Jimmy McBirney '08 Wins Release for Client Wrongly Convicted of Murder and Arson
Jimmy McBirney '08, managing associate with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, secured the release from prison of a 72-year-old man who had served 16 years of a life sentence, convincing a federal district court that he was wrongly convicted of arson and triple murder. The trial drew coverage from media including the Los Angeles Times.
District Judge Anthony W. Ishii ruled that George Souliotes was wrongly convicted of setting a 1997 fire that resulted in three deaths, concluding that evidence introduced in the case had since been scientifically debunked. Judge Ishii also concurred with the opinion of a magistrate judge who found that Souliotes had not received a fair trial due to ineffectual counsel. Souliotes' release date will be determined as soon as prosecutors decide whether or not to attempt a retrial.
McBirney works out of Orrick's San Francisco office, where he is a member of the Litigation Division. His practice covers a broad array of general civil litigation matters including intellectual property and cybercrime, insurance recovery, bankruptcy practice, and commercial contract disputes. McBirney also performs significant pro bono work, representing indigent clients in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings.