Marcie Lynn Gardner

Marcie Gardner is devoted to the vigorous representation of adults and juveniles accused of all types of crimes, ranging from complex murder cases to simple traffic tickets (and everything in between!). As one of the few attorneys in the area with extensive experience in both adult criminal and juvenile delinquency defense, her practice’s dual-focus has also led Marcie to develop a unique expertise representing students facing public school expulsion hearings. Through her juvenile practice, Marcie learned that very few attorneys were familiar with the ins and outs of the California Education Code. Because expulsions are occurring with increasing frequency, Marcie felt compelled to learn these procedures to help her juvenile clients outside of the courtroom. Marcie also helps clients clean up any convictions on their criminal record (expungements, certificates of rehabilitation and petitions for factual innocence).

Marcie has been a lawyer since 1997. After receiving honors for graduating in the top 5% of her UC Davis law school class, Marcie became an associate at the Los Angeles office of the prestigious law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP. There, Marcie was involved in cutting-edge, complex civil litigation. Her practice was geared to defense of corporate clients. Marcie balanced out her career with pro bono cases, including guardianship matters, litigating an inmate’s federal civil rights jury trial and assisting with the investigation and drafting of a habeas petition for a death row inmate.

These pro bono matters reminded Marcie that her true passion was to fight for people whose liberties were at stake. While grateful for the high-caliber legal work she experienced at the civil firm, Marcie felt her career would be much more satisfying if she could help people facing the prospect of jail or prison rather than working on cases where company profits were the bottom line. Marcie turned her efforts back to criminal defense, the field which she fell in love with after her first high school mock trial competition at age 16.  During law school, she worked for the Federal Public Defender’s Office, the Sacramento Mediation Center, and the Prison Law Office.  For the latter, Marcie advocated for administrative relief for prisoners across the state who suffered many types of injustices while incarcerated. Thus, in 2003, Marcie formed a Rancho Cucamonga-based criminal defense partnership with another attorney. For seven years, Marcie worked tirelessly on behalf of hundreds of clients. Marcie represented adults and juveniles facing criminal prosecution in all types of cases.  She also represented students facing expulsion proceedings in San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.

In 2011, Marcie opened her own law office, still based in Rancho Cucamonga. Just as before, Marcie practices adult criminal and juvenile delinquency defense work. Marcie accepts each case understanding that it is not just a "case" for her clients - it can be a potentially life-changing, nerve-wracking experience for each client. For clients who want or need to go to trial, Marcie pursues a "no stone unturned" defense. For clients who prefer to resolve their cases before trial, Marcie attempts to find creative solutions while keeping her clients' priorities in mind. 

Marcie has experience in courthouses throughout San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties. Having represented clients in these areas since 2003, Marcie has built a solid reputation and maintained good relationships with judges, court staff and deputy district attorneys in these areas. By retaining Marcie as your attorney, you know exactly who your attorney is and can be confident she will use her experience, reputation and training to your benefit.

Finally, Marcie’s ties to this area are deeper than her law firm practice. She graduated from the University of Redlands with a degree in political science in 1994, having co-founded the University’s first Mock Trial program and leading it to national recognition. A firm believer in community service and outreach, Marcie founded and became the first President of ieLAW – the Inland Empire Legal Association of Women. ieLAW is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated, in part, to advancing the interests of women in the community. In just a few years, ieLAW has sponsored numerous events to help struggling members of this community. For example, ieLAW has hosted holiday parties at a local shelter for abused or runaway teens, mock trials at disadvantaged elementary schools, and organized food drives for the needy. Marcie and this organization were featured in The Inland Empire Magazine in 2010.

Several years ago, Marcie developed a volunteer organization for students at a local elementary school, which she still spearheads to this day. Through this group, Marcie has assisted students in a wide variety of community projects, such as: writing holiday cards to soldiers; donating Halloween candy to charitable groups; funding a sick child’s wish through the inspiring Make-A-Wish Foundation; gathering hundreds of needed items for the Inland Valley Humane Society; donating hundreds of books, DVD’s and stuffed animals for hospitalized children; and donating over 800 pairs of shoes to the Haiti earthquake victims. Moreover, Marcie is a Board Member of a local Educational Foundation.  

These experiences have fostered a sense of compassion in Marcie which has carried over to her law practice to the benefit of her clients.