Ron Cordova

Ron Cordova is an experienced and well-respected criminal defense attorney. He has successfully represented clients in a wide array of state and federal criminal matters, including homicides and other violent offenses such as assault, battery, robbery, drug charges, theft and white collar offenses, alcohol-related charges and juvenile cases. Please see the practice areas page of this website for further information on Mr. Cordova's areas of expertise. Ron Cordova represents clients in Orange County as well as statewide and nationally, devoting personal attention to each client's case. He combines skill, compassion and aggressive representation to provide the highest level of legal service. With more than 40 years of criminal law and jury trial experience, Ron Cordova has a well-deserved reputation for obtaining outstanding results in even the most difficult and challenging cases. He has tried more than 150 cases to verdict and maintains a truly national practice, having represented clients in 34 states and the District of Columbia as well as several foreign countries. Despite such prominence, Ron remains accessible to his clients and does not pass their cases off to associates. Ron Cordova is a distinguished criminal defense attorney. He has been named as a "Southern California SuperLawyer" eighteen times since 2007 and has received the highest possible rating of "AV" from Martindale Hubbell, the national directory of attorneys, confirming his preeminent legal ability and the highest ethical standards. Ron Cordova has been recognized by Newsweek Magazine in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as one of the best criminal defense attorneys nationwide. He has also been recognized as one of the top five criminal defense lawyers in Orange County by OC Metro Magazine every year since 2009. Ron is also listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law. Ron Cordova is a former Orange County deputy district attorney and a former member of the California Legislature. Additionally, he has served as a professor of criminal law in California and internationally. Ron has taught courses at the University of California, Irvine, the Institute of Comparative Law at the University of Szeged, Hungary, the University of Debrecen, Hungary, the University of Pecs, Hungary, the University of Maribor, Slovenia, Jan Masaryk University in Brno in the Czech Republic and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Ron Cordova is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in California as well as federal courts in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. He has also been admitted pro hac vice in numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Ron Cordova included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Named a "Southern California Super Lawyer", 2007 - 2011, 2014 - 2023 "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell, 1998 - 2020 Time Magazine Leading Southern California Attorneys, 2012 - 2013 Newsweek Magazine Top Attorneys Nationwide, 2011 - 2013 OC Metro Magazine Top Five Criminal Defense Attorneys in Orange County, 2009 - 2016 Outstanding Young Men of America, 1977-1978 Other Sources of Feedback About Ron Cordova Included on the 2026Southern California Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2023 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2022 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2019 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2018 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2017 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2016 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2015 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2014 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2011 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2010 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2009 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2008 Southern California Super Lawyers list 2007 Southern California Super Lawyers list

• Orange County Deputy District Attorney, 1973 - 1976
• Member of the California Legislature, 74th Assembly District, 1976 - 1978
• Languages
• Spanish
• Swedish
• German

• Adjunct Professor of Criminal Law, University of California, Irvine , September 1, 1981 - June 1, 1983

• Co-counsel in the jury trial of State of Tennessee v Byron Looper http://www.https://crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/byron_looper/14.html

• California, 1972
• U.S. District Court District of Arizona
• U.S. District Court District of Colorado
• U.S. District Court Central District of California
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court Northern District of California
• U.S. District Court Southern District of California
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Tennessee
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas

• California Legislature (Vice-Chairman, Committee on Judiciary)
• California Legislature (Member, Committee on Revenue and Taxation)
• California Legislature (Member, Committee on Elections and Reapportionment)
• California Legislature (Member, Select Committee on Corrections)
• California Legislature (Member, Joint Committee on Revision of the Penal Code)
• State Bar of California (Member)
• Orange County Bar Association (Member)
• Newport-Harbor Bar Association (Member)