Experience matters, which is why Andres Rico is among the elite of California’s criminal defense attorneys. With more than 20 years of criminal defense experience, he began his career at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, where he advanced through the ranks handling misdemeanors, juvenile delinquency cases, and felony offenses. A highly skilled litigator with extensive jury trial experience, he conducted his first homicide jury trial in 2013, successfully presenting a rare insanity defense that spared his client a life sentence. Later that same year, he secured an acquittal in an attempted murder case involving multiple gunshot wounds arising from a neighborhood noise dispute, effectively presenting complex defenses through expert mental health testimony.
In addition to his defense work, Andres Rico brings valuable prosecutorial experience, having served as a former prosecutor with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar of California. This background provides him with unique insight into how prosecutors build and evaluate cases, strengthening his ability to anticipate strategies and advocate effectively for his clients.
Over the course of his career, Andres Rico has defended clients in nearly 40 jury trials involving a wide range of charges, including DUI offenses, weapons and drug possession, criminal street gang enhancements, sex crimes, assaultive offenses, shootings, and Vehicle Code violations. In addition to his courtroom success, he understands that many victories occur outside the courtroom and has successfully negotiated thousands of favorable plea agreements. He has frequently secured outcomes that avoid jail or prison in favor of alternatives such as drug treatment and mental health programs. His deep understanding of judges’ and prosecutors’ mindsets enables him to present the appropriate documentation and employ effective strategies to secure leniency for his clients.
Andres Rico has also represented dozens of clients at DMV hearings following DUI arrests, successfully preventing driver’s license suspensions. He has obtained restraining orders for clients in civil court and successfully defended them against such orders. His experience spans the state of California as he has appeared in courthouses throughout the bay area including San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and Los Angeles County.