I can't express how grateful I feel to have hired Mr. Pearlman. He is an extremely experienced and thoughtful attorney. Moreover, I believe his long experience and reputation with the DA's office was critical to my success.
I was arrested for suspected DUI and multiple substance related charges. I was expecting the worst as this wasn't my first offense. In the end he got the multiple counts down to one possession charge leading to an informal probation which is so much better than I was expecting. I paid him a single very reasonable fee (not going to trial) and I always felt that I was getting a service consistently worth every penny I paid. I can't say that of other lawyers that have represented me at all. In fact, he kept to our contract without charging more even though the case unexpectedly dragged on for more than a year (solely due to the red-tape of the county).
I could tell that he really cared about my case and his office gave me the personal attention and time that I needed. He answered all my questions very promptly and professionally. Moreover, his office and administrative staff were just as helpful, polite and kind. They always dealt with any issues, paper work, court dates or appearances in a quick, detailed and professional manner.
I thought my career, life, license and professional certification were all going to be over & ruined. Instead, because I followed his advice and instructions, I'm getting a second chance and learning a serious lesson. I would 100% recommend Mr. Pearlman first for any criminal defense needs.
Adam Pearlman saved my future, he represented me for 3 months in Two hearings for a case that had to do with a false accused restraining order, the combination of him doing his job and me keeping a level head during testimonies + my witness and our synergy together allowed the Commissioner to deny the accusations, and dismiss the case. Adam questioned the accuser and the witnesses and made them all jumble their stories. He saved my record and saved my dreams thanks Adam
All aspects of criminal defense. I handle violent and non-violent crimes. I handle sexual assault and domestic violence cases. I handle all misdemeanor, felony, and juvenile cases.
29 years
CHARGED WITH A CRIME? CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED & DEDICATED VENTURA CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY TODAY.FACING A DUI OR DWI RELATED CHARGE? CONSULT WITH ATTORNEY ADAM L. PEARLMAN TODAY.
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by anonymous | June 28, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Amazing Outcome to a Horrific Situation
I can't express how grateful I feel to have hired Mr. Pearlman. He is an extremely experienced and thoughtful attorney. Moreover, I believe his long experience and reputation with the DA's office was critical to my success.
I was arrested for suspected DUI and multiple substance related charges. I was expecting the worst as this wasn't my first offense. In the end he got the multiple counts down to one possession charge leading to an informal probation which is so much better than I was expecting. I paid him a single very reasonable fee (not going to trial) and I always felt that I was getting a service consistently worth every penny I paid. I can't say that of other lawyers that have represented me at all. In fact, he kept to our contract without charging more even though the case unexpectedly dragged on for more than a year (solely due to the red-tape of the county).
I could tell that he really cared about my case and his office gave me the personal attention and time that I needed. He answered all my questions very promptly and professionally. Moreover, his office and administrative staff were just as helpful, polite and kind. They always dealt with any issues, paper work, court dates or appearances in a quick, detailed and professional manner.
I thought my career, life, license and professional certification were all going to be over & ruined. Instead, because I followed his advice and instructions, I'm getting a second chance and learning a serious lesson. I would 100% recommend Mr. Pearlman first for any criminal defense needs.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | May 12, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Saved my Future
Adam Pearlman saved my future, he represented me for 3 months in Two hearings for a case that had to do with a false accused restraining order, the combination of him doing his job and me keeping a level head during testimonies + my witness and our synergy together allowed the Commissioner to deny the accusations, and dismiss the case. Adam questioned the accuser and the witnesses and made them all jumble their stories. He saved my record and saved my dreams thanks Adam
Read less
Posted by anonymous | October 28, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Successful twice for me.
Adam had all charges dropped for me back in 2008 and got 3 misdemeanor charges reduced to one infraction where I only had to pay a fine this year (2015). The way he works is different from other lawyers I have had, so my advice would be not to constantly bug him about your case. He WILL take care of you, you just need to let him do his thing. Do not be foolish and go with a public defender.
Thanks again Adam, you are truly one of the best in the area.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | June 25, 2015
My Review of Mr. Adam Pearlman:
Mr Adam Pearlman represented me for a bizarre Temporary Restraining Order petition against me (Dec-May, 2015) by an illegal foreign student. I had a very positive experience with him and his law office. Throughout several court hearings, Mr Pearlman guided me step-by -step for preparations and court appearances in an organized fashion. He asked good questions from the witnesses and his examination of the petitioner was powerful/winning during the hearings. He made strong/effective arguments, in the court, against the petitioner's attorney and in his closing statement in an articulate manner. We won the case decisively as a result of his performance/guidance, my comprehensive response, testimony and my witnesses' testimony.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | June 8, 2015
Services
Adam is the only lawyer I would hire. Used him twice and he is the best.
Posted by anonymous | January 27, 2012
Adam Pearlman is the best Criminal Defense Atty for many reasons!!!
Mr. Pearlman is a expert at strategic defenses. He has handled too many
cases for my son sad to admit. However I can say this each and every
case was handled with care, compassion but most importantly we got the
results needed every time!!!!
Posted by Charlene | January 4, 2012
Knowledgeable, Honest, and Experienced Legal Representative
This was my first time hiring a lawyer to represent me in court. I was facing a misdemeanor charge at the time and decided to have Mr. Pearlman help me with my case. I knew very little about the criminal justice system and the overall court process was very intimidating to me. Mr. Pearlman's legal services helped me out in many ways. First of all, he was honest with me about my case and about everything he was doing with my case. I felt like I could trust him and never felt as if I was going to be scammed in any way. Secondly, he had more than enough experience with the criminal justice system. He was able to inform me on various details, like what I should do at the time, what to expect, best-case outcome versus worst-case outcome, etc. Finally, Mr. Pearlman was very responsive and always got back to me in a timely manner. The people who worked in the office were very helpful as well. There was never an issue left unaddressed. I had the opportunity to have peace of mind the entire time and, most importantly, win my case. I suppose the only downside was that it cost money, but even that was manageable since I was able to make payments on the services. If anyone were to ask me for any recommendations for a lawyer, I would definitely recommend Mr. Pearlman.
Read less
Posted by Jeff | January 1, 2012
Adam Pearlman the best there is !
I hired Adam almost 2 years ago after I was arrested for a DUI with a BAC of .30+. How it happened was my girlfriend and I were driving down the road when we got 2 flats, she was driving and did not have a license, I called for a tow, in the meantime CHP showed up and ask if I was driving, I said yes not knowing what could happen to her who has no license, so off to jail I went, I called Adam to handle my case, I asked if he thought we could win this case if we took it to trial he said you have a chance so I took the chance and 18 months later the DA dismissed the case and no trial. Adam worked with the D.A's office for years and knows the system and thats why I hired him. Thank You Adam.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 22, 2011
Exceptional Respresentation
Adam is an exceptional attorney. Responsive and professional, he truly helped me with a challenging case. He cares about his clients and helps to get the best outcome. I am grateful for Adam as is my family.
Posted by Michael | December 22, 2011
Don't take a plea
From the start I stated I would not take a plea bargain. From there on we followed the process. It's interesting that when you take a case up to the moment before trial that the DA will finally take your case seriously and decide if they want to proceed. That is was I was instructed to do and that's what happened, the case ended in a Dismissal, furthermore I received all my seized property back, which included firearms.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 21, 2011
Solid Representation in your time of need.
Knowledgable, and Adam knows the Ventura County Court System and it's personnel well. I liked the fact that he had worked with the Ventura County D. A.'s office for many years before going into private practice. My case was dismissed, as it should have been, but a scary process nonetheless and it gave me confidence to have Adam representing me.
Read less
Posted by John | December 21, 2011
I highly recommend Mr. Pearlman!
Mr. Pearlman was not only knowledgable and trustworthy, but also highly effective! Thank you Mr Pearlman for your expert services.
Posted by anonymous | June 25, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Efficient
I enjoyed working with Mr. Pearlman on my petty theft case because he got the job done with no hassles, and he's fairly priced. But, he didn't necessarily get me the results I wanted. He got me informal probation for 3 years. I don't know if he had the option for what I wanted, and I'm sure with good behavior I'll get off probation early, but I was hoping for 6-18 months initially.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 5, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Misrepresented Services
The circumstances of my case were such that they required a minor level of effort to approach the nuances of the situation. From my conversations with other Santa Barbara lawyers, in my first case he could have pushed for a better decision through increased communication and effort with the District Attorney. When I received a DUI, a more serious offense than my first charge, he was misleading in his role as an attorney. I did the required programs through Zona Seca and participated actively in all activities as dictated by the Santa Barbara Superior Court. After all of that, I was told by the DMV that I had to spend another 16 months at Zona Seca before I could get my license despite legal decisions surrounding my case. Pearlman was non-responsive on multiple occasions even after I had become aware of this information. When I finally got in contact with him, he informed me that I had no options other than to take the non-legally dictated decision of another 16 months at Zona Seca. In that same vein, he offered no legal advice nor action to approach or alter the decision, which was eventually determined to be a simple clerical error. Through other local Santa Barbara attorneys, I was luckily able to get the legal support I deserved. They were able to draft me a writ certiorari for a nominal price and worked to ensure I had my license back within a few months. The lack of Pearlman's willingness to help rectify my situation was remarkable. Had I not worked with other great attorneys in Santa Barbara, I would have been under the impression that I had no other options and was hopeless in responding the inadequacies of the DMV. If you have any nuances or complex components to your DUI, I would highly advise you continue to do your research and look elsewhere for consultation.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 12, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Please consult with multiple lawyers first
I contacted Mr. Pearlman due to being arrested after I was assaulted. I had no prior record and was the victim in this case looking at felony assault charges on myself and the other party. Mr. Pearlman assured the case would get dropped because of circumstances that I was the victim and assured me he knew people in D.A. Office to help expedite this matter. I gave him the retainer fee and signed paperwork. The day of my trial he was late and did not show on time before the judge to address my case. The case was dropped none of which was addressed by Mr. Pearlman to the courts. I emailed Mr. Pearlman that he did not represent me in court like he said, nor did he make any kind of reasonable attempt to discuss getting this arrest taken off my record like we discussed during consultation. Mr.Pearlman wanted more money to discuss helping me get the arrest taken off my record, which I found out fromD.A. Office I could do on my own without a lawyer or fee needed. Mr. Pearlman had poor communication with me following retainer fee received and contract signed. His office assistant was the only professional in this whole situation. She was lovely. Thanks to Mr. Pearlman I now feel like I was victimized twice. Please consider many other lawyers that hold true to their word that will show up to your court date. A phone call to someone he may or may not have known was never verified nor did it help my case. Mr. Pearlman knew it would get dismissed and took my money anyway without making much effort.
Read less
Response from Adam PearlmanDecember 13, 2016
I was able to convince the DA's Office not to file charges against this client. This client got the best result possible - no charges were ever filed. When a case is not filed it is not in court, therefore I did not go to court since the case was not there to appear on. When this client called about getting the arrest taken off his/her record I explained that the process is called a motion for factual innocence. This process requires gathering statements from witnesses, writing a motion and having a hearing to prove to a Judge that the client was factually innocent. I have successfully prosecuted this type of motion and it takes about 20-30 hours to accomplish. So I quoted the client the price that I charge to do such work.
I have no idea why this person is upset since he/she got the best possible outcome.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | October 14, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Not Experienced in Fed Cases
We hired Mr. Pearlman to attend a bail hearing for a federal case. I made sure he was familiar with the system and he assured me he was.
On the way to the court hearing he was calling his friends in the area asking how 'it works' and trying to get any info that would help him.
Once at the hearing, he clearly was in over his head and did not know what he was doing. He stuttered and didn't fight the case. He refused to listen to us and present crucial information for the judge to make his decision.
Mr. Pearlmans office charged me for phone calls that were not pertaining to myself or our case and way over charged.
Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.
What determines Avvo Rating?
Experience & background
Years licensed, work experience, education
Legal community recognition
Peer endorsements, associations, awards
Legal thought leadership
Publications, speaking engagements
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.
Criminal defense Attorney | Jun 20
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"Mr. Pearlman has an excellent reputation in Ventura county, knows the law, and knows the characters (judges and prosecutors) that can impact a client's case. I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | May 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Adam works hard for his clients. When you are charged with a crime you want an experienced DUI or criminal defense attorney on your side. Adam has the courtroom experience you need. I endorse Adam."
Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 24
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Pearlman provides thoughtful, educated and experienced answers to the questions provided herein. Attorney Pearlman provides a needed service by providing voluntary and free legal assistance to the individuals herein who are in need of immediate legal answers."
DUI and DWI Attorney | Feb 27
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse Adam Pearlman. He is a very experienced criminal defense attorney and served as a prosecutor for many years in Ventura County. He is well respected by prosecutors in Santa Barbara County and obtains exceptional results for his clients."
Criminal defense Attorney | Jan 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I highly recommend this attorney. Very intelligent and very thorough when analyzing legal issues! Compassionate with clients and aggressive with legal issues! 5 STARS!!"
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 15
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer. . Attorney Pearlman is an outstanding attorney with an exceptional reputation. He is a strong and zealous advocate for hisr clients and true credit to the legal profession. I highly recommend his legal services."
Criminal defense Attorney | Jan 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Adam is an extremely knowledgeable, hardworking criminal defense attorney. He fights hard and, most importantly, he gets great results for his client. Adam and I have worked on a number of criminal cases together and I have been very impressed by his professionalism and dedication to his clients."
Criminal defense Attorney | Dec 10
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Pearlman is one of the finest criminal defense attorneys in the US and the best in California. If I needed a criminal defense attorney in CA he is the one I would call."
Criminal defense Attorney | Dec 24
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Pearlman is a fantastic attorney. He is extremely knowledgable and has a fantastic relationship with the local community. I recommend him without hesitation."
DUI and DWI Attorney | Nov 15
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Pearlman has shown as a member of the National College for DUI Defense that he is committed to providing cutting edge DUI defense. The National DUI College members represent the most experienced DUI defense attorneys in the country. If you are charged with a DUI, a general practice lawyer is not the answer. Good DUI defense is hard work and few offenses in our court system call for greater attorney expertise than cases involving driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. DUI cases are especially complex because they require defense counsel to understand BOTH scientific and legal issues. As a fellow member of the College, if you are looking for exceptional representation, I would not hesitate to recommend Adam Pearlman"