About Aaron Philip
Aaron Philip McAllister grew up academically focused on law and policy. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Irvine, completing undergraduate studies in 2006. He then attended Howard University School of Law and received his J.D. in 2009. Those years placed him in two different legal communities: a public university on the West Coast and a historically Black law school in Washington, D.C., an experience that shaped how he approaches clients and cases.
McAllister began his legal career at the DC Public Defender Service in 2009. He worked there as a trial-level lawyer, representing clients in criminal matters and learning courtroom procedure under pressure. In 2010 he moved into private practice as an associate at White & Case LLP. That stint in a large firm exposed him to different forms of litigation and institutional practice. By 2013 he returned to regional practice as an associate at Ivie, McNeill & Wyatt, where he continued to handle contested matters and courtroom work.
In 2015 McAllister stepped into two leadership roles. He became a supervising lawyer for the City of Refuge, Anchor of Hope Re-Entry Ministry’s legal clinic, helping people navigate the legal consequences of reentry after incarceration. That same year he launched The Law Office of Aaron P. McAllister and took on the role of founder and principal lawyer. The transition brought him back to direct client representation and to managing the operation of a small firm.
Professional affiliations have been a steady part of his career. He holds memberships in local and national bar associations, including the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Riverside County Bar Association. He joined the John M. Langston Bar Association in 2013 and is a member of the California Public Defender’s Association. National organizations have recognized him: he is listed in the National Black Lawyers Top 100 and has been an award recipient from the National Trial Lawyers Association.
McAllister’s practice has grown out of a mix of public defense, reentry work, and litigation experience from private firms. His background includes courtroom representation, supervising a reentry clinic, and running a small firm. He continues to operate The Law Office of Aaron P. McAllister and focuses his practice on criminal defense and reentry-related legal services.
