Federal criminal defense attorney Candice Fields longed for a meaningful career, so she traded in her job promoting textile products in the design trade for a law degree. “I knew instinctively that I wanted to protect individual constitutional rights,” she said. “I’m wired for two things: advocacy and people.”
Starting out, she sampled civil litigation where she honed skills she now uses daily—managing complex records, working under pressure and negotiating outcomes. “I sought the moral clarity of defense work,” she said. “Standing beside a client at the hardest moment of their life and navigating a system that can feel immovable—that’s work worth mastering.”
Over time, her practice has come to focus on complex federal white-collar cases—financial crimes with high-stakes sentencing.
AALM: How is your practice different today than you envisioned in law school? How did your work at the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a law student shape your career?
CF: Working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a student was pivotal. I observed federal prosecutors and defense attorneys in action. The lesson I carry from that experience: defense credibility is currency. When the government knows your proposals are fact-checked, your mitigation is real, and your numbers add up, negotiations change. I don’t posture; I present clean facts, a principled legal theory, and a solution that serves both public safety and justice, as well as my client. That’s the brand standard at Candice Fields Law, PC.
AALM: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in launching your career?
CF: Three come to mind:
Time and emotion triage. Federal defense can swallow you whole. I learned to out-strategize cases—not just out-work them. Honestly, I’ve never learned how to stop worrying about my clients but, over the years, I’ve improved how I handle the pressure.
Fit discipline. The wrong “yes” costs more than the fee earned. I learned to focus my practice on cases where I can move the needle: complex white-collar matters requiring meticulous discovery management, thoughtful negotiation, credible sentencing mitigation, and, if needed, effective trial skills.
Treating the firm like a business. Clear funding expectations and a communication-first culture directly impact client experience. Clients feel the difference when a firm is calm, organized, and responsive while also providing realistic feedback and setting reasonable boundaries.
AALM: You worked for several law firms before starting your own practice. What inspired this move? How has your firm evolved over the last decade?
CF: I launched Candice Fields Law, PC to build a defense-forward practice aligned with my strengths: complex federal work. Independence lets me deliver services at my own demanding standards—directly to clients, without layers that dilute strategy.
The firm has grown from a subtenancy in an office suite to a fully modern operation. I use a vetted network of experts—retired federal agents, forensic CPAs, IT professionals, and mental-health specialists—to develop defense strategies. Our playbook begins on day one: records requests, treatment and employment plans, loss and restitution analysis, and sentencing mitigation that is specific and verifiable. That rigor is why other lawyers call me when their case needs a credible sentencing strategy.
AALM: Looking back, are there any cases that have stood out as particularly memorable? Any that changed the course of your career or altered how you practice?
CF: I represented Rick Singer, the ringleader of the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal, during his sentencing, leveraging his cooperation to secure a more lenient outcome. The sentence reflected accountability but amounted to only about half the prison time the government recommended. This nationally recognized case, prosecuted in Boston, increased my visibility beyond the Sacramento region where my office is located.
Another memorable case involved a client with a long history of abuse and addiction. That matter taught me how to integrate human context without offering excuses. A trauma-informed plan, backed by treatment and compliance data, moved the court. Compassion and narrative-framing can change outcomes.
AALM: Tell us about your mentors and the best lessons they taught you. Are you mentoring lawyers now? What are you trying to instill?
CF: I’ve learned from defenders, prosecutors and judges. From defenders: protect your credibility—never bluff, never overstate. From prosecutors and judges: clarity wins—narrow the issues, file clean papers, and propose practical solutions.
I mentor students and younger lawyers formally and informally. I particularly enjoy introducing them to the federal system and making employment introductions. After more than 30 years of practice, and as a longtime member of the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, I’ve built strong connections with excellent lawyers across practice areas. I try to encourage younger people to be open-minded about which practice area to pursue and which job to take. Every early experience builds knowledge that can be used throughout a career.
AALM: What changes are you seeing in criminal defense? How has the practice evolved, and what’s ahead?
CF: Data volume is the biggest shift. Even non-complex cases can involve multiple phones and social media accounts, voluminous digital financial records, and terabytes of cloud data. Defense teams must be conversant in technology and partner with the right experts to digest all the data the government now produces.
Client expectations have matured. People want transparency, strategy and measurable steps. Increasingly, clients use the internet and AI to self-educate. This can be a benefit—when an intake email clearly details a potential client’s legal needs—but also a burden—when incomplete prompts lead to false conclusions.
Looking ahead, AI will accelerate discovery review and case analysis. The challenge will be to use these tools without losing judgment or humanity. Substantively, in white-collar practice, I expect continued enforcement of pandemic-era programs like PPP and EIDL loans, along with civil enforcement under FIRREA and the False Claims Act. Healthcare fraud, procurement and defense contracting fraud, bribery, misuse of digital assets, and international trade/customs fraud will remain DOJ priorities. Emerging areas include antitrust enforcement in agriculture and investigation of fraud, manipulation, and misuse of cryptocurrencies.
AALM: Looking back on your career so far, tell us about a mistake or misstep you made.
CF: I waited too long to open my own firm. Stretching out of my comfort zone to start a business was the best decision I ever made. After 18 years of practicing law employed by others, with recurring burnout and career frustration, I discovered the pride of ownership and joy of independence. I wish I had done it sooner.
AALM: What goals are you still hoping to accomplish? What’s the next milestone?
CF: I’m focused on two priorities:
Deepening my federal financial-crimes niche. I want Candice Fields Law, PC to remain the first call in Sacramento and the Eastern/Northern Districts of California for pandemic fraud-related matters, wire-fraud and money-laundering allegations, and complex sentencing/restitution strategy.
Expanding leadership and collaboration. Good defense should be teachable and repeatable. I am broadening how I share knowledge with the defense bar and students. I also look forward to deeper collaboration with my colleagues in the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA), where I feel I’ve found my tribe—women around the world who not only share the same practice area but also the goal of promoting each other and supporting our greatest success as defenders.
AALM: How do you recharge outside of work, and has that balance played a role in long-term success?
CF: I have a horse and participate in an annual horse drive in the Eastern Sierra. Time in the saddle is non-negotiable; it clears the mental inbox and demands presence. I also host friends—good food, good wine, and real conversation. I’m known for my Friendsgiving, and I’m always testing a new dish or dessert on a holiday crowd. At home, my dog doesn’t care about my deadlines; she keeps me active and doesn’t mind my bad taste in escapist TV.
Balance isn’t indulgence—it’s operations. Clients deserve full attention, not burnout. That’s why my calendar protects deep-work blocks, client communication windows, and actual days off. Paradoxically, structure creates freedom and better advocacy.
