Why My Robbery Conviction and Disbarment Make Me a Better Lawyer

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In 2003 I committed a robbery at a Smith’s supermarket in Salt Lake City. I took two steaks. I was charged with first degree armed robbery.

While I was out on bail, I worked as a public defender in Washington County, representing people charged with crimes while I was facing my own. In 2004 I pled guilty to robbery. The Utah State Bar’s Office of Professional Conduct began disbarment proceedings, and I was disbarred in 2005.

For the next twenty years I lived a regular life. I worked as a cook. I washed dishes. Eventually I taught tennis for a living.

In 2024 I applied to the Utah State Bar for readmission as a disbarred attorney. After an extensive character and fitness investigation, a hearing, and a petition to the district court, I got my license back in 2025.

Why this makes me better at defending you

Very few attorneys can look you in the eye and say they have been where you are. Arrested. Charged. Booked. Judged by everyone who heard about it. I can.

And I was lucky. I could afford an excellent criminal defense attorney, Greg Skordas, still one of the best in Utah. My outcome was better because my representation was good. That is the lesson my practice is built on: everyone deserves effective representation, whether money is tight or not.

When you call me, you are not explaining yourself to someone who will quietly judge you. You are talking to someone who knows exactly how heavy this feels, and who knows from both sides of the table how much a good defense matters.

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contact an attorney to discuss your specific situation.