DeWalt, John (Jack)

Professional History

Upon graduating from law school, I established my own law firm. During my more than two decades of professional practice, which includes handling civil and criminal cases in most Southern California Courts, I have always faithfully, and to the best of my ability, discharged my duties as an Attorney and Counselor at Law. I take my role as Attorney and Counselor seriously, and as a result, I have never acted as a “salesman” marketing legal services. Instead, I give my clients honest professional opinions and realistic assessments of their legal situations. I have never manipulated any case so as to make it produce more dollars for me in detriment of my clients. I always try to resolve any given problem at the earliest opportunity and at the least possible cost. I make my clients aware of their rights, their options, alternatives, risks and costs; and I often urge common sense solutions and courses of action. And, every time that I am entrusted with a legal matter, I feel privileged to assist those that come to me.

MY ROAD TO THE AMERICAN DREAM

One is well advised not to speak highly of oneself as others are better judges of one's character. However, I believe that a personal note is appropriate here. What I have to say, not only recounts my personal struggles and focused determination to achieve and excel, but it also shows the kind of personal effort and dedication that I exert in representing my clients.

I have traveled an unusual journey and I have an up-by-the-bootstraps tale to tell. I was born a seven "horseback" hour ride away from the nearest town in the Sierra Madre Occidental de Mexico. My dad, who himself never had an opportunity to attend any type of formal school, taught me how to read and write at home. I often thank him for making the beauty of the high mountains my first classroom, and for showing me that he knew the value of an education.

I immigrated to the United States when I was 21 years of age. Within a week of my arrival, all my fingertips were bleeding as a result of bare-hand sanding of television cabinets at a factory that paid me $2.10 per hour. But I was not complaining. My American Dream had to start somewhere!

At 21 years of age, with only a 7th grade education, and with language and culture yet to learn (trust me, a daunting task), I started planning my way out of the factory, began digesting ideas as to how to procure an education, and took my first steps to find my way into the mainstream of American society.

Investing my best efforts, and with an undying resolve to find permanent healing for my "bleeding fingertips," I looked to get ahead. However, success was neither around the corner nor was it easy to snatch away from life's competing distractions. The proverbial forks on the road pulled me in different directions. Eventually I found myself taking my daughter to university sponsored child care while I attended classes at California State University-Los Angeles where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree. My daughter is now a Dramaturg after having studied at Harvard and Yale universities. By the time I started Law School, I had two more children and I often found myself begging them to lower the volume of the television so I could study. My two sons also attended prestigious universities and were proudly present when I graduated from Law School and became a Juris Doctor.

It is now easy to look back, but I did all my school work while attending to my family and working a full time job, (and also while driving an old and ugly car that I used to park several blocks away from the school grounds). I passed the California State Bar Examination on my first attempt, and I soon opened my own law office. During more than 20 years of professional practice, I have won all but one of my civil and criminal jury trials that I have had the opportunity to try, and I have assisted thousands of people with their legal problems. In the process, I have learned about human nature within the realm of the law, and the picture of it is seldom pretty. Courts and attorneys' offices are places of high stress and suffering where things of consequence happen. For this reason, the firm hand and wise counsel of an experienced attorney becomes indispensable.