Former Public Defender Opens Practice
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Former Saratoga County Public Defender Oscar Schreiber recently opened his own law practice in Saratoga Springs. This comes after 31 years with the public defender’s office, and a brief retirement.
“Retirement is not for me. I still have a lot to do,” said Schreiber. “I’m young enough, I have the experience and knowledge, and I still want to contribute.”
Schreiber received his law degree from Gonzaga University, and started out at a personal injury firm in NYC. He later moved to the area and began working for the county in 1989, becoming chief public defender in 2013. Schreiber said that he decided to leave in August 2019 to search out a new challenge. “The lawyers at the Saratoga County Pubic Defender’s Office are some of the best lawyers that I have worked with in my 37 years of practicing law, and I wish them the best,” said Schreiber.
In his new firm, Schreiber would like to focus on personal injury, rehabilitation, and counseling for addiction issues as an alternative to incarceration. He would also like to help any veterans that come into trouble due to their addiction. “Many veterans I’ve represented have returned from overseas with PTSD or addiction,” said Schreiber. “I will be advocating for veterans, substance abuse issues, and mental health treatment. Once we address the mental health issues and the addiction issues, I think criminality will be greatly reduced.” Schreiber also emphasized the importance of bail reform in the criminal justice system.
Schreiber will have a full time investigator and paralegal on his team, but will keep his practice individualized for now. “My goal in this private practice is to give the client my individual and undivided attention,” he said. “I want my clients to feel like they’ve been treated fairly by the criminal justice system, and my personal injury clients to feel like they’ve been treated fairly by the insurance company; if not, that’s what they look to my aid for.”
Schreiber’s practice is located at 100 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs. “I look forward to this practice; I’m going to miss the county, the administrators, and the people, but I think this is a great challenge for me,” stated Schreiber. For more information, call Schreiber’s office at 518-450-4007.