Josh was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the “show me” state, where he was raised as the middle child born between two brothers. He moved from the Midwest after high school and attended the non-traditional Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. His upbringing and education created a platform of curiosity combining the demand of “show me” with an open mind for the unexpected.

After college Josh travelled the West Coast with a trade show company managing the installation of touring exhibits. During that time Josh worked with many different groups, unions and individuals and was readily exposed to the disparate treatment of those individuals who were underrepresented and categorized as “minorities”.

Josh began interning and clerking with law firms in the Portland, Oregon area in 2000. By 2003 he was certified by the Oregon Supreme Court to appear and litigate misdemeanor matters in court as an apprentice law student under the supervision of a practicing attorney. He litigated several misdemeanor trials prior to finishing law school and prior to admittance to the bar association.

Josh was admitted to practice law in the State of Oregon in 2004. The beginning of his legal career consisted mostly of criminal court-appointed cases. In 2008 he decided to shift into private practice taking with him the experience of handling a voluminous case load as a public defender while focusing on developing a more personal approach to his clients. Through his continued curiosity, largely derived from the echoing mantra of “show me” that was engrained as a child, and his passion for non-traditional approaches that was harnessed in his college days Josh embraces legal challenges with a fresh perspective.

With each client Josh attempts to remind both the court and the opponent of the human story that distinguishes each case. By bringing the human element back into litigation Josh strives to demand the right result while maintaining his clients’ integrity, dignity and self-respect. He takes pride in assisting individuals that face the challenge of opposing large and seemingly faceless entities, such as the government.

Josh has taken his trial experience from public defense and integrated those skills into private practice to better serve his clients on a personal basis. Josh has focused a large portion of his attention towards defending people from charges of DUII and controlled substances.  Over the years, Josh has been able to widen the variety of cases that he handles ranging from misdemeanors to major felonies. Additionally, Josh has represented people in many different localities within the state of Oregon and has experience in Oregon’s rural jurisdictions in addition to the metro areas.  Josh is a lifetime member of NORML and has been defending good people with significant health issues that have been accused of violating Oregon’s medical marijuana laws.