About Spolin Law: we win cases

Attorney Caitlin Dukes is a former prosecutor who handles criminal appeals, writs, and other post-conviction relief for the firm’s clients. She has a wide array of experience in state and federal courts. Besides having served as a Deputy District Attorney, her background includes work for multiple judges and government entities (including Federal District Court Judge James Knoll Gardner and the United States Department of Homeland Security) as well as private sector experience defending clients wrongfully accused of crimes.

Ms. Dukes’s primary goal on any given case is to identify the strongest arguments, clearly and succinctly present these arguments to the judge or fact-finder, keep the clients informed of the progress, and fight to win in court. Her most recent win for Spolin Law involved overturning a murder conviction for an innocent client. She received her J.D. degree from Widener Law School and her bachelor degree from the University of Buffalo. She is admitted to practice law in California, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Attorney Jeremy Cutcher is an experienced criminal law attorney with a record of successful outcomes. He handles criminal appeals, writs of habeas corpus, commutation applications, and other forms of post-conviction relief for the firm’s clients. Prior to joining Spolin Law P.C., he worked for the San Luis Obispo Defender’s Office and for Justice Marvin Baxter on the California Supreme Court.

Mr. Cutcher’s clients at the firm notice how personally involved he gets into each case he handles. He understands that behind each case is an individual with a personal story and loved ones. His goal is to humanize every client and give them a voice that so often goes unheard. Having been a criminal defense trial attorney, he understands the intricacies of the trial process, and that insight fuels his passion for appellate work. Mr. Cutcher received his BA from California Polytechnic State University and his law degree from UC Davis School of Law where he was a senior editor on Law Review.

Attorney Don Nguyen has nearly thirty years of experience in criminal law and has built a reputation for his effectiveness in court. He started his career in the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office in the early 1990s and has been fighting for the wrongfully-accused ever since. Mr. Nguyen strives to make sure the firm’s clients know that they are listened to and heard. He goes out of his way to explain to clients—and their families—what is occurring in court and what Spolin Law’s strategies are to get a successful outcome. Indeed, Mr. Nguyen often has some of the best insights into how difficult cases can be fought and won.

Mr. Nguyen has J.D. and bachelor degrees from Southern California Institute of Law and Iowa State University respectively. Mr. Nguyen originally came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam. He knows what it feels like to be the underdog and to struggle. This past experience helps him to understand the firm’s clients, many of whom have faced serious difficulties in their pasts. Mr. Nguyen’s strong ability to relate to other people is part of why he is so successful in communicating with judges and juries. He is admitted to practice law in California and Iowa courts.

Annette Gifford serves as an attorney at Spolin Law P.C. She has represented clients in a variety of contexts for over 15 years. She has obtained successful outcomes for clients in both state and federal courts, including in connection with reversing or vacating convictions before multiple circuits of the United States Circuit Courts of Appeal. Ms. Gifford’s primary work for Spolin Law clients includes post-trial direct appeals and writs of habeas corpus. She received her B.S. degree from Cornell University and her J.D. from Cornell Law School and is licensed to practice law in California and New York.

Attorney Arlene Binder serves as Of Counsel at Spolin Law P.C.. She was a Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a defense attorney. Arlene has practiced criminal defense in Los Angeles County for over 20 years. She has handled hundreds of misdemeanors and felonies, and her primary focus is high-profile and major felony cases.

Arlene has a track record of successful outcomes, including suppression of illegal evidence as a result of legal motions, case dismissals and reductions, and not-guilty verdicts at trial. She also devotes significant time to representing clients in post-conviction applications, including Franklin hearings. She received her B.A. degree from Antioch College and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.

Attorney Matthew Delgado serves as Of Counsel at Spolin Law P.C.. He has a reputation as one of the top in-court advocates in Southern California. Mr. Delgado is a master of courtroom criminal procedure and has a strong record of winning hearings and other court proceedings for Spolin Law P.C. clients. He also has an impressive track record of negotiating case dismissals, winning legal motions, and achieving other favorable outcomes on a wide array of cases, including post-conviction matters. Mr. Delgado has a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, criminal law concentration, and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. He is the author of numerous articles on California criminal law topics.