Andrew McCoppin was headed for a career as a criminal defense attorney even before he finished college at the University of California at Berkeley.  Two key experiences helped shape Mr. McCoppin’s views of the legal system, steering him toward the path that would become his life’s work.

The first experience was the time Mr. McCoppin spent as a law clerk with a public defender’s office.  That opportunity allowed Mr. McCoppin to meet directly with clients who were accused of crimes.  He saw attorneys in action as they developed their clients’ defenses and prepared their cases for trial.  Mr. McCoppin saw first-hand the critically important role criminal defense attorneys play in the American justice system – as advocates for people accused of crime, but who are presumed innocent until proven otherwise, and against whom the full resources of the government are brought to bear.

Mr. McCoppin’s second experience was as a crime victim in a violent hostage situation.  His own words describe the impact the dramatic event had on his life:

After college, Mr. McCoppin attended law school at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. He gained valuable experience working as a student law clerk in city and county public defenders’ offices.  In addition, he was a student law clerk for the California Supreme Court.

Mr. McCoppin worked for a time as an assistant district attorney in Wake County, North Carolina, before committing himself to representing criminal defendants in private practice. In the more than 20 years since, Mr. McCoppin has aggressively and successfully represented people accused of criminal charges ranging from minor traffic violations – he’s helped clients resolve over 10,000 cases – including serious drug offenses, violent crimes, domestic violence, driving under the influence (DWI & DUI); and complex white collar crimes.

He is now board certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a legal specialist in both State Criminal Law and Federal Criminal Law.

Mr. McCoppin’s success on behalf of clients proves the value of his approach in every case, which includes personally representing each client at all stages of the defense, and taking every step necessary to get the results his clients deserve. That means leaving plea bargains as a last resort and preparing every case for trial.