MATTHEW A. RINALDI

Managing Partner

310-561-8384

Early Life

I'm a California native, born about thirty years ago and raised locally in Orange County.

My Dad owned his own airfreight business and then moved into mortgage banking and my mom was a public defender (and later a law professor). Growing up I listened to a lot of my mom's "war stories" from court and knew from a young age that I wanted to grow up to practice criminal defense.

That's a picture of me as a toddler. I'd be embarrassed by it if I didn't think it was so funny. I still love pasta, but I've figured out a way to be a little less messy.

Education and Experience

San Francisco State University

I earned my two bachelor's

degrees from San Francisco

State University in Criminal

Justice and Political Science. I graduated from San Francisco

State University with honors in

2009 as the Criminal Justice

class's graduate speaker.

I also held down a job, worked a

few semesters as a teacher's

assistant for a few of my

criminal justice professors, and

took every chance I got to

immerse myself in fieldwork

in the community.

I spent the next few years

obtaining my Juris Doctorate

from the University of San

Francisco School of Law. I was active in the Criminal Law Society and focused my course work on advanced constitutional law, administrative procedure,

evidence, and criminal law.

During law school I worked

as a companion / caregiver for

adults with disabilities while

volunteering my time for several legal causes.

USF School Of Law

When I was working through law

school I interned in the San Francisco

Office of the Public Defender for about

a year and a half. I earned the

privilege to try criminal cases under

the supervision of a licensed attorney

in open court before I had even

graduated law school.

I drafted motions, appeared in

court on the record, sat

second-chair at trial, and

supervised interns of my own all before

I passed the California State Bar. I'm

very proud of that, I loved my work in

the office and I learned a lot about

responsibility and hard work early in

my legal career.

San Francisco Public Defender's Office

After finishing law school in 2013 and taking the California State Bar, I moved back down to Southern California to be closer to my family. Once I was in Southern California I got my foot in the door at the established criminal defense firm McGregor and Ernenwein, LLP. I started out as a law clerk, worked my way up to an appearance attorney, and eventually was taken on as a full-time associate. That's where I met Bruce.

McGregor and Ernenwein LLP.

When McGregor and

Ernenwein LLP. dissolved I

decided to follow Bruce and

ogether weset up McGregor

Law Corp.

I've worked exclusively in

criminal defense with Bruce

for seven years now. We have

a good system that combines

his legal experience with my

skill set.

McGregor Law Corp.

WORK ETHIC

I like to work. I've been working since high school. I put myself through college and law school (Mom and Dad helped out with college, I'll admit, but law school was all on me). I've worked in construction, private security, real estate, university residential services, the food industry, as an electrician, and as a caregiver for adults with disabilities. I really value the experience and perspective that working different jobs has given me. I don't shy away from putting in the hours.

COMPASSIONATE LEGAL DEFENSE

Every job I've ever had has been about working with and helping people. That isn't a mistake. I care about people and I'm very protective of people close to me.

I can't always promise things will be easy for my clients, but I can promise that I'll work hard, listen, and be there for them. I respond to e-mails and return phone calls. I treat people with dignity and respect.

I try to be the kind of lawyer that I would want to have defend me.

Contact

matt@mcgregorlawcorp.com