When the State Walked Away from Reentry, We Didn’t
A few days ago, my partner Michael Santos got a message from the California Department…
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Author: Michael Santos
Michael Santos
Why I Turned Down $5K for Gossip About Elizabeth Holmes in Prison
Let me tell you about a message I got recently. Someone who served time with…
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Why Denial Keeps You Stuck—and What Owning It Set Me Free
A few weeks ago, I played golf with an old friend and former client of…
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What One Doctor Got Right—And What Most Defendants Miss
A physician on the East Coast recently reached out to me. He had pled guilty…
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What Judges Want to Hear—and What You Keep Getting Wrong
Over the years, I’ve heard every kind of sentencing pitch you can imagine.. Some are…
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How to Write a Sentencing Statement That Doesn’t Sound Like a Script
I’ve been to too many sentencing hearings where someone stands up, reads their statement, and……
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The Janitor Who Tried
Last week, my daughter Alyssa asked me to watch America’s Got Talent with her. I told her:…
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How to Respond to Kickback Schemes Charges—and Avoid the Mistakes That Make Things Worse
When I was indicted for securities fraud, I remember sitting in my lawyer’s office, nodding…
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The Sentencing Mistake That Makes Judges Lose Trust
One of the biggest mistakes I see defendants make is waiting. They wait to take…
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