Home Attorneys Mark Werksman

Mark Werksman | Managing Partner

About

Criminal Defense Attorney Mark J. Werksman is a former Deputy District Attorney and former Assistant United States Attorney who has been practicing criminal law since 1986.

Mark has successfully represented numerous high-profile individuals from all walks of life, including the entertainment industry and professional sports, as well as leaders in the business community and major multi-national corporations. When faced with potential criminal consequences, whether in the investigation stage or if charges have already been brought, the "go-to" attorney is Mark Werksman.

Education

University of Southern California Law Center, Los Angeles, California | J.D. - 1985

Yale University | B.A. - 1981

Awards &
Memberships

Honors and Awards

  • Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell (the highest possible rating for ethical standards and legal ability)
  • Selected by Super Lawyers in the field of white collar criminal defense, 2005 - 2017

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • State Bar of California, Executive Committee Criminal Law Section, 1991 - 1994
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
Bar Admissions
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1985
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1993
  • U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 1997
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1999
  • U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 2010
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 2010
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1985
 
Recent
Case Results
  • Juvenile Camp Disposition
    Mark Werksman and Jacqueline worked together in defending a 17-year-old who was involved in a fatal car accident in West Los Angeles. Despite the public pressure for the District Attorney’s Office to try him as an adult for Gross Vehicular Manslaughter, Mark and Jacqueline were able to keep the matter in juvenile court. The juvenile client admitted the juvenile petition, at which point the parties litigated a hotly contested disposition hearing. The client was sentenced to only 9 months in juvenile camp.
  • Complete Dismissal of Molestation Charges
    Attorney Mark Werksman’s 29 year old client was falsely accused of molesting two neighborhood children and was subsequently charged with felony child molestation, with a significant prison sentence hanging over his head should he be convicted. Instead, at the preliminary hearing Werksman was able to convince the court to grant his client a complete dismissal of any charges.
  • Not Guilty on All Counts for Corruption Charge
    Longtime Los Angeles lobbyist and a former Los Angeles City Council aide, along with his wife, were accused of corruption in an alleged scheme to help an elected official siphon thousands of dollars in public money for their own personal use. After a very difficult trial and more than two days of deliberation, jurors found Mark’s client not guilty on all counts.
  • Probation with No Jail Time for Drug Money Laundering Charge
    Wilmington man accused in New York federal court of laundering drug money through the sale of laptop computers. Mark was able to get the case transferred to federal court in Los Angeles, where he convinced the United States Attorney to reduce the charges. His client was sentenced to probation with no jail time on a misdemeanor conviction.
  • No Conviction for Hacking U.S. Government Computers Charge
    Burbank man accused of hacking into sensitive United States Government agency computers. Facing serious federal felony prosecution. Mark persuaded the government to allow the young man to have a pre-filing "diversion" agreement, which means he will not be convicted of any offense or have a criminal record of any sort.
  • No Prosecution for Securities Fraud Charges
    Los Angeles securities trader and hedge fund manager facing federal prosecution for securities fraud. If indicted, he would have been stripped of his securities licenses and was facing five years in a federal prison. Mark convinced the Unites States Attorney's office to decline prosecution. Case closed.
+ More Case Results
  • Israeli national facing life in a federal prison for orchestrating a massive global conspiracy to import ecstasy and cocaine into the United States, and to commit murder in the furtherance of the RICO conspiracy. Mark negotiated a deal with the United States Attorney's office that significantly reduced the sentence and allowed his client to return to Israel to serve his sentence.
  • Owner of company providing security guards to office buildings throughout Los Angeles prosecuted for allegedly committing a $9 million worker's compensation fraud. Facing 11 years in state prison. Three week jury trial. Not guilty on all serious charges and enhancements, sentenced to probation with only 9 months of house arrest.
  • Glendale man accused of bribing DMV officials to obtain false drivers licenses for people whose licenses had been suspended. Facing four years in state prison and deportation if convicted. Mark got the case dismissed after a two-day preliminary hearing.
  • Eagle Rock man who trained exotic roller pigeons charged with the federal felony crime of killing a hawk who had preyed on his pigeons. Mark got the charges reduced to misdemeanors and the client received probation with no jail time.
  • El Monte school teacher falsely accused of molesting a sixth grade student. Facing significant jail time and a lifetime of registering as a sex offender. Week-long trial. Jury deliberated 15 minutes before finding Mark's client not guilty.
  • Beverly Hills man accused of date rape, facing eleven years in state prison and registration for life as a sex offender. Mark got the case dismissed at the preliminary hearing.
  • Man accused of assaulting an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy. Facing three years in state prison. Week-long jury trial. Not guilty.
  • Alhambra masseuse accused of prostitution for allegedly propositioning an undercover Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy. Facing jail time and deportation back to her native Korea. Jury trial. Not guilty.