ER - New Deputy DA Schwartz excited about working for Gallegos

New Deputy DA Schwartz excited about working for Gallegos
by Christine Bensen-Messinger, 9/18/2005 The Eureka Reporter

Although he debated moving his private practice to Humboldt County, San Francisco-based attorney Jeffrey Schwartz decided he would rather work for Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos.

For the past year and a half, Schwartz said he and his wife have spent only weekends, breaks and holidays together while she has worked as a lecturer at Humboldt State University and he at his private practice in the Bay Area.

“Part of our plan was she was going to teach up here and we were going to sort of commute,” he said. “It kind of worked out … but we have a kid now so that’s really the difference. … We needed to be in the same place. I just (kept) imagining if I was in trial (in San Francisco) three or four months at a time. … I didn’t want to do that.”

So he started exploring his options.

Schwartz said he first heard about Gallegos when he read Humboldt County newspapers during Gallegos’ recall election in March and liked what he was reading.

“Really, what it came down to was, I really like this guy, I like his politics and I like what he’s doing,” he said.

Soon after, former Deputy District Attorney Tim Stoen introduced the two.

After meeting Gallegos, Schwartz said he became interested in applying for a job as a prosecutor.

“What particularly interested me (was) this DA and his philosophy,” Schwartz said. “I think he’s just a great DA and I think he’s … taking care of the office in the way it should be.”

Because his respect for Gallegos played a part in sparking his interest in a position in the District Attorney’s Office, if Gallegos does not win the election next year, Schwartz said he would probably find a new job.

“I don’t know enough about Worth Dikeman (yet), I think he’s more of a traditionalist. … In all likelihood, I probably wouldn’t stay,” he said. “Right now, my position is that Paul would win the election. I certainly hope he would.”

Schwartz said he will cross that bridge when and if he has to.

For now, he is looking forward to becoming a prosecutor after spending almost 20 years as a defense attorney. Although his caseload will increase, he said he is up to the challenge.

“I was a public defender years ago and we had 90 to 100 cases … over three days. So I’m used to having lots of cases and moving them along,” Schwartz said. “I’m doing this because I really want to do this and I really want to work with Paul. … And I’m actually taking a huge salary cut to do it.”

Schwartz will start out making almost $56,500 a year. Without the reduction, he would be making approximately $81,000, Gallegos said.

Gallegos said he thinks Schwartz will be a good addition to his staff.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with him and expect him to be an asset to the office,” he said.
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.