County Superior Court, Judge Pro Tem
2000 - 2004
Judge Protem, Los Angeles County Superior Courts
1997 - 1998
Deputy District Attorney, Ventura County District Attorney's Office
1989 - 1997
Police Officer, Los Angeles Police Department
Associations
2014 - Present
Wounded Warrior ProjectContributor
2012 - Present
Better Business BureauMember
2010 - Present
St. Judes Children's HospitalContributor
2008 - Present
Federal Bar AssociationAttorney Member
1997 - Present
Consumer Attorney AssociationAttorney Member
1997 - Present
Los Angeles Trial Lawyers AssociationAttorney Member
1996 - Present
State Bar of CaliforniaAttorney Member
1996 - Present
Supreme Court of CaliforniaAdmitted
1996 - Present
American Bar AssociationAttorney Member
Sample of Legal Cases
Case Rejected and DMV win
DUI dismissed to a reckless driving
Case Rejected no prosecution
License returned no suspension
Case rejected no DUI filing
DUI dismissed, pled to reckless driving
Speed violation and DUI dismissed
Case dismissed
Reckless Driving reduction
Case reduced to reckless driving
DMV on refusal won and licensed returned to client. Case in court reduced to a non-alcohol reckless driving (Dry reckless).
Reckless Driving reduction
Reckless Driving and DUI dismissed
Reckless Driving and Commercial license returned
Dismissed DUI charges
Education
1995
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
1989
BS - Bachelor of Science
1989
BS - Bachelor of Science
1989
Police Officer
Speaking Engagements
2008
DUI Seminar
2000
Professional Officer Conduct
Publications
2004
1997
Languages
English
French
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
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01 Apr 2026
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Legal Guides
Guide to DUI Penalties in California
19 Jan 2015
What to do if stopped in the future for DUI in CA
18 Jan 2015
Tips for hiring an attorney in the DUI field
18 Jan 2015