Sometimes it’s easy to connect the dots and understand why Lawyers choose certain fields and thrive in them: Criminal defense attorney Peter Berlin is a case in point. His Firm is aggressively dedicated to defending the rights of his clients, because to Mr. Berlin, there is no greater thing in life to do.
His parents are Russian immigrants who came to America to find freedom and a better life for him and his older sister, but from day one Peter’s parents always reminded him of where they came from, and what life was like back in Russia – this meant the bar was set very high for what Peter would accomplish here in this new land. This marvelous country where a person’s rights were not only respected, they were protected.
Like most Attorneys, Peter was on the Debate Team in High School, but he had an added edge – his parents left Russia at the height of the Cold War, so politics was always a hot topic in his home where family and friends would gather and verbally battle their ideas. This thick atmosphere of political discourse was soaked up by Peter, and he found he had the ability to argue his points of view with amazing clarity and self-confidence. With this kind of in-house training and maturity in his oratory abilities, he dominated his peers in school debates. There was never any question what Peter Berlin would be when he grew up.
HW: “You graduated as a Psychology Major before going to Law School; has that been a great advantage for you as a Trial Attorney?”
ATTORNEY PETER BERLIN: “Definitely. Anything that gives you more insight into human nature is a positive thing. Remember, I have to be able to connect with those 12 jury members so they can understand my client, and why I’m fighting on their behalf.”
HW: “How would you describe yourself as an Attorney?”
ATTY. BERLIN: “I would call myself a zealous advocate for my clients. I’m here to vigorously defend you and make sure that the police and Prosecutors don’t overstep their bounds by violating your constitutional rights.”
HW: “I imagine the legal system was very different in Russia during the 1970’s.”
ATTY. BERLIN: “Well, basically, if you were accused of a crime back then you had a defense lawyer, but I would in no way describe them as’zealous advocates.’. Truthfully, you might as well have had a potted plant sitting next to you, because even if an attorney wanted to try and help you, they were probably afraid to. You were thought to be guilty until proven innocent.”
HW: “How do you respond to people who say that our legal system is flawed?”
ATTY. BERLIN: “Most people judge our courts by high-profile cases, which is unfortunate, because there are so many factors and intangibles that can skew the results of trials like those – namely the media; but sometimes celebrities get treated harsher than an average person would."
HW: “What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a Criminal Defense Attorney?”
ATTY. BERLIN: “…The moments when I help a client whose life has been infringed upon by false accusations, and I’m able to create the perfect argument to make those 12 people deciding his fate to agree with me and set my client free.”
(213) 627-8337 CRIMINAL DEFENSE BERLIN