Part 1: How It All Began: A Passion for Criminal Law From Childhood

Q & A with NiaLena Caravasos, Esq.

Editor’s Note. US Daily Review recently interviewed one of the country’s leading criminal defense attorneys about her very unique approach to the law. She is known for providing a “holistic” and very empathetic approach. Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business show and Editor at Large for US Daily Review, has interviewed NiaLena Caravasos several times and calls her “a true thought leader when it comes to the law and an innovator in the area of federal criminal defense and white collar crime.” US Daily Review is delighted to explore the important work and approach of NiaLena Caravasos in this three part series of questions and answers with our editorial team.

When did you first realize that you wanted to become a lawyer?

In the sixth grade. I would argue constantly with my beloved teacher and even got in trouble for continuing to argue my point while I was supposed to be reading quietly in the library. I was watching a TV show called The Paper Chase and was very captivated by the character of Professor Kingsfield who was very strict with the first-year law students and employed the Socratic method while teaching. Socrates encouraged his students to learn to think for themselves and analyze situations in order to find the answers, and so did Professor Kingsfield. That intense thought process of mental gymnastics was very exciting and so I would challenge myself to learn to outmaneuver by thought in any situation. And of course, I was a Type A personality and always wanted to win and so I would continue to argue my point until I wore out the person with whom I was arguing. And the fact that my Mom was a lawyer in Greece helped to show me the way as well.

What was it that attracted you specifically to the criminal law?

The excitement. I remember watching a classic movie entitled Witness for the Prosecution, and I was very drawn to the drama and suspense of the courtroom. I loved to perform in lead theatrical roles from when I was very young and saw the courtroom as an academic stage of sorts in which I could do the same but while using my mind and wits as well. And I also loved to solve problems and puzzles and equations from when I was very young because my strengths were physics and math, so I was very drawn to the mystery surrounding criminal law and to solving the problem of who did it and why.

Can you explain a little more about being drawn to the courtroom?

Sure. When I began in private practice, I was fortunate to be able to join F. Emmett Fitzpatrick who was the former elected District Attorney of Philadelphia and subsequently one of the most esteemed criminal defense attorneys in the country and considered by many as the “dean of criminal defense”. I wanted to join him because he was one of a kind and he commanded the courtroom in a manner that was extremely captivating and that I wanted to emulate. And as my mentor and future law partner, Emmett was able to impart his wisdom and experience in teaching me how to command a courtroom as well. In the early years of my being in private practice with him, I would overprepare for every eventuality that I thought might occur so that I could respond. And that was good but it also resulted in being wed to those prepared responses. Emmett taught me how to have confidence in myself and to truly believe that I would be able to respond in the moment without being wed to a script, so to speak. So going forward, I was able to prepare for every eventuality but then just set that aside and let myself be free to react in the moment and have the foresight to know how to control as many factors as possible so that the moment would go my way, so to speak.

Did you ever consider prosecution?

Yes and no. I did the Prosecutor Program during the Criminal Clinic in law school because it enabled me to go to court and actually try cases. And I also did internships in the District Attorney’s Offices both in Cambridge, Massachusetts during law school and also in Philadelphia. But my heart was always in criminal defense because I found it more challenging and I was always drawn to solving more difficult problems. What I mean is that a prosecutor has evidence to work with and builds the case from there. Most times as a criminal defense attorney, you have to create the defense literally starting with nothing and trying to uncover ways to defend a client that allow for more out-of-the-box thinking, which is how I always operate. And sympathizing with a victim is something that is very easy for most people to do, while it is much more challenging to be able to connect with a defendant who is often times viewed very negatively as a result of the allegations against that person.

NiaLena Caravasos is the only Philadelphia criminal defense attorney to be featured twice on the Super Lawyers cover – once in the Philadelphia Magazine and in a cover story entitled “Fierce” and again on the cover and cover story of the 20th Anniversary Super Lawyers edition. She has been repeatedly recognized in the Top 100 and Top 50 Women Super Lawyers lists and was also featured on the cover and cover story of CIO Women Magazine as a “Pioneer of Female Leadership in Male-Dominated Criminal Defense.” She was also honored by the international nonprofit project “Inspirational People” that focuses on featuring accomplished individuals around the world who practice their professions in a manner that is believed to be inspirational to young people. NiaLena has her own law firm in Philadelphia where she focuses on defending her federal criminal and white collar crime clients while employing a unique holistic approach geared to restoring her clients to good lives. Please visit her website at https://nialena.com to learn more about her practice.