Attorney Profiles

Gary M. Pohlson

Gary Pohlson has been voted “Criminal Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and has been designated as a “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine. He is widely regarded by judges and criminal defense lawyers as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the state of California.

He began his legal career as a deputy district attorney for the County of Orange in 1976. He rose through the ranks quickly, prosecuting misdemeanors and serious felony cases, including robberies and fraud actions. He left the District Attorney’s office to establish his own practice along with his longtime friend Gary Moorhead in 1980.

Since founding the firm in 1980 he has defended well over 3,000 clients in all levels and types of criminal cases. He has tried over 250 cases to verdict, including capital murder cases, negligent homicide, kidnapping, serious white-collar crimes, child molestation charges, domestic violence, fraud, criminal tax evasion, drug manufacturing and sales, assault and battery and virtually every type of misdemeanor and driving under the influence charges. He is one of a select few defense counsel in the county approved by the court to accept court-appointed death penalty cases. He has been trying death penalty cases since 1983. He also represents professional clients charged with violations in administrative hearings.

The Orange County legal community elected Gary Pohlson to serve as President of the Orange County Bar Association in 1995. He served on the on the OCBA board of directors for over 10 years and remains active in bar-related activities. He also serves on the Public Law Center board of directors. He has taught several classes at local law schools and colleges and delivered a number of lectures on criminal trial practice and procedure. Two of his cases have been featured in best-selling books, “If You Really Loved Me” and “ Mean Justice”. He was also a commentator for Court TV on the O.J. Simpson criminal trial. .

He has been married to his wife Teri since 1973 and is very lucky to have three great children, Matthew, Ross and Traci.

E-Mail Address: GP@orangecountyattorneys.net