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Practice
Engaged in criminal defense including motor vehicle code and license suspension matters.
Education
Graduate of Adrian College
in 1966 and Duquesne University Law School in 1974.
Professional Background
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania in
1974. Also admitted to practice before the United States
District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania; the United
States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; The Supreme Court of
the United States.
Professional Employment
Assistant District Attorney of Allegheny
County (Narcotics) (1974 -1976).
Deputy District Attorney for Complex Litigation (63 Homicide
Trials - - Investigating
Grand Jury - Electronic
Surveillance) (1976 -1980).
Deputy District Attorney - Crimes Against Persons Trials (1980
-1983).
Specially Designated Assistant U.S. Attorney (1980 -1981).
Special Prosecutor (Commonwealth v. Henkel - serial murder)(1983
-1984).
Consultant to Office of Public Defender (Homicide, Death Penalty
Cases)( 1986 -1988). Privately
retained criminal homicide trials.
Total homicide trials in excess of 300.
Private practice with concentration in Driving Under the
Influence defense since 1985.
Professional Experience
Federal: U.S. Court of Appeals for the
3rd Circuit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; U.S. District Court for the
Western District of Pennsylvania; Las
Vegas, Nevada; Columbus, Ohio.
State Courts: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania all courts; Pennsylvania
Supreme Court; Pennsylvania Superior Court;
District and Municipal Courts in State of Ohio.
Professional Memberships and Associations
National College for DUI Defense;
Allegheny County Bar Association Criminal Trial Lawyers Division
(former Member
Board of Trustees);
Former member Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers;
Former member Pittsburgh Medical Legal Society;
Former member National Association of District Attorneys;
Former member Pennsylvania Association of District Attorneys;
Former faculty member National College of District Attorneys;
Professional Achievements/Awards
2007, The Best Lawyers in America in the area of
Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense.
2006, Inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
1993-Present, Martindale Hubbell AV Rated
1993, Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers -
Criminal
1982, Jaycees Man of the Year- Law Award
Professional Publications
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, "Driving Under the Influence of
Alcohol"
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, "Motor Vehicle Code Violations"
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, "Changes in Driving Under the Influence
Law"
Professional Teaching/Lecturer
Pennsylvania Bar Institute
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Pennsylvania State Police Academy
City of Pittsburgh Police Department Academy
Allegheny County Police Academy
Professional Continuing Education
May 10, 2010 - National College of DUI Defense - "Mastering &
Understanding DUI
Scientific Evidence";
October, 2007 - National College of DUI Defense - "DWI Means Defend with
Ingenuity";
October, 2003 - National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - "DUI Means
Defend with Ingenuity."
Years as a Lawyer
36
Percentage of Practice Devoted to DUI
95%
Years
Concentrating on DUI
20
years
Professional Statement of Practice
For a professional who has tried over 300 murder cases and other crimes ranging
from motor vehicle violations to rape, Kim now defends those accused of
DUI-related crimes. As a private attorney for more than 30 years, some of
his cases gained celebrity, like the time he won an acquittal for a college
basketball star accused of raping a woman in a dormitory. Many of his DUI cases
have been published by the highest courts of Pennsylvania, but most of his
clients never make the news. Because Kim knows the prosecutors, the judges, and
the rules that govern, he works hard and effectively to resolve cases before
they get to trial. Also, this litigator has been defending and teaching laws
pertaining to those who are accused of using alcohol and/or drugs in conjunction
with driving.
Family ties are important to this attorney whose congenial demeanor belies a
toughness in court that wins acquittals for his clients. A native of Pittsburgh
who once tried out for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kim Riester spent his early
working years as an assistant district attorney for Allegheny County. His
attention to detail led the District Attorney to put him in charge of complex
litigation involving homicide prosecutions, investigating grand juries, and
electronic surveillance, and no one was surprised when Kim was loaned to the
U.S. Attorney. In the 1980s, he was also charged with prosecuting a serial
murderer.
As a graduate of Adrian College and the Duquesne University Law School, Kim
Riester is a noted lecturer at the about Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
and Motor Vehicle Law for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Department of
Transportation, and Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and
formerly for the Pennsylvania State Police, City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny
County Police Academies.
In addition to court room experience, Kim prepares extensively, commencing with
the initial client conference. From the preliminary hearing stage through
appeals, he has a reputation of being exceptionally thorough. The motions that
he files on behalf of his clients are, perhaps, unsurpassed in factual detail,
legal analysis, and decisional authority. These motions provide each client with
a unique invocation of the their statutory and constitutional rights. If the
case ever proceeds to trial, as most do not after the issues are addressed in
the motions, Kim has been most successful. He plans for all eventualities from
conviction followed by appeal, to acquittal followed by expungement of the
criminal history/records.
Being personable with the clients, as well as the members of the judicial
system, Kim has had a history of favorable outcomes. Kim's experience and
knowledge, coupled with specialized training and interaction with members of the
National College of DUI Defense as well as other experts, leads him to explain
thoroughly all aspects of the proceedings. He makes a difficult experience less
traumatic, so clients can lead successful lives.
Personal
Kim resides in the North Hills
suburb of Pittsburgh with his wife, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
Kim and his wife have two children. Their son is a graduate of Louisiana Tech
University and resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Their daughter is currently
attending Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
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