
Jeffrey D Kent
The Kent Law Firm 1440 N HARBOR BLVD STE 520 Fullerton, CA 92835 Practice Area(s): Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense - DUI / DWI call (714) 401-3827 fax (714) 908-3827 email jdkent@not-guilty.org visit website
Biographical Information
Jeffrey D. Kent, Attorney at Law, has been practicing exclusively criminal law since he began his legal career in Orange County, California, in 1992. He is a 1989 graduate of the University of California, Irvine receiving B.A. degrees with honors in both Economics and Political Science. He then graduated from Western State University, College of Law in Fullerton, California with honors in 1992, and immediately passed the California State Bar Examination. Jeff worked with both the Orange County Public Defender and Orange County District Attorney‘s Office while in law school.
During a career marked with high-profile successes, Jeff has handled several thousand criminal cases, including over 100 jury trials, in both state and federal courts, and a number of homicide cases. He also has had the privilege of being one of a select group of lawyers to have argued before the California Supreme Court. Jeff has been granted the honor of being a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is one of approximately 25 in Orange County and 350 in the entire State of California to hold such certification!
As testimony to the quality of his preparation and conduct of complex cases, Jeff’s clients have included judges, politicians, private attorneys, public defenders, and law enforcement officers. He is also listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell with an AV rating (the highest given), Avvo.com with a 10.0 rating, and has been listed for numerous years in the Super Lawyers publication by Los Angeles Magazine.
Jeff is a member on the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and a co-founder of the North Orange County Bar Association. He has been admitted the California State Bar (#162237), the United States District Courts of the Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of California, the United States Court of Appeal for the 9th Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Jeff has also represented clients in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington in their respective Federal District Courts.
A native of Southern California, Jeff is married and has both a son and a daughter.
Admission Dates & Jurisdictions
Member | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California | 2009–present |
Member | United States Supreme Court | 1996–present |
Member | National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Southern District of California | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Central District of California | 1993–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California | 1993–present |
Member | California Attorneys for Criminal Justice | 1992–present |
Member | California Public Defenders Association | 1992–present |
Member | Criminal Law Section – State Bar of California | 1992–present |
Member | Orange County Bar Association | 1992–present |
Member | State Bar of California | 1992–present |
Education
EDUCATION
School | Major | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|---|
Western State University College of Law | Law | JD – Juris Doctor | 1992 |
University of California – Irvine | Political Science | BA – Bachelor of Arts | 1989 |
University of California – Irvine | Economics | BA – Bachelor of Arts | 1989 |
Professional Experience
WORK EXPERIENCE
Position | Duration |
---|---|
Managing Partner at The Kent Law Firm | 2013–present |
Partner/Attorney at Law Offices of McDonnell & Kent, Inc. | 1995–2013 |
Attorney at Bridgman, Mordkin, Gould & Shapiro | 1992–1995 |
Certified Law Clerk at Orange County District Attorney’s Office | 1991–1992 |
Law Clerk at Orange County Public Defender’s Office | 1989–1991 |
Honors & Awards
AWARDS
Award Name | Granting Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
Preeminent Lawyer | Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | 2014 |
Southern California’s Top Rated Lawyers | Martindale-Hubbell Legal Leaders | 2014 |
Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers | National Trial Lawyers | 2014 |
Top 100 DUI Lawyers in California | National Advocacy for DUI Defense | 2014 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2014 |
Certified Specialist – Criminal Law | State Bar of California | 2014 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2013 |
Southern California’s Top Rated Lawyers | Martindale-Hubbell Legal Leaders | 2013 |
Preeminent Lawyer | Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | 2013 |
Certified Specialist in Criminal Law | California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization | 2013 |
Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer | American Society of Legal Advocates | 2013 |
Top Lawyer | OC Metro Magazine | 2013 |
Top 100 Trial Lawyers | National Trial Lawyers | 2013 |
Top 100 Trial Lawyers | National Trial Lawyers | 2013 |
Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys in California | American Society of Legal Advocates | 2012 |
Certified Specialist in Criminal Law | California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization | 2012 |
Orange County’s Top Attorneys | OC Metro Magazine | 2012 |
Preeminent Lawyer | Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | 2012 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2012 |
Preeminent Lawyer | Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | 2011 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2011 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2010 |
Preeminent Lawyer | Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers | 2010 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2009 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2008 |
Southern California Rising Stars | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2007 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2007 |
Southern California Rising Stars | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2006 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2006 |
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2005 |
Southern California Rising Stars | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2005 |
Southern California Rising Stars | Super Lawyers Magazine | 2004 |
Harvard University Trial Skills College | National College of DUI Defense | 1995 |
Professional Associations
ASSOCIATIONS
Position | Association Name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Vice President | North Orange County Bar Association | 2014–present |
Board of Directors | North Orange County Bar Association | 2012–present |
Member | United States Tax Court | 2010–present |
Member | Orange County Criminal Defense Bar Association | 2009–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California | 2009–present |
Member | United States Supreme Court | 1996–present |
Member | National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Southern District of California | 1995–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Central District of California | 1993–present |
Member | U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California | 1993–present |
Member | California Attorneys for Criminal Justice | 1992–present |
Member | California Public Defenders Association | 1992–present |
Member | Criminal Law Section – State Bar of California | 1992–present |
Member | Orange County Bar Association | 1992–present |
Member | State Bar of California | 1992–present |
Member | State Bar of California, Criminal Law Section | 1992–present |
Board of Directors | North Orange County Bar Association | 2009–2011 |
Secretary | North Orange County Bar Association | 2009–2011 |
Co-founder | North Orange County Bar Association | 2009 |
Speaking Engagements
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Presentation Name | Conference | Date |
---|---|---|
The Private Criminal Defense Attorney’s Role | The Judicial Process | 2011 |
Juvenile Diversion Program | Shortstop – Instructor | 2001 |
Juvenile Diversion Program | Shortstop – Instructor | 2000 |
Juvenile Diversion Program | Shortstop – Instructor | 1999 |