Whitney Bernstein
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorney in San Clemente, CA
- Free Consultation
Whitney is an experienced criminal defense attorney who brings excellence, compassion, and tenacity to every case and client. From pre-indictment through trial, Whitney has earned a reputation for aggressive litigation and has a proven track record for achieving success for her clients when the odds are against them. She has spent her career representing individuals facing felony and misdemeanor charges, including but not limited to wire fraud, money laundering, Travel Act violations, violations of the CAN-SPAM Act, drug and firearm crimes, immigration offenses, assaults, arson, and thefts. In addition to her criminal practice, Whitney represents whistleblowers and defendants in False Claims Act cases. Whitney is adept at all aspects of criminal defense, having drafted and argued a wide variety of motions, evidentiary hearings, jury and bench trials, sentencing hearings, and appeals in the Ninth Circuit. She's a problem solver who crafts smart, creative solutions that prioritize her clients' interests and objectives. Her client-centered approach enables people to navigate the challenges of the court system with a relentless advocate at their side. Whitney graduated from Cornell University and then earned both her law degree and Master's in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania. She honed her trial skills as a public defender in Brooklyn, New York and as a Federal Defender in the Southern District of California prior to entering private practice. Whitney is a member of the Women's White Collar Defense Association and serves on the Chief's Advisory Board for the San Diego County Probation Office and as a Lawyer Representative for the Southern District of California.
About Whitney Bernstein
First Admitted: 2012, New Jersey
Professional Webpage: https://bklwlaw.com/our-team/whitney-z-bernstein/
Pro bono/Community Service
- Founding board member and serve on the San Diego Probation Chief's Advisory Board
- Member of the Women's White Collar Criminal Defense Association
- Alternate Lawyer Representative for the Southern District of California
Bar/Professional Activity
- California State Bar No. 304917
- New York State Bar No. 5094206
Educational Background
- Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, 2012
- Master's Degree in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania Department of Criminology, 2012
- Bachelor of Arts in Government and Sociology, Concentration in Law in Society, from Cornell University, 2006
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Panelist, Tips and Trends: The Impact of COVID-19 on White Collar Litigation, Federal Bar Association and Women’s White Collar Defense Association (May 2020), Panelist on panel co-sponsored by the Federal Bar Association and the Women's White Collar Defense Association, Tips and Trends: The Impact of COVID-19 on White Collar Litigation, 2020
- Faculty Panelist & Presenter, Game of Phones: Fourth Amendment Defenses Against Cell Evidence, Federal Judicial Center National Seminar for Federal Defenders (May 2018), Faculty Panelist and Presenter at Federal Judicial Center National Seminar for Federal Defenders, Game of Phones: Fourth Amendment Defenses Against Cell Evidence, 2018
- Faculty Presenter, Close Encounters of the 1324 Kind: Demystifying Alien Smuggling Cases, 2017 Annual Criminal Justice Agency Seminar for the Southern District of California (Sept. 2017), Faculty Presenter at Annual Criminal Justice Agency Seminar for the Southern District of California , Close Encounters of the 1324 Kind: Demystifying Alien Smuggling Cases, 2017
Honors/Awards
- Whitney was also recognized by Best Lawyers in Criminal Defense: White-Collar. (https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/whitney-z-bernstein/265694), Recognized by Best Lawyers in Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Best Lawyers, 2021
Last Updated: 5/15/2022