Attorney Liz Farkas

WEBVTT 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:06.780 This is my second career. 00:00:06.805 --> 00:00:11.060 My first career, I had worked for an attorney and 00:00:11.085 --> 00:00:15.460 decided that not only could I do that, but I could do a better job. 00:00:15.485 --> 00:00:18.260 So I decided late in life to go to law school. 00:00:18.285 --> 00:00:21.960 The past 14 years, I worked at the county attorney's office, and so 13 00:00:21.985 --> 00:00:23.860 years, I was a prosecutor. 00:00:23.885 --> 00:00:27.500 What makes me passionate about the law is making sure that justice is done. 00:00:27.525 --> 00:00:31.420 One of the things that is great about our country is that everybody is 00:00:31.445 --> 00:00:33.420 innocent until proven guilty. 00:00:33.445 --> 00:00:37.060 The state needs to have all their ducks in a row. 00:00:37.085 --> 00:00:41.660 They need to have every bit of evidence ready before they charge someone, 00:00:41.685 --> 00:00:43.340 and many times they don't. 00:00:43.365 --> 00:00:46.340 We need to hold the state to that burden. 00:00:46.365 --> 00:00:49.020 You need to hold their feet to the fire. 00:00:49.045 --> 00:00:55.540 One thing that drives me and is my passion is making sure that everybody's rights are 00:00:55.565 --> 00:01:00.280 adhered to, making sure that the state has to prove beyond a reasonable 00:01:00.305 --> 00:01:03.020 doubt of a person's guilt. 00:01:03.045 --> 00:01:06.260 The advice I'd give to somebody who's considering a career in law, 00:01:06.285 --> 00:01:09.410 is criminal law is very hard work. 00:01:09.440 --> 00:01:12.700 It can be exhausting, it can be all-consuming. 00:01:12.725 --> 00:01:18.180 But when justice is done and the wrongfully charged has been acquitted, 00:01:18.205 --> 00:01:22.540 where charges haven't even been brought because you have been able to 00:01:22.565 --> 00:01:27.980 get their unique story to the prosecutor or to the grand jury, 00:01:28.005 --> 00:01:29.780 there's nothing more worthwhile. 00:01:29.805 --> 00:01:31.620 There's nothing more fulfilling. 00:01:31.645 --> 00:01:36.920 What I like my clients to take away from working with me is that I was able to take 00:01:36.945 --> 00:01:42.360 on their burden, that I was able to take on their anxiety and their fear, and 00:01:42.385 --> 00:01:44.660 then they didn't have to do this alone. 00:01:44.685 --> 00:01:50.520 I will do everything I can to make sure that justice and fairness 00:01:50.545 --> 00:01:51.880 is done in their case.