John D. Kirby

The Advocate Your Case Demands

John D. Kirby is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted federal criminal cases before dedicating his practice exclusively to federal criminal defense. This dual perspective — having built federal cases and now dismantling them — is the defining advantage he brings to every client.

With over 25 years in federal courtrooms, he has tried cases in the District of Arizona, argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and handled investigations spanning every category of federal criminal prosecution.

Federal Prosecution Experience

As a federal prosecutor, John Kirby handled investigations from intake through sentencing. He understands:

• How federal agents build investigations — and where they cut corners
• How the U.S. Attorney's Office makes charging decisions
• How cooperating witnesses are developed and debriefed
• How the Sentencing Guidelines really operate in practice
• What prosecutors fear most in defense counsel

Defense Philosophy

Federal criminal defense is not about "getting the best deal." It is about identifying and exploiting the weaknesses in the government's case — weaknesses that exist in every investigation, but that only an experienced federal practitioner can recognize and leverage.

The goal is not always trial. Sometimes the best outcome is preventing charges from being filed. Sometimes it is a sentencing presentation that achieves a fraction of the Guideline range. And sometimes — when the government overreaches — it is an acquittal. Knowing which strategy applies to which case, at which stage, is what 25 years in federal court provides.

Bar Admissions

• Arizona State Bar
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• U.S. District Court, District of Arizona (all divisions)
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. Supreme Court (pro hac vice)