San Diego, CA criminal defense attorney Sharon Appelbaum talks about why clients hire her and the most rewarding aspect of her practice. She notes that clients hire her because of her experience as a former prosecutor. This background provides her with a deep understanding of what prosecutors are seeking and the evidence they plan to use. Her approach focuses on identifying that evidence—or demonstrating its absence. Since proving a negative is inherently challenging, she emphasizes proactively addressing potential issues using all available resources, including reputational evidence, client records, banking information, communications, and other documentation that may support the defense.

She explains that prosecutors are often looking to establish that something occurred, while her goal is either to show that it did not or to provide a reasonable explanation for what happened, countering any nefarious assumptions.

She finds the most rewarding aspect of her practice is supporting clients who may have lost personal or professional support due to allegations of sexual misconduct or white-collar fraud. In many cases, colleagues, friends, or even family members distance themselves based on assumptions that “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” She and her team work to uncover the truth, demonstrating that misunderstandings or alternative explanations may account for the situation, ensuring that her clients are fairly represented and understood.