Felony, Misdemeanor, Drug Crimes, Sex Crimes, White Collar, and Homicide
joe.alexander@cohendefense.com
There is enormous value in understanding your opponent in any negotiation and Joe Alexander knows this only too well. Joe came to the Cohen Defense Group after a long and distinguished career as a prosecutor. Most notably, he was the Assistant District Attorney in Nevada County and later was the Chief Deputy District Attorney for El Dorado County. In 2009, Joe was named Prosecutor of the Year by the California Narcotics Officers Association, in recognition of his experience handling complex legal issues around investigative techniques, search and seizure, and interrogation. Joe’s high-level experience prosecuting criminal cases gives him a unique understanding of the District Attorney as an opponent and invaluable insight into their motivations and practices.
It may seem unusual to have a former prosecutor working as a defense attorney, but Joe feels that it’s a natural transition. As a prosecutor, he had to think like defense counsel to anticipate how they would approach the case. As defense counsel, Joe’s experience gives him an edge when it comes to predicting the prosecution’s approach. “I have handled every imaginable type of crime, from misdemeanors to murder,” he says. “I know exactly how the investigation proceeds, I know how the prosecutor views their case, and I am skilled at finding the weakness in the government’s case and exploiting it for the benefit of my client because I have been on the other side.”
Interested in litigation from an early age, Joe earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies at the University of Massachusetts, where he interned at the Office of the Corporation Counsel in Washington D.C. He attended law school at King Hall School of Law at U.C. Davis where he was a member of the Order of Barristers, an honorary society for the most skilled trial and appellate advocates. Joe also served as President of the Criminal Law Society and Chair of the Trial Practice Honors Board. He was a student competitor on the U.C. Davis School of Law National Mock Trial Team, and later returned to serve as the team’s coach, guiding the 2015 Team to the Championship at the Capitol City Challenge in Washington, D.C.
Joe practices law because it is important to him to serve his community. There is no question that he served his community well as a long-time prosecutor, but over the years Joe’s perspective has changed. “The prosecutor doesn’t have an individual client,” he says. “I now have the honor of using my experience, skill and knowledge to represent individuals so that I can help that person get the best outcome possible no matter the circumstances.”
What really drives Joe is the one-on-one relationship he can establish with a client and the ability to help that client navigate what could be the most difficult phase of their life. Joe wants his clients to get to the other side of the case in the best position, and he achieves that by bringing all of his wisdom and experience to bear in each case. As his colleague, Amber Zehrung, says, “Joe is an exceptional criminal defense attorney. He treats every client like they are the only one on his caseload. He meets with them in person, and always takes the time to talk to them before court so they are prepared for what is going to happen. Joe really listens to his clients and is a fierce advocate on their behalf, both in and out of the courtroom. He is hardworking, honest, and very forthcoming about the facts and possible outcomes of every situation. Joe knows what he is doing and believes in what he does. He is the criminal defense attorney I would want on my side if I, or anyone I knew, was in trouble.”
A father of two who loves the outdoors, Joe fills his weekends with hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and off-road motorcycling. He spent more than a decade as a trial team coach at the UC Davis School of law and is proud to note that many of his former students have gone on to have successful careers as trial attorneys.
Recognized as a Top Lawyer in the Sacramento Region in 2024, Joe Alexander is uniquely equipped to help with whatever charge you or your loved one may be facing.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Joe became a member of the California State Bar in 1998. Education: University of Massachusetts at Amherst (B.A., Legal Studies, 1991); University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law (J.D., 1998). Member: Nevada County Bar Association, Tahoe-Truckee Bar Association, Placer County Bar Association. President, El Dorado County Criminal Attorneys Association, 2003-2016.