Top Lawyers: Jimmy Cha On The 5 Things You Need To Become A Top Lawyer In Your Specific Field of Law
An Interview with Eric L. Pines
Never stop learning. Just because you are done with school doesn’t mean you stop learning. I’ve studied more after graduation than I have ever did when I was in school. I have to stay current on the law, changes in the law, and have to learn things I’ve never thought I would need to know like the projection of a bullet or how alcohol absorbs into your body.
The legal field is known to be extremely competitive. Lawyers are often smart, ambitious, and highly educated. That being said, what does it take to stand out and become a “Top Lawyer” in your specific field of law? In this interview series called “5 Things You Need To Become A Top Lawyer In Your Specific Field of Law”, we are talking to top lawyers who share what it takes to excel and stand out in your industry.
As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy Cha.
Jimmy Cha is a criminal defense attorney located in Fullerton, California. His practice is dedicated exclusively to criminal defense where he serves as a fierce advocate on behalf of his clients. His passion in helping others, dedication to his clients, and the motivation to do better for his clients has won him many accolades and recognition in the legal community.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is the “backstory” that brought you to this particular career path in Law? Did you want to be an attorney “when you grew up”?
Growing up was hard for me. I grew up in Los Angeles County in the 80’s. I got into a lot of fights, and barely graduated high school. I got into a lot of trouble with the law. I had no real direction with what to do with my life. Never once while growing up did I think about becoming an attorney. Only as I got older did I see the discrepancies on how the law treated people differently based on socioeconomic status, and even ethnicity. I wanted to make a change but didn’t know how so I decided to go back to school.
I went back to school at the age of 24. From there, I received a partial scholarship to UCLA, and law school. While at UCLA, I worked for a criminal defense firm and knew this is what I wanted to do to help people. I saw the discrepancies on how different groups of people were treated differently, and wanted to advocate on their behalf. While in law school I externed at the Juvenile Defender’s Office and Public Defender’s Office. Upon graduation and being sworn in as an attorney, I opened up my own criminal defense practice.
From there the rest is history. I have been practicing criminal defense since 2008. In addition to my every growing practice, I guest speak at inner city schools, juvenile halls, camps, and serve as a guest lecturer at many functions. I’m a board member at the California System Involved Bar Association (CSIBA.ORG), where our mission is to help those with prior criminal justice system involvement have increasing access to legal education and the State Bar of California licensure. I also mentor parolees, as well as inner city youth, and have been doing college admission counseling for underprivileged high school students for over 20 years.
Can you tell us a bit about the nature of your practice and what you focus on?
My practice is dedicated to criminal defense. I have never practiced any other area of law. I defend those who have been accused of breaking the law. This could be anything from a DUI, drug crime, assault, battery, domestic violence, theft, and so forth.
You are a successful attorney. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success?
First, having compassion for my clients. I became a criminal defense attorney to help others. I know that people with a criminal record are stigmatized by society as bad people. I knew this was not the case for most people. I knew most of the people whom I would be dealing with are good people who made a mistake, a mistake that could affect their job, family life, and future. As a result, I take the time to listen to my clients. I really care about helping them out. That is why I am so passionate in what I do, as what I do and how I do has the potential to change the direction of someone’s life.
I also know when to ask for help. I knew that there were a lot of things I did not know when I first became an attorney. I wasn’t afraid to reach out to more seasoned attorneys to ask for help. Of all the times I have asked for help, I have never met an attorney or judge who didn’t want to help me along the way. I’m really grateful and blessed to have so many people around me who were willing to share the knowledge they have learned through the years.
Finally, having the drive and perseverance to succeed. I know these are two different things but I put it as one, as I believe you can’t persevere if you do not have the drive. It took many years to get to where I am at today. It didn’t come over night. It look long hours of work. I remember when I first started; I was working 100 hour weeks for a few years to get to where I am at today. I knew that if I didn’t put in the hours in the beginning, my criminal defense practice would not be where I wanted it to be in 10 years time. Now I can take time off when I need to because I put in the time in the beginning.
What unique qualities do you have that others may not? Can you please share a story or example for each?
I believe I have the ability to work harder than most. I grew up where my parents would leave the house at 5:00 a.m. and would not return home till midnight and sometimes even later 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They never took a day off. On the weekends I would have to go help the family business, and when not in school I would cook, clean, mow the lawn, and do house chores my parents couldn’t do while they were gone. I don’t remember ever not working (sounds like a Head and Shoulders commercial). As a result of this upbringing, I have the ability to work all day and night. Even till this day, I work extremely long hours to make sure my clients are adequately represented in court.
Second, I believe I have the ability to understand certain things others do not. Understand that good people make mistakes too. Majority of the clients I handle are working professionals, college students, young adults, everyday people like you and me. I messed up a lot growing up. I learned from it, and that helped me become who I am today. I understand that people can change and that a simple mistake does not define you.
Understand that not all people have equal access to the justice system and that people are treated differently based on color, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background. I got into criminal defense to help all people. Not just certain people but all people from all different walks of life.
Lastly, I want to give back to society and make change. A lot of people think it’s easy to lock up people for doing bad things. But what happens when they get out? These people will either be a part of a revolving door that keeps landing them in trouble OR we can try to help them become contributing members of society. These people will eventually come out and have the potential to live in your community, be your neighbor. This is why I’m so involved in guest speaking, mentoring, volunteer work, and giving back to society, as I know people can change and that everyone deserves an opportunity to change.
Do you think you have had luck in your success? Can you explain what you mean?
I really do not believe in luck. I believe if you work hard for what you want, you can achieve it. That is not to say that it’s just going to be handed to you. Sometimes you have to fight (not in the literal sense) for what is yours. Sometimes you have to work 100 times harder than the person next to you to only get 10 percent more in return.
Do you think where you went to school has any bearing on your success? How important is it for a lawyer to go to a top-tier school?
I do believe that where I went for undergrad and law school contributed to my success. Since I knew I wanted to go into the criminal defense field, I wanted to be taught by teachers with real world experience. Many of my professors were prosecutors, commissioners, and judges in the County of Orange. Many of the alumni’s from my school are at the District Attorney’s Office, and sit as judges all around the state. This has made networking a lot easier with the right people. At the same time, it is what you put into it as well, and how you are as a person.
As far as a top-tier school, I believe it only makes a difference if you are trying to get into one of the top firms in the country. However, most of the successful attorneys I know did not. In the end, it is your work ethics, drive, and motivation that determine your career, not your school.
Based on the lessons you have learned from your experience, if you could go back in time and speak to your twenty-year-old self, what would you say? Would you do anything differently?
I wouldn’t do anything differently. Even if I could go back and speak to my twenty year old self, I wouldn’t have listened. It’s the things of my past that makes and defines who I am as a person today. Without the past experiences of getting into trouble, I would not have gone back to school, have the understanding and compassion that I have for my clients, and the desire to make a difference.
This is not easy work. What is your primary motivation and drive behind the work that you do?
Maybe it sounds cliché but I want to make the world we live in a better place. Where people are treated equally, do not judge others because of their mistakes, and to give our troubled youth hope, inspiration, and the motivation to do better. This motivates me every day to get up and do what I do to the best of my abilities.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
As much as I would love to discuss my criminal cases, due to attorney client privilege, and the sensitive nature of the type of cases I work with, I cannot divulge that information. I can tell you however that I use my platform to speak and educate our youth all over California, hoping to make a difference.
Where do you go from here? Where do you aim to be in the next chapter of your career?
My ultimate goal is to open up a youth center for inner city kids. A place where our youth and young adults can go to get equal access to the legal and medical system, as well as tutoring, college admissions counseling, and access to employment opportunities.
Without sharing anything confidential, can you please share your most successful “war story”? Can you share the funniest?
For me, the most successful “war story” would be watching the young adults and youth that I represent and mentor overcome the hardships in their lives, and become successful, contributing members in society.
As for the funniest, unfortunately I cannot disclose without sharing confidential information.
Ok, fantastic. Let’s now shift to discussing some advice for aspiring lawyers. Do you work remotely? Onsite? Or Hybrid? What do you think will be the future of how law offices operate? What do you prefer? Can you please explain what you mean?
My work is hybrid. I have to go to court most of the time, and sometimes they allow us to call in. In person client meetings are done at the office, and really depending on what I am working on I can work from the office, home, or while traveling.
I think the future of law will be this way where there is a mixture of everything. I like it this way in that some appearances really do not need the attorney present. If it’s just for a simple continuance a phone call would be effective and time saving, whereas other appearances really need to be done in person so I can speak with the judge and prosecutor.
How has the legal world changed since COVID? How do you think it might change in the near future? Can you explain what you mean?
Ever since Covid, a lot has changed. Some courts allow video or phone calls to make appearances depending on the type of case, while other courts make it mandatory to come it. As for clients, some don’t want to come in and rather do everything via phone and email, while others want to meet in person.
I think the legal world is the slowest to adapt to technology. There are a lot of things that can be done via the phone or online but due to the sensitive information we handle, it’s hard to do everything on the phone or online. That is not to say it’s not leaning towards technology. It’s just a lot slower to adapt.
Based on your experience, how can attorneys effectively leverage social media to build their practice?
With social media becoming the leading advertising medium for young adults, it is imperative to have social media accounts to market and spread the word about your practice. A lot of successful attorneys hire firms that update their web blog and social media accounts ever so often to help build the search engine optimization of their firms. If you are just starting off, you’ll have a lot more time and a lot less financial resources so you can update everything on your own until you can get enough capital to hire someone to manage it for you.
Excellent. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Become A Top Lawyer In Your Specific Field of Law?” Please share a story or an example for each.
You need to learn to network. I was once told to never eat a meal by yourself. This is an opportunity to get to know someone, introduce yourself and what you do on a more personal level. This meal may turn into a future referral or opportunity down the line.
Never stop learning. Just because you are done with school doesn’t mean you stop learning. I’ve studied more after graduation than I have ever did when I was in school. I have to stay current on the law, changes in the law, and have to learn things I’ve never thought I would need to know like the projection of a bullet or how alcohol absorbs into your body.
Learn to change with the times. Twenty years ago, attorneys needed to be next to a landline to answer the phone. They advertised through magazines and newspapers. Today the market has changed. Most people are looking at their phones or computers to look up attorneys. Twenty years from now, who knows how the market will change. Learn to adapt and keep up to date on current trends.
Love the work you do. If you love what you do, you’ll enjoy going to work. If you hate what you do, you will burn out, be miserable, and this will translate to other areas in your life like at home. That’s not to say just because you love what you do you won’t have any bad days. It’s just that you’ll have a lot more good days than bad days. I remember one time a judge yelled at me. I didn’t do anything wrong. He was mad at the attorney before me. Unfortunately, he took it out on me. That ruined my day but most days aren’t like that. So you just learn to pass the day, as a new day will come tomorrow.
Communication is very important. You cannot be a successful attorney if you do not know how to communicate. Whether it is communicating with your client, opposing counsel, the judge, and so forth, attorneys must know how to communicate. For example, how good of an attorney would you be if you cannot communicate your client’s position to the judge or you don’t know how to effectively explain something to your client? Communication is one of the very most important aspects of being a great attorney.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
This is a tough one. If she was still alive, I would have loved to have had a meal with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. However, if we are speaking about a living person, it would definitely have to be Dwayne Johnson, aka “The Rock”. Why? Besides the fact that I’m really into working, knowing the obstacles he overcame as a youth and to be where he is today is inspiring. His work ethic makes me want to work harder. BUT the fact that he is humble and gives back makes me respect him that much more.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!
About the Interviewer: Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative. A formal federal employee himself, Mr. Pines began his federal employment law career as in-house counsel for AFGE Local 1923 which is in Social Security Administration’s headquarters and is the largest federal union local in the world. He presently serves as AFGE 1923’s Chief Counsel as well as in-house counsel for all FEMA bargaining unit employees and numerous Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs unions.
While he and his firm specialize in representing federal employees from all federal agencies and in reference to virtually all federal employee matters, his firm has placed special attention on representing Veteran Affairs doctors and nurses hired under the authority of Title. He and his firm have a particular passion in representing disabled federal employees with their requests for medical and religious reasonable accommodations when those accommodations are warranted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA). He also represents them with their requests for Federal Employee Disability Retirement (OPM) when an accommodation would not be possible.
Mr. Pines has also served as a mediator for numerous federal agencies including serving a year as the Library of Congress’ in-house EEO Mediator. He has also served as an expert witness in federal court for federal employee matters. He has also worked as an EEO technical writer drafting hundreds of Final Agency Decisions for the federal sector.
Mr. Pines’ firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. His first passion is his wife and five children. He plays classical and rock guitar and enjoys playing ice hockey, running, and biking. Please visit his websites at www.pinesfederal.com and www.toughinjurylawyers.com. He can also be reached at eric@pinesfederal.com.
