Donald Schweitzer

Donald P. Schweitzer is an experienced and accomplished trial attorney.  Prior to going into private practice, Mr. Schweitzer served as a Deputy District Attorney in Orange County for 8 years. Mr. Schweitzer worked in numerous units within the District Attorney's office including, Writs and Appeals, Family Support, Municipal Court, Felony Panel, Gang Target, Felony Filing, and the Sexual Assault Unit.

While at the District Attorney's office, Mr. Schweitzer successfully tried over 70 cases with a 95% conviction rate.  Mr. Schweitzer has handled almost every type of case imaginable, including enforcement of child support cases, DUI, felony narcotics, homicides, assaults with a deadly weapon, and sexual assaults.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Schweitzer was a Police Officer for approximately ten years, where he served as a Gang Homicide Detective, a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Units (S.W.A.T.), and worked various narcotics assignments.

Mr. Schweitzer grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. After high school, he joined the Army and served as a Military Policeman. Upon completing his military service, he returned to his hometown where he worked as a Police Officer for two years.  He then moved to California after being hired by the Santa Ana Police Department.  Mr. Schweitzer distinguished himself at the Santa Ana Police Department, by being named "Rookie of the Year."  Within 6 years, he quickly worked his way through the ranks of the Police Department and was eventually assigned as a Detective to the Criminal Street Gang Unit.

In 1990, Mr. Schweitzer attended law school at Southwestern University School of Law.  At Southwestern, Mr. Schweitzer won the award for the Best Brief in a Moot Court competition and received the American Jurisprudence award while participating in a criminal law writing seminar.

Since leaving the District Attorney's Office, Mr. Schweitzer has specialized in family law and criminal defense. He has made numerous television appearances, as a legal analyst for Court TV, "Catherine Crier Live," Fox News Live, "Studio B with Shepard Smith and “The O’Reilly Factor, MSNBC’s, "The Abrams Report," and "Scarborough Country," and CNN International, to provide legal commentary on the trials of Scott Peterson, Saddam Hussein, Michael Jackson, Robert Blake, and the cases of Martha Stewart, Jon Benet Ramsey, and the BTK Killer, in addition to other newsworthy cases.  Click Here to See Videos

Mr. Schweitzer prides himself on providing excellent legal representation to his clients. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the California State Bar, Los Angeles Bar Association, and the Pasadena Bar Association.

Kayla Horacek

Kayla Horacek is an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer. Ms. Horacek attended Santa Clara University and graduated Summa Cum Laude, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in June of 2002. Following graduation, Ms. Horacek worked as a behavioral technician at a private school for autistic children in Sacramento, California.

In 2003, she moved to Los Angeles to attend Southwestern University School of Law. While there, she received a CALI award for excellence in Torts. Ms. Horacek received first place for “Best Brief” and second place for “Best Oralist” in the Moot Court Honors Program at Southwestern University. She was also a member of Moot Court and competed in the National Moot Court Competition. During her senior year, she was an extern at Trope and Trope, a large Brentwood family law firm. Ms. Horacek graduated in May of 2005.

In November of 2005, she became a member of the California State Bar.

Casey J. Marticorena

Casey J. Marticorena is an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer.  Ms. Marticorena attended the University of California, Irvine and graduated Cum Laude, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Psychology in 2003.

Ms. Marticorena attended Southwestern University School of Law where she received a CALI Award for excellence in family law.  While at Southwestern, she was an extern for the Target Crimes Division of the District Attorney’s Office and a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Commissioner Amy M. Pellman of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Law Division.  Ms. Marticorena also studied law at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain and is fluent in Spanish.

Ms. Marticorena is a proud member of the California State Bar.

Patrick Baghdaserians

Patrick Baghdaserians is an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer.  Mr. Baghdaserians attended Loyola Marymount University and graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  During his undergraduate studies, Mr. Baghdaserians was a staff writer for the University newspaper and attended Queens College at Oxford University in Oxford, England. 

In 2004, Mr. Baghdaserians entered Southwestern University School of Law.  While in law school, Mr. Baghdaserians received extensive courtroom experience by clerking for both the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as well as the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.

In 2006, Mr. Baghdaserians externed for the Honorable Robert M. Takasugi, in the Federal District Court for the Central District of California.  During this time, Mr. Baghdaserians was privileged to witness several complex trials and helped organize and maintain a highly active judicial calendar.

Mr. Baghdaserians is fluent in Armenian and is a proud member of the California State Bar.

Suren Stepanyan

Suren Stepanyan is an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer. Mr. Stepanyan attended the University of Southern California and graduated with honors, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, International Relations, and Political Science in May of 1998. The following summer, he was involved in an economic research and development project at the University of California Los Angeles. Mr. Stepanyan spent a summer working for an investment company in Moscow, Russia as a Legal Strategic Consultant, translating and drafting international business agreements.

In 2003, Mr. Stepanyan received his law degree at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. At Tulane, he was a member of the Tulane Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property and received the CALI Excellence Award. Mr. Stepanyan spent a summer at Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles, L.L.P. in New Orleans. Mr. Stepanyan is fluent in Russian and Armenian, as well as conversational French, and his warm personality and expert skills are a unique combination.

Suren Stepanyan is a proud member of the California State Bar.

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