Todd Means
Means & Means LLP
Todd Means initially became interested in law to help "the little guy." After working for an educational nonprofit during and after college, Todd entered Loyola Law School, Los Angeles to become a civil rights attorney. However, he quickly realized that protecting the constitutional rights of the accused was his true passion. During law school, he interned at the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office, was a member of Loyola Law School's Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic, and was a Judicial Extern for the Second District of the California Court of Appeal.
After receiving his J.D. from Loyola, he began working as a Ventura County Deputy Public Defender. There, he learned that even though the criminal justice system is stacked against the defendant, hard-work and a willingness to fight for your clients gets results. His tenure as a Deputy Public Defender exposed Todd to almost every criminal allegation imaginable, from Penal Code to Fish and Wildlife Code violations. He is most comfortable in the courtroom, cross-examining adverse witnesses, arguing motions, and fighting for his client's rights. During his three years in Ventura County, Todd handled hundreds of cases a year and took the second highest number of cases to jury trial (Bailey K.F. Means had the highest).
Some criminal defense attorneys shy away from legal writing, but Todd sees thoughtfully crafted motions and appeals as important tools. At the time of this writing, a case he briefed and argued before the Ventura County Superior Court Appellate Division while a Deputy Public Defender is awaiting decision from the California Court of Appeal.
After leaving the Public Defender's Office, Todd served as a State Bar Prosecutor with the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel in Los Angeles, California. While he values the time he spent protecting the public from the misconduct of unethical attorney, he missed fighting for his clients.
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- J.D. | Law
- Honors: Merit Scholar Recipient, Best Brief (Scott Moot Court), Best Brief (ABA Moot Court Las Vegas Regionals), Top Oralist - 8th Place (ABA Moot Court Las Vegas Regionals)
- Activities: Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic, American Bar Association Moot Court Team, Scott Moot Court, Scott Moot Court Honors Board
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- California State University - Fullerton
- B.A. | Business Administration
- Honors: Cum Laude, Beta Gamma Sigma
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- Partner and Attorney at Law
- Means & Means LLP
- Current
- Deputy Trial Counsel
- State Bar of California
- Deputy Public Defender
- Ventura County Public Defender's Office
- Felony-murder rule gets a fix, but jury still out on bail reform
- Ventura County Star
- Ethics Crash Course: Top State Bar Complaints Ethics MCLE, Long Beach Bar Association Super Saturday MCLE, California State University, Long Beach
- Long Beach Bar Association
- Best Brief
- ABA Moot Court Las Vegas Regionals
- Top Oralist - 8th Place
- ABA Moot Court Las Vegas Regionals
- Best Brief
- Scott Moot Court
- State Bar of California # 300259
- Member
- Current
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- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Current
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- Japanese American Bar Association
- Current
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- California
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- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- DUI & DWI
- English: Spoken, Written