Criminal Defense Law Firm
Outstanding legal representation
Criminal Defense
Criminal Defense
Under the US Constitution, you are innocent until proven guilty. If you or a loved one is under investigation or charged with a serious offense, our top-rated legal team at Hickey & Chung, LLP will challenge any evidence against you and help you obtain the most favorable outcome.
Learn MoreWhite Collar Defense
White Collar Defense
If you are accused of a financial crime in state or federal court, you are at risk of permanent damage to your reputation, heavy fines, and incarceration. Our firm takes on complex white collar crime cases with confidence, supported by our professional resources to craft a compelling defense.
Learn MoreRICO & Conspiracy Offenses
RICO & Conspiracy Offenses
The Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act was once used to charge those involved in organized crime, but in the current legal environment, any business owner or individual could be charged under this law, and face the risk of asset seizure or forfeiture, incarceration, restitution, and fines.
Learn MoreFederal Criminal Defense
Federal Criminal Defense
The federal justice system is a harsh and punishing system, manned by career prosecutors who are intent on achieving a conviction, supported by unlimited resources of the government. Our legal team has the skills and experience you need to protect your rights at every phase of the process.
Learn More
Criminal Defense
If you are under investigation or charged with a crime in state or federal court, your future freedom is at risk. Our legal team takes on even the most challenging cases with total confidence. Exercise your right to remain silent and contact our firm for assistance.
Federal Criminal Defense
The federal justice system is a harsh and punishing system, manned by career prosecutors who are intent on achieving a conviction, supported by unlimited resources of the government. Our legal team has the skills and experience you need to protect your rights at every phase of the process.
White Collar Defense
If you are accused of a financial crime in state or federal court, you are at risk of permanent damage to your reputation, heavy fines, and incarceration. Our firm takes on complex white collar crime cases with confidence, supported by our professional resources to assist in identifying the flaws in the case and craft a compelling defense.
Securities & investment fraud
If you are under investigation or charged with securities or investment fraud, your financial health, reputation, license, and freedom could be lost without a powerful, well-crafted defense case. Our firm is known for achieving positive outcomes in difficult cases.
Tax offenses
If the IRS or California FTB has accused you or your business of a violation, you are at risk. It is imperative that your financial health, rights, and reputation are protected by a law firm that has achieved many positive outcomes in tax-related cases, Hickey & Chung LLP.
State criminal defense
Our criminal defense lawyers are dedicated, passionate, and have exceptional talent in defending criminal charges filed in the California state court system. Whether you are under investigation or charged with a crime, the quality, dedication, and professional talents of your lawyer matter. Do not take chances with your freedom.
Crimmigration defense
When immigration law and criminal law intersect, we call it crimmigration defense. At Hickey & Chung LLC, our attorney team is dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants who are caught in the justice system and facing the risk of deportation, incarceration, or loss of immigration status.
Seizure & asset forfeiture defense
State or federal police agencies may take action to seize your property, bank accounts, vehicles, or other assets. Our firm has the experience and qualifications to help you fight back against asset seizure and forfeiture actions taken by the authorities.
Drug offenses
State or federal drug charges can carry heavy penalties, including jail or prison time, loss of professional licensure, and fines. Our firm defends challenging drug crime cases, working to protect the rights and interests of the accused at every step of the process.
Firearms offenses
The state of California heavily punishes gun offenses, whether open carry, felon in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, or other gun charge, you need a lawyer with the skills to navigate the justice system and pursue the best possible outcome.
Violent offenses
If you are accused of committing a violent crime, you can be caught in a situation that is stressful, frightening, and dangerous. The outcome of your case will be, in large part, the result of the actions taken by your criminal defense lawyer.
Title IX
At Hickey & Chung LLP, we have garnered a reputation for legal excellence in defending those accused of violations under Title IX. These allegations are related to discrimination based on sex, sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other crimes committed in an educational environment.
Domestic violence
Criminal accusations regarding domestic violence pose a risk of destroying your personal and professional reputation, as well as impact your ability to see your children, enter your home, and lead to incarceration in state prison. Defending your case is an urgent matter, requiring top-level legal representation.
Sexual offenses
No type of state or federal charge poses more risk to your personal and professional reputation than being accused of a sexual offense. Our legal team could protect your reputation, your rights, and your freedom.
Civil representation
Hickey & Chung LLP provides legal representation in a range of civil matters, including employment matters, termination issues, business formation, incorporation, capital raising, contracting issues, civil disputes, property development and litigation, non-profit management, and others.
Whistleblower representation
A whistleblower is typically in a state of extreme stress and anxiety, fearful of what the future may bring. Our legal team serves as counsel to represent whistleblowers and will protect their rights at every phase of the process, including protection against retaliation, job loss, or other repercussions.
Compassionate release
The state and federal prison system allows some inmates to be eligible for compassionate release, such as the elderly, those who are terminally or seriously ill, suffering mental health issues, and who have served a specific percentage of the sentence imposed.
Healthcare fraud
If you are accused of healthcare fraud, you are at risk of losing your professional license, assets, and facing prison time. If you are under investigation in a health care fraud case, or have already been charged with a crime, your defense must be initiated immediately.
Habeas corpus & post-conviction relief
At Hickey & Chung LLP, we represent people who have been wrongfully convicted or sentenced, by filing an appeal, or a writ of habeas corpus when all other avenues for justice have been exhausted.
RICO & conspiracy offenses
The Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act was once used to charge those involved in organized crime, but in the current legal environment, any business owner or individual could be charged under this law, and face the risk of asset seizure or forfeiture, incarceration, restitution, and fines.
Professional licensing defense
The loss of your professional license can destroy your ability to practice, whether in the health care field, real estate, legal field, accounting, or other profession. We defend professionals facing this legal threat to assist them to avoid the loss of reputation and ability to earn a living.
Regulatory offenses
If you or your business is accused of a regulatory offense, you are at risk of facing heavy fines, or even shuttering your business, among other consequences. Our firm represents those accused of a range of state or federal regulatory offenses.
Victim & witness representation
A crime victim or witness to a crime may need the help of an attorney to manage the legal aspects of the case, protect the rights of the individual, and manage every issue that could arise during the course of an investigation or trial.
Computer crimes
Computer crimes such as hacking, theft of intellectual property, email fraud, identity fraud and other cyber crime charges can lead to heavy penalties, including prison time. Our criminal defense team has access to some of the most talented professional resources to find the flaws in the case to craft a compelling defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
I am in jail or prison and vulnerable to COVID-19! Is there a way out?
There may be. The Constitution guarantees the right to “reasonable safety” while in custody,[1] and individuals who are older or who have pre-existing health conditions are not safe inside a prison during the pandemic. Cramped and unsanitary conditions in prisons cause the virus to spread quickly through the population, and access to health care is limited.
For people awaiting trial, the pandemic is good cause for a judge to grant or reduce bond, and vulnerable people who find themselves in custody should have their attorneys seek immediate release on bail... -
Do I need a lawyer?
Do not wait until you are arrested or charged with a crime to seek legal counsel. If you have any reason to believe that you are under government investigation, or that you may be investigated in the future, you should immediately contact legal counsel to protect and advise you. Like a doctor, a lawyer’s ability to help you is directly tied to how early they are involved. You would not wait to see a doctor until a health issue becomes life-threatening, and similarly, you should not wait until you are charged with a crime to seek counsel.
-
What should I do if I am arrested, or if a friend or family member is arrested?
Tell the police you do not want to answer any questions until you speak to a lawyer. If they try to trick, bait, or confuse you into answering questions, calmly and politely tell them you want to speak with a lawyer. Then call a criminal defense attorney or ask your friends or family to do so. Do not discuss the case with cellmates (who can inform on you to help their own case), and do not discuss your case on a jail phone (they are all recorded). Just keep quiet until you can talk to a lawyer that is looking out for your interests.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to secure your immediate release from custody without going to court by promising to appear in court and/or posting bond. A bond is a deposit (typically either cash or a recorded interest in property) that is held by the court during your case and returned to you if you attend all of your court appearances and comply with the conditions of your release. A bail bondsman can help with the bond process and will ‘post’ (i.e. deposit) the full amount of the bond with the court, typically for a fee of around 10% of the amount of the bond. In more serious cases, only a judge can release you from custody and you need a lawyer to convince that judge to let you out. Your lawyer should visit you in advance of your court hearing to understand your background, the basic facts of the case, and get information for friends and family who can attend court to support your request for release. If you invoke your right to counsel and hire the right lawyer, you can secure a prompt release from jail and, perhaps, never go back inside. -
If I have not been arrested or charged, why should I hire a lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer has several benefits. First, it will prevent the government from interviewing you, which in turn prevents you from making damaging statements that cannot be unsaid. Second, your attorney is the only person who can listen to your story – all of it – without the risk of being subpoenaed to testify against you. Making a full and honest disclosure of the facts to your lawyer allows the lawyer to understand the precise risks you are facing and how to avoid them. Third, a lawyer will prevent you from being charged with obstruction of justice or other criminal offenses related to a cover-up. A skilled attorney can help you to keep bad facts away from investigators without breaking the law, or to investigate your case and bring advantageous information to the government’s attention. It is far easier to prevent charges from being filed in the first place than it is to have criminal charges dismissed, so you should not wait to call a lawyer if you are or may be under investigation.
-
How much will it cost to hire a lawyer?
Fees for criminal cases vary widely depending on the client, lawyer, and case. Abraham Lincoln once said that “time and advice are a lawyer’s stock in trade,” and most attorneys will charge their clients through an hourly fee. Criminal defense attorneys sometimes offer “flat” fees that cover all or a portion of a case for a set fee, regardless of hours worked. Either way, fees generally range from a few thousand dollars for a simple misdemeanor case to five-figure amounts in felony cases and six-figure fees in particularly serious or complex cases that require a great deal of work. Trials are especially time-intensive and thus expensive, as are many federal criminal cases.
Do not simply hire the lawyer with the lowest price and assume that you are getting good value. How much is a year of your freedom worth to you and to your family? Lawyers, like doctors, are an unwise place to try to cut costs. That said, the most expensive lawyer is generally the one with the highest overhead costs, not the best trial skills. Try to find the right lawyer for your case, and understand that the fee is an investment in your future. -
How do I pick a lawyer?
The most important quality in a lawyer is good judgment. Judgment is a critical tool for evaluating risk, thinking strategically, and dispensing advice. There should be a sound reason behind every act the lawyer takes: avoid attorneys who seem to act impulsively, promise you a specific outcome, or otherwise display poor judgment or unreliability. Ultimately, your lawyer will help you make some of the most difficult and important decisions in your life: make sure you have confidence that they will steer you in the right direction.
A lawyer’s most important skill is the ability to listen. Only by listening can lawyers learn their clients’ stories, uncover critical evidence, and effectively cross-examine a witness at trial. Your lawyer should be interested in your story – not just your money – and their advice should take into account both the facts and circumstances of your case and also the broader context of your life in which it unfolds. This is called “client-centered advocacy,” defending clients instead of just cases, and is a hallmark of an effective lawyer.
Beyond these two criteria, you should select a lawyer that you feel comfortable working with and who has substantial experience in your area of need. If you are facing a criminal case or investigation, hire a lawyer who specializes in criminal defense, not a civil litigator who takes a few criminal cases. Federal and state criminal cases and procedures are very different, so if you have a federal case make sure that the lawyer regularly defends federal criminal matters. You do not want a state-court lawyer using your case as a chance to ‘learn the ropes’ in federal court. The stakes are much too high. If you are not a U.S. citizen, either hire a criminal defense attorney who thoroughly understands U.S. immigration law (like us), or be prepared to hire an additional immigration attorney to advise the criminal attorney on how to handle the case to prevent deportation.
CONTACT US
How Can We Help?
-
![]()
Pier 9, Suite 100
San Francisco CA, 94111 -
![]()
(415) 619-5095
-
![]()
help@defender.law
Copyright 2021 Hickey & Chung, LLP
English
Chinese (Simplified)
Spanish-
Pier 9, Suite 100 San Francisco, CA 94111