Meet our team of experienced professionals, working hard to win your case. The law firm of Marc Carlos Law, APC, located in San Diego, is recognized as one of Southern California’s premier criminal defense firms, combining over fifty years of criminal law trial experience. The firm is dedicated to the aggressive defense of all criminal matters in both state and federal courts.
Marc X. Carlos, Esq.
Marc X. Carlos has been exclusively practicing criminal defense for over thirty years. Mr. Carlos co-founded Bardsley & Carlos, LLP, in 1997. Following the retirement of partner, Francis J. Bardsley, Mr. Carlos founded Marc Carlos Law, APC., a boutique criminal defense law firm dedicated to the defense of serious and complex criminal cases. Mr. Carlos has been a member of both the Los Angeles and San Diego County Public Defender’s office where he was a senior trial deputy focusing primarily on serious felony trials. Mr. Carlos has tried over 230 jury trials and represented thousands of clients in criminal matters. He has tried a variety of complex criminal matters ranging from fraud to murder, including death penalty cases. Mr. Carlos has been lead trial counsel in twenty nine homicide cases.
Mr. Carlos has represented clients in federal cases throughout the United States as well as California Courts. In addition, Mr. Carlos has represented individuals before the United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the California 4th District Court of Appeals.
Mr. Carlos has handled a large number of high profile cases including four trial broadcast nationally on Court TV and Law and Crime Network. His extensive client list includes Professional Athletes, Elected and Public Officials, Law Enforcement Officers, and National and International Corporations. Mr. Carlos is also a frequent contributor as an expert legal analyst for CNN, HLN, MSNBC, COURT TV, FOX NEWS, PBS and numerous broadcast news and radio stations. Mr. Carlos has been interviewed regarding criminal expertise and his cases on the TODAY SHOW, DATELINE NBC, and SIXTY MINUTES. One of his murder cases has been the subject of a nationally syndicated documentary, What Ever Happened To Baby Jasmine? Two other of his murder cases have been made the subjects of published books; Living Between Danger and Love: The Limits of Choice by Dr. Kathleen Jones (Rutgers University Press, 2000) and No Good Deed (Berkeley Publishing Group, 2006) by Tom Basinksi.
Another high profile case was featured in Judging Winslow Jr.: From NFL Star to Rapist, Aleida Wahn, Esq. (2019)
Mr. Carlos has been a featured MCLE lecturer in homicide defense as well as a trial skills instructor and trainer at the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office and the California Public Defender’s Association. Mr. Carlos has also lectured on diminished actuality and other psychological defenses as well as shaken baby syndrome. Mr. Carlos has also lectured on cross examination and trial skills for the San Diego County Bar Association. His current practice includes state and federal litigation. Mr. Carlos is licensed to practice in all the courts of the State of California, the Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court. Mr. Carlos has also been admitted to practice in the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of the United States District Court (California) as well as the Eastern District of United States District (Washington). In addition, Mr. Carlos has been granted pro hac vice admission into the state courts of Louisiana and Minnesota. Mr. Carlos is also fluent in Spanish.
Mr. Carlos has been certified in the past as a Board Certified Criminal Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the California Board of Legal Specialization. The National Board of Trial Advocacy is accredited by the American Bar Association and the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization to certify attorneys as specialists in the areas of civil, criminal, and family law trial advocacy. Mr. Carlos is also retained by attorneys as an expert witness in criminal defense matters and has testified as an expert in the United States District Court.
Mr. Carlos is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The ACTL is considered to be the premier invitation-only organization of trial attorneys and judiciary. Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship is extended to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of professional conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province.
Mr. Carlos has been recognized as a Senior Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA),Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, composed of less than one half of one percent of all attorneys in the United States. Fellows are selected based upon effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation, both at trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation.” (LCA Mission Statement) Mr. Carlos is a member of the Trial Law Institute and Diversity Law Institute. In addition, Mr. Carlos has been awarded admission as Barrister into the Order of Centurions, recognizing LCA fellows who have tried over 100 jury trials to verdict. Mr. Carlos has also been admitted to the Order of Certus, designated for LCA fellows who have delivered multiple oral arguments before the United States Court of Appeals.
Mr. Carlos has been recognized for his superior trial skills by LawDragon 500 in the area of white collar defense, corporate/governmental investigations and criminal defense. LawDragon is an invitation only network limited to 500 litigators nationwide in the specialty.
Mr. Carlos has been recognized for his excellence in Super Lawyers Magazine (2007-2023), San Diego Magazine Top Attorneys (2013-2023) and US News Best Lawyers in America (2020-23) in the area of criminal defense and white collar litigation.
Mr. Carlos is also a published author. His thriller/crime novels, The Silence and The Dark (Moonshine Cove Publishing, 2019) and The Silence and The Death (Moonshine Cove, 2020) are available on Amazon and Borders Books. His latest novel, The Apparition (Genius Books Publishing, Inc.) will be published in 2022.
- Education
- University of Santa Clara School of Law (1986)
- B.A., University of California, Berkeley (1983)
- Accolades
- “AV ®,” Highest Possible Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
- Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
- Super Lawyers 2007-2023
- San Diego Magazine Top Attorneys 2013-2023
- US News Best Lawyers in America (2020-23), Criminal Defense, White Collar Defense
- US News Best Law Firms in America (2020-23), Criminal Defense, White Collar Defense
- Bar Register Pre-eminent Lawyers (Martindale-Hubble)
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL)
- Criminal Trial Specialist
- Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (LCA)
- Barrister, Order of Centurions (LCA)
- Barrister, Order of Cerus (LCA)
- Fellow, Diversity Law Institute (LCA)
- Fellow, Trial Law Institute (LCA)
- 424 F Street, Ste.205, San Diego, CA 92101
- (619) 702-3226
- marc@marccarloslaw.com