Julia Mezhinsky Jayne - Berkeley, CA
Attorney at Jayne Law Group, P.C.
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Berkeley, CA
803 Hearst Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710
- Free Consultation
Berkeley Criminal Defense Lawyer
Updated: 05/14/2026
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Defense
- Complex Criminal Defense
- White Collar Criminal Defense
- Small Business Compliance & Internal Investigations
Attorney Information
Overview
Julia Mezhinsky Jayne is a nationally recognized trial lawyer specializing in white-collar and general criminal defense. Ms. Jayne is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is ranked in Chambers & Partners for White Collar Crime and Government Investigations. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for 17 consecutive years. San Francisco Magazine has celebrated her as a leading woman attorney in Northern California and the L.A. Times named her as a legal visionary in 2023.
Notably, her law firm, Jayne Law Group, has been hailed as a premier boutique law firm in California by the Daily Journal and was recognized in the Chambers USA Spotlight Guide for White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in the California Bay Area.
A former prosecutor, Ms. Jayne has over 27 years of experience navigating complex criminal cases in both federal and state courts. She has taken more than 40 cases to trial before a jury and skillfully maneuvered countless evidentiary challenges through motions practice.
Ms. Jayne's clientele encompasses a diverse range of individuals and companies, representing their interests at various stages of legal proceedings, from investigations to pre-trial and ultimately, trials. Her successes span from securing outright dismissals of cases to negotiating highly favorable plea agreements and securing acquittals. Ensuring the utmost satisfaction of each client is her unwavering commitment.
Ms. Jayne’s practice focuses on sophisticated white collar defense in federal courts throughout the country, including matters involving fraud, securities issues, bribery and kickbacks, trade secret allegations, extradition matters, money laundering, tax investigations, antitrust issues, asset forfeiture, and parallel civil and criminal proceedings. She also represents clients in internal investigations, regulatory matters, and sensitive pre-charge investigations where early strategic intervention is critical.
In addition to her federal white collar practice, Ms. Jayne has extensive experience in California state courts handling serious felony litigation, high-profile investigations, and complex evidentiary matters. Her state court practice includes defending allegations involving violent crimes, sexual misconduct allegations, domestic violence, theft and fraud cases, narcotics offenses, firearms allegations, and driving under the influence.
Before founding Jayne Law Group, Ms. Jayne served as a Deputy District Attorney in Contra Costa County, where she prosecuted misdemeanor, felony, and juvenile matters and developed extensive trial experience early in her career. She later practiced at several prominent San Francisco litigation firms before founding her own boutique firm.
In addition to her defense practice, Ms. Jayne has taught Trial Advocacy at U.C. Law San Francisco for more than twenty years and regularly comments on high-profile legal matters for national media outlets including CBS News, Fox News, Law360, the Wall Street Journal, Court TV, the Los Angeles Times, and The Hollywood Reporter.
She has been recognized by Super Lawyers for nearly two decades, named a Legal Visionary by the Los Angeles Times, and consistently recognized among California’s leading criminal defense and white collar attorneys.
Ms. Jayne is also fluent in Russian.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Chambers USA – since 2023
- Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers – since 2023
- Selected to California Super Lawyers - 2015 - Present
- Selected to California Super Lawyers Rising Stars - 2009 - 2014
- Top 3 Criminal Defense Lawyers in San Francisco - Three Best Rated - 2021
- 10.0 Superb AVVO Rating - Top Attorney Criminal Defense
Education
-
Legal Education
-
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings),
San Francisco,
California, 1999
J.D. -
Oxford University Faculty of Law,
Oxford,
England, 1998
Spring Semester
-
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings),
San Francisco,
California, 1999
-
Non Legal Education
-
University of California,
Los Angeles,
California, 1995
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
-
University of California,
Los Angeles,
California, 1995
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Founder
Past Positions
- Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, Deputy D.A.
- Sideman & Bancroft LLP, White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney and Civil Litigator
- Larson · King, San Francisco, Civil Litigator
- Campbell & Jayne LLP, Partner
- Organized Crime Strike Force for the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys' Office in San Francisco, Legal Intern
Languages
-
Russian
Classes and Seminars
- Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy, University of California Law San Francisco (formerly, Hastings College of the Law), 2003 to Present
Ancillary Businesses
Small Business Compliance & Internal Investigations
Bar Admissions
- California
Other Affiliations
- American College of Trial Lawyers
- Criminal Justice Act Panel ("CJA Panel") for the Northern District of California, Member, 2005 to Present
- California State Bar Criminal Law Executive Committee, Past Chair and Advisor
- Eastern European Bar Association, Northern California, Member
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers: Member of Diversity, Women, and White-Collar Committees; and Regional West Coast Delegate of Membership Committee
- Women’s White Collar Defense Association: Program Chair (San Francisco chapter); global social media committee; Member
- Provisors
Contact
Disclaimer
Your Profile? Update Now
When viewing a listing, consider the state advertising restrictions to which lawyers and law firms must adhere, as well as our FindLaw.com Legal Directory disclaimer. Some lawyers publish comparative information regarding the services that they provide which may be subject to specific comparative communications restrictions.
How do I choose a lawyer?
Consider the following:
- Comfort Level – Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
- Credentials – How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
- Cost – How are the lawyer's fees structured — hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
- City – Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?
Not sure what questions to ask a lawyer?
Here are a few to get you started:
- How long have you been in practice?
- How many cases like mine have you handled?
- How often do you settle cases out of court?
- What are your fees and costs?
- What are the next steps?
Want to check lawyer discipline?
It is always a good idea to research your lawyer prior to hiring. Every state has a disciplinary organization that monitors attorneys, their licenses, and consumer complaints. By researching lawyer discipline you can:
- Ensure the attorney is currently licensed to practice in your state
- Gain an understanding of his or her historical disciplinary record, if any.
- Determine the seriousness of complaints/issues which could range from late bar fees to more serious issues requiring disciplinary action.