Saffari Law Group

Have you been ARRESTED or contacted by the Police, a Detective, FBI, or CPS?

Criminal Defense Law Firm Serving Clients Throughout California
Five star law firm with first class service and aggressive representation

Fluent in Spanish, German, and Farsi. Se Habla Español.

MSNBC Logo
Fox News Channel Logo
ABC Logo
CNN Logo
HLN Logo
CBS logo
Los Angeles Times logo

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

Knowledgeable & Client-Focused Criminal Lawyer Representing State and Federal Cases Throughout California

Saffari Law Group is a Los Angeles criminal defense firm dedicated to providing aggressive and effective client advocacy. Since 2005, our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer Ninaz Saffari has proven herself to be one of the top trial attorneys in L.A., having tried more than 70 cases with outstanding results.

Ninaz Saffari Criminal Defense Attorney

Our Philosophy: Fewer clients equals undivided personal attention

Ninaz has personally taken more than seventy (70) criminal cases all the way through trial with outstanding results. She has a perfect five-star average rating on Avvo and has appeared numerous times on national/network television as a highly knowledgeable legal professional.

0 +
Years of Experience
0 +
Trials
0 +
Cases Handled
0 .0
AVVO rating

Criminal Defense Legal Practice

Get Five Star, First-Class Service from a former public defender.

Criminal Law

Every defendant has the right to be presumed innocent unless proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assault & Battery

The crimes of assault and battery are linked together in casual conversation and quite often in practice.

Domestic Violence

When a person is facing domestic violence charges, it is critical that they find a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer

Drug Crimes

Southern California ranks as one of the largest and most popular states but rampant in Los Angeles County

Sex Crimes

Sex offenses under California penal law can range from minor misdemeanors to heinous and violent of acts.

Fraud

Embezzlement, forgery, and white-collar crimes in general (including worker’s compensation fraud).

Homicide

There is no more serious charge in the California penal code than that of taking the life of another human being.

We handle practically every type of white-collar crime, including fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and other types of fraud.

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer

providing first-class service

We’re not just lawyers, we’re advocates for justice.

Committed to excellence

Excellence is a result of going an extra mile, it is about being precise, being a part of the solution,

Dedicated to the pursuit of justice

Everyone deserves a fair trial, no matter the accusation or the charges against them.

Attorney for the people

Five-star law firm with first class service and aggressive representation.

We have years of experience

18+ years of Law Experience and more than 60 Trials fought in the Courtroom.

Google Reviews

Travis E
Travis E
Read More
I recently started working with Ninaz Saffari and Thomas Beck at Saffari Law Group and I must say, I couldn’t be more pleased with my experience. From the very beginning, they have demonstrated exceptional communication skills, keeping me informed and involved throughout the entire process. They make it a priority to respond promptly to my questions and concerns, ensuring I always have a clear understanding of the proceedings. What sets Saffari Law Group apart from other legal professionals is their genuine empathy and dedication to their clients. In a world where many attorneys seem to be primarily focused on their bottom line, Ninaz and Thomas truly care about my situation and well-being. They treat me with respect, kindness, and understanding, making me feel like a valued individual rather than just another case number.....
John O'Kenney
John O'Kenney
Read More
Full Review: Ninaz Saffari and Thomas are the complete team from beginning to the end. First they took my call in the middle of the day on a Sunday, they personally set up a zoom then met with our family in the office. They carefully listened and asked not only questions about my cadse but about my future and then their team met and then decided to take our case. In this day and age who takes all that time in making sure they can help. Ninaz handles everything and never shoved us off to a junior or associate and her fees were very fair and actually way better then those big mill firms who just want to sign you up and didn't even offer a zoom or consultations. Call this firm and see what set them apart and hire someone like Ninaz who gives your future their personal attention.
TJ Oelsch
TJ Oelsch
Read More
Do the research, read the reviews, look at the accomplishments. This is a big time lawyer with small business personal attention and it shows. Ninaz has all the connections, she doesn't accept no for an answer she fights she thinks outside the box and she is never rattled or intimidated. You can tell she has the big law firm credentials but your paying for her personal attention and she is careful in the cases she accepts. Don't trust you future to just anyone, everyone deserves to be heard and her team is patient and wants to listen about your case. Cannot say enough wonderful things about the team she has put together.
Charles Longden
Charles Longden
Read More
This review is to tell anyone who wants an honest review of their case to call Saffari Law Group and speak to Tom or Ninaz. We read all the reviews, watched her videos, researched her trial results and to say were impressed is an understatement. Tom made it clear that their great results are a combination of keeping case loads low, client services high, and working the cases and never passing it along to a "associate" or junior attorney. We would recommend Saffari Law Group to anyone facing a situation that they need more then just a typical attorney they need an advocate of justice who believes in their clients cases !!!!
Eli C
Eli C
Read More
Ninaz Saffari Best Attorney no doubt. If you looking for a honest, fighter, and reliable Attorney look no further, From my personal experience I had 2 attorneys before I hired her. I was fighting a case in Riverside with the worst Judges and DA they wanted to give me 25 years. I felt hopeless until I hired Ninaz Safari she gave me a peace of mind and fought for me and even call out the cops on their lies in front of the judge. I end up beating the Case thanks to her. She is connected know the judges,DAs and how to fight a case. I recommend her to anyone looking for an honest attorney who not gonna BS and just take your Money. I talked and Texted her thru out my case not like other attorneys whom you gotta talk to their secretaries mon-fri 8am-4pm. She always answered my phone calls texts and all my questions and concerns I had. You can do your research and see for yourself she has won big cases. Til’ this day I still talk to her. Thank You Ninaz Saffari
Avery Norris
Avery Norris
Read More
My criminal case was in Orange County which is the worst place to be if you’re a defendant. My girlfriend and I were charged with dozens of felonies for allegedly running a major ID theft factory. The prosecutor refused to provide Ninaz Saffari with the discovery but she kept fighting every single hearing (there were over a dozen). She eventually got everything she was supposed to receive and she was able to use that info to get us a slap on the wrist. Ninaz is the absolute best of the best.
Ashley Walker
Ashley Walker
Read More
I highly recommend Saffari Law Group. Ninaz is a dedicated and hard working lawyer. One of the kindest people I've had the pleasure of knowing. She cares for each and everyone of her clients and is a true professional. If I could give 10 stars I would!
mar jn
mar jn
Read More
I am excited for my nephew's decision to work with attorney Ninaz and Thomas. Thomas has proactively started on my nephew's case before my nephew made a payment, unlike other lawyers that wanted to be paid first. They definitely stand out more than there peers and put action to there words. I thank God!
Donna Saunders
Donna Saunders
Read More
Full review: First, my call was answered in professional matter and transferred to Tom and he was very nice and set me up with an appointment. Second, I did a consultation for about 2 hours and I did a second zoom with Ninaz and I didn't have to pay for anything and trust me they know their craft. Third, I had called around so I was expecting a lofty fee for their services and Ninaz actually beat them and I never told them what I was quoted by others who spent less than 10 min. on the phone with me. They are dependable, hard working, attentive, and they really do give personal attention to your case. Highly recommend.
Mike Rolon
Mike Rolon
Read More
Safari Law Group, handled my case professionally I was walked through the process of how my case would be handled and all out comes ( no sugar coating) there was always an open line of communication and even before retaining services, I was given hours of information about my case. I feel I was properly and professionally represented and given the best outcome.
Laura Kim
Laura Kim
Read More
Ninaz was wonderful. I went in for a consultation for an issue and Ninaz was kind of enough to explain the situation for me in terms that I could understand and how I should go and approach the situation. She was very friendly and so knowledgeable that I CAN ONLY RECOMMEND her to everyone I know who is having problems and is seeking justice.I feel I was properly and professionally represented and given the best outcome.
Kandiss Oxford
Kandiss Oxford
Read More
I phoned in to speak with an attorney and was not able to get help from him, as he didn't deal in the proceedings I needed help with. However, I was able to get a great referral to another prosecutor! thank you so much for your help and time.
Brandon Bower
Brandon Bower
Read More
Thomas Beck was Very Responsive & Friendly. I’m dealing with an issue from years back & currently living in a different State. They did a wonderful job explaining the process to get my situation resolved.
Todd Raymond Swenor
Todd Raymond Swenor
Read More
Their professionalism is unmatched. The expertise can only be matched by their integrity and ability to put the client first. I will be forever grateful to The Saffari Law Group. Thank you all!
Previous
Next
Service, Above and Beyond

Contact Us For Immediate Assistance

College or high school students considering law school often ask Ninaz for advice about entering the legal profession. Her response is always the same: “If you want to become a lawyer just to make money, then do something else because there are much easier ways to earn a living. But if you truly want to help people, then by all means you should consider pursuing a career as an attorney.”

Ninaz has been a true believer in every sense of the term long before she even started law school. This burning desire to help others, particularly underdogs whose civil and criminal rights have been violated by the powers-that-be, was instilled in her early on.

Every so often, someone asks her, “How can you sleep at night knowing that you’re defending criminals?”

To which she responds with her own question: “Do you enjoy living in a free society where you are guaranteed personal freedoms and civil rights? Where you are automatically entitled to certain guaranties of liberty, such as the right to be tried by a jury of your peers, and the right to a hearing before an impartial judge to determine if there was sufficient probable cause to justify your arrest or to ensure that the search warrant was even valid in the first place? Are you grateful that you live in a country where the police can’t just arrest you and throw you in jail for months or even years without any hearing or trial? Where if you are wrongly convicted, you have a fair appeals process to fall back on?”

Inevitably, the other party replies to all of the above, “Well, of course I do.” As Ninaz explains, “Well, who do you think ensures that those due process rights are guaranteed? That those individual liberties are protected?”

The answer: criminal defense attorneys. We form a thin but powerful line between you and the government to ensure that our system of checks and balances are strictly followed. At the Los Angeles Defense Attorney Law Firm, we believe that our job is to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system – to force the police and prosecutors to do their jobs properly and legally. To ensure that they follow the rules of evidence and procedure, and that the ends should never justify the means.

This is why we fight. This is why we believe. This is who we are.

 

Practicing criminal defense law has proven to be the most rewarding experience in my life, and I could never imagine doing anything else. I can’t think of a better way for me to help people than doing what I’ve been doing for the last fifteen years. One of the driving factors in my career has been the fact that I always see the good in people. I always believe that my clients are deserving of hope, and that’s it’s my job not only to protect them from a flawed prosecution, but to help them get another chance in life.

I don’t make moral judgments about my clients; nor do I ever talk down to them. I prefer to explain the facts of the case and their legal predicament in as straightforward a manner as possible. I try to manage expectations, never promise more than what I know I can deliver, and usually seek to work closely with the client and his/her family members in preparing the defense. In my experience, keeping in close touch with the client’s family is always critical, particularly when the client is incarcerated – not just for the defense but for the client and family’s peace of mind. When I’m hired, my client and his/her family members are often going through the most traumatic time in their entire lives, so I appreciate their need to be updated of every step in what is often a long, complicated, and confusing process.

Family counselor is only one of the hats I wear during the course of my practice, but it is certainly one of the most important. I’ve seen firsthand the destruction of many families when the primary breadwinner is imprisoned or, in some cases, even deported. Prison destroys families, so I am acutely aware of the tremendous faith and trust my clients and their relatives place in me. This is why I fight so hard – each and every time, without exception.

In every single one of the sixty-plus criminal trials I’ve completed since 2005, I’ve felt that it’s our legal system that’s on trial as much as my client. My role is to ensure that throughout every step of the police investigation and prosecution, my client’s rights have not been trampled upon and that he or she has received every possible protection afforded by our legal system. I firmly believe that our legal system is the best in the world for the sole reason that these rights are provided to anyone who is accused of committing a crime, regardless of its nature and regardless of the client. So I see myself as fighting for the system, and never against it.

And maybe that’s why I’ve enjoyed so much extraordinary success over the last decade-and-a-half. The fact that most of my new clients are referrals from previous clients, or even from other attorneys who know what I can do, is a testament to this exemplary track record.

Sage advice from the late Lucchese crime family associate Jimmy “the Gent” Burke (played by Robert DeNiro in the 1990 film Goodfellas) – advice we recommend you follow if and when you are stopped by police for any reason. As a matter of California law, when you are questioned by a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, CHP patrolman, DA’s Office investigator, or any other law enforcement official, you are only required to provide the following two items of information:

– Your name; and
–Your current residence address.

That’s it. If the police press you for additional information about yourself or whatever you are doing at the time, tell them this:

“On the advice of my attorney, I respectfully decline to answer, and hereby invoke my lawful right not to answer, based on the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.”

It is absolutely critical that you not say anything to the police when you are questioned because, as the famous Miranda warning goes, anything you say can and will be used against you in court. All of your statements will go into the police report, and you can rest assured that the police officer will testify against you as to what you said.

Keeping your mouth shut also ensures that the police won’t be able to falsify any statements that they will later use against you. And always keep this in mind: you will never be able to talk yourself out of trouble, much less an arrest. In other words, the more incriminating statements you give to the police, the more difficult you make it for your attorney to adequately defend you.

Similarly, if the police attempt to search your person, vehicle, residence, or any other place or thing without a search warrant and seek your permission to do so, respond as follows:

“On the advice of my attorney, I respectfully deny you permission to search me/my vehicle/my home, and hereby invoke my lawful right to refuse permission based on the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.”

Without a valid search warrant, the police – in the absence of probable cause – need your express permission to search your vehicle or residence. This also applies to a search of your person where, if lacking reasonable suspicion, the police need your explicit consent to conduct a lawful search.

Additionally, as discussed above, if the police try to further question you at the station (or even on the way there), simply repeat your lawful right not to answer under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Then add the following:

“I also hereby respectfully invoke my rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution to contact my attorney and make my phone call.”

Once you assert these rights, the police have no choice but to stop questioning you. Ideally, you would have an attorney on retainer so that you can also provide the investigating detective or officer with your lawyer’s contact information. If you already have the Los Angeles Defense Attorney Law Firm on retainer, you would simply show them the digital business card provided by your attorney.

At the Los Angeles Defense Attorney Law Firm, we always take offense when people dismiss these liberties as mere technicalities. On the contrary, these are the most fundamental freedoms we enjoy in the United States, and particularly in California, where one’s federal Constitutional rights are further strengthened by the state’s own Constitution. It is these very same black-letter civil rights that motivated the colonists to fight the American Revolution against their British oppressors, and which were codified as basic human rights in the federal Constitution. It is these very freedoms which form the basis of our democracy.

But it’s in front of a jury at trial where Ninaz truly shines, and where she has enjoyed her greatest successes. When was the last time you heard of a big-name lawyer actually going through a complete jury trial? Hands down, she is one of the absolute finest trial lawyers in LA County. Trials are what she has wanted to do since her first year in law school, and trials are what she has done since she started her first day with the Public Defender’s Office in DTLA.

In contrast to many of her contemporaries, Ninaz prefers to diligently push most of her cases towards trial, particularly if her client is in custody. She often takes new clients who have been sitting in jail for months because their previous counsel simply continued the case for no apparent reason (aside from continuing to receive payments in the meantime).

After so many trials, Ninaz has also become highly skilled at voir dire (jury selection), particularly in choosing open-minded, fair, and impartial individuals who will overlook even their own preconceived notions in determining the fate of her client. Because she has personally practiced so extensively in every major courthouse in the county (from Lancaster to Long Beach, though largely in downtown LA), she is intimately familiar with the potential jury pools in each area. Part of this insight is derived from her post-trial efforts to speak with interested jurors in order to better understand what swayed them in her client’s favor. It is these kinds of extraordinary efforts that further distinguish Ninaz from her competitors. She also rarely takes a case outside of the county, which has deepened her knowledge and familiarity with the judges and jury pools in these courthouse.

Once the final jury is impaneled (twelve jurors plus two alternates), Ninaz quickly earns the respect of the jury by launching into her opening statement where, in general, she matter-of-factly explains why her client is innocent and/or why the prosecution’s evidence falls woefully short of establishing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. She understands that juries will usually make up their mind as to the defendant’s guilt or innocence at the conclusion of the opening statement, and therefore accords it the appropriate attention and seriousness.

Further, she never makes promises to the jury unless she knows she can fulfill them in presenting her defense, and takes careful note of all such promises made by her opposing counsel. She knows that a trial lawyer – whether a prosecutor or defender – who fails to present promised evidence will be taken to task during jury deliberations.

And within the context of a trial (and also at a preliminary hearing), Ninaz’s sharply honed cross-examination skills come into laser-focus. Aided by a keen memory, an ability to think fast on her feet, and many months of exhaustive preparation, she is able to dissect, challenge, and contradict every pertinent inconsistency, inaccuracy, and falsehood uttered by the prosecution’s witnesses. This particularly applies to police officers and detectives, whose recollections and sworn statements on the stand often differ significantly from those at the prelim and in their various written reports.

Few of Ninaz’s contemporaries are as accomplished as she is when it comes to closing arguments. This is where the fruits of her many months (or even years) of labor are finally borne. This is her opportunity to systematically, thoroughly, and convincingly attack every piece of questionable evidence presented by the DA’s Office. This is her time to highlight the glaring deficiencies in the statements made by the police and prosecution witnesses, including the DA’s own experts. And, of course, it’s her chance to summarize all of her client’s own exculpatory evidence.

Nothing exhilarates Ninaz more than obtaining a not-guilty verdict and, in particular, seeing clients who literally haven’t seen the sun or breathed fresh air for months be finally set free. To ultimately see her clients reunited with their families and ready to begin or resume productive lives is what drives her. This is her inspiration. This is her passion.

And in instances where there is a hung verdict and the prosecutor sets a new trial date, Ninaz immediately begins preparing anew – but this time armed with all the evidence and transcripts from the entire first trial (and, if applicable, prelim).

The first thing PNCs (prospective new clients) notice when they first speak with Ninaz is how much more information she provides than her competitors.  She understands that for most people, the criminal process is terrifying and alien; therefore, she always takes extra time to patiently explain it in easily understandable layman’s terms.  (The fact that she speaks Spanish proficiently enables her to communicate particularly well with her Latino clients and their family members.)  By the end of the initial telephone call or meeting, the PNCs (and any spouses or relatives with them) are almost always left with the belief that Ninaz is more knowledgeable, experienced, and patient than her peers.

The second thing potential new clients realize is that Ninaz doesn’t give a hard-sell sales pitch, unlike the vast majority of big-name firms whose primary objective is closing the clients and getting their money at the conclusion of the first in-person meeting or even over the initial telephone consultation.  These other defense attorneys often make outrageous or even blatantly false promises, such as their representation that they will be able to get the case dismissed at the preliminary hearing.  Or these lawyers make ridiculous assertions such as about their supposedly close relationship with the judge or prosecutor, thereby implying that they can somehow sway the prosecution in their favor.  So if the lawyer you interview tells you something that sounds too good to be true, then it virtually always is.

Such misrepresentations are not only patently untrue but inherently unethical.  Ninaz doesn’t need to resort to such shameless tactics.  She doesn’t have numerous offices all over LA County or even the state, or many lawyers and staff, that require a huge monthly overhead.  She doesn’t have billboards overlooking freeways or late-night TV commercials.  As a consequence, she enjoys the luxury of selecting only those cases in which she believes she can have the most positive impact, and in which she can invest the maximum amount of time and effort.

So instead of employing slick pressure tactics, Ninaz prefers to plainly lay out the facts, the law, and potential defense strategies in such a manner that even the most unfamiliar individual will know what to expect as the case progresses.  She summarizes the outcomes she’s achieved in similar cases, but never as a prediction or guarantee as to what will happen in the PNC’s own situation (which would also be unethical).  Ninaz understands that the more information a client and his/her family have, the less anxious and fearful they will be as to what lays ahead.

Then, after hiring her, the first thing new clients notice about Ninaz is how communicative and responsive she is to them.  Unless she is in court or asleep, she promptly returns most messages within several hours.  Rarely do clients of big-name firms enjoy such near-immediate feedback.

The second thing new clients notice after they hire her is how well prepared and thorough she is at each and every court hearing.  She personally attends these hearings, and prepares and argues her own motions – something her big-name peers rarely do.  And she always thoroughly understands the particular law or laws at issue, and conducts her own legal research in preparing for each hearing.

At preliminary hearings (again, held only in felony cases), wherein the District Attorney’s Office seeks to convince the superior court judge that there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, Ninaz takes a different tact than many of her peers.  After having completed many hundreds of these hearings, she understands that the prelim (as it’s commonly referred to) is a mini-trial (with witnesses, cross-examination, presentation of evidence, etc.) that forces the prosecution to reveal its hand and allows the defense to keep its own cards close to the vest.  Ninaz also understands that prelims are very difficult to win (and is always upfront with her PNC’s about this reality), so will often reserve her most powerful exculpatory evidence in preparation of trial.  (Nevertheless, she has experienced considerable success at prelims, including having potential-life-sentence cases dismissed outright at that stage.)

Finally, unlike many if not most of her contemporaries, Ninaz will often put her clients to testify on their own behalf at trial.  She understands that juries want to hear directly from the client about what did or did not happen.  In other words, in many cases Ninaz will not simply limit her defense to attacking the prosecution’s witnesses and evidence, but will let her client tell their side of the story in their own words.  Juries always want a complete picture of the events at issue before deliberating, and so whenever possible, she will try to make that happen.

Have you been ARRESTED or contacted by the Police, a Detective, FBI, or CPS?

Lawyer Defense

Poor communication is the most common complaint against private attorneys, especially criminal defense lawyers, as per the California State Bar. At Saffira Law Firm, this is never an issue as we prioritize staying in close contact with our clients, their family members, and authorized representatives.

Our managing attorney, Ninaz Saffari, gives out her personal cell phone number to all clients and returns calls within a day. If a client is in custody, Ninaz will make time to visit them as often as necessary for a thorough defense preparation. She even maintains contact with some clients and their families for years after their cases are concluded.

Seeing her clients lead happy lives is her greatest joy.

Free Consultation

Criminal Defense Blogs

View Our Latest Criminal Defense Blogs