In The News
April 7, 2020
New York Times
The case against Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo, was dismissed. Mr. Garcia was represented by Alan Jackson of Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP.
April 7, 2020
Washington Post
In a case that garnered international attention, Alan Jackson represented a revered Megachurch leader accused of sex crimes. Mr. Jackson was able to get the case dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
April 7, 2020
BBC
Alan Jackson represented Naason Joaquin Garcia, a leader of a Mexico-based Megachurch, accused of sex-abuse crimes. The case against Mr. Garcia was dismissed.
April 7, 2020
Los Angeles Times
Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo, a Mexico-based Megachurch, had criminal charges of sex-abuse against him dismissed.
January 29, 2020
KTLA
A Malibu woman must pay $18 million in damages and serve one year in prison after striking and injuring Joshua Ritter's client and killing her mother in a hit-and-run accident.
January 29, 2020
Los Angeles Times
A jury awarded $18 million in damages to Joshua Ritter's client - a victim of a hit-and-run accident in Calabasas that killed her mother.
August 27, 2019
The New York Times
Joshua Ritter, an associate representing students involved in the college admissions scandal, says that after interviews several months ago, students have received "radio silence."
July 17, 2019
CBS News
Criminal Charges Against Actor Kevin Spacey Have Been Dropped in
Nantucket Trial.
July 16, 2019
Los Angeles Times
Following the college admissions scandal, USC has interviewed 33 students about whether they knowingly lied on their applications. Some of the students have hired attorneys to be present during the hearings. Joshua Ritter is representing one such student.
July 9, 2019
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe profiled attorney Alan Jackson in a recent article. Read more to see some highlights of Mr. Jackson's career, including his work in the defense of Kevin Spacey.
July 8, 2019
ABC News
Kevin Spacey's accuser pleaded his Fifth Amendment right partway through questioning by Alan Jackson. Mr. Jackson asked for an immediate dismissal of the felony sexual assault charges brought upon Mr. Spacey.
July 5, 2019
The New York Times
Justin Gimelstob, former ATP Player Council president, is being represented by Alan Jackson following a charge of felony battery. His relationship with current president Novak Djokovic and other players has been causing contention at this year's Wimbledon tournament.
June 10, 2019
Daily Mail
A British billionaire, known for involvement in successful retail chains such as TopShop, has recruited Alan Jackson as his defense attorney against allegations of groping a Pilates instructor in 2016 and 2018.
June 5, 2019
The Sun
British businessman Sir Philip Green has hired Alan Jackson to represent him in the US after being charged with assaulting an Arizona woman. Mr. Green "denies any inappropriate misconduct."
June 3, 2019
Boston Herald
At a pretrial hearing, Alan Jackson argued that state attorneys have hidden evidence in the groping case against his client, Kevin Spacey. Mr. Jackson has requested to obtain the defendant's cell phone, in order to access allegedly deleted text messages.
June 3, 2019
Wall Street Journal
Alan Jackson's client, Kevin Spacey, made an appearance at a pretrial hearing in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The actor has pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery from an incident that occurred at a bar in 2016.
March 7, 2019
The Sun
Mark Werksman is representing a cannabis landlord charged with a felony count of possession for sale of a controlled substance.
March 4, 2019
USA Today
Attorney Alan Jackson is representing Kevin Spacey, who is accused of sexually assaulting a busboy in 2016. Mr. Jackson was recently granted expanded access to the accuser's cellphone data concerning Mr. Spacey for the time period following the alleged assault.
February 25, 2019
Los Angeles Times
Mark Werksman represented a former Pasadena police lieutenant accused of federal firearms violations.
February 22, 2019
The Wrap
Alan Jackson is defending another prominent man facing accusations due to the #MeToo movement. Dijon Bowden, the son of Lisa Borders, former CEO of Time's Up and the WNBA, is represented by Mr. Jackson.
February 14, 2019
Mirror
Alan Jackson represented a British soccer player charged with misdemeanor battery after an incident in a Las Vegas nightclub. The case was dismissed.
December 26, 2018
Los Angeles Times
As a former L.A. County prosecutor, Joshua Ritter was asked to comment about the rise in fatal street racing incidents in Los Angeles. "On both sides, you've got families that have been torn apart."
October 25, 2018
TMZ
Actor Marion "Pooch" Hall and his attorney, Alan Jackson, were filmed by TMZ leaving L.A. Superior Court. Mr. Hall faced charges of DUI and child endangerment.
October 25, 2018
Los Angeles Times
Alan Jackson handled the defense of Ray Donovan actor Marion "Pooch" Hall, who was charged with driving under the influence and child endangerment. Mr. Hall pled not guilty to the charges.
September 22, 2018
Los Angeles Times
Joshua Ritter commented on a case for the Los Angeles Times in which critics say being white helped the defendant, a young man accused of being the driver in a gang-related shooting, walk away without any time in jail.
September 21, 2018
Los Angeles Times
Mark Werksman defended a former Pasadena police lieutenant who was charged with illegally dealing guns. His client pled guilty, and Mr. Werksman asked for leniency. "He takes responsibility for it and he’s resolved the case in a responsible way."
September 4, 2018
The Atlantic
Mark Hathaway spoke to The Atlantic about the Trump Administration’s proposed reforms to Title IX investigations on college campuses. Currently, "Whoever gets to the Title IX office first wins, because the presumption is that any accusation is true."
August 13, 2018
The Recorder
This article discusses one of Mark Hathaway’s cases, in which a UC Santa Barbara student was expelled for "stalking." A superior court judge ultimately held UCSB in contempt for failing to review and revise the original flawed investigation.
June 29, 2018
Seattle Times
Joshua Ritter spoke to the Seattle Times about the NFL players’ response to President Trump’s pardon offer. "A lot of [nonviolent drug offenders] are good folks who made a mistake and got themselves into a mess."
June 20, 2018
The College Fix
Mark Hathaway and Jenna Eyrich filed a writ of mandate on behalf of a Cal State Chico student who was expelled for sexual misconduct. The judge found that Chico State "failed to follow fair procedure" and overturned the expulsion.
May 31, 2018
The Jerusalem Post
Mark Werksman spoke as an extradition defense lawyer at the Israel Bar Association Conference in Eilat, as reported in The Jerusalem Post. He stressed the need for lawyers to be prepared for extradition for better results.
May 30, 2018
KPCC Air Talk
Joshua Ritter was a featured guest on 89.3 KPCC’s "AirTalk" examining the sexual assault case against former USC gynecologist George Tyndall.
April 27, 2018
Los Angeles Times
Mark Werksman was quoted in the Los Angeles Times defending his client, the owner of a Corona trucking firm, who was accused of conspiracy to make illegal gasoline tank repairs, which led to a fatal explosion.
April 27, 2018
Riverside Press Enterprise
A Corona trucking company owner was accused of "recklessly" causing the death of a worker. "[He] absolutely denies that he is responsible for the horrible accident that occurred in this case," attorney Mark Werksman told the Press-Enterprise.
April 27, 2018
US News and World Report
Mark Werksman’s client, a Corona trucking company owner, was charged with conspiracy and illegal welding leading to the death of a worker. Mr. Werksman told the AP that his client denied the charges and responsibility for the accident.
April 3, 2018
Pasadena Weekly
A Pasadena police lieutenant was arrested for allegedly selling more than 100 illegal guns. A continuance was granted during his trial, as the lieutenant switched lawyers from Mark Geragos to Mark Werksman of Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP.
December 29, 2017
TMZ
Lainie Kazan of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame was arrested for allegedly shoplifting on Christmas Eve. Mark Werksman, representing Kazan, spoke to TMZ directly, telling them the store "overreacted and didn’t give her a chance to pay."
December 29, 2017
PEOPLE
Mark Werksman spoke to People magazine on behalf of his celebrity client: "Lainie Kazan is not a shoplifter or a thief… We look forward to resolving this case in court where we are confident that she will be exonerated."
November 17, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Alan Jackson represented a woman whose mother was killed in a hit-and-run in Calabasas, lobbying the Los Angeles County district attorney to pursue harsher charges against the driver.
October 30, 2017
World Journal
This Chinese newspaper reports that Alan Jackson, former L.A. prosecutor and current defense attorney with Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, provided legal assistance to a woman seeking justice for her mother, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
October 28, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Alan Jackson was approached by a woman whose mother was killed by a driver, yet the LA district attorney declined to file serious charges. Mr. Jackson lobbied the district attorney's office for felony hit-and-run and manslaughter charges.
October 17, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Joshua Ritter, as a former L.A. county prosecutor, commented in the Los Angeles Times on a gang-related shooting in which an eyewitness’s address was inadvertently given to the shooter through a protective order filed by the DA's office.
October 17, 2017
The Patch
Mark Werksman handled the defense of a woman charged with one felony count and 25 misdemeanors for allegedly helping her cousin, the President of the LAUSD Board of Education, commit campaign fraud.
October 17, 2017
Teen Vogue
Teen Vogue interviewed defense attorney Joshua Ritter for a feature article about the role of social media in criminal investigations.
October 17, 2017
Lawyer Monthly
Joshua Ritter contributed his legal expertise to a Lawyer Monthly article entitled "Your Thoughts: Trump & US Gun Control" in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting.
October 12, 2017
Hollywood Reporter
Two casting directors were charged by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office with offering pay-to-play auditions. Mark Werksman guided his clients to plead "no contest" and receive community service, no jail time.
October 12, 2017
Bakersfield
Alan Jackson’s client, a Bakersfield man charged with murder for stabbing his brother, accepted a plea bargain with no time in jail after it came to light that witnesses to his alleged crime were also involved in the altercation.
September 14, 2017
ABC 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS
The president of the Los Angeles Unified School District and his cousin were charged with alleged campaign violations. Mark Werksman argued the case was over "a small amount of money so long ago in a local race."
September 14, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Mark Werksman came to the defense of a Partnerships to Uplift Communities administrator who was charged with a felony for helping her cousin, the current LAUSD Board President, allegedly commit campaign fraud two years prior.
September 13, 2017
Los Angeles Times
Mark Hathaway was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article about the current administration's intention to review Obama-era guidelines for how colleges handle sexual misconduct. "A system that isn't fair doesn't help the victims or the accused."
August 29, 2017
Daily Breeze
Alan Jackson defended a former production attorney for MGM studios who was accused of molesting a 14-year-old boy. Mr. Jackson conceded certain facts, but disputed the assault, pointing out the accuser offered "an ever-evolving, changing story."
August 23, 2017
Los Angeles Times
A football player was expelled for an alleged fight with his girlfriend by USC’s Title IX office. Mark Hathaway stepped in to file a petition to have the expulsion overturned. The girlfriend called USC’s investigation "horrible and unjust."
June 14, 2017
TMZ
Alan Jackson took the case of NBA player Jeff Withey, who was accused by his ex-fiancée of domestic violence. After investigating, police believed Withey’s ex initiated the assault and the district attorney declined to press charges against Withey.
June 12, 2017
Los Angeles Times
A comatose 8-year-old boy was taken off life support and his organs were donated. Mark Werksman later defended the anesthesiologist from charges that she used fentanyl to end the boy’s life instead of ease his suffering.
April 18, 2017
Politico
Mark Hathaway assisted a college student in a landmark Title IX case in which a California Superior Court judge overruled a University of California San Diego panel that punished the student for unproven sexual misconduct.
April 13, 2017
Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP
Mark Werksman, managing partner of Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, got a court to dismiss all felony child molestation charges against his client, a man falsely accused of molesting two children, at a preliminary hearing.
March 20, 2017
Super Lawyers
Managing partner Mark Werksman was named a top-rated white-collar crimes attorney in Los Angeles, California, by Super Lawyers®, a third-party rating service for outstanding lawyers.
February 28, 2017
CBS2/KCAL9
Joshua Ritter got 18 charges against his client, a man accused of drugging his date's drink, dismissed. One charge remained, and Mr. Ritter stated, "I am confident the DA is not going to able to prove that."
February 5, 2017
Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP
A commercial real estate owner was charged with violations of L.A. municipal codes related to a tenant marijuana dispensary, facing jail and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. Alan Jackson and his team got all charges dismissed.
October 7, 2016
Los Angeles Times
A Los Angeles Times photographer was arrested by police for what they claim was a "refusal to cooperate" near the Nancy Reagan funeral motorcade. His attorney, Mark Werksman, strongly disagreed and pledged to fight the charges.
June 15, 2016
Argonaut Online
Surveillance video and unreliable witnesses helped Alan Jackson prove to a judge that his client, a Venice Beach hotel owner, was wrongly accused of murder. "[H]e’s looking forward to being an integral part of the Venice community again."
June 10, 2016
LA WEEKLY
With video evidence, Alan Jackson helped to prove that his client, a Venice Beach hotel owner, was not in any way guilty of the murder of a homeless man who was gunned down by another assailant.
May 31, 2016
KPCC Air Talk
Title IX defense attorney Mark Hathaway participated in a guest discussion with 89.3 KPCC’s "AirTalk" over whether or not colleges should "flag" the transcripts of students accused of sexual misconduct.
March 22, 2016
Los Angeles Times
Managing partner Mark Werksman represented a former L.A. City Council Aide accused of corruption. After two days of deliberation, jurors found his client "not guilty" of the charges. "He was duped by an admitted thief," Werksman said.
January 29, 2016
USA TODAY
A UCLA punter who was accused of sexual assault by two women had all criminal charges dropped by the L.A. district attorney for lack of evidence. Mark Hathaway represented the accused and was glad to see justice done.
January 22, 2016
NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE
Joshua Ritter defended a former USC football player charged with robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking, and attempted carjacking. His client faced a possible penalty of 16 years and 10 months in prison.
January 21, 2016
Los Angeles Times
Two former college football players were accused of committing robberies in L.A. and Ventura. Joshua Ritter undertook the defense of one of the men, saying, "When all the evidence and facts come out, he's going to be vindicated."
October 19, 2015
Los Angeles Times
Alan Jackson tackled a tough case when he defended a Saudi Prince accused of sexual assault by three women. Prosecutors declined to file charges due to insufficient evidence, and a judge later ruled on his client's "factual innocence."
September 10, 2015
KTLA 5 NEWS
When he was Deputy District Attorney of Los Angeles, Joshua Ritter prosecuted a man who murdered a mother of two and shot her boyfriend because of an argument over a $10 cable bill. The man was convicted.
September 2, 2015
KABC
Alan Jackson defended a Venice hotel owner charged with the murder of a homeless man. "Someone else walked up and shot someone. [My client] did not have a gun. He did not shoot a gun."
September 2, 2015
Los Angeles Times
A Venice Beach hotel owner was involved in a dispute with group of homeless men when another man started shooting. Police arrested the hotel owner. Alan Jackson argued that the gunman killed a man, not his client.
July 27, 2015
Metropolitan News
After taking a case for a young man accused of sexual assault at Occidental College, Mark Hathaway penned a column for the Metropolitan News-Enterprise discussing how the current system discriminates against men in sexual misconduct cases.
July 15, 2015
U.S. News
U.S. News covers a recent victory for Mark Hathaway, in which a superior court judge ruled that his client, a college student accused of sexual assault, was not given a fair hearing and was unfairly punished.
July 13, 2015
The San Diego Reader
An L.A. Superior Court judge ruled that Mark Hathaway’s client, a male student at the University of California San Diego, was not giving a fair hearing, resulting in unfair punishment after an allegation of sexual assault.
July 13, 2015
San Diego Union-Tribune
Mark Hathaway represented a 20-year-old UCSD student who was accused of sexual assault. After presenting the evidence, a superior court judge ruled that the school administrators were unfair and the allegations unsubstantiated.
June 30, 2015
Los Angeles Times
Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP associate Joshua Ritter is a former L.A. prosecutor who succeeded in getting a Los Angeles firefighter sentenced to 180 days in jail for assaulting a woman who was trying to feed stray cats.
April 1, 2015
Feature Article in Esquire Magazine
In 2011, the Office for Civil Rights changed how colleges handle sexual assault claims. This came to haunt one student at Occidental College. Family friend Mark Hathaway stepped in, and began his Title IX defense that day.
October 2, 2014
AVFM (A Voice for Men)
"No person should have to give up his or her right to a fair and equitable process," reads this open letter to the U.S. Senate written by twenty prominent attorneys, including Mark Hathaway.
September 24, 2014
ABC 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Prior to joining Werksman Hathaway & Quinn LLP, Joshua Ritter prosecuted a case of battery causing serious bodily harm on behalf of a woman who was assaulted by a Los Angeles firefighter and his mother.
September 18, 2014
Air Talk
A task force at the University of California revealed a set of new guidelines for campuses to fight sexual misconduct. But, asks Mark Hathaway, are the rights of the accused being tossed out in the process?
Press Releases
Werksman, Jackson & Quinn obtains acquittal in federal case alleging drug trafficking conspiracy.
On April 23, 2020, Werksman, Jackson & Quinn partner Caleb Mason obtained an acquittal for our client, a private charter pilot, on all charges in a federal criminal trial on drug trafficking charges in the US District Court in Lexington, Kentucky. Our firm represented a private jet charter pilot who was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kentucky after one of his former charter clients was caught smuggling drugs on a private plane in Lexington, Kentucky. Our client had nothing to do with that flight, but the government charged him, and the owner of the charter company he flew for, on conspiracy charges, claiming that all of this charter client's prior flights had been drug flights, and the pilot and company owner must have known about it. A second pilot, and a business associate of the drug smuggler were also charged. The government claimed that the defendants were part of a massive multi-year conspiracy to smuggle huge quantities of drugs around the country using private planes. The trial lasted seven weeks, continuing all through the coronavirus lockdown, with more than 50 witnesses. The jury deliberated for eight days, and then acquitted our client of all charges. He is now free to return home to his wife and young daughter.
Press Release
April 7, 2020
Re: The Apostle - Naason Joaquin Garcia
On April 7, 2020, the Court of Appeal struck a major blow for justice in a case that never should have been brought by ordering the sex-abuse case against the leader of Mexican megachurch La Luz del Mundo dismissed. This is a long overdue recognition that the government has violated Mr. Garcia’s constitutional right to a speedy trial and reasonable bond. In their zeal to secure a conviction at any cost, the Attorney General has sought to strip Mr. Garcia of his freedom without due process by locking him up without bail on the basis of unsubstantiated accusations by unnamed accusers and by denying him his day in court. We are thrilled that the Court of Appeal saw and corrected the unfairness. This is a good day for justice.
Contact Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP Today
Phone: (213) 688-0460 
Fax: (213) 624-1942
Recent Case Results
- 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. - Decision Set Aside
Client, a college student in a faulty Title IX case, was awarded $130,000 in attorney fees. - 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.
