Welcome to the Law Office of Jessica Bernstein.

Ms. Bernstein’s practice focuses on criminal defense in the Austin, Texas area.
She is available to provide quality representation in most types of criminal charges.
She places a high priority on representing each and every client with honesty, compassion, and dedication.
She believes in providing her clients with realistic expectations while fighting zealously for the best possible outcome.
She will help you understand and navigate the difficulties of our flawed criminal justice system.

Many people find themselves enmeshed in the criminal justice system at a major low point in their lives. Ms. Bernstein takes the “counselor” in the title “attorney and counselor at law” seriously and strives to ensure that her clients find themselves at the conclusion of representation in a better overall position to move on and put this phase behind them.
If this is the sort of criminal defense representation you are seeking, contact Ms. Bernstein today for a free consultation.

Jessica was born and raised in Houston. She moved to Austin in 2004 and received her undergraduate degree in the Plan II Honors program from the University of Texas. Wishing to practice criminal law, she went on to earn her law degree, also from the University of Texas.

Jessica’s experience includes the following:

• Travis County District Attorney’s Office – Jessica worked in the family violence unit, reviewing and preparing assault-strangulation cases to be presented to the grand jury for indictment.
• Travis County Juvenile Public Defender – Jessica defended juveniles—in Texas, individuals under 17 years old—charged with criminal offenses.
• U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Hawaii – The U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of federal crimes. Jessica conducted trial preparation for high-profile cases.
• Houston Police Department Crime Lab Review Panel – Jessica participated in the investigation of forensic mistakes made by the HPD Crime Lab in homicide and sexual assault cases from the 1980s. The panel’s work resulted in the release of Gary Alvin Richard after 22 years of imprisonment for a rape that the panel proved he did not commit.

Her experience working on the “other side” translates into an ability to think like a prosecutor, which gives her an advantage in advocating for her clients.
She is a member of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, the Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National College for DUI Defense, Travis County Women Lawyer’s Association, and the American Bar Association. Jessica received her National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) certification as a Standardized Field Sobriety Test Practitioner in December 2012.
Jessica is passionate about defending those accused of crimes in the Austin area. She knows the local criminal justice system intimately. However large or small the case, she puts in the hard work for each client to secure the best possible result.
In her free time, Jessica enjoys eating Mexican food, running, reading true-crime, and travelling.