Education
and Experience
Harvard law school
w/ honors
Harvard’s Graduate School of EducationEd.M. in Psychology
Cornell University
B.S. in Psychology
Before starting this law firm, Maclen worked for Kirkland & Ellis, the most profitable law firm in the world. There, Maclen received training from some of the best attorneys in the nation while fighting against some of the country’s largest companies.
Prior to his career in the law, Maclen worked in the field of psychology. He has published several peer reviewed scientific articles in psychological journals, written for Psychology Today Magazine, and also taught courses in psychology at Tompkins-Cortland Community College in New York. Maclen believes that his knowledge in psychology and experience as a teacher gives him a unique advantage not only when litigating cases, but also when offering a compassionate and understanding environment for his clients.
Core Values:
Core Values:
1
Client InvestmentOne common thought in legal practice, particularly among older attorneys and established law firms, is that a lawyer shouldn’t get emotionally invested in a client’s case. Maclen completely disagrees with this sentiment. Maclen chose to fight against sexual harassment, sexual assault, and gender discrimination precisely because these are the areas of law that ignite his work with a sense of purpose and passion. He doesn’t think lawyers always need to approach cases in a robotic and black-and-white fashion. It’s beneficial to get a little bit angry in response to the terrible experiences of his clients. Maclen channels his emotions into more ferocious and tenacious advocacy.
2
Availability and TransparencyMany lawyers tout the phrase “Available 24/7” but very few lawyers actually deliver on this proclaimed availability. The reality is that most law firms are too big and take on too many cases to devote that sort of individualized attention to every client. Maclen is different. He’s never “not” working. His legal practice is his passion and he is continuously at work, day or night, weekday or weekend, for his clients. Additionally, most law firms actually use assistants or paralegals for the majority of client contact. But Maclen is not only the sole attorney at his firm- he’s the sole employee! Clients of Maclen communicate exclusively with him throughout every single step of the process—from the initial phone call all the way through the resolution of the case.
Because Maclen is a solo practitioner, he only takes on a very limited number of cases at one time. This allows him to develop a familiarity with the facts of every case and a genuine relationship with each client. He keeps his clients continuously apprised of every new development in their case and ensure that the process is proceeding in the direction of the client’s wishes.
3
Willing to Fight at Every LevelMaclen went to law school to go to court and take cases to trial. He loves true trial work. But the reality is that the vast majority of all civil lawsuits result in a financial settlement. Undoubtedly, this is the quickest and easiest form of resolution in a case. Most clients prefer settlement and Maclen is always happy to settle a case for a large financial reward. The key here is that the opposing party will often settle for much higher amounts when there is an active threat of trial on the table. Trials are extremely expensive, time-consuming, and require a unique expertise. When attorneys on the opposing side know that Maclen is ready and willing to take the case to court, settlement dynamics completely change.
And remember- trials are extremely expensive only for the other side. Maclen works exclusively on a contingency basis, which means you never pay for his work until you receive a financial reward.
Los Angeles
Ventura County
Orange County
San Diego
Ventura County
Orange County
San Diego
Maclen can handle cases from clients in any city in California.
He typically works with clients virtually and via phone to increase his client’s accessibility and streamline efficiency.