Sarah Swain

Background

About Sarah Swain

I have, for as long as I can remember, questioned the fairness of our justice system. My questioning stems from a personal experience with my own family. I saw my father, a war hero, disabled because of his service to this country during the Vietnam War. What my father taught me, as he struggled against a seemingly unbeatable opponent, was to defy all odds to achieve the results you believe in. He eventually beat the system by representing himself and won. This invaluable lesson and a tough childhood fueled my passion for seeking social justice. It instilled inside me a burning desire to defend those under my charge who don’t have anyone else to turn to. My first boss and mentor Byron Cerillo, the Chief Public Defender at the Johnson County Public Defenders Office, was an incredible inspiration. He showed me how to be a zealous defender, even of the cases no one else wanted to touch. In his position as my mentor, Byron instilled in me a powerful sense that no matter how grisly and horrible the facts are, every person deserves an attorney who has the passion to give each case their all. If the prosecutor is determined to put the accused behind bars, I, as the defense attorney, have to be just as aggressive and match that intensity to successfully defend my clients, who I am responsible for. That’s my philosophy and I’ve let it guide me ever since I started my own practice in 2003. From high-profile cases to misdemeanors, this is the undying attitude I adopt when I tackle each case that comes my way. When someone talks to me for the first time, they immediately know what kind of attorney I am (a pitbull) and what I’m like (totally committed). My confidence in my work injects a high level of confidence in my clients, and it assures them that I will explore every avenue and resource available to have their case dismissed or charges dropped. We cannot give what we do not have. It’s about transferring confidence and faith, and that’s what I give my clients.