Zachary Bravos Phone: 630.510.1300 E-mail: zacharybravos@gmail.com

I have a bachelor of arts with concentrations in chemistry, English literature, and philosophy.  I have always appreciated both the demands of science and the liberal arts approach to learning.  My education attempts to reflect the mandate of my favorite philosopher Aristotle, who believed that we have an ethical duty to realize our full potential.  For this reason I also play classical guitar (since 9 years old) paint, ballroom dance, photograph wildlife, hunt mushrooms, cook, and generally drive my wife crazy.

I was licensed as an attorney in 1978 and have now practiced law for over 30 years.  In that time I have handled cases ranging from speeding tickets to death penalty murder cases.  I have been involved in all aspects of civil litigation, criminal defense, administrative appeals, and child welfare proceedings.  I have been privileged to participate directly in cases in 19 of our United States and have consulted on cases in most of the country.

My approach to the practice of law is quite simple. In any given case you must learn all of the facts. That means reviewing every document, investigating every piece of evidence, and organizing all of this material so that it makes sense and is easily accessible. Then you must fully understand the applicable law. That means recognizing where the law is clear, areas where it is unsettled, and areas where it may be subject to change or expansion. Applying the facts to the law and presenting them in an effective way in court to support your theory of the case is the real essence of trial skill.

Understanding all of the facts includes understanding all of the theories and science that underlies them. In science intensive cases that means being able to separate science from pseudoscience, reality from fantasy, reliability from fiction, truth from falsity, and the appropriate use of experts to educate and inform. I believe that even the most seemingly complex cases can be made easily understandable if broken down into their constituent parts and presented in a fair and straightforward manner.