Michael Schwartz has been a moving force since joining Silver Hadden Silver Wexler + Levine in January, 2001. His practice focuses on defending public safety personnel facing criminal charges or serious allegations of administrative misconduct. Most notably, Michael was the lead defense attorney in People v. Ivory Webb, in which he orchestrated the triumphant defense of a San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff charged with attempted voluntary manslaughter in an internationally publicized shooting of an unarmed airman on leave from Iraq. In that case, Michael successfully defused a “smoking gun” video that captured the shooting. Michael was also responsible for the successful outcome in another highly publicized case, People v. Arizaga, in which a California Department of Forestry Fire Engineer was charged with manslaughter for the death of a fellow firefighter stemming from an on-duty traffic collision while responding Code-3 to the scene of a fire. 

Prior to joining Silver Hadden Silver Wexler + Levine, Michael was a deputy public defender in Ventura County from 1993 to 1999 and Riverside County from 1999-2001.  While at Ventura, Michael’s success prompted that office to make him one of the youngest public defenders then ever assigned to the felony trial unit.  During his 6 year tenure at Ventura County, Michael tried nearly one-hundred fifty jury trials including third-strike cases, gang related shootings, and attempted murder charges.  He followed two of his mentors to Riverside County help develop a new public defenders office.  In a little over one year in the Riverside, Michael litigated ten jury trials to verdict including third-strike and other serious felonies.  He left that office to join SHSW+L.

When not litigating cases for clients, Michael is defending himself and his wife, Nathalie, from the onslaught of their four young children.