About John Tello

Bakersfield Criminal Defense Attorney

Attorney John Tello serves English- and Spanish-speaking clients in Bakersfield.

He characterizes his practice with a strong penchant for justice.  He believes the role of an attorney is to help fix a problem, so he does everything he can to take the difficulty out of the process for the client.  

“People hire an attorney to worry for them,” says Mr. Tello, “so let me do the worrying.”

Mr. Tello has been a criminal defense lawyer and a personal injury lawyer in California for 30 years.  

He argued and won Jackson v. Pierce (1990) 224 Cal. App. 3d 954, the case that set the precedent for a tougher standard of evidence for the prosecution in drunk-driving cases in California. 

Admitted to Practice:

• California 1979
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of California 1984 

Lawyer Organizations:

• California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
• California Public Defenders Association
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• American Association for Justice
• Kern County Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Board of Directors
• Kern County Bar Association, Board of Directors
• Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, Board of Directors
• Kern County Probation Department Mentor Program, Founding Member 

Education:

• Juris Doctor, University of California at Los Angeles School of Law—Los Angeles, California 1978
• Bachelor of Arts, California State University—Dominguez Hills, California 1975

Past Employment:

• Partner—Chain, Younger, Cohn, and Stiles, Bakersfield, California 1990-2004
• Attorney—Chain, Younger, Cohn, and Stiles, Bakersfield, California 1983-1990
• Deputy Public Defender—Kern County California 1981-1983
• Deputy District Attorney—Ventura County California 1980-1981
• B-58 Flight-Simulator Repairman and High-Frequency Communications Repairman—United States Air Force 1965-1969

Community Involvement:

Mr. Tello has served on numerous civic and community organizations including the Kern County Bar Association, Kern County Probation Department Mentor Program, The Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation as well as serving as Judge Pro Tempore in Kern County courts. Mr. Tello has a strong commitment to the residents of Kern County and its surrounding communities.

Call 1-888-722-7057 for the Law Office of John Tello.