Asit S Panwala

Asit S Panwala

4.9
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 25 years

Criminal defense Lawyer Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence, DUI & DWI ... +2 more
This attorney is currently not accepting new clients.
Reason: Not Practicing

About Asit

Biography

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 40%

Assaults, Weapon possession, Sexual Assault, Homicide, Child molestation

26 years | 5,000 cases

40%
DUI and DWI 20%

allegations of driving under the influence or intoxicated, driving with suspended license, vehicular manslaughter.

26 years | 250 cases

20%
Domestic Violence 20%

criminal allegations of assault, battery, violation of stay away, and threats

26 years | 1,000 cases

20%
Sex Crime 10%

26 years | 500 cases

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in California for 23 years

State: California

Acquired: 2003

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in New York for 25 years

State: New York

Acquired: 2000

Currently Registered

No misconduct found

Location

No contact information is available for this lawyer

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Asit S Panwala's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

39 Client Reviews

Showing 1 - 5 of 14 reviews | Criminal Defense

Posted by anonymous | October 24, 2018 | Criminal Defense

So very kind, honest and understanding

I called Asit because I was arrested. He listened to me and asked questions about my case. I was scared to call a lawyer because I have never had to have one before. And I am glad I called him. His advice was clear and precise. He was honest and was not judgemental. Thank you for taking the time to t...alk to me!

Posted by anonymous | November 23, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

If you are in a tough spot, Asit is the man to help you

Life can throw a wrench in your plans. My ex-wife abused me for 2 years - physically and mentally. Unknown to me, she had been recording things going on in the marriage. One day while going to work, I was confronted by cops and arrested for Domestic Violence. Asit was recommended to me by an acquaint...ance. Asit was my top choice but he was very upfront and mentioned that he had an upcoming trial. I decided to go with another lawyer. 6 months into it, the case was still dragging with no progress. I reached out to Asit to get his professional opinion. We set up a consultation and Asit was extremely professional. He asked for my police records and relevant discovery. Prior to our conversation, Asit had gone through all the details of the case. In that 1 hour discussion, I felt he knew my case details better than my existing attorney. I switched to Asit as my attorney. Asit is very meticulous, hardworking and professional. He expedited the case by filing motions to compel to get discovery. He spent multiple hours with me to go over case details and really internalized them. I decided to go to trial as I was innocent and was confident I could prove it to the Jury. Asit spent multiple hours in preparing for the trial. He prepared me for a direct and cross. He had questions prepared for each key witness. He had evidence and exhibits organized such that they could be used during the trial. Asit personally went to the homes of my character witnesses to prepare them. Asit's thoroughness gave me a lot of confidence to go to trial with him representing me. When the trial started, Asit made a very powerful opening statement summarizing the key points of the case and why we had such a strong foundation to win. The next morning, the DA came to trial and tried to make a case for mistrial. The judge did not agree and arm-twisted the DA to agree to a lenient plea bargain. At this point Asit made a very clear case to me on the risks vs reward of accepting the plea and recommended I accept. In summary, Asit is an excellent attorney. He takes pride in his profession and really cares about his clients, which drives him to go the extra mile to win their case. His legal knowledge and detail oriented approach gave me comfort and confidence in this extremely stressful experience. I would recommend Asit in a heartbeat to anyone who might need his services.

Posted by Christian | February 20, 2017 | Criminal Defense

Great consulting

I just called Asit for some advice on how to handle some assault charges that happened in Arizona. He told me right away he couldn't help me because it occurred out of state but he sat on the phone with me for about 20-30mins telling me all the steps I should take and giving me great advice On how to... move forward on the process. I've called over 10 lawyers and they didn't really help out any so it was great that asit helped out as much as he did and I can tell he genuinely cares about his clients.

Posted by Sola Ogundeji | August 25, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Super Hero Lawyer

I has spoken to so many lawyers, but when I finally spoke to Asit he was honest supportive and assertive. He would call to check up on me make sure I was doing well like health-wise I've never had an attorney that I felt like genuinely cared. I was facing probation revocation from some false allegati...ons from my child's mom. There were domestic violence restraining orders in place it was a mess. Asit was always calm and made me have a clear understanding of everything surrounding my case. He also gets a lot of respect in the court room his presence definitely doesn't go unnoticed. we prevailed in the end on the day of trial probation withdrew their motion to revocate and all restraining orders were taken away. I still stay in contact Asit and I feel like I gained a friend as well as a Super Lawyer!

Posted by Dharam | August 10, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Great Attorney !

Asit is one of the finest attorneys you can find in the Bay ! I recently was arrested for DUI and was baffled that my alcohol reading was high inspite of giving enough time before driving. My case was a very complicated but the way Asit handled the case by being brutally truthful and at the same... time being emotionally comforting was a privilege. He is a very pragmatic attorney and gives realistic suggestions and fights for you. Not a single attorney spoke for over one hour just for a free consultation, that's the confidence you get in a topnotch attorney like him. My case is still going on, but I feel proud to have hired him.

See All Client Reviews

Asit S Panwala's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Asit
Pushkar Mitra Singh headshot
Pushkar Singh

Ethics and professional responsibility lawyer | Jul 24

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Asit is superstar. He knows the intricacies of immigration law and his experience as a former Prosecutor is priceless. His immigrant background allows him to understand and empathize with the plight of the immigration process. He continues to educated himself with new case law, and should be considered an expert. His tact is unmatched and he will only stop at the last mile for his Clients. Much more joy and happiness to his already deeply successful law practice."

Jennifer Sarah Zide headshot
Jennifer Zide

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 17

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I strongly endorse Asit. He is a criminal defense attorney of extensive experience and true expertise, including 25 jury trials with exceptional results. His experience as a prosecutor now combines with his experience as a private defense attorney to provide you with the best possible defense representation. As a former prosecutor, he has "behind-the-scenes" knowledge, training, and experience which he can now put to the best use - defending you in your case. Beyond who he is as an attorney, Asit is a good person, a person of integrity, who will stand by you and fight for you in your case. Asit combines compassion for his clients with dedication to their cases and obtaining the best results. I am a fellow criminal defense attorney in private practice. As such, I can tell you that Asit is my "go to" referral for clients or friends seeking the best possible criminal defense and DUI defense attorney in the San Francisco area. You can count on him."

David Milton Dastrup headshot
David Dastrup

Unknown lawyer | Mar 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | May 25

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Asit. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Kasie Waiyee Lee headshot
Kasie Lee

Criminal defense lawyer | May 18

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Asit is a knowledgeable, ethical and caring attorney. Any client represented by him is in good hands."

Ravi Ashok Krishnaney headshot
Ravi Krishnaney

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 26

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have known Asit Panwala for 6 years, first as an intern working below him in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, then as a lawyer there working beside him. I have worked on cases with him and observed him in trial on numerous occasions. His dedication to his cases is unmatched and he has a tireless work ethic. His trial skills are superb as is his ability to connect with a jury."

Wei Zhou headshot
Wei Zhou

Unknown lawyer | Mar 15

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Asit is an accomplished criminal attorney with extensive trial experience. His dedication to his cases is deeply impressive. He's passionate about his work and diligently advocates for those who he represents."

Kara Rachel Lavy headshot
Kara Lavy

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Dear Prospective Clients: I assure you that if you pick Attorney Panwala, you will be in very good hands. How do I know? I worked very closely with him at the District Attorney's Office of San Francisco. Before I started working there, he helped me learn the ropes. I also had the opportunity to see one of his murder trials. He is professional, charismatic, and extremely intelligent. It is rare to find an attorney who is both brainy and articulate, but that is who he is. Also, it's important to note Asit's background as a Deputy District Attorney in the Homicide Unit. There are not many criminal defense attorneys who are former deputies because they get comfortable doing public service. Now, as a client, you have an opportunity to hire someone who knows both sides of justice very well to win your case. Feel free to reach me at 415.689.7262 if you have any further questions about Asit's competence to handle your case. Yours, Kara"

Sanaz Banu Nikaein headshot
Sanaz Nikaein

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 09

Relationship: Co-worker

"Asit and I worked together at the District Attorneys Office, where he was a role model to many of his peers. He knowledge of the law, work ethics, and compassion is what separates him from others, and will serve his clients well."

Dustin Linley Collier headshot
Dustin Collier

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Many attorneys possess extraordinary intelligence or an extraordinary personality, but few possess both. Demonstrating that you really can have it all, Asit Panwala is one of the most charismatic criminal attorneys I have ever met whom also possesses the intellectual chops to strike fear in the heart of his opponents. I strongly endorse him for any criminal defendants in need of a good lawyer and happily direct all criminal referrals that pass by my desk to his office."

Victor Murray Hwang headshot
Victor Hwang

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 04

Relationship: Co-worker

"I worked with Asit at the S.F. District Attorney's Office for several years and found him to be a very intelligent and diligent trial attorney. Asit genuinely cares about his cases and tried a full range of cases from domestic violence to homicide."

Francis Thomas Alberts headshot
Francis Alberts

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 26

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I found him to be thorough, smart and professional.. He is the type of attorney who will advocate vigorously for his clients."

Sarah Elizabeth McKennan headshot
Sarah McKennan

Violent crime lawyer | Feb 24

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer. Asit was my supervising attorney when I was a legal intern at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office in the Homicide and Child Sexual Assault Unit. He worked diligently on his cases which included many late weekday nights and weekends even though it was clear that he was not required to work as hard as he did. I certainly did, and still do, admire his work ethic. It was obvious that he went above and beyond in preparing his cases for trial and seeing them through the various stages of trials. I was impressed by his attention to detail, his memory of statutes and facts within his cases, and his ability to follow-through. I find those three qualities of the utmost importance for a lawyer. I would certainly recommend Asit to a friend, co-worker, or family member looking for a criminal trial lawyer as he is certainly an excellent attorney and his years of experience in the criminal justice system would be very advantageous for his clients."

Elisa Rene Nadeau headshot
Elisa Nadeau

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 23

Relationship: Co-worker

"I worked with Asit at the San Francisco DA's office. He is an excellent trial lawyer: creative, painstaking, and extremely knowledgeable, and jurors like him. More importantly, he has demonstrated integrity and honesty in difficult situations. I would trust him with any criminal case."

Meredith Blagden Osborn headshot
Meredith Osborn

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 23

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Asit is a talented trial attorney. He is articulate, poised, and confident in the courtroom, in addition to being a first-rate legal thinker. I recommend him highly."

Delmas A. Costin headshot
Delmas Costin

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 23

Relationship: Co-worker

"Asit and I began working together right out of law school in the Bronx District Attorney's Office. Asit was EXTREMELY HARDWORKING and intelligent. He always looked at legal issues and found the obvious conclusions and also discovered the not so obvious conclusions - the issues that people didn't think about. That ability to think outside of the box and to think critically makes Asit an excellent attorney. I would recommend him to represent me or my loved ones without hesitation."

View All Endorsements
Jennifer Sarah Zide headshot
Jennifer Zide

Criminal defense lawyer

Kara Rachel Lavy headshot
Kara Lavy

Criminal defense lawyer

Sarah Elizabeth McKennan headshot
Sarah McKennan

Unknown lawyer

Ravi Ashok Krishnaney headshot
Ravi Krishnaney

Criminal defense lawyer

Mario Jose Jovel headshot
Mario Jovel

Violent crime lawyer

Victor Murray Hwang headshot
Victor Hwang

Civil rights lawyer

Sanaz Banu Nikaein headshot
Sanaz Nikaein

Criminal defense lawyer

Daniel Alexander Flores headshot
Daniel Flores

Criminal defense lawyer

Kasie Waiyee Lee headshot
Kasie Lee

Juvenile law lawyer

Dustin Linley Collier headshot
Dustin Collier

Employment and labor lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2006

Wasserstein Fellow, Harvard Law School

Work Experience

2005 - 2013

Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco County District Attorney's Office

1999 - 2005

Assistant District Attorney, Bronx County District Attorney's Office

Associations

2014 - Present

Bar Association of San Francisco

Attorney Member

2006 - Present

South Asian Bar Association of Northern California

Judicial Endorsement Committee Chair

2017 - 2018

South Asian Bar Association of Northern California

President

2015 - 2016

Asian American Bar Association

Civil Right Committee

2015 - 2017

Joint Coalition of Asian-American Bar Associations

Endorsement Committee

2013 - 2014

BASF Mock Trial Program

Coach for College Track

Sample of Legal Cases

People v. Jasjit Singh

Guilty (I was the prosecutor)

People v. Silas Byers

Guilty (I was the prosecutor)

See More Legal Cases

Education

1999

New York University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1996

University of California - Berkeley

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2017

South Asian Bar Association of North America National Conference

Avoiding Adverse Immigration Consequences in Criminal Cases

2010

USF

Prosecutor's Panel

2009

USF Law School

Becoming a Prosecutor

2009

Undergraduate Physics Society

Physics and the Law

2005

NYU Law School

Top Ten Reasons Not To Become a Prosecutor

Publications

Languages

Gujarati

Spanish

Activity

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