Michael's Biography

This style of practice has been more of a "way of life" for Michael Amador as he describes it. "I'm from the old school" Amador says "I don't believe in failure and I can't tolerate incompetence…but a man should always be a gentleman."

Originally from Anaheim, California, Michael Amador was educated in tough, no nonsense parochial schools graduating in 1973 from Servite High School. It was a four-year all boys college preparatory academy taught by Servite Friars whose graduates are referred to nationwide as the "SERVITE MEN". Accepted to Loyola University in Los Angeles and being awarded a full academic scholarship as a "California State Scholar", Amador went on to his pre-law college education earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History with a multidisciplinary approach combing two minors in Philosophy and Political Science. Winning honors in History and admission to the Phi Alpha Theta National Historical Honor Society Michael Amador graduated in June 1977 and immediately started law school in July 1977 at the University of San Diego School of Law, again winning a full academic scholarship for his law school career.

Since he was 12 years old Michael Amador had planned his academic career always intending it to result in the practice of law, starting with top honors in grade school and the Knights of Columbus Scholarship to the private high school of his choice. His initial dream was to be a Prosecutor; a dream that began to take shape in Law School as he was awarded two internships with the San Diego District Attorney's Office in his third year of study: first in their Appellate Division and then as a certified law clerk in their "Municipal Court Division". He was assigned to prosecute felony preliminary hearings and misdemeanor jury trials while finishing his third year in law school and studying for the bar. The stage was set for his subsequent recruitment by the District Attorney's office in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he moved following graduation from law school in 1980.

Passing both California and Nevada Bar exams, Michael Amador went to work in Las Vegas where he relocated to "crush crime and make the world safe for democracy". On the front lines in Las Vegas as a Deputy District Attorney he earned his stripes with a nonstop eight year string of convictions resulting from a tireless work ethic that including doing most of his own investigation and field work. He authored the Clark County District Attorneys Office Search Warrant and Search and Seizure Manual in 1981 and was always on call, by choice, to assist his law enforcement friends if a search warrant needed to be drafted and a judge located at any hour, day or night.

Michael Amador saw the Vegas Skyline change dramatically throughout the 80's and left government work for a more lucrative career in private practice in January 1988. His practice had immediate success and his clientele grew far beyond the Las Vegas area. "I've had the pleasure of representing everything from rock stars (Amador successfully represented Nikki Sixx and the rest of "Motley Crue" for allegedly inciting a riot at a concert in Las Vegas getting both a dismissal as well as an apology from local law enforcement.) Movie stars (Amador could not comment claiming attorney-client privilege.) And international fugitives (Retained by Torsten Ruehl during the Andrew Cunanan manhunt and before his subsequent apparent suicide in Torsten's houseboat, the FBI, State Department, and Interpol were all after Mr. Ruehl. While Amador negotiated with authorities Torsten Ruehl turned up in the former East Germany resolving his legal problems with payment of restitution and a small fine.) Interestingly enough the Amador law firm has represented four (4) fugitives from justice profiled on "America's Most Wanted", and most recently Margaret Rudin, captured in November 1999 in Revere, Mass.

As a Prosecutor, Special Prosecutor and Criminal Defense Attorney, Michael J. Amador has been no stranger to high profile murder cases. Two of the most noteworthy cases are as follows:

1983: THE PROSECUTION OF DONALD DAMICO -
CAPITAL MURDER, ROBBERY AND USE OF A DEADLY WEAPON

Donald Damico, alleged associate of the Kansas City Mob was charged in Las Vegas with the contract killing and robbery of a local shylock (loan shark). His coconspirator, mob associate, Ralph Merola had become a federally protected witness after he learned of a contract taken out on his own life. His testimony and the corroborating testimony of a jailhouse informant and local pimp also charged with murder, made up the entire prosecution case: that is, until Amador was assigned to take the case to trial. With two local organized crime FBI agents to assist Amador's investigation, the D.A.'s Office got notice of Damico's alibi defense. He claimed to have been in California the day of the murder and brought two witnesses, some photographs, and a key piece of physical evidence to support his alibi.

With the basic facts of the bludgeoning death and subsequent disposal of the body in the desert outside Las Vegas, Amador went alone into the high profile national network media covered murder and robbery trial. The two informants, rats as they were called by the defense team, faced days of cross examination, impeaching their testimony, leaving the prosecution case weakened without corroboration of testimony. The defense presentation of its case was flawless, almost to the end. Amador discovered at a break the last day of trial that the defense's physical evidence allegedly proving the defendant to be in California had been tampered with and bore a hidden date stamp folded inside it's frame. The stamp was dated "received" by Damico two weeks after the murder and was subsequently used to destroy the credibility of the defense's case. Turning the defense upside down, Amador revealed to the jury that Damico's alibi was a fraud and they returned verdicts of guilty, 1st degree Murder With Use of a Deadly Weapon and Robbery With Use of a Deadly Weapon. This earned Donald Damico two consecutive life sentences plus a consecutive life sentences plus a consecutive 30 years in the Nevada State Prison. It was a case Amador was told by everyone, before he took it, that it could not be won. Exactly the kind of odds he likes.

1995: THE DEFENSE OF BUCK BOWEN -
CAPITAL MURDER

Buck Bowen was charged with the 1985 contract killing of Margie Kincaid, a women who prosecution believed to be but could not prove to be blackmailing a northern Nevada casino owner. After years of investigation into her death, charges were filled in 1993 against Buck for the strangulation death of Ms. Kincaid. After several lawyers failed to win Mr. Bowen's release, Mr. Amador took over Buck Bowen's high profile murder defense. From his own experience in defending and prosecuting murder cases in Las Vegas, he gathered together a team of retired law enforcement detectives and forensic specialists. Through an intensive reevaluation of the prosecutor's evidence and the discovery of a new witness, the Amador Defense Team was not only able to prove the innocence of Buck Bowen, but locate the "killer" and solve the murder. Buck Bowen was released immediately with credit for serving 2 ½ years behind bars awaiting trial. Five separate lawyers had tried and failed Buck, but six (6) months after Amador took over he was a free man.