About Charles Sevilla

After receiving his law degree from the University of Santa Clara, Chuck earned a master’s degree (LL.M) from the Urban Law Institute at George Washington University Law School. He spent two years as an attorney in Washington, D.C., for VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America, before moving to San Diego to serve as a Federal Public Defender. Chuck rose to the position of Chief Trial Attorney in the San Diego Federal Public Defender office. In 1976, he was recruited to establish and head the Los Angeles office of the California State Public Defender office. Later he became the Chief Deputy State Public Defender for the State of California. In 1983, he and longtime friend and colleague, John Cleary, established the law firm of Cleary and Sevilla. In 2004, John Cleary retired from the practice to teach at Moscow State University in Russia under the auspices of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship program in international educational exchange. Chuck continues his full-time criminal defense practice.

Chuck has argued cases at all appellate levels, including several times before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a frequent speaker and presenter at legal conferences. Chuck has published books on legal humor and two novels about a fictional New York City defense lawyer, John Wilkes. He has authored numerous law review articles and is the co-author of a legal text, California Criminal Defense Practice, used by lawyers and in law schools throughout the country.