Brooks Parfitt

• J.D. — UC Davis King Hall School of Law (2009)

• Inaugural King Hall Negotiations Competition Champion

• B.S. — UC Davis — Computer Science & Engineering

Brooks believes strongly that everybody in America deserves justice, especially those facing criminal charges. He says, “I don’t always approve of what my clients have done, or are at least accused of doing. Regardless of what they’re accused of though, my clients are people who deserve dignity and respect simply by virtue of being fellow human beings. When the government is using its massive resources to try and lock you up in a cage, you deserve to have an advocate on your side who will fight to keep you out of that cage if the rule of law will allow it.”
He didn’t take a natural path into criminal defense practice though.

Brooks initially went to law school intending to practice intellectual property litigation. He received excellent grades, and successfully secured a job offer with a worldwide top-rated law firm doing just that. After graduation though, the firm deferred the employment of the majority of new attorneys it had extended offers to, due to an economic downturn. The firm paid Brooks and about 60 other incoming attorneys a stipend to go volunteer in public service or government work for a year, and then join the firm afterwards. Brooks had never considered practicing criminal defense before, but he chose to volunteer at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office because he knew he’d get trial experience there. He ended up loving it. In 2010, Brooks tried 13 jury trials and received full acquittals in 7 of them.

In 2011, Brooks moved to Silicon Valley to work for the law firm as planned, where he handled high-stakes patent infringement and trade secret cases for some of the biggest technology companies in the world. In late 2012 though, he decided to return to the Public Defender’s Office.
As he has explained, “When I won a case in Silicon Valley, the stock prices of my client and its adversary would rise or fall by ten cents a share. I was making very wealthy people slightly more or less wealthy with each victory. The work was challenging and fascinating, but felt somewhat hollow. I fondly remembered my time at the Public Defender’s Office where I got to help out individuals facing some of the most difficult times in their lives. I’d gotten to connect deeply with real live people who had put their trust in me to fight for them. Hearing the court clerk announce ‘not guilty’ verdicts, or hearing a judge say ‘case dismissed’ – massively changing the course of my clients’ lives for the better — was an incomparably rewarding experience. I wanted to feel like I was helping real people again, not just huge faceless corporations.”

During his time in criminal defense, Brooks has tried over 40 cases to verdict, and successfully prevailed against charges of all types and seriousness — from meth possession to murder, and everything in between. In 2025, he took his years of experience and expertise to Crowell Law Offices. Brooks says, “Hendrick and his team have built something truly remarkable. A firm noted for its integrity and commitment to justice that provides top-notch representation without breaking the bank. Their culture of working hard to get excellent results for each and every one of their clients really resonated with me, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

In his spare time, Brooks enjoys reading, cooking, woodworking, playing poker, and spending time with his two dogs.

Contact Mr. Parfitt directly now for advice on your legal matter:

Email: brooks@crowelllawoffices.com
Phone: (916) 303-2800