John Aquilina received his bachelor's degree in history from Canisius College in 1973 and his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1977.

He has been licensed to practice law in the state of California since 1981 and in the state of New York since 1978 and is a certified specialist in criminal law, California Board of Legal Specialization.

Licenses
California State Bar, 1981; U.S. District Court, Central District of California 1995; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit 1997; New York State Bar, 1978; U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 1980

His practice is his own. You'll deal only with John Aquilina--no one else in his place.

He has more than 45 years' local experience handling criminal defense matters in both state and federal courts, including all misdemeanor, felony, and juvenile cases, as well as hundreds of jury trials.

He has always been a defense attorney representing those accused of criminal offenses--never a prosecutor.

By 1995, he achieved the highest rate of felony and murder acquittals of any Riverside-area attorney, including the first not-guilty verdict in a death penalty trial in Riverside County in over 30 years.

He has received the highest recommendations recognized by the courts, prosecutors, and his peers as one of the most conscientious defense attorneys in the area. He puts in more time and effort than any other attorney in every type of case, whether it involves a minor or a serious charge.

When another defense attorney has a legal issue, he is frequently the first one called for assistance. When he is retained on a case, the prosecutor knows that he or she is going to have to work for a conviction, and the court recognizes that the defendant will have the best representation and assistance available.

Excerpted from the State Bar of California Web site

If you had a serious illness, wouldn't you want to be treated by a doctor who specialized in that area?

The more complicated your situation, the more reason to consider hiring an attorney who specializes in criminal law and who is committed through certification to keeping up her or his proficiency through continual practice and continuing education.

The State Bar of California offers California lawyers the opportunity to become certified in nine areas of law practice.

In order to be identified as a "certified" specialist in California, an attorney must be certified either by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, or an organization whose certification program has been accredited by the State Bar. (Such an organization must have requirements for certification that are at least equal to those of the State Bar's program.)

California attorneys certified as specialists must pass a written examination in their specialty field, demonstrate a high level of experience in the specialty field, fulfill ongoing education requirements and be favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with their work.

Attorneys should refer to the State Bar's certification requirements and list of specialty areas for additional information.

Members of the public can find a certified legal specialist in their county by accessing Legal Specialist Search.