Experienced Defense Attorney | Former Assistant District Attorney | Dedicated defender of his client’s rights
People sometimes ask Attorney Christopher Marsili why he chose to step away from a successful career as an Assistant District Attorney to become a defense lawyer. Marsili's solid reputation as a trial lawyer had led to a promotion to the Violent Crimes & Firearms Unit, where he was successfully prosecuting homicides, attempted homicides, firearms offenses and narcotics cases. In this role, he knew he was making a difference for the community. But he also saw the impact that criminal prosecution had on people’s lives – especially if they didn’t have access to a lawyer with the skills and experience they needed.
“ I saw too many people who needed good lawyers to represent them and didn’t have that support,” Marsili says. “I decided I could have a bigger impact and do more for the community that I live in, if I served as a defense attorney. I can now take what I learned as a prosecutor – all those skills and a solid understanding of the preparation that the prosecution will do ahead of a trial – and use that to help individuals who deserve excellent representation. There are so many good people who need a strong, skilled advocate to aggressively defend them.”
In addition to his education at Duquesne University School of Law and his experience as a prosecutor, Marsili has also successfully handled criminal defense cases for a mid-sized law firm – another step in the journey toward eventually opening his own practice.
“I always had the desire to open my own firm,” Marsili says.“Once I accumulated the experience, between the public defender's office and working as a DA, and then working in private practice, that gave me the breadth of knowledge that I needed.”
He also had a clear vision for the way he would one day run his own practice.
“We’re streamlined and nimble by choice, because we believe in having a direct, personal relationship with each client. We’re not a big firm with a ton of overhead. Criminal charges are incredibly stressful experiences, so people need to know that the same person will be there with them all the way through – a familiar face who knows them and is aggressively defending them.”
The best way to fight the prosecution's case is to fully understand how those cases are built, Marsili says. Whether your case is destined for a trial or whether his skill at negotiating can get the matter resolved through a reduction or elimination of charges or a preliminary hearing at a district magistrate’s office, he is skilled and equipped to handle any situation – and to guide you to the best possible path. Whether through compassionate, impactful negotiation or an aggressive, meticulously planned trial strategy, Christopher Marsili’s clients are supported with the defense they deserve.
● Duquesne University School of Law graduate
● Former Public Defender in WestmorelandCounty, representing individuals in wide-range of criminal matters.
● Former Assistant District Attorney inAllegheny County District Attorney's Office
● Experienced defense attorney in private practice
