James Frank Pokorny

James Frank Pokorny

4.9
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 48 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at San Diego, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Aviation

1010 Second Avenue., Suite 2400, San Diego, CA

About James

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 48 years

State: California

Acquired: 1977

Inactive

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of James F. Pokorny

1010 Second Avenue., Suite 2400, San Diego, CA, 92101

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James Frank Pokorny's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

34 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (34) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 7 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Rod | April 01, 2014 | Criminal Defense

Outstanding and experienced attorney

Mr. Pokorny guided me through the darkest days of my life. I was facing years in prison and he was able to get me no custody at all. He was honest with me from the beginning of the case all the way to sentencing and he never lost focus of my case due to the length of it being 2 years. James understan...ding of the law and his attention to detail is unmatched, which was evident during my sentencing compared to the other attorneys that had no game plan and strategy. The biggest thing that stood out with Mr, Pokorny was his caring, honest, dependability and accountability characteristics. My family and friends were highly impressed by his performance at my sentencing. One more thing that blew me away during my sentencing was he blamed himself and took responsibility for some events that happened during the case. I can't thanks him enough for what he has done for me and my family. I was blessed to have an attorney like him on my side.

Posted by L.A. Jones | January 16, 2014 | Criminal Defense

Game Player

He will play you against his many contacts (DA, JUDGES, ) and Take the easiest way to keep you guessing. He will manipulate you into paying For what you would get with a public defender. If you catch on and ask him questions, he will get angry at you. He took my case which was gun manufacturing... and very controversial. Later in the case when i began to lose faith he told me he didnt know about gun laws or guns period. He took my money and quit on me. Nevereturned a dime. I got nothing butvhwn i paid up ahead.

James Pokorny

Replied last January 16, 2014

This client was a crystal meth and cocaine addict with a felony record whose “hobby” was to build assault rifles. He retained our offices when he got charged with illegal manufacturing of firearms and possession of cocaine. Since he had a prior felony conviction, he was also charged with felon in possession of a firearm. As time went by, he became more and more erratic in his behavior. He would disappear and not return phone calls, which made representation extremely difficult. He demanded that our offices lodge with the court improper pleading documents, insisting that he had done his own “legal research.” To make matters worse, this client accused our offices of collaborating with the prosecutor. He somehow was of the belief that we were prosecuting him instead of defending him. He became delusional as the case wore on. This was all the more bizarre since we had reached a tentative agreement with the prosecutor which would have spared our client jail time. What aggravated the situation even more was that this client repeatedly tried to contact the prosecutor directly, without counsel present. He apparently thought that he had sufficient legal knowledge to deal with the prosecutor himself. One wonders how he got into such trouble if he had such a marvelous understanding of the law? To compound the problem, this client got arrested AGAIN while his case was still pending in court, once again for felony weapons charges and drug possession. Because of this arrest, all deals with the prosecutor were off the table. Our client could not understand how he had ruined the pending deal, and instead blamed our offices for his plight. The situation finally was so bad that the court appointed other counsel to represent this man. Six months later, after pleading guilty to both cases, he decides that he has a problem with our representation of him. The reality is that drug addiction can cause a person to be irrational and paranoid, and this was the case with this client. He was his own worst enemy, and blamed everyone but himself for his legal problems. Our offices have received consistently the highest of ratings from Avvo clients. We have never received such a poor rating as we have from this client. It is important to keep this in context and consider the source of the criticism. If our offices were that bad, how would we received such glowing reviews from all of our other clients?

Posted by B. David | October 24, 2013 | DUI & DWI

Unsurpassed Service & Communication. The BEST Attorney experience possible IMHO

When choosing an Attorney, it really comes down to Knowledge & Experience in the particular matter for which you find yourself needing one. And when my wife recently got arrested for a DUI, none of the corporate Attorney's that I know would have been able to meet those requirements. So I poll...ed friends and colleagues for a reference. Surprisingly, more than one Attorney recommended James Pokorny's firm directly. I picked up the phone and initially spoke to Michele. She took the time to walk me through the process, set reasonable expectations, and even an initial plan of attack. She even recommended that I talk to a number of firms before I made my decision, and told me what to look for and ask. Frankly, I was so impressed with her knowledge and attitude, that I was sold on her personally from the onset, and I agreed to move forward. From then, the experience continued to get better. I additionally worked with Jamie, who coordinated just about everything there was to get done. She kept me educated throughout the process, got every question answered, and basically handled every single detail without flaw. By the time our case was finished, I felt like i had a developed a friendship with their team. In fact, what the actual Attorney's did in our case was almost a formality, as their team was so professional and communication was so virtually flawless, that it all went like clock work. As far as results, in the end they were able to get my wife's DUI dismissed, and we plead guilty to reckless driving. My wife and I felt like that was an amazing result which we were quite happy with. They, as a firm, had gone over and above to make sure we got the resolve for which they had hoped. To say that I would recommend this law office is an understatement. If you want a Law Firm that cares, takes the time to make sure you understand your options and how the process works, communicates amazingly fast and without flaw, and then goes over and above to do exactly what they said they were going to do, then you found the right place. And if you think this is a commericial written specifically about how great they are, then you are also right! Because I don't impress easily. Thank you Mr. Pokorny & Team!

Posted by Todd | December 07, 2012 | DUI & DWI

Job Well Done!

Mr. Pokorny handled my DUI better than I thought possible. It was dismissed due to a technicality - period, end of problem. He knew what to do and how to get it done. If you have a problem and want the best help in town - hire Mr. Pokorny. The old saying couldn't be more true....YOU GET WHAT YOU ...PAY FOR!

Posted by anonymous | December 07, 2012 | DUI & DWI

Extremly pleased!

Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are avail...able on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are available on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are available on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are available on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are available on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!Jim, was a life saver for me! I received a DUI and I was scared to death. Jim was able to get my charge reduced to a wet reckless. This saved me money in fines and shortened my probation period. His assistant, Michele, is always available to answer any questions and both Jim and Michele are available on weekends. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience with regard to such unpleasant circumstances. The fees were very reasonable too!

See All Client Reviews

James Frank Pokorny's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse James
Somair Syed Alam headshot
Somair Alam

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"James is an exceptional criminal defense attorney whose reputation speaks for itself. Recommended with complete confidence."

Adam Jackson headshot
Adam Jackson

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"He's one of the most well known and best in the field. I endorse this lawyer."

David Cameron Carr headshot
David Carr

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 06

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Jim is number one on my list when I have a client who needs a criminal defense lawyer."

Erik Richard Bruner headshot
Erik Bruner

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 27

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Jim is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable attorneys I know. He has taken on every kind of case there is and is extremely successful for his clients. A hard worker who produces results. I endorse this lawyer."

William R. Christoph headshot
William Christoph

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. I have known him for about 30 years, and he is an outstanding attorney who works very hard to achieve the best results for his clients."

Jeremy M. Evans headshot
Jeremy Evans

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 10

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Jim has the highest ethics and ability to represent clients. A pleasure to work with and very well respected in the community."

James Nelson Dicks headshot
James Dicks

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"This attorney works very hard for the client and keeps up with the law by attending legal seminars to assist them in this regard. I endorse this attorney."

Tatyana A Edwards headshot
Tatyana Edwards

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 23

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Pokorny is one of the best attorneys in San Diego. He is a super lawyer with extensive experience who is capable of resolving the most complex criminal matters and save clients from the seemingly hopeless situations where they are about to be deported. I would highly recommend Mr. Pokorny to anyone seeking to put their life on the right track and remain in the U.S."

Anahita Hasheminejad headshot
Anahita Hasheminejad

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 22

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked with Jim Pokorny on many Criminal Defense and Civil/Aviation matters for over two years. He is an excellent attorney who makes every effort for his clients and maintains a relationship of trust and honesty that is necessary for successful legal representation. I am a solo practitioner and Mr. Pokorny has assisted me many times in my practice, providing me with the guidance that only his experience of over thirty years could provide. I have referred my friends to Mr. Pokorny for legal representation and would gladly do so in the future."

Richard Paul Feuerstein headshot
Richard Feuerstein

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 22

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Jim is passionate in his work. He works very hard for his clients and gets excellent results. Not only have i worked with him in cases, but I have referred many clients to him over the years. He follows up with status reports, keeps the client informed, and helps achieve the best possible outcome."

Giacomo Jacques Behar headshot
Giacomo Behar

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 16

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. One of the best criminal defense (and aviation!) lawyers in CA & most likely in the nation! Whenever we have an almost impossible to solve unjust conviction case, we recommend our immigrant clients to seek Jim's help. He'll turn earth and hell upside down, but will get the job done!!"

Marc Darryl Mabile headshot
Marc Mabile

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 07

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I have known and worked with attorney James Pokorny for the past 21 years. He has an excellent reputation in the legal community and he is a talented and skillful trial lawyer. If I or any family member or close friend were ever in trouble with the law, he would be the first person I would contact."

Crystal Dawn Erlandson headshot
Crystal Erlandson

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 06

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I have had the pleasure of working with James Pokorny as a contract attorney for the last five years. James has been an invaluable resource and mentor to me as a new attorney. I have seen first hand how James treats his clients with dignity and respect in every case, big or small. He will give straightforward, accurate legal advice and zealously advocate for his clients no matter what challenges a case may bring. I am truly honored to have the opportunity to learn from James Pokorny and highly recommend his services to anyone who might find themselves charged with a crime. Whether it's a misdemeanor DUI or a federal felony any anything in between, James Pokorny will protect your rights and fight for the best possible resolution of your case."

Janice F. Mulligan headshot
Janice Mulligan

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. I have known Jim for over 20 years. He is brilliant, hard working and ethical. He helped a family member of mine and he did an outstanding job.I strongly recommend him."

View All Endorsements
William R. Christoph headshot
William Christoph

Criminal defense lawyer

James Nelson Dicks headshot
James Dicks

Criminal defense lawyer

Patrick Evans Bailey headshot
Patrick Bailey

Aviation lawyer

Anahita Hasheminejad headshot
Anahita Hasheminejad

Criminal defense lawyer

Tatyana A Edwards headshot
Tatyana Edwards

Immigration lawyer

Giacomo Jacques Behar headshot
Giacomo Behar

Immigration lawyer

Janice F. Mulligan headshot
Janice Mulligan

Medical malpractice lawyer

Paul Steven Metsch headshot
Paul Metsch

Litigation lawyer

Marc Darryl Mabile headshot
Marc Mabile

Personal injury lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2011

San Diego Super Lawyer, San Diego Super Lawyers Magazine

2010

San Diego Super Lawyer, San Diego Super Lawyers Magazine

2009

Finalist, San Diego County "Top Attorneys", The Daily Transcript

Work Experience

1977 - Present

Officer, Law Offices of James F. Pokorny

Associations

2005 - Present

San Diego Inn of Court

Member, Board of Directors

1989 - Present

Lawyer-Pilots Bar Associatoin

Member

1977 - Present

San Diego County Bar Association

Member

State Bar of California, Law Practice Management and Technology Section

Executive Committee

San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association

Member

San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyers Club

Member

San Diego County Bar Association, Aviation Law Section

Past Chair

San Diego Municipal Court

Judge Pro Tempore

2010 - 2011

San Diego Inns of Court

President

1999 - 2000

Lawyer Pilots Bar Association

Past President

1994 - 1994

Who's Who Among Oustanding Americans in 1994

Member

1991 - 1992

State Bar of California, Law Practice Management and Technology Section

Past Chair

1987 - 1988

Consumer Attorney Association of San Diego

Former Board of Directors

1985 - 1986

California State Bar

Board of Govenors

1984 - 1988

Lawyers Club of San Diego

Former Member

1983 - 1986

California Young Lawyers Association

Board Member

Education

1975

UC Hastings COL

JD - Juris Doctor

1970

Univ of California San Diego

undergraduate

Publications

1993

Dicta "The Real Truth About Air Crash Litigation",

1992

Practice Guide (The Rutter Group) "California Practice Guide: Law Practice Management"

1991

State Bar of California, "The Law and Mr. Finnegan"

Languages

English

Spanish

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