Milton C. Grimes, Esq.

Mr. Grimes is a nationally acclaimed trial lawyer and counselor with over thirty-four years of trial experience.  He received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the West Virginia State College Institute in 1967.  After being heavily recruited by North America Rockwell, he moved to Orange County in 1967 to begin his professional career as a computer programmer.

However, during the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s he came to believe he could do more for his community by becoming an attorney and civil rights advocate in order to fight the social injustice and disparate treatment people of color were receiving in the court room.  In 1973, he received his Juris Doctor from Hastings College of Law and has been a member of the California Bar since 1974.  In over thirty years of practice as a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Grimes has tried over three hundred and fifty (350) jury trials.  Over fifty (50) of which have been murder trials and eight (8) of which have been death penalty trials.

During his illustrious career, Mr. Grimes has successfully tried several high profile cases, including the Rodney King v. The City of Los Angeles civil rights/police brutality lawsuit, the “Postpartum Psychosis Case” of Sheryl Massip and the death of her infant child, and the “Limousine Rapist Case” involving Beverly Hills millionaire John Gordon Jones who was accused of 29 counts of rape against nine women.  His continued success as a trial lawyer has led to numerous television appearances as an analyst and commentator regarding controversial legal issues.  Most recently, he was a featured legal analyst on CNN after the arrest of O.J. Simpson on September 16, 2007.  Mr. Grimes was also a frequent legal analyst on “Larry King Live” during the first O.J. Simpson criminal trial.

His mastery of the law, coupled with his eloquence in public speaking, have led to Mr. Grimes serving as keynote speaker, lecturer and panelist at a number of trial lawyer conferences, law schools, community organizations, and fundraising events.  Mr. Grimes is also the current Vice President of the Board of Directors and an instructor at Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer College, where he has been on staff for 10 years.  In that capacity, he dispenses knowledge and trial techniques to lawyers from around the country.  One of his specialties is the progressive legal methodology known as the “psychodrama technique.”  He has also played a pivotal role in developing the strategy of the Primacy Effect Legal Theory in Election Contests and Ballot Position.

As one of the nation’s premiere criminal defense and civil rights attorneys, Mr. Grimes has tried cases in several of the fifty United States including: California, Arizona, Hawaii, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon as well as Washington, and he has been recognized for his achievements as an outstanding legal professional as well as a valued member of the community.

Honors

Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Participation and Dedicated Service (2004) – Presented by the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association

Lawyer of the Year, Loren Miller (2003) – Presented by the John M. Langston Bar Association

Lawyer of the Year (1994) and (2001) – Presented by the California Association of Black Lawyers

Dedicated and Distinguished Service in the Area of Civil Rights (1997) – Presented by the Garden State Bar Association

Special Commendation for Leadership in Personal and Professional Life Displaying Pride, Dignity and Respect as a Positive Role Model (1996) – Presented by the City of Inglewood

Extraordinary and Successful Efforts to Ensure Equal Access and Justice for African Americans (1996) – Presented by the 100 Black Men of Orange County

Outstanding Service to the Legal Profession and a Distinguished Graduate of West Virginia State College (1996) – Presented by West Virginia State College

Pride Dignity and Respect Award (1996 Father’s Day Event) – Presented by the African-American Humor Award Society (AAHAS)Outstanding Expert Commentary and Analysis on Legal Issues as They Affect Black Men in America (1995) – Presented by the National Council of African American Men

Outstanding Banquet Speaker (1995) – Presented by the El Paso Branch of the NAACP

Citizen of Judicial Distinction Award (1991) – Presented by the NAACP

Orange County Alumni of the Year (1991) – Presented by Hastings College of the Law

Seminars and Speaking Engagements

Bias in the Law Office and the Courts System
Speaker
Desert Palm Legal Professionals Association
Desert Bar Association

Black Achievement
Speaker
Black History Month
Western State School of Law

Closing Arguments
Speaker
Midwinter Meeting & Seminar
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Closing Argument and Jury Techniques/Communication
Lecturer
Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers’ College

Criminal Justice Conference
Speaker/Panelist
Society of Black Lawyers of England & Wales

Criminal Justice Joyce Yoshioka Award Night
Keynote Speaker
Ventura County Criminal Defense Bar Association

Criminal Justice System and African Americans
Keynote Speaker
NAACP Annual Banquet (El Paso, TX)

Cross Examination of a Pathologist
Lecturer
California Public Defenders Association

Defending the Impossible Case
Lecturer
Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Defense Attorney Trial Strategy
Lecturer
Orange County District Attorney Training Seminar

Effective Argument in Homicide Cases
Lecturer
California Public Defenders Association

First Amendment v. Sixth Amendment
Panelist
Freedom Speaks; Public Broadcasting Service

First Amendment v. Sixth Amendment
Presenter/Lecturer
Berkeley School of Journalism

Fourth Annual Leadership Conference
Keynote Speaker
African American Student Union (University of California at Irvine)

Handling High Profile Cases
Lecturer
National Bar Association

Police Misconduct
Lecturer
National Bar Association

Police Misconduct
Lecturer
NAACP Annual Convention (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Psychodrama Workshop
Lecturer
Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers’ College

Race and Justice; Just Us and Them
Lecturer
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Race in the Criminal Justice System
Lecturer
Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice

Setting Your Case Up With Opening Statement
2007 Annual Fall Seminar
Attorneys for Criminal Justice

Sixteenth Annual Criminal Defense Seminar
Lecturer
Western Trial Advocacy Institute

Status of American Criminal Justice System
Debate with Dick Thornburg, Former Attorney General of the United States
University of Nevada Las Vegas

Status of Criminal Justice System
Lecturer
Minnesota Minority Bar

Storytelling
Speaker
Annual Death Penalty Seminar
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice

Memberships

• California Bar

• Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College – Vice President of the Board of Directors

• California Association of Black Attorneys

• National Bar Association

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers