Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel Alba to join Snow, Christensen & Martineau

Retiring United States Magistrate Judge Samuel Alba will join Snow, Christensen & Martineau in July.  In Judge Alba’s new career he will be a shareholder with the firm and co-chair the White Collar Defense practice group, along with venerable Max Wheeler.

We are honored and pleased to welcome Judge Alba to the firm.  He is a highly regarded Federal Magistrate Judge who has presided over many complex criminal and civil matters for 20 years.  Before taking the bench, he was an effective and respected trial lawyer.  His depth of experience and character will be an asset to our attorneys and clients,” said Andrew M. Morse, President of Snow, Christensen & Martineau.

Alba has been a United States Magistrate Judge since August 1992, and was Chief Magistrate Judge from 2003 to 2008.  From 1987 to 1992 he was a shareholder at another local firm, and focused on commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense.  From 1980 to 1987 he was an Assistant United States Attorney.  He started his career trying cases in the Federal Public Defenders’ office in Phoenix, Arizona.

As a Magistrate Judge, Alba has handled high profile cases including the pretrial matters in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case, the Four Corners Artifacts Trafficking case, and the 2010 Bugman Pest and Lawn matter.

Alba said that the people who have had the most influence on his life were, “My parents, who always encouraged me to seek education.”

Click to read more in the Salt Lake Tribune