Eric Pooch, San Diego deputy city attorney
Image: courtesy photo
Eric Pooch, 35, deputy city attorney
City of San Diego
Pooch balances a hectic trial schedule with increasing leadership responsibilities and more. He has completed 44 jury trials, sometimes back to back, prosecuting criminal offenses such as spousal abuse and battery, vehicular manslaughter, sex crimes, criminal threats and DUIs, his specialty. He gets the toughest DUI cases to try and he serves as a trial team leader, teaching other deputies how to overcome complex DUI defenses. Despite his challenging schedule, Pooch has a reputation for staying positive and sharing his strengths. He streamlined procedures in his high-volume office by creating a reference book containing issuing and sentencing guidelines, procedures and checklists, a master complaint list, pre-printed raps and other materials. For his initiative in the office and growing talent in the courtroom, supervisors recently chose him to take on additional leadership roles for his unit and criminal division.
Word that best describes you?
Dedicated.
Most interesting place you've traveled, and one thing that made it interesting?
Budapest, Ruin Bars.
What you'd do if you could take a year off?
Pack up the camper and go hiking and camping.
Guilty pleasure?
Ordering stuff on ebay.
Most unusual hobby?
Autocross racing.
Favorite quote?
"Resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer." — Abraham Lincoln
Trial or deal you wish you could have worked on?
I don't think I could wish for anything more than misdemeanor trials — they are always full of twists and unusual facts.
