ARE YOU FACING A CRIMINAL CHARGE? PUT MY EXPERIENCE ON YOUR SIDE

ZACHARY MCCREADY

Headshot of Attorney Zachary McCready

You’re here because either you or a loved one needs professional legal help. I have spent over 17 years gathering the knowledge and experience that will make a difference in your case.

I haven’t always been a lawyer. I used to be an investigator for the Los Angeles Police Department. Before that, I worked at a bank and at a hotel. I also spent a year as a government contractor in Iraq where I trained Iraqi Police chiefs on things like building searches, keeping track of guns and other inventory, conducting random audits, etc.

I have thrown myself into my work. I have had over 20 successful trials and about 5 unsuccessful ones, each one was a learning experience. I have gotten thousands of cases dismissed before trial. My law firm has the tools, the personalities and the passion that your case needs.

I am a criminal law specialist, certified in 2018 by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Less than 1% of California attorneys have this designation. It requires real trial experience, hundreds of hours of study, passing a test that half of all attorneys fail, and a perfect record for the California State Bar. I have spent over 100,000 hours at the office, including very late nights and weekends where I barricade myself in the office to finish a motion, an appellate brief, or a trial book (sometimes called a “murder book”). We don’t go to court unprepared.

My staff is top-tier. My office manager is a certified paralegal with over 15 years of experience. My associate attorney is a former Orange County prosecutor who has never lost a felony trial.

We work tirelessly to get our work done and we do it so that our clients get the result that they want which is usually much better than what the opposing party wants them to get.

We do criminal defense, civil litigation, appellate work, post-conviction work (on some cases), juvenile dependency, juvenile delinquency and family law.

We were recently rated as one of the top 3 firms in Long Beach on Finding the best business, it is easy as pie - ThreeBestRated.com , a consumer-oriented website which does unbiased, objective reviews of law firms based on a rigorous 50-point inspection that includes client reviews, company history, complaint history, directory ratings, client satisfaction, overall trust, cost effectiveness and general excellence.

We received this designation in 2022, 2023, and 2024 and we hope to get it again next year. We are honored to have won it in each of these years.

Give me a call to see if your case is one that we can help with.

Recognized and distinguished in the Top Attorneys of North America 2022-2023 edition.

2023 Client Champion Award

Client Champion Platinum Award

My goal as your attorney is to make sure that whatever you’ve been charged with, you have an experienced criminal defense attorney providing legal counsel and support at every turn.

Trial Experience You Can Count On

Over the years I've had the opportunity to litigate a number of different cases for a variety of both major and minor criminal offenses. As a seasoned trial attorney with a record of success in Long Beach, I have extensive experience overseeing cases with both jury and bench trials, arbitration, and have become an expert in the field of administering standardized field sobriety tests. In addition to representing clients, I'm an active member on a number of different state and city criminal justice associations, including the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, the California Public Defenders Association, and the California DUI Lawyers Association, among many others.

At the end of the day, I love what I do because it gives me the opportunity to help people when they often don't have anyone else to provide them with the experienced legal counsel and emotional support they need during extremely difficult times. I believe that everyone, regardless of what they're up against, has the right to a strong defense. I'm proud to offer my knowledge and expertise to the wonderful people of my community, and I'm committed to doing everything I can to ensure that the rights of my clients are protected throughout the process.

Bar Admissions

  • California State Bar, 2007

  • The United States District Court for the Central District of California

  • The United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

  • The United States Tax Court

Certifications

  • Criminal Law Specialist – California Board of Legal Specialization

Education

  • B.S. (Criminal Justice) - Thomas A. Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey, 2001

  • J.D. (Law) - Whittier College School of Law, 2005

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) - Member

  • California Bar Association, Criminal Law Section - Member

  • California DUI Lawyers Association - Member

  • J. Reuben Clark Legal Society - Former Member

  • Orange County Bar Association - Member

  • Whittier Law School Alumni Association - Member

Proudly serving Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Lakewood, Orange County, CA, and the surrounding areas, including Santa Ana and Fountain Valley. Criminal Defense and White Collar Crime Lawyer in Orange County, Domestic Violence and Manslaughter Lawyer in Orange County.