About Kratu
Kratu Patel began his path to the law in California's public universities. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis in 2002. He then attended the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, completing his Juris Doctor in 2007. Those academic years set the stage for a courtroom career rooted in public defense.
After law school, Patel joined the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office as a Deputy Public Defender in 2008. He moved quickly into hands-on trial work. Early assignments put him before judges and juries across Los Angeles County. He handled arraignments, pretrial motions, felony and misdemeanor cases, and contested hearings. The day-to-day work required quick legal research, clear courtroom presentation, and repeated contact with clients facing serious outcomes.
Patel’s docket has included a mix of cases that reflect the range of matters seen by a county defender. He has managed cases through all stages: from initial charging decisions to plea negotiations and, when necessary, trials. He has drafted briefs and motions, argued suppression issues, and negotiated resolutions that often balance legal strategy with client circumstances. Colleagues describe him as steady in court and direct in communication.
Work in a busy public office also involves client interviewing and social context assessment. Patel has worked with clients from diverse backgrounds and has coordinated with investigators, social workers, and mitigation specialists where cases required more than legal argument alone. That collaborative aspect is part of daily practice for many county defenders and shapes how cases are prepared for trial or disposition.
Over time Patel has split his practice across several Los Angeles County locations. He appears in court and meets clients out of offices in Downtown Los Angeles, Claremont, and Covina. Those multiple locations reflect the geographic breadth of the county and the need to serve clients where their cases arise. His calendar often includes courtroom settings across different courthouses, which keeps the job fast-paced and logistically varied.
Patel's professional record is grounded in public defense work spanning the years since he left law school. He draws on courtroom experience, familiarity with local procedures, and routine collaboration with allied professionals in preparing cases. He maintains an active practice representing criminal defendants in Los Angeles County and works from Downtown Los Angeles, Claremont, and Covina offices where he handles client matters and court appearances.
