I tell people this straight: shorter sentences don't start with credentials. They start with acceptance. Judges look for proof that you understand your role, that you're part of the solution, and that you're building a record showing you won't be back in another courtroom.

Too many defendants lean on a lawyer's past—former prosecutor, knows the judge, worked in that office. That doesn't change how you are perceived. In my experience, an engaged defender paired with documented behavior change matters more than pedigree.

If you want mitigation, you have to earn it. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

I've seen this pattern over and over. When someone commits a crime and doesn't get caught right away, the fear doesn't fade—it grows. Every knock, every phone call feels like the end. That anxiety eats at people.

I've had clients tell me they walked into the U.S. Attorney's office because they couldn't live waiting for a 6 a.m. arrest anymore. The stress was worse than the consequences. That fear drives decisions, often bad ones, if you don't slow down and think.

If you're under investigation, don't let panic decide for you. Learn how to respond before you act. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

I remember standing in a brokerage HR room watching a senior broker brag about raising $15–$20 million in a day. The truth came out fast. Junior brokers washed out, and he absorbed their accounts—$3 million here, $5 million there. No mentoring. Just consolidation.

That moment showed me how growth really worked in that environment. Advancement wasn't about teaching or ethics. It was about surviving long enough to take someone else's book. That realization shaped the bad decisions that followed.

If you're under investigation, understand the system you're in—and how incentives work. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

I was asked by a journalist to weigh in on claims that James Comey and Letitia James were victims of a two-tiered system. My answer surprised her. In 16 years, I've seen thousands of federal cases. Even with the best lawyers money can buy, I've seen one case dismissed. One.

Dismissals are almost nonexistent. When high-profile defendants get their cases tossed, that's the exception—not the rule. A sympathetic judge and a compelling narrative matter more than outrage.

Don't plan your future around rare outcomes. Prepare for what usually happens. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

Justin Paperny

After 16 years in this space, patterns repeat. I describe a former U.S. Attorney—now a defense lawyer—calling a false-statements case "ridiculous." The irony? He once brought the same kind of case as a prosecutor. Not because it was justice, but because he could.

False-statement cases are easy to charge and hard to undo. DOJ data shows they're often stacked to increase leverage, not clarity. Assuming a case will "get dropped" is how people misjudge risk and lose control.

Understand incentives, not excuses. Prepare accordingly. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern

Justin Paperny

Walking the track at a minimum-security camp isn't what defines your future. What comes after release does. People who assume prison is the finish line usually struggle most when the structure disappears.

Literature matters in prison because it puts suffering in context. Reading about people who endured war, poverty, or decades of confinement—and still rebuilt—changes how you see your own situation. Justin's example is blunt: compared to people with no family support or education, many white-collar defendants start with advantages they ignore.

Prison doesn't have to define you. What you do with perspective does. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern

Justin Paperny

Small choices carry consequences inside federal prison. Gambling tied to recreational sports leads to injuries, debts, and disciplinary shots. Gossip and constant complaining create enemies fast. One common mistake is venting about a short sentence—off-putting when bunkmates may be serving ten years or more.

Time alone matters. It reduces exposure to conflict and bad decisions. Keep distance from staff. They aren't confidants, and casual comments can become reports. In federal prisons, many incident reports start with unnecessary conversation, not violence.

Keep your head down. Control your mouth. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

Justin Paperny

When people panic, they talk. They explain inconsistencies, justify decisions, and try to "clear things up." That usually backfires. In one real case, a defendant already under indictment took a call from a former colleague—unaware that the caller was cooperating with the government.

The cooperator was coached to call, ask questions, and even lie if needed. The defendant opened up. Weeks later, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment. That single call made his situation worse.

Assume everyone has an agenda. Silence protects you. Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

Justin Paperny

Most White Collar Advice clients serve time in minimum-security camps, often with sentences under five years. That matters. You're entering a place where others have lived for decades. The smart move is humility—lay low, don't manipulate, and drop the TV-driven myths about prison life.

Real problems often start at night in TV rooms—gambling, noise, and tension. One practical fix: remove yourself. Waking up before the dorm creates a quiet two-to-three-hour window for thinking, planning, and staying out of trouble.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

Justin Paperny

After a talk in Los Angeles last week, I realized how much people still misunderstand about prison. The questions I got weren't academic—they were based on assumptions that can actually hurt someone once they're inside. That's why I recorded this episode.

I walk through five prison myths I hear all the time. One is that minimum-security prison is just boring. Boredom is real, but that's also the danger. Idle time is where people waste years. If you use it right, prison can be a reset, not a holding pattern.

Another myth is thinking you "have time." With good time, earned time credits, RDAP, and halfway house placements, sentences move faster than people expect. If you drift early, you don't get that time back. The habits you form in the first week usually stick.

I also push back on the idea that camps are country clubs. Yes, there are sports. No, it's not easy or comfortable. This episode is about clearing the fog before it's too late.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

Justin Paperny