Chad Oliver

Education

08/2004 - 05/2007

Juris Doctorate at Southern Illinois University School of Law

• Focused on constitutional law, trial advocacy, client advocacy, and evidence.

09/2001 - 07/2004

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Roosevelt University

• Finance major with an emphasis on cost, financial, and managerial accounting.
• Completed post-graduate coursework in forensic accounting.

Experience

02/2019 - 12/2019

Attorney Advisor at Georgia Public Defender Council

• Advised the office’s five attorneys, five administrative staff, one investigator, and a client services coordinator about constitutional law, criminal procedure, rules of discovery and evidence, strategy, and ethics.
• Took the initiative to review 300 active felony cases without progress for six months and resolved 50% within 90 days after restoring the client’s trust by thoroughly preparing the case before the first client meeting.
• Implemented a system focused on client management that reduced the length of time to resolve an incarcerated client’s case by an average of 4-6 months.
• Supported attorneys preparing for a trial by identifying constitutional, evidentiary, and discovery issues, collaborated to develop a trial strategy and prepared for anticipated opposing arguments.
• Instrumental in the dismissal of a kidnapping charge against a client facing a minimum ten-year prison sentence without the possibility of probation or parole by developing a strategy during the jury trial.
• Mentored two attorney’s professional development by actively engaging with mentees during court appearances to promote critical and creative thinking, pose and respond to questions to foster self-analysis.

05/2013 - 02/2019

Business Owner/Managing Attorney at The Oliver Law Firm LLC

• Created and directed daily operations of a law firm that advocated for adult and juvenile clients in criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, family, and administrative law matters.
• Defended clients charged with committing serious felony offenses as counsel in ten jury trials and seven bench trials, including first-degree murder, sex crimes, and crimes against women and children.
• Authored petition for relief that the Missouri Supreme Court granted based solely on the request and without allowing Respondent to respond.
• Won an appeal of a client’s employer’s decision to terminate employment, resulting in the client retiring with full pension and benefits.
• Defeated a petition to remove custody of a client’s child by convincing a judge that the court did not have authority over the child, resulting in the court dismissing the petition for improper venue.
• Compelled a prosecuting attorney to reduce a felony charge filed against a client to a misdemeanor after presenting research that the prosecutor could not consider the client’s criminal history when charging him.
• Firm negotiation earned probation for two clients accused of murder.

05/2008 - 05/2013

Trial Attorney at Missouri State Public Defender

• Exercised a high level of discretion while advising up to 150 adult and juvenile clients at a time charged with a misdemeanor or felony criminal offense, often involving complex factual or legal issues.
• Defended clients as trial counsel in ten jury trials and four bench trials, achieving an 86% success rate.
• Adept at applying the rules of criminal and appellate procedure during a jury trial to compel a judge to dismiss charges against a client with prejudice by citing precedent preventing the judge from changing a ruling.
• Persuaded a prosecutor to dismiss a felony charge against a client accused of stealing $5,000 from his employer by analyzing the evidence to show the employer’s accounting practices were unreliable and no theft took place.
• Compelled a prosecutor to dismiss a felony sex charge he filed against a client after conducting research and using the rules of discovery to learn that law enforcement altered exculpatory forensic evidence.
• Attained probation for a client charged with a felony sex offense and facing fifteen years in prison by presenting the judge with a comprehensive pre-sentence investigation that proved the client was not a threat to re-offend.
• Induced a prosecutor to reduce a client’s felony sex charge, avoiding incarceration and sex offender registration, after convincing a judge to exercise his discretion and order the state to produce protected records about the client’s juvenile accusers’, resulting in the discovery of exculpatory evidence.

05/2005 - 05/2008

Judicial Law Clerk at First Judicial Circuit of Illinois

• Advised five circuit court judges and visiting judges concerning matters before the court by analyzing pleadings, conducting research, preparing memoranda, and drafting court orders addressing complex legal issues.
• Directed and educated attorneys and self-represented litigants about matters pending before the court.
• Managed presiding judge’s calendar, prepared his correspondence, and authored orders for his approval.

07/1990 - 07/1993

Mess Management Specialist (Hotel and Restaurant Management) at United States Navy

• Audited inventory, prepared and analyzed financial statements, and advised management concerning budget each month; directly accountable for up to $100,000 in liquid assets and stock.
• Developed and implemented procedures for and supervised the installation of security improvements in officers’ living quarters.
• Collaborated with engineers to design and beta test software to perform accounting, finance, and budget functions in officers’ dining rooms; the Navy implemented this software throughout the Sixth Fleet.

• Updated 5 years ago