Michael S. Sands
Of Counsel
Email: msands@rwslaw.com

For over 30 years Michael Sands has been considered to be one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Northern California.  He has defended felony cases in Superior Courts throughout California and in U. S. District Court.  He has successfully argued cases before the California Supreme Court (Kellett v. Superior Court, 63 Cal. 2d 822) and the Court of Appeal (People v. Superior Court (DuVal), 198 Cal.App. 3d 1121.)

Mr. Sands has defended every kind of felony case, including capital cases, political corruption, homicides, drug offenses and child sexual molestation allegations.  He has also presided over jury trials in both criminal and civil cases.

Mr. Sands was born in New York in 1937.  He received his undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Arizona, and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.  He received his law degree from Stanford University.

Mr. Sands served as Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Legal Advocacy at McGeorge School of Law of the University of the Pacific.  The author of The Therapeutic Abortion Act, 13 UCLA Law Review 285, he has also authored and co-authored numerous case files for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Early in his career Mr. Sands served for five years as Sacramento County Assistant Public Defender.  He was elected to the Sacramento City Council and served for eight years, four of them as Vice Mayor.  He has also served as president of the Sacramento County Bar Association and the Sacramento Barrister's Club, executive council member of the State Bar Conference of Barristers, member of the Board of Directors of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, one of the founders of the California Public Defenders Association, member of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, and Master of the Bench, Emeritus, of the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court.

Mr. Sands has been honored as Attorney of the Year by the Sacramento County Bar Association and the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Sacramento, and was selected as Sacramento's Outstanding Young Man by the Junior Chamber of Commerce.  For many years he has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been included in The Best Lawyers in America.

Practice Areas: Litigation.

Admitted: 1963, California; 1977, U.S. Supreme Court

Law School: Stanford University, LL.B., 1962

College: University of Rochester; University of Arizona, B.S., with distinction, 1959

Member: Sacramento County Bar Association (President, 1985); State Bar of California (Member, Executive Council, Conference of Barristers, 1968-1971); California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (Member, Board of Governors, 1982-1988); California Public Defenders Association (Founder, 1969); American Board of Criminal Lawyers (1981-1992); Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court (Master of the Bench, Emeritus, 1988-1995).

Biography: Phi Kappa Phi. Author, The Therapeutic Abortion Act, 13 University of California, Los Angeles Law Review 285, 1966. Professor of Law and Director, Center for Legal Advocacy, McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, 1991-1996. Assistant Public Defender, Sacramento County, 1965-1970. Sacramento City Councilman, 1970-1977. Vice Mayor, Sacramento, 1971-1975.

Reported Cases: Kellett v. Superior Court (1966) 63 Cal.2d 822; In re Dennis M. (1969) 70 Cal. 2d 444; People v. Superior Court (DuVal) (1988) 198 Cal.App. 3d 1121.

Born: New York, New York, February 21, 1937

ISLN: 904050705