About Rick
Rick Gazipura built a path to the law after studying biology at the University of California, Berkeley and finishing law school at Santa Clara University. He holds a B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology and later earned a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. Those academic choices set a different tone for the start of a legal career that would center on criminal defense.
He began serving in public defense roles soon after law school. In 2009 he took on a position listed as Public Defender at Iny County Public Defender. A few years later he joined the Tulare County Public Defender's Office as a deputy public defender in 2012. Those years in county offices exposed him to courtroom practice and to the day-to-day demands of representing people charged with crimes. In 2013 he moved into private practice as a lawyer at Biggam, Christensen, and Minsloff, gaining experience on the defense side in a different setting.
Gazipura is licensed to practice in California and has stayed active in professional groups that align with criminal defense work. He has been a member of the California Public Defenders Association since 2009. He joined the California DUI Lawyers Association and California Lawyers for Criminal Justice in 2017, and lists those organizations among his ongoing professional affiliations. These memberships reflect continuing engagement with peers and with developments in criminal and DUI law.
His career shows steady movement between public sector defense and private practice. Time in county public defender offices gave him exposure to arraignments, motions practice, and trials. Work at a private firm brought different responsibilities, including case management and direct client counseling in various criminal matters. He has handled cases in California courts at multiple stages of prosecution and defense.
Colleagues describe him as someone who came into the profession from a nonlegal undergraduate background and who learned courtroom work through steady practice. He has combined days in court with time managing caseloads outside of trial. That mix of roles has shaped how he approaches case preparation and client interactions.
As of 2026 he remains active in California legal circles and in associations tied to criminal defense and DUI practice. He practices law in California, concentrating on criminal defense and DUI matters.
