Riverside Criminal Defense Lawyer
Paul Grech was born and raised in New York. He graduated Cum Laude (with honors) from the State University of New York in 1979 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He minored in Psychology, a study that still fascinates him.
After leaving New York, Mr. Grech moved to Washington D.C. where he worked in the United States Senate as an intern and later a paid staff member on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He worked on the staff of former Senators Birch Bayh and later Ted Kennedy. From there it was on to law school at Southwestern University in Los Angeles. He was awarded a Juris Doctor in 1982 and admitted to the California Bar that same year.
Attorney Grech's Background
Mr. Grech joined the Riverside District Attorney’s Office within days of being sworn in as an attorney. For the next six years he prosecuted over 50 jury trials to verdict including serious felonies, child molest cases and murder.
In 1988 he left the District Attorney’s Office to form the Law Offices of Grech and Ruiz. From that moment on Mr. Grech has devoted himself to the defense of the criminally accused. When Mr. Ruiz returned to the District Attorney’s Office Mr. Grech sharpened his skills as a criminal defense practitioner through post graduate training in 1995 at the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy in San Diego.
In 1995 he became one of a select group of lawyers to become certified by the State Bar of California as a Specialist in Criminal Law. In 1988 Mr. Grech attended the National Criminal Defense College in Macon Georgia. Soon thereafter he was awarded the coveted AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. This is an attorney peer rating service that ranked Mr. Grech as “Pre-Eminent in the Field of Criminal Law.” A distinction he holds to this day.
Over the years Mr. Grech has attracted a number of distinguished lawyers to his firm. Several would become appointed as Judges of the California Superior Court. Mr. Grech continued successfully defending serious felony cases including murder and death penalty cases. He is proud that none of his clients has ever been sentenced to death.
Eventually the practice added a white collar component. During the 1990's Mr. Grech developed expertise in the defense of elected and appointed officials accused of wrongdoing. Mr. Grech gained expertise defending Public Officials in conflict of interest, bribery and official misconduct cases. He has litigated these cases before the California Court of Appeals and the California Supreme Court.
With the addition of attorney and partner Trenton Packer the office has developed into a full service criminal defense firm with proven success in both State and Federal Court. Clients accused of violence, drugs, theft or DUI’s receive the same high quality representation as the powerful and well connected. Each of our clients receives the highest quality representation with a proven record of excellence at trial. While some lawyers are proud of their settlements; in criminal defense the true measure is a history of success at trial.
Mr. Grech has been named to the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers”, designated a “Trial Master” by the American Inns of Court, given a “Superb” rating by AVVO and received numerous accolades from fellow attorneys and former clients. He is a frequent speaker at Bar Associations and lecturer at Continuing Legal Education Seminars. Mr. Grech was honored with induction in to the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 2019, an honor bestowed upon only the most deserving attorneys, and fellowship is limited to only 500 active trial lawyers.In 2018, Mr. Grech was awarded Trial Lawyer of the Year by the American Inns of Court, Leo A. Deegan Chapter.
“Thirty-five years into the practice of criminal law I still have the same passion to seek justice that I felt when walking into the Courtroom in 1982. I know what it’s like to stand shoulder to shoulder with a client when the whole world seems to have turned against him. The fight for freedom is fought every day in courtrooms across this country. I am honored to lead that fight on behalf of each and every one of my clients.”
If you have been accused of a criminal offense, Mr. Grech can offer honest, thoughtful and expert advice to help you achieve the best possible outcome in your case. Please contact Grech & Packer for a FREE consultation.
