Ms. Margolies graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Women’s Studies from San Diego State University. She went on to attend the University of San Diego School of Law on an academic scholarship and received her Juris Doctorate in 2011 with a concentration in Criminal Litigation. In law school, Ms. Margolies was a member of the Mock Trial Team and competed in statewide competitions, taking first place in the USD American Association of Justice Trial competition.
Prior to her commitment to police liability defense, in law school, Ms. Margolies worked as an intern in the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in their Superior Court, Sex Crimes and Stalking, and Family Protection divisions. She provided pro bono services to the Legal Aid Society assisting with translation services for Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence. Ms. Margolies also served as an intern with the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office working on all levels of criminal cases in both the Central Misdemeanor Unit and the Major Crimes Division, where she was selected to second chair a felony-murder trial.
Since graduating law school, Ms. Margolies has spent the last decade defending state and federal peace officers throughout California. Ms. Margolies practice areas included all aspects of representation of law enforcement officers, including officer-involved shooting incidents, in-custody deaths, Internal Affairs investigations, course-and-scope off-duty matters, criminal defense, and administrative defense of disciplinary actions. Ms. Margolies served as a PORAC panel attorney, defending local, state and federal officers in discipline proceedings at state court, arbitrations, and administrative hearings.
Additionally, Ms. Margolies has served as lead counsel on several oral arguments and briefings in the San Diego Superior Court and has argued several times before the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District.
In addition to litigation and appellate practice, Ms. Margolies has extensive experience mediating and negotiating settlements where appropriate.
Ms. Margolies has provided training seminars, including legal updates, best practices on investigations, and advisal on Procedural Safety Officers Bill of Rights issues (POBRA) to various departments, peer support, and Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) members.
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