Daniel Varon joined The Zalkin Law Firm in 2020 bringing his experience as an attorney in the Office of the District Attorney in Orange County. Daniel is an experienced trial attorney having tried approximately 60 jury trials during his work as a Deputy District Attorney. He was recognized as Prosecutor of the Year by the California District Attorney Investigators Association in 2017.
While at the Orange County DA’s Office, Daniel worked in the Human Exploitation & Trafficking Unit where he maintained a full caseload of human trafficking-related cases, including trying the first human trafficking of a minor case following passage of Proposition 35. As a Senior Deputy in the DA’s Office, Daniel also handled pretrial writs in the California Court of Appeals; drafted and argued appeals in the California Court of Appeal and Superior Court Appellate Department; and drafted requests for review in the California Supreme Court.
During his time with the Orange County DA, Daniel was also deeply involved in developing and presenting comprehensive human trafficking training programs for law enforcement and prosecutors in twelve counties across California. Daniel served as a subject matter expert for California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) for development of its human trafficking training video and for the POST Institute of Criminal Investigations (ICI) Advanced Human Trafficking Investigations course. He has also conducted educational outreach about human trafficking issues and conducted legal training programs on a wide range of other topics.
Prior to his work at the Orange County District attorney Office, Daniel worked for the law firm of Gilbert, Kelly, Crowley & Jennett (GKC&J), LLP in Los Angeles, CA. At KC&J Daniel conducted all aspects of case management, including taking depositions, making court appearances, and participating in administrative trials, prepared pleadings, and interfaced with clients regarding case status and to ascertain settlement authority, as well as negotiated and effectuated settlements of claims.
Daniel’s legal career also includes work at the Office of the District Attorney, County of Riverside as a Certified Law Clerk where he conducted full misdemeanor jury trials and presented numerous preliminary hearings in felony prosecutions.
Daniel was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2006. He received his Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law in May 2006, where he was the recipient of several awards including Best Advocate Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Mock Trial Competition & Best Attorney Award, Stanford Law School Mock Trial Competition. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with a Minor in Political Science from The George Washington University.